Howdy Friends…
Well here I am, 82 days by my count, from my initial “Advice Please?” post and I thought I’d update it in case there’s anyone else out there thinking about jamming or gigging for the first time.
So far I’ve been contacted by 11 local musicians from my initial CL ad; I played with 7 of them, 2 of them twice, and at the time of this post, have yet to meet 2. Usually, I went to their place, but hosted a couple at mine. Some players were more advanced, some less; one was a keyboardist. I played four times in a group environment and the rest with individuals.
I have to say that the exposure to new ideas, music, knowledge and techniques is worth it’s weight in gold. I learned a lot about new technology, new gear, current trends, etc. While I suppose the results were predictable (mixed), the experiences were varied and invaluable. Here are a few take-a-ways;
Hauling gear around is a pain! I learned to travel compact and light with fold-able stands bungeed to my gig bag, which went on my back. I found a laptop/briefcase that fit my pedals, cords, songbook and other gear minutia to sling over my shoulder. I carried my VOX ad40t in my free hand and, voila!
It paid to be organized. There are a lot of distractions, and it’s easy to lose/misplace/forget stuff. I used a gear checklist, as corny as it may be.
Knowing the songs and being prepared beforehand helped tremendously. I spent time with each song, and learned a lot of new ones (30?). Some weren’t my taste, but learning them shook up my routine and for that it was time well spent. Some turned out to be real keepers, but most were fun to play.
I learned that when playing with anyone It’s important to be an attentive and responsive collaborator. I tried to think of myself as part of an orchestra, with my ‘voice’ playing its own distinctive parts - times, places and purposes - within the band and the composition. I learned this before going in and it got me creds.
Well, that’s about it. More may come to mind later, but I think this covers most of it. I’ll likely no longer update this thread, but leave it by saying that playing with others has been most inspiring and educational. I’m still reaping benefits in ways I hadn’t thought of and it has exponentially broadened my musical perspective. I’ll continue to pursue and encourage all to “leap and the net will appear”. It may seem terrifying, but it is also gratifying - and educational!
Thanks for reading, and thanks again to those who’ve posted advice, encouragement and comments. Have a Happy, Healthy and Musically Inspired New Year! 
Papa g
…good evening (Okay, for us here then, I’m leaving now)
Yes, I see how crucial it is now. Thanks!