Good songs for a house band at an open mic...

ChrisCox1994 · April 2015

Hi guys, I run a great open mic in chichester every thursday, bit of a musos jam kind of thing so usually ends up being funk/jazz stuff and little vocals, the occasional regular blues jam.

Only trouble is we haven't got many singers who are able to get up and just slot in with a house band (this could be due to the stuff we play when instrumental) and want to strike a balance between being fun for more experienced musicians to play / share ideas but also be inclusive to beginners and singers who want to just get up and play.

The main thing is I want the evening to be fun for players, but also accessible for non muso punters - and thus keeping the landlord happy...

Any ideas of a few simple songs that could be jammed out that aren't too complicated but also not the usual 'Sweet home alabama' or 'knocking on heavens door' etc that have been done to death?

cheers.

IanSavage · April 2015

Superstition isn't ridiculously difficult, neither is Wanted Dead Or Alive by Bon Jovi (both of those reared their heads at the jam night I went to last night)...I had got a few folders of the progressions for reasonably uncomplicated songs which I made up for just such a purpose, and now I can't remember bloody any of them!

Oh, 20th Century Boy by T-Rex was in there, as was Slade's Mama We're All Crazee Now...and it wasn't in my books, but Long Train Runnin' by the Doobie Brothers is pretty straightforward, it's essentially a funky 12-bar with an augmented fifth on the turnaround (under the 'without loooooooooovvve' bit - my band do it in F, so a C# resolving down to the C) - there's tons more, I'll be back...

ChrisCox1994 · April 2015

lovely stuff, yeah we always end up jamming a superstition as well, or 20th century. Message in a bottle comes up a lot.

jd0272 · April 2015

Grapevine's a good un, can slip into Jazz if must. Or any style really.

D Am G, B G D G or thereabouts. Ish.

Superstition is a doddle. We do it. We also do 20th C and it's a piece of piss, but I dislike it hugely. No idea why. We do Get It On too, and I don't like that either.

Custard Pie. Cause it can go on forever and is simple. Can do loads with it.

Rosalie is summat you can do in yer sleep.

Stuck In The Middle in C. Healey style, really fckn ramp it up. Great to play.

Take A Tip, Dr Feelgood. What's not to like?