During the day I've blocked out an hour and 1/2 for plain Jazz standards. Sonar is perfect for this.
 
I open my real book and just pick any tune. I can use my archtop to comp the changes and bass line in one track and melody in another. Then loop the solo section for practice.
 
If I really want to work on a tune I record drums/"real" bass/keyboard( which helps memorizing the changes) and guitar. I then can use this recording for a couple of days. 
 
The idea is to delete and then pick another tune. That way when you get invited up you're not trying the remember "how'd that tune go?" and jamming with friends can be much more fun and that new "young guy" won't make you (me)    look and sound so bad

If you want to collaborate on some rb projects, reach out. I do much the same thing often.

Want to try autumn leaves or song for my father? A train? Blue monk?

Bill, you should take a look at Jamstix. It's a drum sampler that can generate grooves on the fly in various styles, and can be a great sideman for jamming, practice and song development.

gswitz -  I just started with a classic rock band so my time right now is limited. 
I haven't worked on Song For My Father and I love that song. Let's do that one. Then r&b !!!
 
Dave - Sounds like a great idea. Could you build a midi pattern with it and the import to Addictive Drums? The thing I like about AD is the sound of those kits but it's such a drain on my cpu and a pain to use doing complicated songs

Hi Bill what you are doing sounds like a plan .
 
check out this link 
http://www.realbooksite.com 
 
I found this site to be very helpful when it comes to hearing what the tunes in the real book sound like 
 
Kenny

Thanks Kenny!
 
My real book is literally worn out and it's the 3rd I owned. Most of the players I've worked with from San Antonio to New York, Chicago. LA , Seattle use the real book. It's the only thing in these parts that I can use to keep my bebop chops up. 
 
P.S. I should mention part of the fun for me is to do the tune first then listen to how other players did it. My sight reading is pretty good so I can get the tunes fast. I don't stay on a tune more than a day

P.S. P.S. also, I should mention just the opposite is true when I'm working on the repertoire section of my practice. In that case I work one song till I know the changes melody bass etc of the tune inside out. There is NO time limit for this and the thing here is to NOT move on till that song is made your own

Not really the same thing but I started a project a while ago where I have one instance of a drum synth and one set up to the Zeta+ Alembic bass sound.
 
Currently I only have a simple 4/4 drum beat programmed into a track but intend to expand from there. The clip is set "Groove" so I can drag it out as needed.
 
Then I have another set of MIDI tracks in a folder feeding the bass sound. I've programmed in some simple blues and jazz progressions and can toss in specific song progressions as needed (currently I only have the progression for Little Wing programmed in but yanking basslines is pretty easy). These are also set to be Groove Clips.
 
Then of course I have a third track to jam into with TH2 set up so I can cruise for tones.
 
All I have to do is drag out the drum clip to accommodate the full length of whatever progression I'm jamming along with then set loop points. I can practice soloing over top of what ever I want in any key by just adjusting the current MIDI bass track's pitch +/- function and obviously change the tempo just by... well changing the project tempo.
 
I haven't developed the project as much as I intended to but it's pretty cool for just zoning out and trying out improvisations. The fact it is looped makes it a little sterile for jamming along to after a while but it's a heck of a lot better than practicing freeform without any backing track.

I was making a bunch of jam tracks in Sonar for practice, but then I discovered that youtube has 1000's of jam tracks available.
 
it is not difficult to covert these youtube jam tracks to MP3 and use at your leisure....very nice.
 
I load up GR5, find something in Youtube, and off I go.
 
JR

Having chronic amnesia to the extent I do  It helps me remember the songs better by playing the parts. I like doing the bass and keys or whatever and putting a jam track together. I only do it on standards though. It's much fun for me. Tonite is Spain Or Caravan