December 12 Jam at the Royal

Greetings, ukulele fans!

First, I'd like to thank everyone for making our official inaugural at the Royal Tavern last month such a success. It looks like we made the right decision in moving. When be started playing, we already had a great turnout. And yet more people came, giving us our second highest attendance.

And now, our next jam is coming up soon, on Wednesday, December 12. I know December is an awkward month for most people. It's a busy month, and many people quickly get their fill of Christmas songs. But let's keep up the momentum. Bring your favorite Christmas songs, and let's have some fun with them.

On the Kingston Ukulele Society web site, I've added a page for Christmas songs. As I write this memo, there are just a half-dozen songs. But I'll probably add some more over the next few days. But there are also other sites offering good Christmas song arrangements for ukulele:

• Dr. Ukes Holiday Songs Dr Uke always has good arrangements. I'll bring a few copies of his Christmas Medley #1 and Christmas Medley #2. I'd appreciate if others would also make a few copies, for themselves and others, to make sure everyone has copies.
• Vancouver Ukulele Circle Winter Holiday Songbook.
• German Christmas Songs This is a wonderful set of tabbed arrangements.
• There are a number of arrangements of Vince Guaraldi's Christmas Time Is Here. This is my favorite.

Once we get our fill of Christmas songs, we'll do other favorites. If you're new to the jam, be sure to print off a copy of our favorites.

Don't forget: Our new location is the Royal Tavern, 344 Princess Street. Parking is usually available on Princess Street. Or park in the lot at the back of the Royal, off Brock Street, just past the fire hall. The jam starts at 7:30PM. But plan to arrive around 7PM for socializing and a beverage.

Cheers! Hans

November 14 Ukulele Jam at the Royal

Greetings, ukulele fans!

I'm really excited about jamming in our new venue, the Royal Tavern. The next jam is coming up, on Wednesday, November 14. Yes, we are back to Wednesdays!

Here are a few songs I've prepared. As usual, if you have your own favorites, bring them along.

• I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag Country Joe McDonald, 1967. (video).
• Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat Bob Dylan, 1966. (play along video)
• Pub With No Beer Parsons and Sheahan, 1957. (video)
• They Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Around traditional. (video)
• Where Did You Get That Hat Joseph J. Sullivan, 1888. (play along video)

A few things to note: First, the Royal has no music stands. So if you have a music stand, please bring it along. Second, look for ukulele players in the back room. That is, in the space to the left of the bar.

Don't forget: Our new location is the Royal Tavern, 344 Princess Street. Parking is usually available on Princess Street. Or park in the lot at the back of the Royal, off Brock Street, just past the fire hall. The jam starts at 7:30PM. But plan to arrive around 7PM for socializing and a beverage.

Cheers! Hans

October 15 Ukulele Jam

Greetings!

As some of you know, we've been looking for a new venue for our uke jam. Last week, we had a great test jam with a few of our regulars, so we now have a place where we can jam once again on Wednesday evenings. Starting in November, the jam will be held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, in the back room at the Royal Tavern, 344 Princess Street. This venue has a number of advantages. First, the room is on ground level. Second, parking is much easier, either on Princess Street or in a parking lot off Brock Street. And if you're a fan of history, note that this bar was once owned by Sir John A. Macdonald. 

But for the October 15 jam, we're still at the RCHA. And I've got a few songs prepared in case you want to practice beforehand:

• Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison, 1967 (play along video)
• I'll Be Your Baby Tonight - Bob Dylan, 1968 (video) (if you look carefully, you can spot me way at the back around 2:50 into the video)
• In Your Wildest Dreams - Moody Blues, 1986 (play along video)
• Last Train To Clarksville - the Monkees, 1966 (video)
• Long Time Gone - the Dixie Chicks, 2002 (play along video)

If you also have songs to bring along, please do! Let's make our last jam at the RCHA a good one!

As usual, we meet at the RCHA Club in downtown Kingston, 193 Ontario Street. At the RCHA, take the elevator to the 2nd floor. (If you arrive early and the elevator button doesn't work for the 2nd floor, go up to the 3rd floor, order a beverage, and ask the person at the bar to turn on the 2nd floor button.)

The jam starts at 7:30PM. But plan to arrive around 7PM for socializing and a beverage.

Cheers! Hans

September 17 Jam

Greetings!

Summer's almost over, and the kids are back in school. And another ukulele jam approaches on Monday, September 17. A couple of weeks ago I was in Toronto, and was able to make it to the Corktown Jam. (Since I arrived just 25 minutes before the start of the jam, I was lucky to get a seat at the back of the room!) I got my banjo uke boptized, I performed a song, and I learned a wonderful new song. And on Monday, I'll teach that song to you. 

• Beautiful Kawa'i by Randy Farden (play along video)
• Hey Good Lookin' by Hank Williams Sr. (play along video)
• 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) by The Four Preps (video)

As usual, we meet at the RCHA Club in downtown Kingston, 193 Ontario Street. At the RCHA, take the elevator to the 2nd floor. (If you arrive early and the elevator button doesn't work for the 2nd floor, go up to the 3rd floor, order a beverage, and ask the person at the bar to turn on the 2nd floor button.)

The jam starts at 7:30PM. But plan to arrive around 7PM for socializing and a beverage.

Cheers! Hans

August 20 Ukulele Jam

Aloha!

It's time for ukulele jam again! There was a bit of confusion regarding the July jam. But I think everyone's on track for the August jam. I have just one new song arranged for this jam, a song I've wanted to introduce to you for a while. This arrangement matches Iz's performance in the accompanying video. And since it is a Hawaiian song, don't forget to play the D7 as 2020, not as 2223. Along with that, we can do other Hawaiian songs in our song books, as well as some old classics. And I count Beatles in that category.

• Star Of Gladness by the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (play along video)

As usual, we meet at the RCHA Club in downtown Kingston, 193 Ontario Street. At the RCHA, take the elevator to the 2nd floor. (If you arrive early and the elevator button doesn't work for the 2nd floor, go up to the 3rd floor, order a beverage, and ask the person at the bar to turn on the 2nd floor button.)

The jam starts at 7:30PM. But plan to arrive around 7PM for socializing and a beverage.

Cheers! Hans

August 15 Ukulele Jam in City Park

Greetings!

The third and last scheduled ukulele jam in City Park for this summer is coming up on Wednesday, August 15, at 6:30pm. For the approximate location within the park, check out the map at this link: http://goo.gl/maps/OVUP. We'll find the closest available picnic tables to that location.

In the unlikely event of rain, since this is the last jam for the summer, the event may be rescheduled. So far this summer, one jam was cut short by rain and the other had beautiful weather.

Bring your favorite songs, and your own refreshments.

So far, I have the following songs arranged:

• Colours Donovan (play along video)
• Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe, 1979 (play along video)
• Pineapple Head - Crowded House, 1993. (play along video) 
• Radio Sweetheart - Elvis Costello, 1976 (video) 
• Rasputin - Boney M, 1978 (video)

If these songs look too challenging, we'll have some easier songs as well. But you can always bring your own favorites.

One more thing: As the Fall approaches, it's time to think about how we want to proceed with our jams. Monday evenings are not working well, so I want to go back to Wednesdays. This would likely mean moving away from the RCHA. The RCHA is very supportive of music. However, parking is not convenient. And Monday is pretty much the only evening available to us. I'm open to any ideas on where to meet and how to organize the jams in the future.

Cheers! Hans