Bethesda Maryland?

[Mando Gil]

Tomorrow would be hard for me. Don't let that stop you if anyone wants to meet up. There is an Old-Time jam in Arlington, Sunday 2-4 I think (consider it a field trip if nothing else). Anyone interested - http://www.caboma.org/

[dough-re-mi]

This thursday looks like it might not work out then. Since it seems there are a few of us nearby that play mandolin, I hope we can get together somehow.

I would like to to the Arlington jam on Sunday; I've not been to an organized group jam before.

Is there a day to meet in Bethesda that might work out for others in the next week or so? Tuesday evening and Saturday morning won't work for me at this time, but otherwise I am pretty free.

John

[mrkrgr]

Go Wednesday if at all possible. This is the meekest Jam that there is. Bob is a good freind and former bandmate. The first hour is usually (or at least it used to be) a slow jam for beginners and the unjammed (is that a word?). If a few others show up there are some really good mando players, fiddle players, banjo and guitarists. If you do go tell them Mark Rager sent you. and he'll get a good laugh out of that now that I live in Georgia.

[ab4usa]

John,

Any day but Thursday works for me.

[BradB]

I just found this thread. I live in Columbia, MD, and I've been looking for good picking jams in the area. I used to do the Laurel jams on Wednesdays, but it was mostly people singing country songs, so I quit going. I have found this to be true at most of the jams in the area. The Monday jam at the VFW in Takoma Park was pretty fun, but the smoke was unbearable. It sounds like the Laurel jam may be different now, so I guess I should give it another try.

My wife and I have discussed starting our own jam at our house, but have not managed to organize it yet. We are more interested in old time music than bluegrass, but I like bluegrass too. I also like celtic music, but don't know very much of it. One problem is that my wife and I are at different levels. She is at the beginner-intermediate slow jam level (on fiddle), and I am more at the strong intermediate to advanced level (mandolin and guitar). I can't improvise, but I am a decent picker if I know the tune.

If anyone knows of any good old time jams in the area, please let me know.
Also let me know how we can accomodate different playing abilities at a jam.
And if you might be interested in an occasional small jam in Columbia, let me know.

[ab4usa]

Brad,

I'm in Columbia as well. Got a regular jam on Thursdays but am generally available otherwise. Bluegrass, gospel, fiddle tunes, etc.. Probably a step or so below your level.

[mrkrgr]

The Laurel Jam you're refering too, was it at the Seven Day adventist church or in Laurel at the Phelps center. If, in addition to Bob Bowman, Shige or Alan Orlesky show up you will enjoy it. I do agree that the Jam in Burtonsville was a bunch of Country players and a kind of closed Jam for certain bluegrassers. The important thing that I was trying to get accross was that by going to these jams you get to meet other players, especially other instruments and make new friends. When I lived in the area I met all my band mates at Jams and went from there.

[BradB]

I went to the Burtonsville jam a few times. They had a separate group for country and one for bluegrass, but the bluegrass jam still had mostly singing songs rather than flatpicking fiddle tunes.
The Laurel one I went to was at the Phelps center. It seemed pretty similar to the one in Burtonsville.
The one at the VFW in Takoma Park was pretty fun. Good players doing some nice picking. There were songs too, but a good mix. The problem for me was that the smoke in there was awful and people stand rather than sit. I have some back issues that make that tough for me.
I also did a jam at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. It also was mostly songs.

We need to organize a Columbia jam at some point.

[dough-re-mi]

Or a Bethesda jam. Or Columbia AND Bethesda.

[ab4usa]

Bunp! Any plans to do a meet in the park in Bethesda anytime soon?

[dough-re-mi]

We would likely need to do it relatively soon, as it is getting dark earlier. Thursday or Friday or Saturday could work for me; the commitment I have for Thursday is to play mando with someone (Hi Dan!), and I presume he'd be open to doing it outside. I would miss hearing his wife sing though, which would be unfortunate.

Saturday I will be going to Niles for a lesson, but I should be back by 4 PM or so, depending on traffic.

I would like to meet you local mando-types in person, so there could be a face and an experience to go with a name.

John

[ab4usa]

After work on Friday? Anybody else make it?

[dough-re-mi]

[DryBones]

Friday may be tough for me but tell me where and when and I will give it a try....just don't ask me to play anything...LOL

[dough-re-mi]

There are a lot of little parks in Bethesda. Does anybody have a preference? Once we meet once, I think it will be a lot easier to meet subsequently.

I know of one park immediately south of the NIH campus, with a picnic table, and a little set away (on Battery lane about 2 block west of Wisconsin). It is accross the streeet from a nursing home like place. There is street parking, but there may be a park with better parking also.

Don't worry DryBones; if you think you can't play that's just because you haven't heard me. I've got everything nailed except for timing and notes.

John

[ab4usa]

I'm comming from Annapolis so I really don't care.

[paulinefiddle]

Hi, folks. I'm new here. I'm an experienced fiddler. I've been playing and jamming all kinds of music for years. I'm always happy to find new people to jam with. My problem is that I don't have a car. I can get to the park near Battery Lane by Metro. (So can other people, if you don't feel like driving through rush hour traffic in Bethesda. The park is a few blocks from the Medical Center Metro station.) I can offer my home in Rockville as a place to jam indoors some other time. (The sun sets earlier and earlier now.)

I'd love to go to some of the other jams in the area some time, but I'd need a ride. I'll pay for gas, your beer, etc. if you can give me a ride. Do people really smoke at that jam in Takoma Park? Ugh!

[dough-re-mi]

So I am thinking of being in the park with my mando a few minutes after six on Friday. If anybody wants to join me, I'll be at a picnic table over by the tennis and basketball courts a little way into the park. I hope to meet some new picking friends!

John

[DryBones]

can we get a head count for Friday? My hand is up but depends on workload after being off today.

[dough-re-mi]

I'll be there.

[ab4usa]

I plan to be there Jason. I know its a drrag but you can test drive another lefty!

[DryBones]

sorry kids but I will not be able to make it tonight.
Alan, Sorry but no swapping lefties this time around,hopefully soon though.

[dough-re-mi]

FYI, I am working on getting a regular space for jamming in Bethesda. So far, I can arrange Mondays for sure in my apartment, as my wife will have a class on Mondays. I am trying to arrange for the large "community room" in our apartment complex, but they have to rewrite the bylaws or something first. Finally, the Montgomery County Library in Bethesda is a possibility too, I just have to follow up and fill out some forms with the county.

So to summarize, mondays can work starting pretty much anytime, and hopefully I'll get a larger space arranged so we can select a day of the week that will work for the most people. It would be good to get a guitarist (or a bassist) to round out the sound. paulinefiddle would be very welcome as well; I live closer to the Medical Center Metro than even the park we are playing in tonight.

John

[DryBones]

well? how did it go? I'm bummin' that I missed it

[pickinpox]

I was jamming up at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival yesterday. Sorry I missed you.