The quote is from me, it was Charlie's response when I asked him about sessions one night. I had a nice chat with him about the whole thing and it helped shape my own perspective that's based on conversations like that and my own experiences in sessions in the US and Ireland over the last 20 years.
My first thought was to say "listen," but somehow, I don't think this thread is about simple answers to a simple question. Kind of like when two people arguing turn to you, and say "what do you think?" and all you can think of is staying out of it!
"If only the mighty bull goaded by the picadors, all riled up, could shrug the fan of feathered lances from his bleeding shoulders, go and pace the lush green pastures, cast his regal eye over the gentle herd of cows with pendulous udders, and just breathe...."
Why can't you delightful fellows just take the question at face value?
I'll have another go: the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is.... try desperately to remember just how sh*te your pals told you it was the last time they went there.
If a statement is a wise statement it will stand on its own.
" the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is not to interrupt the flow of the music . . . " is a good and clear statement. It does not require the legitimacy of its author. And I'm certain its author would agree.
For the record ~ "Re: When is a session not a session ? ...ongoing discussion....." November 26th 2009 by Phantom Button
I once asked Charlie Lennon about sessions and his answer was simple: he said "the most improtant thing to do as a visitor to a session is not to interrupt the flow of the music whatever it happens to be." He said that "was more important than determining whether the session is fair or democratic . . . " http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/23159/comments#comment482473
tacoman picked up on the following suggestion by [name witheld ~ because I can]
The truth in Charlie Lennon's quip is that you *shouldn't* sit in unless you can contribute without disturbing the flow of the music. But that doesn't mean that you'll necessarily enjoy the experience. I drifted out of a one-off session once because over the course of the evening, one player turned it into his own little showcase, not letting others start tunes, and setting one--his own--pace and never varying it. I could've continued to contribute--by playing along, supporting his playing, etc. But it ceased to be fun after a couple hours because there was *no* opportunity for anyone else to start a tune or suggest a change to the groove.
That sort of thing is rare, in my experience.
On the other end of the spectrum, some sessions suffer from being overly democratic, always playing to the lowest common denominator.
All that said, I'd fill in the blank this way:
...ask not what the session can do for you, but what you can do for the session.
Pull your head in and sus out the situation.
It's no different from starting a new job or going to
a dinner party where you don't know anybody. If the others
decide you're a w....ker during the first 30 seconds, it will take
the next two hours to change their minds - or more.
-seize on the first nano-second of silence to start another one of your sets
-impress people by playing the tunes you know that the regulars are least likely to be able to join in with (sefl-compositions are highly recommended)
- make sure you can grab a second chair for storing your multiple intrument cases. do this early before some clueless regular snares it to sit on
- try to ensure your visit is a night for the regulars to remember forever, give them a new standrad of genius to aim for.
- afterwards come on here and slag off the regulars
If this wasn't already obvious to you all, then you are doing it worng and may be beyond all help.
- oh nearly forgot, be sure to display the correct degree of arrogance when stating your correct opinions. Theis is nearly always the best way to win people over.
Tell them about all the great players you know and have played in sessions with over the years. If possible use first names eg: This is the way Frankie and I use to play that tune" That should get you noticed........!
That actually happened to me, I loaned my fiddle to an enthusiastic musician who "didn't know we had a session here"
all the other musicians seemed to be upset at me for doing so.
Actually It's something I am very unlikely to do, he just must have asked me in just the right tone of voice or something, or I was just in a good mood. He then played countless hornpipes which turned my good mood into a bad one
the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is enjoy yourself.
if you don't enjoy it don't go.
en-joy yourself by your tunes. if you don't derive joy from your playing how do you expect a group of strangers to like it.
Random:
>I would love to be at a session when a complete stranger >walks in & sings ground control to major tom. Perfectly.
I have been at countless sessions where this has happened towards the end of the night. Well ok, not necessarily "major tom". Nor, come to think of it, necessarily "perfectly". But other than that, countless times.
Cheers, Chris. As long as it's a complete stranger & the entire session has their ears perked, that's cool.
"This is Major Tom to ground con-trol, I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in the most peculiar way
And the stars look very difeerent today
For here am I sitting in a tin can, far above the world
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do . . ."
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank
From a comment by Random-notes on another thread:
" the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is ______________________________________________.
I'll be first: Buy a round.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by John Culhane
Re: Fill in the blank
Not to fart the moment someone has finished a wondrous bit of playing and everyone is sitting dead still.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Fill in the blank
I've heard the Charlie Lennon quote before and I agree with it.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by ...
Re: Fill in the blank
Listen.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by piobagusfidil
Re: Fill in the blank
Was it mine?
The Charlie Lennon quote, I mean?
Honest, I didn't know.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Fill in the blank
The quote is from me, it was Charlie's response when I asked him about sessions one night. I had a nice chat with him about the whole thing and it helped shape my own perspective that's based on conversations like that and my own experiences in sessions in the US and Ireland over the last 20 years.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Phantom Button
Re: Fill in the blank
the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is ... clock where the exit is.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by mutatis mutandis
Re: Fill in the blank
My first thought was to say "listen," but somehow, I don't think this thread is about simple answers to a simple question. Kind of like when two people arguing turn to you, and say "what do you think?" and all you can think of is staying out of it!
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Fill in the blank
"If only the mighty bull goaded by the picadors, all riled up, could shrug the fan of feathered lances from his bleeding shoulders, go and pace the lush green pastures, cast his regal eye over the gentle herd of cows with pendulous udders, and just breathe...."
Why can't you delightful fellows just take the question at face value?
I'll have another go: the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is.... try desperately to remember just how sh*te your pals told you it was the last time they went there.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by mutatis mutandis
Re: Fill in the blank
If a statement is a wise statement it will stand on its own.
" the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is not to interrupt the flow of the music . . . " is a good and clear statement. It does not require the legitimacy of its author. And I'm certain its author would agree.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by ...
Re: Fill in the blank
For the record ~ "Re: When is a session not a session ? ...ongoing discussion....." November 26th 2009 by Phantom Button
I once asked Charlie Lennon about sessions and his answer was simple: he said "the most improtant thing to do as a visitor to a session is not to interrupt the flow of the music whatever it happens to be." He said that "was more important than determining whether the session is fair or democratic . . . "
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/23159/comments#comment482473
tacoman picked up on the following suggestion by [name witheld ~ because I can]
The statement stands, yes!
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Fill in the blank
Thanks for the link, Random, I was just over at that thread, and realized that the old arguments are boiling up again!
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Fill in the blank
Learn the tunes?
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Fill in the blank
nice one Earl
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by piobagusfidil
Re: Fill in the blank
The truth in Charlie Lennon's quip is that you *shouldn't* sit in unless you can contribute without disturbing the flow of the music. But that doesn't mean that you'll necessarily enjoy the experience. I drifted out of a one-off session once because over the course of the evening, one player turned it into his own little showcase, not letting others start tunes, and setting one--his own--pace and never varying it. I could've continued to contribute--by playing along, supporting his playing, etc. But it ceased to be fun after a couple hours because there was *no* opportunity for anyone else to start a tune or suggest a change to the groove.
That sort of thing is rare, in my experience.
On the other end of the spectrum, some sessions suffer from being overly democratic, always playing to the lowest common denominator.
All that said, I'd fill in the blank this way:
...ask not what the session can do for you, but what you can do for the session.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Will Harmon
Re: Fill in the blank
That scenario is why the smoking ban is good! But bloody hell, he must have been a non-smoker... There should be a rule or something.
May your farts rise up to greet you under the blanket in the morning... belch the rich after you ate them to power the wind-generators. Etc.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by mutatis mutandis
Re: Fill in the blank
Pull your head in and sus out the situation.
It's no different from starting a new job or going to
a dinner party where you don't know anybody. If the others
decide you're a w....ker during the first 30 seconds, it will take
the next two hours to change their minds - or more.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Hup
Re: Fill in the blank
Semper gumby -- be flexible.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by John Culhane
Re: Fill in the blank
-make sure you get to pl;ay your party pieces.
-seize on the first nano-second of silence to start another one of your sets
-impress people by playing the tunes you know that the regulars are least likely to be able to join in with (sefl-compositions are highly recommended)
- make sure you can grab a second chair for storing your multiple intrument cases. do this early before some clueless regular snares it to sit on
- try to ensure your visit is a night for the regulars to remember forever, give them a new standrad of genius to aim for.
- afterwards come on here and slag off the regulars
If this wasn't already obvious to you all, then you are doing it worng and may be beyond all help.
- oh nearly forgot, be sure to display the correct degree of arrogance when stating your correct opinions. Theis is nearly always the best way to win people over.
- chris
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Fill in the blank
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Fill in the blank
" the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is . . . .
remember you are a visitor.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by showaddydadito
Re: Fill in the blank
Tell them about all the great players you know and have played in sessions with over the years. If possible use first names eg: This is the way Frankie and I use to play that tune" That should get you noticed........!
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Fill in the blank
...ask where the toilet is
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Fill in the blank
Check your guns at the bar.
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Michael Eskin
Re: Fill in the blank
Ask to borrow somebody's fiddle, then play a set of 6 hornpipes
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Fill in the blank
That actually happened to me, I loaned my fiddle to an enthusiastic musician who "didn't know we had a session here"
all the other musicians seemed to be upset at me for doing so.
Actually It's something I am very unlikely to do, he just must have asked me in just the right tone of voice or something, or I was just in a good mood. He then played countless hornpipes which turned my good mood into a bad one
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by Earl Cameron
Re: Fill in the blank
not to pick up a bodhran
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by tradladman
Re: Fill in the blank
"not to pick up a bodhran"
-ever
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by premier
Re: Fill in the blank
That was a bit harsh on those who play it well, I apologise
# Posted on November 27th 2009 by premier
Re: Fill in the blank
the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is enjoy yourself.
if you don't enjoy it don't go.
en-joy yourself by your tunes. if you don't derive joy from your playing how do you expect a group of strangers to like it.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by 'S dat you, O'Flibberty?
Re: Fill in the blank
I would love to be at a session when a complete stranger walks in & sings ground control to major tom. Perfectly.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Fill in the blank
Premierflute:
>That was a bit harsh on those who play it well, I apologise
I should think so too. Slagging the bodhran and its players is frowned upon on this forum :-|
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Fill in the blank
er,
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Fill in the blank
>the most important thing to do as a visitor to a session is >enjoy yourself. if you don't enjoy it don't go
This advice brought to you on behalf of the the mystic society
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Fill in the blank
Random:
>I would love to be at a session when a complete stranger >walks in & sings ground control to major tom. Perfectly.
I have been at countless sessions where this has happened towards the end of the night. Well ok, not necessarily "major tom". Nor, come to think of it, necessarily "perfectly". But other than that, countless times.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Fill in the blank
Cheers, Chris. As long as it's a complete stranger & the entire session has their ears perked, that's cool.
"This is Major Tom to ground con-trol, I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in the most peculiar way
And the stars look very difeerent today
For here am I sitting in a tin can, far above the world
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do . . ."
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Ben Steen
~
Niamh Parsons singing "Reconciliation" works as well.
# Posted on November 28th 2009 by Ben Steen