A Hawks & Owls recipe for the perfect jam

Sunday, March 8, ArtRat Gallery and the The Stableford Agency are proud to present Americana Sundays: FREE Old-Time Jam with Hawks & Owls! Bring your instrument and play along, or just come to listen!

Hawks & Owls performs old time songs and fiddle music; folk; country blues; bluegrass; Irish music; original compositions; and the songs of Stephen Foster, The Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers and other giants of Americana music. (Tickets available on Eventbrite.) 

A singer/songwriter and an award-winning musician, Bruce Ling is a student and keeper of the history of the timeless musical genre of time-savored traditional folk music, and paints musical portraits celebrating the colorful history of the music through an extraordinary repertoire of tunes, songs, and stories.

He performs with equal flair and skill on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, cello, and slide guitar. He is backed by his wife, world-class old-time rhythm guitarist Becca. Be prepared to take an enjoyable ride through a river of music and stories as presented by this band of skilled musicians.

Ahead of the show, Bruce shared some of his favorite tips for creating the perfect jam. 

What can visitors to ArtRat expect from a Hawks & Owls jam session? 

We're often told, both by newcomers and long time participants, that our Music Sessions have the ability to create the deep feeling of a Community of Musicians. Each player finds their niche in the collective, and we've heard from players that they love the relaxed tempo and welcoming vibe. This will be a string band session for stringed instruments. Drums and horns do not fit well with what we are producing.

Can players at any level find a place in the mix? 

Our goal is to produce a safe and creative place for those musicians who have had unproductive experiences in joining fast-paced Bluegrass or Old Time music sessions. Our music sessions are geared towards all skill levels, and all ages. All that's required is that you play quietly enough to hear the others, so that your tempo matches that of the Circle. I've written a book of chord charts of well over 100 tunes, for Traditional American, Irish, and United Kingdom fiddle tunes. I pass these books out for use at our music sessions, so there's no struggling trying to figure out the chords to what the fiddler is playing.

What ingredients go into a great jam? 

There's a term called Jam Etiquette that's a guideline for helping a music session flow creatively and comfortably. Good Jam Etiquette includes procedures such as passing the choice of tunes or songs around the circle so that everyone gets a chance to pick their favorite; paying close attention to the tempo set by the person that starts the tune or song and not rushing it; playing at a respectable volume so that you contribute to the magic of the Groove of Music, rather than trying to grandstand and play louder than others; ending the tune that you've picked after 5 or 6 times around by lifting your foot or verbally announcing "Last Time," so others have a turn to pick one; respect for the Tradition Keepers and such are benchmarks for good Jam Etiquette.

Participants in a Jam

A great music session will have folks of all ages and skill levels involved. All of the memorable Jams that I've been in always featured one or a few old timers who were passing on not only what they had learned on their own musical journeys, but what they had learned from the old folks that they had sat and played with while they were coming up in the world of Traditional Music. As well, most of the tunes have distinct histories, some very involved, and some just introduced with "I learned this from ___ who lived over at___when I was___years old.". The type of Music we play is a cultural element that also includes Storytelling, Food, Clothing, and Dance. Culture is based on these things. Lose any one aspect and one's Culture starts to disappear.

Where to jam

A good Jam Session could be found at a Grange Hall, a Church basement Potluck, at a campsite at a music festival, a fiddler and a guitar player on the tailgate of a pickup truck, anywhere that the Spirit of Music is allowed to flow freely is a great location for a Jam Session. A truly great session is when time ceases to exist, the players settle into a groove regardless of what speed is chosen, and a palpable sphere of energy is created in the center of the circle. 

Do you have early plans for festival season that you can share?

Our weekend festival season starts at the Wheatland Traditional Arts Festival on Memorial Day Weekend. Agnes Su, a student of mine, and I will be teaching about Michigan Fiddlers and their music in the History Tent, as well as teaching guitar and mandolin Workshops.

We will be at the Buttermilk Jamboree on June 19th and 20th, leading a Waltz Hour at the Apple Chapel on the 19th, a Contra Dance at the Sugarbush Stage at noon on the 20th, a stage performance of old songs on the Garden Stage later in the day, and will lead a Slow Jam in the Acoustic tent in the evening.

A highlight of our year is our Great Lakes Music Camp, produced by our nonprofit, the Grand River Watershed Arts and Music Council. It's the first weekend of October, held on Lake Michigan at Camp Blodgett. 

We have a number of other events throughout the summer, including private parties.

Repertoire

I've played in Barnyard Rock bands, Bluegrass, Blues, a Cajun Band, Folk, and Country Blues. I currently am comfortable playing old fiddle tunes, and the songs of the Carter Family, Stephen Foster, Jimmie Rodgers, Ernest Stoneman, and other greats. The music we'll be bringing to the ArtRat will be the latter, as listed above. We encourage, though, anyone participating in our Jam Session to share whatever is their favorite genre. We'll do our best to follow along. Know though, that this is a string band session, and drums and horns do not fit well with what we are producing. 

What’s your favorite part about playing in Grand Rapids? 

Grand Rapids has a vibrant Music and Art scene! Special to me are all of these young folks that are embracing Traditional American Music, old Country Blues, and such, and performing at all these new listening rooms and venues that are springing up. As a keeper of Oral Tradition, I'm heartened by the interest younger generations show in learning the old songs, tunes, and stories I learned from my Mentors.