Every musical genre has its natural habitat — an artifact or social interaction that provides a focus for the performer’s craft. Classical music has the concert hall. Jazz has the jam session in a smoky bar. Pop music has the radio-friendly single and video clip. In many branches of world music, the defining moment is the session, where musicians congregate to play with and for each other. In many musical traditions, sessions are where tunes are transmitted from musician to musician, and the main place for players to hone their craft.
Sessions are less formal than a concert (and often don’t have an audience other than the players themselves) but more structured than a jam session. Session players often refer to session etiquette — the unspoken rules that determine when, how and what it is appropriate to play. Etiquette varies from region to region, but the basic idea is that someone starts a tune, and those who know it join in. If you don't know the tune, you just listen. The session repertoire — tunes that are commonly played — also varies according to the region.
Beginners often find the subtleties of session etiquette a little daunting, but a good approach is to come along as an observer at first, and then join in once you know some tunes and feel confident that you understand the way the session works. It is also good to find a session that matches your own level of expertise. Sessions can range from beginner or ‘slow’, all the way up to advanced, where virtuosic players work themselves up into a frenzy of back-to-back tunes at breakneck speed, well into the wee hours of the morning.
It has become quite common in recent years for players to bring walkmans or mini-disc recorders to sessions so they can record unfamiliar tunes to learn at home. This is a great way to become familiar with the session repertoire, but it's always polite to ask first.
Sessions often occur spontaneously whenever musicians gather, but there are also organised weekly sessions — mostly in pubs or other community spaces. Most major cities have at least one regular session, and in areas where traditional music is strong, this extends all the way down to the village level. Many of these organised sessions are listed on the web.
Sessions have a significant influence on world music's development, ensuring that the folk process continues. Each player at a session offers their own interpretation of the tune, and this in turn influences the other players. In this way, tunes keep evolving and local variations of tunes keep emerging.
