Epic non-jazz jam session

This is quite a romantic story with a very happy ending, which is pretty good for a jazz jam session.

It started with the usual nerves I get when I enter the gig, and it wasn’t looking good, the people that normally play there, and know, weren’t there. So it was a bit discouraging because the people that are normally there helped me read the music and knew what I could play, but with these new people, it was going to be like starting all over again.

I waited for a couple of songs and then a new drummer got on stage and I could clearly see and feel that he wasn’t a jazz drummer. I could also feel a lot of groove in his playing, so as soon as they finished the song they were jamming to, I got on stage as fast as I could. The guitar amp was right next to the drum kit, which was setup perfectly for use to be able to interact.

We decided to play Cantaloupe Island, an easy, rocky jazz song that was ideal to groove to. As soon as we started playing the drummer and I connected immediately, and it was incredible. It felt so good I couldn’t believe it, we were playing so soulfully and so dynamically that I think we played for 10 minutes without stopping. But the thing I found outstanding is how quickly we connected and how quickly we understood each other. The drummer couldn’t stop smiling and shouting “yeah”. He was also an astonishing drummer. He is from Senegal, which made quite a lot of sense being as he had a great sense of groove, thanks to his African origins and talent. We were having so much fun while playing some blues that the other jazz musicians that couldn’t groove, and played like robots, actually left!

It ended up being quite a fun night, which is weird coming from a jazz session.

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