Once upon a time - way back in the days when I started playing music, the only style I truly enjoyed playing was Bluegrass. Unfortunately for the folks who had to listen to my hours of learning the craft, it was probably not pleasant as I figured my way around the fretboards of the mandolin and guitar. One thing I always enjoyed was jamming with other Bluegrassers, a great way to get acquainted with the possibilities of the instrument I was playing.
Over the years, I've drifted away from my Bluegrass beginnings - playing more Old Time, and most recently Irish Trad. The structure of these forms is one of the things that attracted me, and by playing and performing both, made me a better all around musician. And I'm havin a pretty good time playing both styles ( a lot of fun and great friends) - but I've had the feeling that I've lost a lot of my Bluegrass chops. It's also been tough for me to find the time to get out to the festivals with all the things going on in my life. We do have local jams, but they are not nearly as free form as the festival setting, and mostly seem like a song circle set up for performance.
Last night at the Mohawk Valley Bluegrass Festival up in Boonville, I got a chance to do some real jammin with a bunch of really good musicians, Bluegrass style. It was a blast! Mostly, it was a chance to let go of the structure of playing a specific tune, or break for a performance, and enjoy playing the mandolin!!!! We played a bunch of stuff I've never done before, in keys that I certainly don't embrace, and mostly with folks new to me. It all clicked. The rhythm parts flowed out of my mandolin as I was able to find space around and supporting the vocals and leads. And the breaks were just a freaking blast to let myself go - and for the most part they sounded pretty good. The F4 held its own with 2 or 3 banjos in the jam.
After about 2 hours jamming , my back and hips were killing me and midnite had arrived (it was a long day of standing - did a set at the festival with a band, and also had MC duties) so I called it a nite.
Might just have to find a Bluegrass Band in need of a mandolin player!
