Thank you for reading this! This section is here so that musicians of all types and styles will know what to expect (and what FloJam expects) at a FloJam.

Ya know we don't stop. We started officially as flojam in 2011, had a rather long enforced hiatus since 2016, then joined forces with Santiago's The Improv Jam Sessions because both of us love improvisational jams and mostly agree on how they should be run. You should visit that jam too! We did that until COVID-19 took all of that out and we had to stop.

Santiago's sessions are still active and in Los Angeles proper (Culver City). FloJam has recently moved to Ventura California in our home Tiki Jam Room.

I do. I am the keyboard player and author of this site. You will definitely meet me if you come to any type of FloJam. I have a long history of putting projects like this together.

I am generally hands off as a project leader. The idea is for people to just start playing. If it gets too crazy, my old band leader persona will rise and step in, but I've never had to do that (with musicians) in many years of running this style of jam.

Yes and no, that is to say...at the moment I prefer to call this a music project. This needs a large pool of musicians to make it happen. Let's delve into this idea for a moment.

A real band (in the old school sense) requires commitment, reliability, and dedication to build a unique tight sound that will distinguish them from the myriad of other bands out there in order for them to be economically viable in a competitive marketplace.

FloJam is an artistic project who's main goal is not economics. The main goal in FloJam is joy, fun, and lightness of being. FloJam also recognizes that musicians like to be free to come and go as they please, whether they communicate this idea or not. Additionally, FloJam highly respects the need of professional musicians to make a living in the manner and methodology they see fit and does not want to present as a "money making project".

A musician's repeated actual presence at FloJams will determine whether or not a musician is considered "part" of the collective or a "guest" of the collective. In this way, Flojam hopes to build a steady set of players who actually want to be there.

Simply put, if you show up all the time, you'll play and have fun. If you aren't having fun, you shouldn't come back until you can or will have fun.

Of course, everyone has a different opinion on this planet, and that's ok! Flojam is so not a job! FloJam is about fun first and foremost. If you can't have fun playing music, if music is just a job you do, if playing is boring you, if you are desperately trying to "make it"...this project isn't for you! If you don't know what "fun" is, we cannot help you.

I personally feel that economic struggles pollute good music (and many other things) in ways I really can't go into here. Ask me sometime if you want to delve deeper into this idea.

If you are a music professional (as I am sometimes), then FloJam would like to respect your profession by telling you that there are no gigs at the present time nor are there planned gigs we have to rush and get ready for.

This does not mean FloJam will never do gigs. FloJam has to have musicians to gig with and has to build a fairly steady collective first. Next we have to have players that understand The Jam and who can vibe together in a groovy way. Once we have that, gigs will most certainly be considered and even found and performed.

If and when gigs do start happening, the only prioritization other than availability will be players who have the highest participation in the project. If any gigs are paid, those who play at them will evenly split the proceeds.

A Jam (defined also in the "about" section) is a gathering of musicians improvising together. In short, there are no charts. Play what you feel and what sounds good to you. The main goal of FloJam is to have a collection of musicians that can improvise music on the spot, and keep the groove going as long as is appropriate. There are no hard and fast rules here.

Only if this is a strictly flojam event. Keep in mind that musicians of different levels may be present; you never know who is going to show up. Try to call tunes that everyone knows or can read.

If Flojam is also with "The Improv Jam Sessions", then there are no charts or songs, those are the rules for those sessions.

Other than that, some of us know how to play real book jazz and similar genres. The best idea for these is to take a tune and make it ours, re-arranging or re-harmonizing as we need to. We also welcome original material as long as you have charts and they make sense.

Jazz (straight, latin, fusion, acid, etc), funk, rock, soul, R&B (all 6 decades), blues, and reggae are all quite acceptable. "True Fusion" (my definition) is mixing these up to be groovy kind of like Gumbo, that's the most preferred.

For Flojam with The Best Jam sessions, check the meetup group, but likely most of the above still apply.

FloJam is not an intensely loud band, and players who go there will be asked to turn down. Volume is not a substitute for musical expression. Some loudness is ok, ear-blasting teeth-chattering hair-swept-back >60dB SPLs are not.

FloJam is also not a gangsta haven. Keep it real.

You should be proficient at your instrument. Expert musicianship is certainly desirable, virtuosity is appreciated but never required. The most important skill for a Jam is a good and accurate ear. There's a lot of good skilled players out there, but not all of them know how to Jam.

The "don't be a dick" rule always applies to any FloJam. I had more words here, but really...if I have to describe it in laywer-ese for you to get it, it's not worth doing. Don't be a dick.

Drummers should know that there is a kit here that's in decent shape. Bring your sticks, brushes, and anything else you absolutely can't live without, but you don't have to bring your kit (unless you really want to). The kit is a TAMA kit which some drummers have told me is more of a rock kit.

There is a PA system here for vocalist types and mic'd instruments. I don't have many extra mics, so if you need one bring one.

Also, please no primadonna vocalists. Haven't we all dealt with these enough? Regular ol' vocalists are quite welcome. If you have charts in your key for what you want to sing, you are warmly encouraged to bring them.

Finally, the quintessential jam policy: Check your ego at the door, put yourself in a good place, and play from your heart.