SESSIONS
by Stewart Hendrickson
In the June and July issues I wrote about Irish sessions.
I would like to extend this discussion to sessions in general. There are
many types of sessions where musicians get together to make music. Some,
like Irish sessions, are devoted to a particular genre of music, while others
may be restricted to instrumental music or singing only. The best sessions,
in my opinion, are those that occur spontaneously, are open to a variety
of musical genres, and combine instrumental music and singing.
Many musical and interpersonal dynamics are involved in
musical sessions. The main objective should be the enjoyment of music by
all participants. While the enjoyment of good music should bring out the
best in people, egos and expectations often get in the way. When this happens,
it is no longer fun, and sessions tend to die. What considerations contribute
to a good sessions, and what things should be avoided?
My own experience in musical sessions probably began with
family camping trips where people would gather around a campfire, perhaps
with a guitar or two, and sing songs. When I moved to Northfield, Minnesota
in the late 1960s, at the height of the “folk craze” I met another folksinger
and multi-instrumentalist. We would often get together with friends at our
homes to sing and play music. By the late 1970s, when life became busier
and more complicated, this type of musical session had pretty much died out.
People seemed to have little time for these informal gatherings. However,
by the time I left Minnesota in 1996, a small group had organized to meet
on a regular basis and sing folk songs – a sort of “song circle.”
When I arrived in Seattle in 1996, I was pleasantly surprised
to discover a wealth of folk music. I joined the Seattle Song Circle,
a group that meets every Sunday evening to sing, and later joined Victory
Music and helped set up an open mic at Valdi’s Ballard Bistro. While a long-time
singer and guitar player, I also began to play fiddle, and became interested
in seeking out sessions that combined my interests in both singing and instrumental
music.
I then realized that there is a basic split between instrumentalists
and singers. This should have come as no surprise, since I remember as a
school orchestra player we considered singers somehow beneath us musically.
The song circle will tolerate instruments, mostly guitars, if they are used
to accompany singing, but not for purely instrumental music. And most instrumental
sessions do not tolerate singing.
The reason for this has to do with musical expectations.
Most musicians come to sessions to make music. Singers want to sing and instrumentalists
want to play; they do not enjoy sitting and listening to others for any length
of time. For the same reason, solo performances of either type are not well
tolerated at most sessions. Here, a bit of tolerance can enhance the session.
An occasional song in an instrumental session or instrumental in a singing
session can provide a welcome break for the other musicians and a turning
point in the music. It is good if the song includes instrumental breaks and
choruses where other musicians can join in. A solo performance, well done,
is also welcome. The only concern is that these interludes do not dominate
the session.
Musicians who come to sessions have a responsibility to
be musically prepared. Playing the same piece, or singing the same song every
time can make for a dull session. Likewise, performing something that you
don’t know does not enhance the session. If you don’t know the music, don’t
play or sing it. This also applies to joining in with other musicians. Attentive
listening is the best way to learn new music. As you begin to learn the music,
you can quietly join in.
Sessions should avoid the use of books. Traditional music
is best performed without the aid of printed words or musical “dots.” The
best way to learn traditional music is aurally. A musical score cannot well
represent the way a traditional tune is played. And only when a song is memorized
does it come alive. Only then do you understand what the song is about and
it becomes your song. You can then mold the song to your own interpretation.
The way a particular session works can vary. Some go around
a circle, giving each participant a turn, while others let anyone start a
tune as the spirit moves. In my opinion, the latter type of session is more
interesting, provided no one person dominates and all participants are given
a chance. A good session leader will encourage the more reticent participants
to take a turn. Other than that, the session leader should be as unobtrusive
as possible. In the open session the music can often follow some interesting
directions and take some surprising turns.
Every once in a while a session will turn magical. Recently
I had a group of my favorite musician friends at my home for a session. I
had no idea how to begin, but then someone began to strum some chords and
another person added a simple melody, not any particular tune or song I knew,
and it just grew organically for five to ten minutes. After that, I made
sure that each person had a turn to start a tune. The songs all had interesting
instrumental breaks where one or another musician would take the lead, and
others quietly joined in as back-up. It was a mellow evening with no particular
organization, and everyone shared in the music. It was musical spontaneity
at its best.
Stewart Hendrickson is Chemistry Professor Emeritus – St. Olaf College,
Research Professor Emeritus – University of Washington, and in his new career,
an unemployed folk musician (voice, fiddle, guitar; http://www.stolaf.edu/people/hend/music.html
). Contact him at hend@stolaf.edu for questions, ideas or comments.
Disclaimer