Jam band

A jam band describes bands, often psychedelic rock bands, whose concerts largely consist of improvisations in the model of the Grateful Dead. The term likely derives from the jam sessions of jazz musicians, though those sessions tended to be completely free of constraints, whereas bands in the jam scene tend to improvise around specific songs, often segueing smoothly between songs.

Related Topics:
Band - Psychedelic rock - Improvisation - Grateful Dead - Jam session - Jazz - Segue

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although first associated with psychedelic rock, jam bands can come from various music traditions, including funk, progressive bluegrass, blues, country, rock, folk and jazz.

Related Topics:
Psychedelic rock - Progressive bluegrass

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jam bands sometimes improvise around the chord progressions of pre-composed songs, varying them by tempo or other dimensions. This is arguably a progression of the guitar solo, a feature of traditional rock music. Some jam bands only perform this type of jamming, hardly ever heading into uncharted territory. Others completely improvise the notes, tempo and structure of the music, distinguished only from jam sessions perhaps by the size and activity of the audience.

Related Topics:
Chord progression - Tempo - Rock music - Completely improvise

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With a few lesser-known exceptions like the New Grass Revival, the jam-scene before 1990 was primarily the scene of the Grateful Dead. Beginning with the formation of Phish in the mid 1980s, the jam band scene gradually expanded beyond the musical style of a single band. The Grateful Dead and Phish are considered to be the two most popular jam bands so far.

Related Topics:
New Grass Revival - Phish

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~