Headingley C.C. to host first Community Music Jam

Headingley

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This article was published 17/01/2024 (600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the Ukulele Friends of Headingley, jamming is better as a team. So, on Friday, Jan. 26, they’re hoping to bring that sentiment to a greater audience.

The Headingley Community Music Jam, to be held in the auditorium at Headingley Community Centre (5353 Portage Ave.) from 7 to 9 p.m., is intended to be the first of a series of drop-in, musical gatherings. It will welcome musicians from all skill levels and sporting any instrument under the sun.

The idea came from a series of concerts UFOH has done within the community, explained Susanne Moore, a group member and interim manager of recreation and community services at the Macdonald-Headingley Recreation District (MHRD). Those shows encouraged “guest musicians” to take part in the performance.

“When we did those concerts, we invited other musicians within the community to join us … and we’ve had a lot of fun, they’ve been quite successful,” Moore said. “Through our conversations with those other musicians, it was kind of like: ‘Well, wouldn’t it be great if we could do this on a more regular basis?’ Then, ‘how do we find out who else is in the community that might be interested?’”

“If you’re playing in your basement, it’s kind of lonely, (this will be getting them) out of the basement and meeting other musicians in the community, to support one another and share ideas.”

It’s a safe space, Moore added, a coffeehouse environment for all ages — from kids to retirees — who may be interested.

UFOH will run the evening from its songbook, which incorporates parts for different types of strings — like its own ukuleles. The group won’t know quite what to expect until the night itself, Moore said.

“People have different music interests,” she explained. “Some people might prefer country, some people might prefer folk music, some are more pop. So, how do you manage all of those interests?”

Musical jams of this type happen all over, but are not as common at a community level, Moore said, which surprised her. She hopes the event will bring together the musical community in the Headingley area for months to come.

“It’s so fun to see,” Moore said. “We have collaborated with some other players in the community, when we did our concerts, and the sound of ukuleles — plus other other instruments — is just so it’s very fun. And it’s just seeing people enjoying what they’re doing, meeting other people, being part of the community. That’s what I’m excited about.”

For information on more events run by Macdonald-Headingley Recreation District, visit www.mhrd.ca