[2026] A Roundup of Recommended Western Songs for Jam Sessions

Just The Two Of UsBill Withers

Bill Withers – Just The Two Of Us (official video)

[Super Beginner] Just the Two of Us: Explaining how to do jam sessions and the rules, with a demo performance of this classic song!

The classic released in 1980 by Grover Washington Jr.

and Bill Withers has continued to be loved worldwide as a jam-session staple.

It features a gentle F minor chord progression and smooth saxophone lines, and its structure makes it easy for players to trade phrases.

In May 1981, it peaked at No.

2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and at the 1982 Grammy Awards it won Best R&B Song.

Despite its simplicity, the refined arrangement welcomes guitar, bass, keyboards, and horns alike.

There’s ample room for improvisation, making it a perfect piece for those looking to hone their performance skills.

MistyErroll Garner

Erroll Garner plays Misty

Studio Jams #6 – “Misty”

This quintessential jazz piano ballad was composed by Erroll Garner—who couldn’t read music—while he gazed at fog and a rainbow from an airplane.

The 1954 piano trio recording intertwines a singing right-hand melody with a supple left-hand accompaniment, evoking a romantic world wrapped in night mist.

Though it follows a simple 32-bar AABA form, its beautifully unfolding chord progression makes it especially approachable for jam sessions.

In 1959, Johnny Mathis released a version with lyrics, bringing the tune wider recognition as a standard.

It’s a perfect piece for those who enjoy improvisation or want to carefully weave sound in a ballad.

Scarlet BegoniasGrateful Dead

Scarlet Begonias (2013 Remaster)

Grateful Dead – Scarlet Begonias (Winterland 10/19/74) (Official Live Video)

The Grateful Dead, who sparked the jam band movement, released a classic track on their June 1974 album From the Mars Hotel that tells the story of a protagonist who meets a mysterious woman on a London street corner.

Its distinctive groove blends rock, funk, and reggae, and its capacity to expand into over 20 minutes of improvisation is a key attraction.

From 1977 onward, it became standard to perform it back-to-back with Fire on the Mountain.

Played by the band themselves over 300 times and covered by more than 271 artists, the song’s simple chord progression yet open structure makes it ideal for jam sessions.

Performances that interweave Jerry Garcia’s flowing guitar, Phil Lesh’s jazz-informed bass, and the complex rhythms of two drummers provide an ideal study piece for musicians who want to explore improvisation.

Watermelon ManHerbie Hancock

Watermelon Man

Studio Jams #67 – “Watermelon Man”

Beloved by players around the world as a jam-session staple, this piece is an original by Hancock included on his 1962 album Takin’ Off.

Built on a 16-bar blues form, it’s marked by a soulful groove, and its catchy piano riff leaves an unforgettable impression after just one listen.

The simple yet deep chord progression makes it approachable for first-time jammers, and the interplay with horns—such as Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Dexter Gordon on tenor sax—adds to the fun, with a structure that makes trading solos easy for every part.

The anecdote that Hancock drew inspiration from the calls of a watermelon vendor he heard in his Chicago childhood is also intriguing.

Balancing jazz tradition with accessibility, this track is an ideal choice to energize any session.

Red HouseJimi Hendrix

Red House

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Red House – Live at Stockholm 1969 Excellent Quality

This piece, included on the May 1967 album Are You Experienced, is built on a traditional 12-bar blues foundation.

Unfolding at a slow tempo, its greatest appeal is how Jimi Hendrix’s guitar “sings” like a human voice.

Phrases that employ bends, vibrato, and glissando symbolically depict the sorrow of heartbreak.

Precisely because of its simple blues progression, it lends itself well to improvisation in sessions, giving each player ample room for free expression.

In fact, Hendrix himself altered the arrangement from show to show, sometimes extending the guitar solo significantly.

It’s an ideal track for anyone who wants to learn the basics of the blues while enjoying the process of adding their own phrases.

No One KnowsQueens of the Stone Age

Queens Of The Stone Age – No One Knows (Official Music Video)

No One Knows – Cover by A Certain Groove (Queens of the Stone Age)

Born from the California desert rock scene, Queens of the Stone Age continue to captivate rock fans worldwide with their one-of-a-kind sound.

Featured on their 2002 album “Songs for the Deaf,” on which Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl played drums throughout, this track is a striking rock number defined by hard-edged guitar riffs that evoke the dry desert and a tight, bouncy beat.

The slightly staccato riff in C Standard tuning is easy to repeat and guaranteed to fire up any jam session.

Though structurally simple, it generates a highly addictive groove and leaves plenty of room for each participant to add their own arrangement.

As one of their signature songs—which hit No.

1 on the U.S.

Modern Rock chart and was nominated for a Grammy—this track lets you truly savor the thrill of a session.

Black Hole SunSoundgarden

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

Steve Smith & Vital Information Cover “Black Hole Sun” (Performance)

This track, released as a single from the 1994 album Superunknown, is notable for its psychedelic guitar sound and wistful melody.

The guitar tone, enhanced by a Leslie speaker, evokes the Beatles in some ways, and together with Chris Cornell’s expressive vocals, it creates a dreamlike atmosphere.

The song won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, and it stands as a masterpiece that shows grunge is more than just aggressive music.

It might seem unexpected to choose a grunge or alternative rock song as a session piece, but its production carries a hint of blues, and the fusion of heavy drop-D-tuned riffs with a lyrical melody should bring out each player’s individuality in a jam session.