I’ve been occasionally attending a session here in St. Louis,
that meets at Music Folk (every Wed at 7PM), a great and very neighborly
folk music store in Webster Groves (flutes, whistles…)
We’ve been dreadful for so long that the chief
project was somehow or other getting through a tune.
This kept us occupied, but now we’ve improved.
So I’m faced with this question:
What exactly does one do in a session?
That is, is the object to play the tune together
pretty much all the same? Or to add harmonies?
Or what?
I know what to do when playing with one or
two other instruments–one adds harmonies,
texture, etc. But what do you do with seven or
eight? Do you ornament (or does that get lost)?
Harmonies? Finger vibrato. The idea of us all on rails
going along together seems strange, but I’m
not sure what else to do.
I think the best thing is to go to some good sessions and see it for yourself. It’s only, what, like 4 1/2 hrs. to Chicago. Lots of great sessions there. Maybe make a session field trip. Check out www.thesession.org/sessions and search for sessions around Chicago.
Thanks, sounds a good idea. Still can somebody
say something descriptive of what’s going on
in a good session? It isn’t 8 musicians just sawing
away, I’m sure. Nor is it quite a performance
before an audience. Not that we will have good
sessions, or anything.
You know I’m used to making the most of
very little information. Anything at all
may help. Best
Jim, maybe the most accurate answer is at a session you have a group of friends having fun. Playing and learning tunes is an important part of the fun, but so are conversation and friendly slagging, flirting and, to many of us, alcohol.
Is this a strictly trad session? There are some I don’t attend simply because the aesthetic is more freewheeling and eclectic, which isn’t to my own taste. That said, do what you want! If you’re after the pure drop, however, it would be indispensable to be able to attend established trad sessions and soak in the dynamics. They’re not all the same, though. For my money, I prefer those that are as much about the wit and repartee as they are about the music. Then there are those where everyone knocks off a set or two, nurse their drinks in silence, and then someone starts up a new set, and so on.
The Irish session in general is more about the common denominator, tunes that everyone (or nearly) can play, sets of two to three or more strung together seamlessly; the individual’s party pieces are saved for later on when things are winding down a bit. It’s nice to play something that is less familiar to the rest and follow it with general currency so everyone can then chime in; nice texture, and maybe someone will start picking up the new tune and add it to the local session repertory. At least that’s the average at the ones I attend. In all cases play well if simply, and keep a steady pace, please!
I don’t know much about Scottish sessions; I believe that there is the tradition of taking turns soloing, but that may be just one way.
Just my own 2 cents; it’s not a question to answer tidily.
Good question Jim. The two sessions that I attend on a weekly basis, we play the tunes together, with no harmonies added. There is just to many of us for someone to go off on a tangent.
In the Thursday session, we have newbies, and lifers and those in between, it is a slow/fast session, with everybody working on the known tune straight out of the box, sort of speaking. But on some Thursdays the numbers aren’t there, and if it is just a few of lifers, then we start playing around with the tune, either adding harmonies, or variations on a theme sort of thing.
Tuesday night session is a straight out fast session and all tunes fly straight.
But every session is different , even though it is the same night of the week and with the same people, the dynamics of moment are always changing as the situation warrants it or not.
But in both sessions there is a tremendous amount of fun.
my first session was long after I had actually played a 30 minute concert for about 100 people one night with my sister (who used to be here a lot as ‘Tradgirl’).
Then one night after a Lunasa Concert we went to a pub in Tarpon Sgs, FL and had a good time for a bit. That night was my first session, and I played a few tunes on a borrowed guitar (I also play Flute, whistle, low whistle and some mandolin).
Then the best session Ive been to was at Nanny O’Briens in Wash. D.C. which is much like the descriptions given above.
Now, if you want to make a great investment, buy the Chieftains’ video “Water from the Well-Live over Ireland” and you will see some primo session footage a few times when a few of the guys are at Matt Molloy’s pub. Tons of flautist there along with fiddles and pipes too.
A great investment too to learn something about some very good Irish music and musicians!