The 10 Best Jam Bands of All Time

"How would you like your music, sir?" If asked this question in a restaurant, how would you respond? If your answer included the word "jam," read on.

Though jam bands and their legions of supporters would certainly debate the placements on this list, it seems that there are a few, at least, who are agreed upon. So while this is by no means a "definitive" Top 10 List, let it be known that others' previously-made lists had an influence on this one, in addition to personal taste:

10. Medeski Martin & Wood - A modern jazz band who also incorporate elements of related genres, such as funk and hip-hop, Medeski Martin & Wood create one of those highly unusual sounds that is difficult to describe, and that has earned them a cult following.

Though they began as an entirely acoustic band (chronicled on their debut, Notes from the Underground), John Medeski later added an assortment of keyboards, including a mellotron, Melodica, and clavinet. In 1995, they performed with Phish, leading to their association with jam bands. If you like jazz, but prefer it a little quirky, throw on one of their records (or better yet, see them in person).

9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - While the extraordinarily talented Hendrix was certainly the crux of this band, his interplay with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell was essential to their sound. As with so many of their contemporaries, The Experience incorporated blues and jazz influences, while pioneering sounds that later developed into hard rock and heavy metal in the '70s.

Also, like many of their Top 10 neighbors here, the band's sound had an extremely psychedelic feel, which in some ways seems rudimentary to the jam band category. Have you ever been "experienced"?

8. Led Zeppelin - Once again, some might debate the label "jam band" for Zeppelin; if you're uncertain, however, watch some of their live footage. One of the most famous recordings, of course, is that from The Song Remains the Same, shot at Madison Square Garden in 1973.

The show included some astonishing renditions of songs like "Dazed and Confused," in which Jimmy Page famously played his guitar with a bow; "Whole Lotta Love," the Willie Dixon-inspired tune wherein Page incorporated a theremin; and "Moby Dick," in which the late John Bonham demonstrated his otherworldly drumming ability. Is that enough evidence? You decide.

7. Ween - Here's a band you won't see on everyone's Top 10, or possibly even Top 50. The reason? Like Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, they're extremely quirky and aren't above self-parody. Despite those truths, Ween are a very talented group, able to weave genres together like fine cloth.

For those unfamiliar with the brainchild of Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo (a.k.a. Dean and Geen Ween), give a listen to their 1994 magnum opus Chocolate and Cheese, which some consider the earliest hint of their genius. Satirizing everyone from The Doors ("Take Me Away") to George Harrison ("Baby Bitch") and anything in between, the Ween boys prove their prowess. If that album rings pleasantly in your ears, then check out the rest of their material.

6. Blind Melon - While primarily known for their mega-hit "No Rain," Blind Melon were a rare gem among 90's alternative rock bands. Their influences included such greats as Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. If you haven't had much of a taste of Blind Melon, check out some of their lesser known tunes such as the twangy, blues-influenced "Paper Scratcher," or the melancholy "Mouthful of Cavities." All the jam band sensibilities are there...it's just a shame that they were cut short by loss.

5. Widespread Panic - One of the atypical jam bands to be currently in full swing, Widespread Panic inspires the same kind of dedicated cult following as the Dead and Phish. Over the course of 24 years, they have developed a sturdy bond that can only be formed by a shared passion for their art, and the strength to overcome tragedy.

Guitarist and lead vocalist John Bell once said of the band, "When we started out, our only intention was to create an environment where the audience could feel free to let their own inspiration flow through them," according to VH1.com. Not only does this sum up Widespread Panic, but perhaps the jam band sensibility as a whole. It's this dedication, as well as the band's obvious skill, that has earned them their stripes and legions of fans.

4. Béla Fleck and the Flecktones - It's somehow fitting that Fleck is named after composer Béla Bartok; after all, he picked up the banjo at the tender age of 15, and is now recognized by many as one of the best players in the world. Fleck formed his now-famous band, the Flecktones, in 1989, according to their official site.

Their self-titled debut combined jazz and bluegrass into a genre they called "blu-bop," and launched the career of one of the most innovative jam bands out there, still active today. Case in point: one of their members, Roy Wilfred "Futureman" Wooten, created a percussion-guitar method on an instrument of his own invention, called the "drumitar." And they say genius is overrated.

3. Phish - Like the Deadheads, Phish's inimitable brand of music has inspired the devotion of a fanatical following. Also, like many of the bands on this list, they expertly blend styles, including rock, jazz, blues, and bluegrass. Yet, when pressed to fit Phish into a genre, most critics are stumped (even if they won't admit it).

The band itself is surrounded by mythos and a near-secret language understood only by real fans. For his senior thesis, guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio wrote and recorded the album The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday (TMWSIY). The lyrics tell an epic tale of an evil tyrant's rule over his kingdom, Gamehendge, and the hero's quest to free them. Phish has, more than once, played the album in its entirety at live shows.

It would be possible to go on and on about the brilliance of this band, but it's not necessary.

2. The Allman Brothers Band - Widely recognized as one of the most influential jam bands of all time, the Allman Brothers Band set a standard by which most (if not all) future jammers will be judged.

Founded in 1969 by Duane Allman (guitar); Gregg Allman (vocals and organ); Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts (guitar); Berry Oakley (bass); and both Claude Hudson "Butch" Trucks and Jaimoe Johansen (drums), the band blended a multitude of musical styles, coming from their various backgrounds. Among these were blues, country, rock 'n' roll, R&B, jazz, and even classical.

Like both their predecessors and successors in the jam world, the group had an almost magical chemistry, at which their albums could only hint. The Allmans were especially known for the complex interplay that resulted from their knowledge of jazz and classical song structures. Whether they know it or not, many of today's rock and blues bands owe some of their success to the Allman Brothers.

1. The Grateful Dead - Though not all may agree, the Grateful Dead are considered by most classic rock fans to be the greatest jam band of all time (thanks in no small part to basically inventing the genre).

At the time of their inception, the emphasis of live performance, community between fans and band members, and fame through word-of-mouth were, more or less, new concepts. If it weren't for the Dead, we probably wouldn't have such bands as Phish, Ween, Blues Traveler, and The String Cheese Incident.

Plus, nearly as famous as the Dead themselves are their rabidly devoted fans, known as Deadheads. More than just being a hippie subculture, the Deadheads have inspired documentaries and intellectual studies (e.g. the journal article "Inciting Sociological Thought by Studying the Deadhead Community" by Rebecca G. Adams, of UNC at Greensboro).

So if you love jam bands at all, be grateful for the Grateful Dead. Without them, the rest probably wouldn't have existed.