JAM SONGBOOK

JAM SONGBOOK
BY PETE WERNICK AND LIAM PURCELL.
9780578212333. 46 pp. (www.drbanjo.com)

It’s rare to find a songbook that combines an easy-to-follow format with a lot of good, helpful information. This one ticks all the boxes for becoming the go-to jam songbook.

Developed by Pete Wernick (who should be well known to readers of this magazine) and Liam Purcell (a 16-year-old jam leader), this 46-page large format book is used in all Wernick Method classes and in JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) classes, an after-school program with 40 chapters in four Southern states.

The book includes 39 two- and three-chord bluegrass standards also available as YouTube and Spotify playlists. The large print and bold typeface for choruses and chord numbers make for easy reading, and the flexibility of the book allows for propping on a music stand. There is further instruction on jamming, leading a song, specifics for guitar, bass, and fiddle players, and suggestions on practicing.

The book is available on Pete’s website and for bulk purchase. For jam leaders and those just getting into jamming, this is the best first resource to purchase. Highly recommended.CVS