Confusion Theerkkaname: Jam sessions to jettison the blues, jazz up your evenings
6th Avenue in Anna Nagar, Chennai. A pale November evening. The room glows softly; chairs lie scattered; someone tunes a guitar, someone adjusts a mic. From the faint ripple of human chatter, a lone voice rises. A gentle hum follows from the rear of the room, and soon several voices begin to sing. Many pick up the same lines imperfect, but wholly invested. The spirit lifts with the music. Welcome to a jam session. Here, music doesnt merely fill a space it stirs a quiet sense of belonging. Here, a group of Keralites feel at home in Chennai, thanks to blessed music. Vaishakha sandhye / Nin chundilenthe / Aruma sakhithan / Adhara kaanthiyo . The song from the 1987 film Nadodikkattu , rendered by KJ Yesudas, fills the air. Many more follow with shifting rhythms and beats Shanthamee Rathriyil / Vaadyaghoshadikal Konduvaa / Oho Konduvaa from Johnnie Walker starring Mammootty, and Confusion Theerkkaname / Ente Confusion Theerkkanamee , sung by MG Sreekumar in the Jayaram-starrer Summer in Bethlehem . Hours pass, cradled by music and in the arms of bittersweet memories, before the time comes to part for the day. One steps out into darkness, into harsh reality, into the swirl of Chennai traffic, and into the humdrum of existence. Jam sessions are popular in cities like Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, and they are gaining ground in Chennai too. Among people who spend most of their time glued to computer screens and commuting to and from work, there is a craving for belongingto stay connected, to dispel loneliness, to feel at home. Jam sessions offer an answer. The term jam session likely originated in the 1920s jazz scene, when white and Black musicians would gather after their regular paying gigs to play the jazz they couldnt perform in the Paul Whitemanstyle bands they worked in. When Bing Crosby attended these gatherings, the musicians would say he was jammin the beat, because he clapped on the one and the three. Jam sessions are popular in cities like Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, and they are gaining ground in Chennai too. A jam session is a musical gathering where musicians come together to play, improvise, and experiment without following a rigid structure. It begins with a few musicians picking up a song, and soon the whole group joins insinging, clapping, or adding their own musical bitsturning it into a lively, free-flowing experience. Organisers of a recent session in Chennai say the formats popularity has grown rapidly in recent years. Vishwas KP, founder of Do With LIT, a music community based in Bengaluru, said the rise accelerated after Covid-19 as people are more willing to spend on experiences. He added, Before jamming, there were only two kinds of showsone in pubs with live music or DJs, and the second was concerts by big musicians, which are not very interactive. There were many people who werent comfortable with eitherpeople who dont like going to pubs, and people who dont enjoy concerts. There was a middle ground that needed to be filled. According to Vishwas, jam sessions do more than bring music lovers together; they create friendships. Music is something that binds people together. Ive seen it first-hand in my events many people have become very close friends, and I myself have found close friends I didnt know earlier. Divya, the co-founder of Make Some Occha, a mixed-mic community that organises jamming sessions, open mics, and curated events, shared how she started the community with her friend Thejus. She said they wanted to create a space where people could express art and connect with each other. We were fully into corporate jobs, and we realised wed lost our creative side somewhere we wanted a platform for people who have left their homes to express their creativity and form new connections. People are leaving their homes and coming into new, uncomfortable situations, she added. They need to find new friends. So were creating a space where you can randomly come and sit, sing, dance, laugh with no judgement. Divya noted that while the crowd initially consisted mostly of young professionals, it has now expanded to include children, older adults, and families. Vishwas added that about 80 per cent of attendees are between 25 and 35 years old, but they also see groups in their 50s and 60s enjoying the sessions, along with an increasing number of families. While organisers create the environment, it is the attendees who bring it to life. For many, the sessions offer connection, comfort, and nostalgia. While organisers create the environment, it is the attendees who bring it to life. For Reshma, a Malayali architect working in Chennai, the jamming session she attended was deeply nostalgic. There is nothing as comforting and nostalgic as your mother tongue, she said. Songs take us to memories by default; they make you feel connected sentimentally. As someone living in Chennai for the past eight years, listening to old Malayalam songs feels like a slice of home. Between her words, the songs echoed that spirit. As someone strummed the opening chords of an old Malayalam song, heads lifted instantly. Music turned the space into something familiaralmost home. For Shibil, who performed at an open mic, the events help bridge emotional distance. When youre away from home, you have a disconnected feeling. Attending events like this brings back your memories of home. Its a good place to make new connections. The night grew warmer as voices overlapped, rising and settling like waves. For a moment, the room felt less like a hall and more like a living room back home. Liz, a media coordinator in Chennai, discovered one such programme through BookMyShow. This is definitely a place to make new friends. Even if youre alone, you can meet new people here, she said. In a place like Chennai, with such a large immigrant population, more shows like this should be conducted. Im sure more people will join. Vishwas agreed that Chennai offers strong opportunities. Compared to Bengaluru, Chennai has fewer jamming events, and more people here are interested in music There should be more jamming events in Chennai and more groups providing these experiences, because weve seen in our events that people in Chennai absolutely love their music. He said that jamming sessions in Chennai are still new and evolving but have the potential to become mainstream. Badhri Seshadri, founder of Motta Maadi Music, one of Chennais earliest jamming communities, said the city has played a major role in the ventures success. People in Chennai are always so culturally inclined that when something new comes up, they never say no to it. They want to try it and then its up to the performer to maintain the momentum. He also noted that street performances have evolved into musicians using popular public spots to jam, reflecting the citys vibrant music scene. According to him, these sessions thrive not only because the city supports them, but also because generations of Tamil film music legends have created enduring songs that continue to fuel todays jams. Another attendee, Anupama, described the experience as emotional. Malayalam is my mother tongue. I think, speak, and process emotions in Malayalam. Old Malayalam movies and songs take me back to my native soil. Music has that magic I cant really explain, she said. When I heard about a Malayalam jamming session, I was thrilled. Ever since I left home, Ive hung out with many friends but when it comes to music and movies, Ive always felt like an outsider. But jamming old Malayalam songs with people Id never met felt like attending a function with my cousins. Just like that, we were transported home by the lyrics and music. It was sterling nostalgia. As jam sessions spread across cities, they are doing more than bringing music to life they are bringing people together. Through familiar lyrics and melodies, people are finding comfort, friendship, and a fleeting, powerful sense of home far from home.
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