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What
Jam bands are often erroneously considered to be Grateful Dead wannabes. While the Grateful Dead's psychedelic, groovy style of rock is a major influence for most jam bands, jam bands tend to combine classic rock, blues, country, funk and more in their sounds. Classic rock-ish, improvisational chops are championed, and the open, laid-back vibe of the scene has a hippie-ish feel. Jam bands gain recognition as concert bands more than as producers of recorded music. Their fan bases are more interested in experiencing the music live than in listening to it on CD. As a result, jam bands sell more tickets than records. The communal, live experience of the concert is at the heart of jam band culture.
Who
The scene is heavily dominated by male musicians, though there are plenty of women who enjoy the music. Phish is today's premiere jam band, but radio and MTV rockers Blues Traveler and the Dave Matthews Band are also considered jam bands. There are also organic folkies Rusted Root; jacqueline-of-all-trades Jen Durkin; southern groovesters Widespread Panic; Gov't Mule (which includes members of the Allman Brothers); the psychedelic moe.; Bulgarian pop-infused Living Daylights and funk-infused Deep Banana Blackout.
When
Jam bands hit their stride in the early 1990s, when Phish, which had been around since '83, exploded onto the neo-hippie music scene as the successors to the Grateful Dead. The bands took the '70s D.I.Y., tour van ethic and combined it with a '60s freeform, improvisational sensibility.
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For more info on jam bands, see the online magazine jambands.com.
