Photo: Wisconsin Conservatory of Music - wcmusic.org
Jazz Jam Session at Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Jazz Jam Session at Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
“One of the best learning methods is active participation.”
Milwaukee drummer and academician Mitchell Shiner could be talking about any number of human endeavors in the above statement. However, he’s referencing the monthly Jazz Jam Session at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (WCM), where Shiner is chair of jazz and contemporary music and the percussion faculty.
By way of explaining his and other faculty members’ roles in the jams, taking place at 12:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month during WCM’s academic year, Shiner says, “The hosts facilitate participation from all attendees by introducing the jammers, helping to decide what songs should be played, and helping folks feel comfortable in a new musical environment.
“At a Jazz Jam Session, it is common for the participants to have never met, let alone played music with each other,” he continues, describing the combination of WCM students and other players apt show up Saturday March 9 and April 13. But for jazz-minded amateur musicians and WCM students who want to continue meeting in the basement Billiards Room in the Conservatory while classes aren’t in session, “Stay tuned for summer dates!” he says.
Easy to Read, Fun to Play
Shiner and his colleagues make it easy for fledglings and seasoned players alike to commence an afternoon of jamming.
“We have curated a ‘Top 40 Tune List’ of standards and compositions. These selections are easy to read, accessible to a novice improviser, and fun to play at jam sessions," Shiner explains. “The tune list and sheet music are available on our website (wcmusic.org/concerts-events/free-events), so participants can prepare a selection.” First-timers to jamming and newcomers to WCM need not feel unwelcome. As Shiner insists, “If someone is entirely new to jazz, our faculty will guide you with the melody, get the hang of a riff for improvising, or demonstrate a rhythm on the drums. Attending a WCM jam session is like getting a mini lesson with friends playing different instruments! When you arrive, we have a sign-up list at the door, along with the Top 40 Tune List. Let us know who you are, your instrument, and which song you want to play.”
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Most musicians with cumbersome to haul instruments can avail themselves to equipment WCM has on hand. “We have drums, electric bass, bass amp, guitar amp, piano, mallet percussion, congas, vocal mic and speakers. They are all available for participants to use,” Shiner says. “All instruments and voices are welcome. Saxophones, trumpets, trombones, clarinets, and flutes are very common. Occasionally, a double reed will make an entrance. Violinists, violists, and cellists need some extra convincing. All instruments have a home in a jazz band, especially at a Jam Session!”
Just as WCM's jazz jams accommodate a wide range of players, those musicians encompass a wide age range. “The WCM Jam Session is an intergenerational program,” Shiner insists, adding, “Our main student population is middle and high school students, but college students also come out. Many of our adult students participate, and, on occasion, bring their children or grandchildren!”
A wide display of jazz’s stylistic diversity may be broached at any given WCM jam, too, “We go where the music takes us and what the students want to play!” Shiner says. “We usually begin with a swinging blues, so everyone is on the same page. The percussionists love playing Latin, rock and funk styles. And anyone desires to deviate from those aforementioned 40 tunes, that’s fine, too. “Vocalists might bring their favorite ballad or try out the Portuguese lyric of a bossa nova. The jam session allows students to demonstrate their skills with a live band in the moment!”
There to Help
For those for whom jamming isn’t enough and aren’t already enrolled at the conservatory for more structured tutelage, Shiner and his colleagues are there to help. “We offer year-round programming at our three locations. Students can learn about our jazz labs, adult ensembles and summer camps. All our ensembles complete their semesters with a recital or recording. We host masterclasses with WCM Faculty and visiting artists, so students perform and receive feedback from professionals in a constructive, supportive environment.”
Shiner’s encouraging explanation of the importance of musicians' practicing on their own and developing their artistry in collaborative settings hints at the experienced truths only music makers may know.
“The musical journey is both an individual activity and a community activity,” he says. “We spend so much time alone in the shed practicing scales, rudiments, arpeggios, and permutations. The other side of music-making happens in a group or ensemble, where unspoken musical communication is key. That’s where the magic of live performance is—getting into slightly shaky territory with friendly and supportive collaborators. A jam session is a perfect place to experience that thrill firsthand.”
