Jug band music is a great style to jam with, because it includes a broad range of genres and instrumentation, it leaves lots of room for spontenaiety and participation, and it relies heavily on a few standard chord progressions. Here are some tips for anyone wanting to participate in a jug band jam for the first time.

This is probably the most common chord progression used in jug band music. It is simple, but comes in several variations. Watch and listen to pick up on which exact version is played in a given song. You can play any V chords as dominant 7ths, and experiment with playing I and IV chords as sevenths, too.

Some songs use this sequence as their entire chord progression, and some use it as a portion of a larger progression. It is helpful to recognize the VI-II-V-I sequence and learn to play it in several keys. The VI, II and V chords are usually played as 7ths.

Many songs use this sequence as a portion of a larger progression. The iv (four minor) chord could also be played as a IV7 (four dominant seventh), a V# (sharp five) or IV#° (sharp four diminished), depending on the players' preference. Like the VI-II-V-I, it's good to be familiar with this in several keys.

Most songs in a jug band jam will have one lead vocalist, but other vocal contributions are usually welcome.

Choruses: Pay attention to the chorus the first couple times and try to pick up the words and melody. Joining in on the choruses usually sounds great, especially if you can harmonize. Some jug band songs sound better with the choruses shouted more than sung.

Improvised verses: Some jug band songs -- especially the ones with risque lyrics -- lend themselves to having new verses added on the fly. If you can pick up the pattern or theme of a song and come up with an original verse, catch the lead singer's eye during a chorus and say, "I've got one," then wait for his or her invitation to sing your verse.

Spoken responses: When you listen to the pioneering jug band recordings of the 1920s and 30s, you'll hear numerous examples of band members inserting comments like, "Have mercy," or "What you gonna do there?" If you're feeling comfortable in the jam, throw in a few comments like these to spice up the song. Just don't overdo it as in this Gus Cannon recording!

Jug band music traditionally draws from African-American musical genres before World War II: blues, jazz (classic jazz and swing) and ragtime. Playing songs from other genres with a jug band treatment is usually acceptable in moderation. Playing songs with a significantly different feel, like bluegrass, country or post-war blues, can be irritating to musicians who have gathered to indulge in a passion for the traditional genres. If in doubt, listen a while to see what styles the group seems comfortable with.

Lead sheets for many common jug band songs are available from the Hump Night Thumpers and the How Long Jug Band

And you can hear the original versions of most jug band songs by searching for their titles on YouTube.

Different jams have different styles, depending on the background of the participants and the customs of that particular group. But here are some guidelines that should keep you from stepping on toes in any group.

Take turns: Whether leading songs or taking solos, make sure everyone who wants to gets a chance, and don't take more than your share.

Choose your instrument: You might bring a few different instruments to a jam, but it's best to stick with one for the duration of a song. Playing two instruments at a time can be too much if the jam has more than a handful of people, and changing instruments during a song can be distracting.

Give the name and key: When leading a song, announce the name and the key before you start.

Start and stop together: Don't just start and make others catch up; give a count-off so others can start with you. And give a good cue at the end of the song so you can stop together, too.

Choose soloists: When it comes time for solos, the leader of the song can call or gesture to soloists to keep the song flowing. What you don't want to do is just stop singing and leave a vacuum where nobody knows what to do next. Some jam groups have different customs for this, which you can pay attention to before you lead a song. You can also pay attention to which players are comfortable taking solos and which aren't, and discretely ask if you're not sure.

Step back during solos: When someone else is playing a solo, you should play more quietly or more sparsely to help shift the focus to the soloist.

Relax and have fun: Most people go to jams to practice, learn new songs, meet other musicians and enjoy a shared musical interest. Don't worry about other people judging your skills. If in doubt, just playing more quietly should eliminate any concerns. And when you do become more confident in your skills, be sure to pay back the group by welcoming other newcomers as they join.

Breaks: Another word for solos. Someone might ask, "Do you take breaks," whichs means, should they give you a turn when it comes time for solos.

Stop time: When most instruments stop or play an abbreviated part, like just a short strum on the first beat of each measure. Usually used to highlight a soloist, especially on a quieter instrument like bass or jug, or a percussion instrument.

Tag: Repeating the last phrase of a vocal part to signify the end of the song. Someone might yell, "Tag it," or just repeat the last phrase once or twice. Be prepared for the last note shortly afterwards.

Turnaround: The last phrase of a chord progression. Often used as the intro of a song, as in, "Let's start on the turnaround."