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Second Saturday Contra Jam Sessions
Note: There is no jam before any contra at West Hartford Town Hall, nor before the August jammer dance.
Jam admission is free for jammers who stay for (and pay to attend) the contra dance; otherwise, we appreciate contributions toward the hall rental (suggested donation: $5).
The HCD contra jam sessions
provide a
great opportunity for new and
experienced musicians to learn, play, and enjoy the contra dance
repertoire. We play a mixture of standard contra tunes - mainly reels,
jigs, and waltzes. Players of all instruments are welcome (keyboard
players should bring their own instruments). The jam is most
appropriate for "intermediate" skill levels; we don't play slowly, but
we're at full dance speed either. We use an "around the circle"
system to ensure
that everyone has a chance to pick tunes. We'll play anything a
jammer wants to play - except for "The Irish
Washerwoman" and "The Devil's Dream," which are forbidden. We honor
the tempo of
whoever selects the tune, even if others could play faster.
Tune Lists
Participants
can use sheet
music or play by ear.
Our basic references are:
- Susan Songer & Clyde Curley's "The Portland Collection" Volumes 1 & 2
- Bill Matthiesen's "The Waltz Book" Volume 1
- Mickey Koth's "The Connecticut Sound - a
CONNtra
Collection"
Click here to enter the Contra Jammers' private area (userid and password required).
Jammer Dances
The contra
jammers provide the
music for two contras each
year - the August contra in Wethersfield, and the last contra before
Christmas in Branford. The jammers have also stepped in to
provide music for other dances where a band has failed to show or has
at the last moment cancelled.
Rules For Ensemble Playing
- Everyone should play the same piece
- If you play a wrong note, give a nasty look to one of your partners
- The right note at the wrong time is a wrong note (and vice versa)
- A wrong note played timidly is a wrong note; a wrong note played with authority is an interpretation
- A wrong note played once is a wrong note; a wrong note
played twice is jazz
- If everyone gets lost except you, follow someone who is lost
- If you are completely lost, stop and tune
- To win the admiration of sessiun players, strive for
the maximum NPS (note per second)
- If a passage is difficult, slow down; if it's easy, speed it up - Everything will even out in the end
- When everyone else has finished playing, skip
any extra notes you have left over