Jay Williston

Music Teacher - Producer - Recording Engineer

Blues Jams

What is a Blues Jam?

A Party:
All students, all ages, all abilities are invited. Bring your instruments (and your amplifiers if applicable) and please bring something to munch on and share with the rest of us, a snack or something sweet. Families are invited to attend and watch. Students do not have to participate if they don't want to, many come the first few times just to listen and enjoy the refreshments.

A Time to Play Together:
Blues Jams give students the rare opportunity to listen to and play along with other students. There are skill that can only be gained by group playing; keeping time together, listening and communicating via music.

A Place to Safely Express:
Improvisation is the one time when a student can practice playing what they WANT to hear as opposed to what's written on the page. Improvisation does take practice but anyone can do it with a little instruction. The Blues Jam is a safe environment to practice this skill.

An Opportunity to Listen:
Since everyone thinks differently, learns differently, and expresses differently, a Blues Jam is a place to listen to other students and teachers and maybe pick up a few ideas and tricks for your own improvisation. Students often attend a Blues Jam for the first time only to listen (and, of course, eat).

A Blues Jam is FUN! Ask anyone who's attended. We play the blues and other easy chord progressions that are fun to solo over. Everyone is invited (but not required) to solo. Even parents and family members who have never played piano before can try their hand at playing a solo.