Page 44 - Summer 2010

THE SOCIETY: IN A JAM, AND LOVING IT
K. Anthony (Tony) Hoover
McKay Conant Hoover, Inc.
5655 Lindero Canyon Road Westlake Village, California 91362
The Acoustical Society of America
meetings feature a popular new
social function, the ASA Jam.
The Jam offers an opportunity for
members and their guests to play music
in a friendly and improvisational set-
ting, using provided equipment and
instruments that are arranged in
advance through the generous efforts
of dedicated volunteers. The Jam extends the invitation to participate or simply, attend to all Society members and their guests.
The ASA Jam was inspired by noting that most ASA meetings have musical events that are relatively “non-inter- active” in nature. These include concerts, demonstrations, and sessions on all aspects of music. Additionally, many members are deeply involved in music-related professions and activities, and many more play musical instruments. However, there are rarely any active-participation musical events.
In anticipation of the ASA Fall 2007 meeting in New Orleans, the birthplace of so many music traditions, styles, genres, and legends, the Technical Committee on Architectural Acoustics (TCAA) appropriately planned for sessions acknowledging this grand musical heritage. The prospect of active participation in a musical event, in the form of a music jam, had been discussed by a few TCAA members for some time. The New Orleans meeting seemed an ideal opportunity for a definitive action. A request was made for an allowance of up to $1,500 during the New Orleans meeting toward a one-night rental of a local music club, sound system equipment, and musical instruments. This request was loosely based on a Technical Initiative model, but without a specific proposal through a technical committee. Befitting the New Orleans traditions, the intend- ed musical styles were a bit different from most of the classi- cal and opera music that had been the typical focus of many TCAA/ASA presentations—it promoted popular improvisa- tional genres of rock, jazz, and blues. This was a new and unique function for the Society—all for a relatively-small financial outlay. It would require careful planning and effort to arrange and promote, while accommodating all possible concerns for member access and safety.
With good fortune, there was solid support from mem- bers of the Society who valued the positive benefits of a new social-interaction paradigm for networking, personal bond- ing, excitement about attending meetings, student and new member outreach, potential for student/experienced-mem- ber interaction, refreshment of the image of the Society, and fun. It was noted that the middle word in the name of ASA is Society (Fig. 1).
“The Acoustical Society of America meetings feature a popular new social function—the ASA Jam.”
The first “TCAA Jam” was arranged by David Woolworth and was held at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans, an established nightclub within walking dis- tance of the meeting hotel, on Monday evening, 27 November 2007. The $1,500 allocation was spent for the nightclub rental, including the sound system and musical instruments. This TCAA Jam,
with nearly constant live music, was well attended by ASA members of all ages and from most of the technical commit- tees. Music ranged from rock to jazz to blues. All feedback spoke of great success and enthusiasm for future jams.
At the Paris TCAA meeting (1 July 2008), a formal Technical Initiative was proposed and unanimously passed for the subsequent Miami meeting (November 2008) based on the New Orleans Jam model. However, due to a variety of challenges, the Miami Jam did not materialize.
At the Miami TCAA meeting (11 November 2008), a new Technical Initiative for $1,500 for a TCAA Jam in Portland was discussed and passed.
The second TCAA Jam was arranged by Tom LePage, and was held in Portland at the meeting hotel bar/restaurant on Tuesday evening, 19 May 2009, complete with sound sys- tem and musical instruments (most of which were generous- ly provided by Tom). The $1,500 allocation was to be used for rental and transportation of sound equipment and instru- ments, as well as a guarantee to the bar/restaurant against a minimum of food and drink sales. Because sales significant- ly exceeded the minimum, funds were only spent for equip- ment and instruments, roughly in the amount of $750. The Jam was extremely well attended by ASA members coming from a wide range of ages and technical committees. The bar/restaurant was at full capacity, the music was lively and varied with a rotating lineup of players, and enthusiasm for future jams was renewed with vigor.
At the Portland meeting, the TCAA again voted in favor of a Technical Initiative in the amount of $1,500 for a TCAA Jam at the forthcoming San Antonio meeting (October 2009).
For the San Antonio meeting, Pam Harght attempted to arrange for a venue near the ASA meeting hotel with appro- priate accessibility and features, based on the guaranteed- minimum model of the Portland hotel. Unfortunately, no sat- isfactory arrangements could be achieved with any of the nearby clubs. Therefore the third TCAA Jam was held in a meeting room of the hotel on Monday evening, 26 October 2009. A portion of the allocated funds was spent on equip- ment rental, in the amount of $550, with costs kept low through some generous donations arranged by Pam. The meeting room was available without further costs to the
The Society: In a Jam, Again 43