So you want to join the jam?
First Mondays are Jam nights at Monday Swing.
Grab your instrument and join in!
Sign in as you enter. The jam leader will arrange musicians into sets.
There is no cover for musicians, but please consider making a donation of $5-10 to help PLS cover the costs of this event.
Grab a jam book. We offer fake books in various keys:
C (concert pitch) instruments: piano, guitar, violin, flute, voice
B-flat instruments: trumpet, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet
E-flat instruments: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Bass instruments (concert pitch, but written in bass clef): bass, trombone, tuba
If you’d like a digital copy of the fake books, ask a PLS board member or a seasoned jammer.
How does it work?
The jam leader will call out tunes from the book, but anyone in the jam can call a tune. If you do, you should be ready to play the head.
If you’d like to sing, you can also come up and call a tune.
Please note we’re limited to the keys in the jam book.
Expect to sing the head at the beginning and the end.
The rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, and percussion) typically plays accompaniment throughout the whole tune, but other instruments do not play the whole time.
The jam leader will call out solos, usually a few bars before each one begins.
A solo is what YOU have to say. It’s okay to choose not to take any solos if you’re not feeling it. It’s also okay to take a solo even if you’re new! If you take one and panic, you can always play the melody on the lead sheet.
When someone is playing a solo, they’re backed up by the rhythm section, but other instruments don’t play. When you’re not playing, listen to whoever is, and feel free to call out encouragement when you hear something you like!
Pay attention — things might change!
Keep your eye on the jam leader. They may call out specific instructions on the fly—double time, “take another!”, repeat last four, trade 8s, etc.
