Jam session at the Garden

[1Gringo]

pardon me for being confused, but wasn't last night Tuesday?

I finally found the guest house where there was supposed to be a regular Tuesday night jam but there was a Thai trio playing and, when asked, the waitress had no idea what I was looking for.

did it move? if so, to where or to when?

[roger1999]

A buddy posted on Facebook that he is playing there tonight (Wednesday) at 8 PM. But I am not sure if it is a jam session.

[Ulysses G.]

There are at least 3 places called "The Garden" in Chiang Mai. Maybe you went to the wrong one.

[1Gringo]

according to the original string of postings, it was next to the Writer's Cafe and that's where I was.

[1Gringo]

I was hoping to hear from Folk Guitar, the progenetor of this encounter.

[FolkGuitar]

The Garden-Chiang Mai guesthouse was sold a few months ago. The new owners were letting us jam there on Tuesday nights, but offering live bands the other nights of the week. (The previous owner only had live bands playing there on the weekends.) However, they discovered that the live bands, being amplified, were drawing in big crowds, filling their restaurant seating and turning tables 2-3 times during the evening. As a group of friends jamming , we were NOT amplified, didn't want to be as that would attract the labor folks and cause work permit problems taking away jobs from Thai entertainers. As more and more tourists started filling up the city, the new owners rightfully wanted to increase their business and decided to have live bands there every night. They did kindly offer us the use of the garden seating to play in the afternoons though, and that is what we are doing now. We are meeting Tuesday afternoons starting around 2:30, and playing until about 5pm when the live bands take over. Some of us are also meeting on Friday afternoons too, but not on as regular a schedule. Being a daytime jam, we have fewer people playing, but just as much fun! And THAT is why we are there!

[1Gringo]

bummer. kind of an inconvenient time for me.

[FolkGuitar]

bummer. kind of an inconvenient time for me.

That's a problem several of our 'regular' players face. Should you happen to find yourself free on some other afternoon, let me know and I'll try to round up a few others to play. I'm usually up for some good music, and right now am only tied up on Monday and Saturday afternoons. All others are open.

[1Gringo]

afternoons are not all that good for me. I liked your evening concept.

[FolkGuitar]

afternoons are not all that good for me. I liked your evening concept.

I can understand that. But the Garden is doing a land office business in the restaurant these days since they put in the live bands in the evenings, and as the new owners are pretty nice guys, it's hard to begrudge them success. And they are kind enough to still let us raise a joyful noise up to the heavens in the afternoons...

But actually, I was just contacted by another guest house that has offered us the use of their terrace in the evening. If the other regulars are good with that, we will be adding the evenings back in. Some of us will continue to play together in the afternoons at the Garden as well. I'll keep you posted about any upcoming changes.

[vote4arealclown]

Open Jam at Players Music Bar Sunday Nights.

I've been there too where people just get up and play with the house band. Good times there!

[FolkGuitar]

Open Jam at Players Music Bar Sunday Nights.

I've been there too where people just get up and play with the house band...

... which is fine if you want to play what the house band is playing. The trick is to find a house band that plays a mix of Delta Blues, Calypso, Bluegrass, Trad British folk, Country, Chicago Blues, Traditional American Folk, Easy Pop, etc., all in the same evening, rather than an entire night playing just one or two genre... Unless of course, you only like to play one or two genre.

[wigantojapan]

man is all sounds great and can learn nw songs too fantastic..i will be in when i get back to cm though cant remember where my guitar is ahah good that there seems to be hassle free jamming going on again

[FolkGuitar]

It gets better... Another place for evening jamming just contacted me. It's a large open room away from the downtown area, (near Wat Ched Yot,) not a tourist place so no threat what so ever of 'taking jobs away from locals.' We might even be able to amplify this locations for those playing electric. Now I have to get in touch with all our regulars and figure out which night and which location is best for all of us. Meanwhile, we are still meeting this afternoon (Tuesday) at the Garden (although today will have fewer that usual players as several can't make it.)