I think that jam bands can be any genre, including jazz. The term "jam" is actually drawn from the jazz scene, and many "jam bands" which are widely considered as such draw widely from jazz influences. Phish is a perfect example, with their very heavy emphasis on jazz conventions, particularly from their percussion and keys.
I've seen numerous jam bands, and not all of them have even had much if any rock influence. There are bluegrass jam bands, folk jam bands, jazz, electronic...
I think jam bands are just improvisationally based, and that's how I generally use the term.
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