Spafford is one of the major jam bands currently active today. They have all the characteristics that go with that designation: an emphasis on improvisation and lots of touring and live shows around the country that leads to a lot of live recordings, which in turn has become their primary album format. There are certain ways they differentiate themselves from a lot of their peers, having to do with how they are inclined towards a more conventional, mainstream type of rock and do not get too deep into psychedelia, blues, or other types of roots music (though they certainly visit those genres on occasion). On the other hand, they also incorporate some jazz elements into their music, which tends not to be that common in the jam banding business. They keep it mostly on the lighter side, with perhaps a touch of late '70s pop jazz.