While this may not be the ideal forum for a rigorous scholarly discourse on the etymology of the term "jam band," a definition is certainly in order. Indeed, some observers have suggested that the groups encompassed within this broad(ening) umbrella are unified less by their sounds than by their supporters. And while a grassroots commonality exists among fans of the circuit, there are musical similarities among the bands as well: they embrace improvisation as a performance ethic and, more importantly, they are unified by a penchant for bending and blending established genres. The performers listed below cannot be neatly sequester into bluegrass, jazz, blues, funk or electronica camps -- they are all of these at once.

Derek Trucks Band Artist: The Derek Trucks Band Release Date: 2004

This disc offers a tantalizing, protean take on the group's "world soul." While half the current band (vocalist Mike Mattison and keyboard player/flautist Kofi Burbridge) was not yet in the fold for this 1997 release, the enduring rhythm section of Yonrico Scott and Todd Smallie lays it down with verve. Trucks redefines the context and parameters of the slide guitar throughout. Highlights include versions of John Coltrane's "Naima" and "Mr. PC," as well as the band's own "Evil Clown" and "Out of Madness."

The Jammy's Award Ceremony: Live From The Theater At Madison Square Garden, 3/16/04 Artist: Various Artists Release Date: 2004

Since the Jammys debuted in 2000, the annual awards show and celebratory concert has embodied improvisation by pairing musicians with minimal (or no) prior rehearsal time. Despite the occasional implosion, the ensuing spontaneous collaborations are often inspired. This collection, drawn from the 4th annual show, weighs towards the latter result with Dickey Betts, Assembly of Dust and Edie Brickell joining in for two of Betts' classic compositions ("Blue Sky" and "Ramblin Man"), Slick Rick melding with the Disco Biscuits for his "La-Di-Da-Di" and the Harlem Gospel Choir appearing with Soulive (featuring Maktub vocalist Reggie Watt) for a rousing version of "Stop Messing Around."

Ask The Fish Artist: Leftover Salmon Release Date: 1995

For many years Leftover Salmon was Colorado's definitive polyethnic bluegrass amalgam. (And then the String Cheese started to age...). Here, Leftover offers a collection of lively originals and traditional covers that occasionally, affectionately eschew tradition. While Ask the Fish conveys the group's spirited irreverence ("Festivaaal!"), it's also worth noting that the late Mark Vann was a two-time winner of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival's annual banjo contest, and his peerless picking helps make this early live album a showcase for the band's technical proficiency.

Live At Lupos, 6/12/2004 Artist: The Slip

The Slip bridges the bounds between jazz and pop aesthetics, with results that are occasionally abstruse yet often sublime. This release, a 2005 Jammy Award nominee for Live Album of the Year, presents the band in fine fettle at Lupo's in its native Rhode Island. Tracks such as the 20-minute "Nellie Jean" demonstrate that while the trio maintains an affinity for abstraction, it never neglects the sweet spots.

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