Stage is open folks

Live music venue offers musicians from across genres a chance to collaborate in open jam.

Catching a stage spot at a famous live music venue won’t remain a dream for aspiring musicians. With its first-ever Open Jam Nights starting April 13, Blue Frog has thrown open its stage to musicians and vocalists of any genre. Drummer Adrian D’souza will host the jam with a core band consisting of himself, bassist Kenneth Rebello and keyboardist Jarvis Menezes. The band will collaborate with local artistes to offer audiences with impromptu performances.

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Impromptu performances
“We realised that there is no space for musicians to come, meet, jam and exchange creative ideas. In the west, most prominent clubs host open jams, which also offer audiences with a novel experience. We are planning to make this a monthly event,” says Emmanuelle de Decker, live programming head, Blue Frog.

Host Adrian adds, “I’ve always wanted to host such an event because it is a great encouragement for young talent, especially at a live music hub that has a great reputation for giving a chance to music acts of all kinds.” The jam also promises to be a boon for session players and musicians who freelance.

The open jam stage not just a non-judgemental arena to perform, but also gives band support to those who don’t have people to play with. “There are many talented musicians who don’t have their own band. So, the jam provides these freelancers an opportunity to experiment and work on potential future acts,” Emmanuelle says.

She recalls a party hosted by bassist Karl Peter sometime ago, where the idea for open jam nights gained ground. “At his bash, Karl had invited musician friends for a jam and in no time, we were treated to some excellent music that was created on the spot. This is the kind of energy and enthusiasm we are now looking for now,” she reminisces.

To ensure that the open jam maintains an organised structure, all musicians who wish to participate are required to register with the programming team at Blue Frog. For people wishing to perform originals, a prior meeting with the core band will be scheduled to figure out the basic melody and groove of the songs.