The Village Voice: Features: Jammed for All Time by Robin A. Rothman

""Jam band" began as a simple jazz phrase describing musicians who got together to improvise, free from the rules of everyday gigs. Today it refers to about 200 artists. Many are acutely aware of a bizarre backlash against the term and - like every emo and hair metal and teenpop act that ever resented its "File Under" destiny - some have been reluctant to cop to it. "Please write about us in Relix and on Jambands.com, and please have us on your radio show Jam Nation," mocks Jambands.com writer Jeff Waful. "But don't call us a jamband.'" "

A good article on the jamband "genre" and the upcoming Jammy Awards in the Village Voice.  It attempts a definition at what jamband means, since many bands that get stuck in this pigeonhole resist the label:

"Ranging from consistently high-grossing, arena-sized tour stars to up-and-coming local unknowns, jambands share something, but it's not a sound. They're a stylistically disparate bunch, rooted in bluegrass, blues, rock, jazz, techno, country, and funk, but all connected by an invisible, indefinite thread. Online community, open taping policies, intricate light shows, long songs, varied set lists, constant tour schedules? Some of the above, usually."

Jacob Fred is up for the "New Groove" award.  They're up against amazing pedal steel guitarist, Robert Randolph and master of every style of guitar on earth, Fareed Haque's Garaj Mahal though, so I don't hold out much hope, as both of those bands have a much wider following (and are both VERY good, although in a somewhat more predictable way than the Fred's masterful team improvisation)