Jam Bands

Why are only The Dead, Phish, and other bands that started in the 80s/90s (WSP, SCI, Moe, Disco Biscuts) cosidered jam bands? It's not that I don't like them. Phish, WSP, and String Cheese rank on my top 10 favorite bands...
But didn't Santana, The Allman Brothers, Airplane, and Jimi jam as well? Is jam band a term for modern bands (with an exclusion of the Dead) ?

 

It's a fusion... Fans of ABB and Gregg himself will argue that it is or isn't a jam band. They don't like being called Southern Rock either, at least Dickey doesn't, though he likes the idea of the ABB starting out as a jam band. Don't really think I've heard much from Warren, Marc, or Derek about it, but I've heard Jaimoe and Butch talk about it and their drumming seems to have set alot of standards.... I mean, when I see Matt Abts do a drum jam at a Mule show, I can pick that up right away, then again, he did play for Dickey, too... Kinda a heavy Bonham feel to his playing, too. Of course, WSP is a jam band and they were also on Capricorn and came from Georgia... highly influenced by the allmans. moe. also has the allman sound in it at times and toured with them. Gregg will defend that he doesn't consider them a jam band, per se, though they are a band that jams quite often. I consider them founding fathers, along with the dead...

Then you have to break them down into their side projects and bands, of course Mule, then dTb, Oteil & the Peacemakers, Frogwings/Aquarium Rescue Unit, Gregg Allman & Friends, Jaimoe's Jassss Band, etc. I think ABB is a good example of a jam band, once you break them down, even though they don't really admit that it is.

Not so sure with Santana, though I do have to say they jam a hell of alot and they also do the same with the drumming/percussion. Gregg Rollie and the whole break up thing is kinda odd, though. I do believe three(?) members of santana founded... foreigner... or Journey or summat. I can't even remember. I think it was Foreigner because I don't remember hearing anything about Neil Schon collaborating with santana members... But. I don't know. It depends on how you look at it. They're all on different spectrums, but they all have one kind of base to them... fusion and jazz and as drumminmama said, the willingness and ability to go anywhere with their songs. It has to be really tightknit and alot of communication or it just won't work. (The reason I didn't go into the dead is because they were obviously a jam band and not really borderline.)

 

"Jam Band" doesn't make any sense, really. Most "Jam Bands" are really just bands that are hard to classify, which is usually because they have such a wide range or because they improvise alot. The main charicteristic of a jam band is a band that likes playing music more then making money- or at least, that's the way it sounds.

All sorts of bands that arn't "Jam Bands" also jam, and, in a sense, should also be considered jam bands. But honestly, I don't think it makes a difference at all if you like their music what the hell type of band they are.

 

a jam band usually is just a band who can improvise for an extremely long time, say 15-30 minutes. and they're main focus is definitely on their live performance rather than the studio, although, they do put out studio albums too.but, the focus is definitely on live music. alot of the time, if alot of people from the jam band circle or hippies listen to a band it gets labeled as a jam band when in truth, they really aren't, sorta like dave matthews band i guess.

 

Basically, there can be jam bands and bands that jam.

 

there are some bands that get lumped into the JAMBAND label, but they don't jam....its labeled that because they have a semi-heady following......at WAKARUSA i saw some bands that are considered jambands, but when i saw them there was no jam....

 

Most people would probably agree that a jam band could include anyone who jams?

One of my biggest peaves is the Black Crowes.