
A few years ago I worked with a guy who regularly said “that’s my jam” in reference to his favourite music, and even his non-musical interests and activities. The jam he spoke of was likely an expansion of the musical jam, a noun that also became a verb. First recorded in 1929 as jazz lingo, it referred to a short improvised piece of music by a band.
One theory explains that 1920s musicians would often gather to play a different style of jazz, after their paid gigs with larger ensemble bands. Continue reading “A phrase with jam on it.”