/ˈdʒæm ˈsɛ ʃən/ (n.)
Jam (v.) “To press tightly” or “to become wedged,” comes from the late 14th cen. Middle English word “cham,” meaning “to bite upon something; gnash the teeth.” The noun form is of course that delicious fruit confection that we spread on toast.
Session (n.) Comes from Old French “session,” meaning “act or state of sitting,” tracing back to the Latin “sedere,” meaning “to sit.” The meaning of sitting together for an activity was first recorded in 1920. Specifically in reference to recording music in a studio, in 1927.
Wedge these two words together—yes that was a play on words—and you get a “jam session.” Jazz players gifted the term to us in the 1920s, defined as a session in which the whole band plays and improvises.
I
To describe witnessing a jam session, being surrounded and enveloped by the collective musicality of the players, I like how etymonline.com elegantly invokes taste, landing the whole experience on the tongue. It is “something sweet, something excellent.” Saturday night was exactly that.
II
The players pack together on a stage where every note is confection. Acidic and so tangy it stings the teeth, the high-pitched trumpet swings in from the sideline and takes center stage. The snare pops, high-hats applause. A sweet satin song flows from the guitar. The bass is born of dark soil as it slaps and hums a black coffee undertone. The trombone slides its soul into an assertive Yes and confirms for the entire room that we are here for the verses. The piano chants in percussive harmonies and plucks at the explosive mood. And so we converse.
Among us, the energy bounces between nodding heads, closed eyes, and foot taps. Our rhythms rhyme. We nod yes, yell yes, in agreement that yes, the now is sugar. But let’s not confuse sweetness with nonchalance. There is a great deal of intention behind each note, and we revel in the tasting.
III
As we settle into this gourmet sound, I realize that you can’t achieve lightness without a hefty degree of concentration. Notes wedge themselves so tightly that they can’t fall or break, but they stabilize and ascend. That right there is the jam. And so the session is as serious as it is sweet.
