No, I’m not talking about making preserves! 
A
ny musicians out there meet up to jam? What instrument(s) do you play, and what types of music? What are your jams like?
I play upright bass and my wife plays fiddle. Most of the jams I attend are called “bluegrass”, but would more accurately be called something more generic like “old-timey”. I used to jam in and around Chicago, at the Old Town School, and at a coffeehouse and in some private homes in the western burbs.
I’ve moved to NW Indiana, and found jams in a number of small towns in about a 30 mile radius around me. Tuesdays are in a coffeehouse, Fridays are in a town hall, Saturdays are in a storage facility behind the funeral home, and Sundays are at another town hall.
I’m kinda in between, where I feel an urge to get beyond the beginners’ jams, but very quickly get over my head at the more advanced ones. And I always feel as though I don’t know enough tunes. Several of these jams have both backrooms and a stage, with groups rotating on and off the stage. At most of them folk bring food to pass, essentially a potluck type of thing. Fun way to spend an evening.
Over Memorial Day I’m driving about 100 miles to stay overnight at a big festival. Can’t wait.
Anyone else? Got any favorite songs? Any war stories?
I’m heading out to a blues jam in Brisbane, CA tonight. I usually go to jams with my tenor sax, flute, and a case of harmonicas, but for this one I’m just bringing the sax.
I make preserves. I don’t play an instrument.
StG
I’m a clarinetist/ukulele player. I’ve played in a few “jams”, though nothing too official or big, or even that often.
I remember bringing my ukulele to a party last summer. One of my friends played piano, and another had his double bass, and we managed to play the Beatles song “Norwegian Wood.” Then we tried “Sweet Caroline.” None of us knew all the words, but that didn’t stop us. 
I helped start an open mic night at a friends pub in our village a few years ago - the pub has changed hands and the musical crew is quite different a few years down the track, but I still go most Wednesdays. I take guitars (acoustic and electric) and harmonicas. We sit in on each others songs and have a few all-in jams for fun. Mostly pop, rock, blues and folk - it’s all good.
I have fun, so I keep going.
Yeah, I both jam and gig. Right now, not gigging much - sitting in for a few acoustic songs at a local performance spot. In terms of jamming, I hang out with musician friends regularly - not as regularly as I could if I took a bit more initiative.
I love the give and take of a true jam - sometimes I just play with a drummer; it’s fun because if we sell each other / communicate as we make changes in dynamics and pace, he doesn’t care what chords I choose or sonic space I fill. I started playing this weird, quasi-Who-fake-synthy fingerpicky thing and he got all Moonie - much fun.
Right now I am attempting to sound credible on an archtop guitar - I won’t go so far as to say jazz, but some jump-blues with cool extended chords. I will consider myself ready for my merit badge when I can jam in it with some credibility ;)…
Last night’s gig felt like a jam. Only my third with this band (I play keyboard), the bass player’s first, and the drummer’s first with me, and maybe 2nd with the band. No practices…we convened 5 minutes before and went over what tunes we could pull off and what keys they were in. We play mostly early 60’s, R&B & Motown - My Girl, I Feel Good, Proud Mary, etc. and some disco :rolleyes:, but I try to keep that funky and off the cuff (not that I have a choice). I can usually fake it when I don’t know the chords as long as I’m the only one, but last night the bass player was hitting plenty of those so-low-they-won’t-notice-you’re-lost thuds, so the tightwire felt quite a bit higher than normal. Good times.
I’ve played plenty of no-practice blues gigs too…and I go to open blues jams now and again. I’ll sit in as long as there’s a decent board there (weighted keys are a big plus). It’s advantageous not to be a guitar player in that respect, as I can usually sit for a while, especially if the house guy has had his fill of jams. Always a roll of the dice, but when it works, and it does more often than not, it’s a hoot.
I play guitar and would love to jam, but I don’t know anybody local who plays, or at least nobody interested in jamming.
I play drums (poorly) out in my garage. Alone. Usually drinking.
Its actually pretty sad.