Please come and join us at one of our FREE 'Pickin' In The Park' jam sessions! If you play an unplugged traditional instrument, and like acoustic bluegrass, newgrass, mountain, roots, traditional country, Hawaiian, Americana, folk, Western, Celtic, and Irish music, you are welcome to come and jam along! (Listeners, of course, are welcome, too!)
We are often joined by great musicians from out of town. Be prepared for some really exciting and spontaneous pickin' adventures!
TIME/LOCATION:IMPORTANT!Our jams take place on
different weekends each month, and in different locations! Please
visit our home page for information about the next jam!
BRING: Traditional instruments if you have 'em; lawnchairs or blanket (important!);
picnic and beverages if you want 'em
COST: FREE to all!
CONTACT: Caroline Wright at caroline@bluegrasshawaii.com
Traditional music jam (Celtic and old-time music) with acoustic or acoustic-style instruments. Music stands are helpful; singers and beginners are welcome! TradJams usually happen about 1-2 times each month, either on Saturday or Sunday afternoons from 2:00 til 4:30 or 5, depending on availability of space and conflicts with other musical activities.
For more information, please contact Maggie Brown at maggieb@lava.net or Wilson Pang at wpang@gte.net.DATE & TIME: Various (2-3 times each month)
LOCATION: Various; often Church of the Crossroads, 1212 University Avenue, OR Manoa
Gardens Elderly Housing, 2790 Kahaloa Dr.
BRING: Acoustic and acoustic-style instruments; music stands
NOTES: Temporary parking passes are no longer being honored, but no passes or
payment are needed in the Early School lot.
MOTTO: "We're slow, but we're fun."
Music and dancing in the Celtic tradition, as influenced by the American experience. The musical traditions of Irish, Scottish, and English settlers of the Northeastern United States were perpetuated in rural New England, and are experiencing a modern-day renaissance. The dances include jigs, reels, waltzes, hornpipes, and airs. The Contradancers Of Hawaii always have live music played by some really fine musicians! Visitors to Hawai'i are particularly invited to attend. Visit www.sls.hawaii.edu/contra/ for info.
The First-and-Third-Saturday Evening Series
Time/Day: 7:30-10:00pm, on the first and third Saturdays of each month
Location: Kapi'olani Community College Chapel on Diamond Head Road on the mauka
slope of Diamond Head, Honolulu
Notes: Mix of traditional and modern contras plus occasional circles and squares.
There is a good wood floor in the KCC Chapel. No air conditioning, but powerful fans. While there
is no scheduled beginners' session, if you arrive half an hour early, the caller will be happy to
give you some pointers--just introduce yourself! Live music by Whiskey Starship; Robert Bley-Vroman
and Darrow Hand are the regular callers. Bus #3 on Kapi'olani near the Hard Rock cafe will take you
there from Waikiki.
Do you live on the Big Island of Hawai`i, or visit there frequently? Our friends Barry & Jan Willis in Kona host a monthly jam (called "Pickin' and Pupu Potluck") at their lovely home in Kona Heavens on the Big Island. Jams take place on the first Saturday of each month. Each jam starts at about 1:30 PM and end at about 6:00 PM. Jan has built a website for the jams at www.jam.pinevalleymusic.com. Check it out!
Listeners, singers, and pickers are all welcome. Barry and Jan encourage all acoustic players, not just bluegrass or country, to join the fun. They have plenty of room for separate jams for different forms of music. Rain or shine - it doesn't matter - the jam can happen inside or out. Please bring a potluck dish to share!
Pickers from other counties on the Big Island are welcome; the Willises will even pick them up at the airport and get them back in time for their flight home. Contact barry@pinevalleymusic.com or call 808-325-0321.
There's a contra dance group going strong in Hilo! Dances are held from 7:00 to 10:00 PM the fourth Saturday of each month at the YWCA of Hawai`i Island, 145 Ululani Street, Hilo (downtown, near McDonald's and the Sack & Save). These well-attended events feature calling by Cindy Holmes and John Barnes to live music by Second String: Kendal Lyon, fiddle, Carol Hocker, fiddle, Lon Hocker, upright bass, John Barnes, guitar/banjo, Steve Ryan, banjo/mandolin, Theresa Jack, piano/vocals.
All dances are taught, new dancers are always welcome and no experience or partner is necessary. Please come on time and bring lots of friends! Visitors to Hawai'i are invited to attend. Your $7 voluntary contribution helps cover costs. Please bring a snack to share at the break and wear comfortable soft-soled shoes.
Call 808/938-7310 or e-mail Cindy Holmes at to check for current information or changes for each dance. Visit the website at www.contradancehawaii.com!
Kaua`i pickers, unite! The Happy Enchalata, Kauai's own bluegrass band, now hosts regular quarterly events on the Garden Island of Kaua`i, welcoming all acoustic musicians to join in and JAM! Bluegrass, reggae, rock, Hawaiian, country--y'all come on down!
Reports Denice Sheffer, backup singer and wife of Happy Enchalata mandolinist Marty Sheffer: "The jam sessions change locations each quarter, so that all island participants and visitors have an opportunity to come and play. We switch between Salt Pond in Hanapepe (western Kauai), and Lydgate Park in Kapaa (eastern Kauai).
Attendance is FREE, and open to ALL participants and spectators. Bring something yummy to share with the group; it's a potluck with BBQ grills and the works!
For further information, please contact Denice or Marty at HappyEnchalata@yahoo.com.
Update: Denice has uploaded some video from the jams to YouTube-- click here! Other videos are available by searching for keyword Enchalata on YouTube. Also, if you missed it, a very nice article about the jams appeared in the Garden Island newspaper this past July; to check it out click here!
Yeeeehaaaa, friends and neighbors! There's a bluegrass radio show on KKCR 90.9 and 91.9 FM on the Garden Island of Kauai every Tuesday from 2:00--4:00 PM. It's also broadcast LIVE on the station's website at www.kkcr.org. Join YA! (your Hanalei bluegrass deejay) as he opens the two-hour show with a half-hour selection of tasty Americana music. The remainder of the streaming audio show is devoted to the best of bluegrass! Click here for details!
Larry Sarner of Maui has organized a Folk Song Circle on the Valley Isle! The group gathers on the First Thursday of each month at Roselani Place, Wailuku, Maui, on Papa, near Ka'ahumanu Avenue. Start time is 6:30 PM.
This group sings songs inspired by the Great American Folk Scare of the ‘60’s, 70’s, by the l ikes of Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Woody Guthrie, Stan Rogers, PP&M, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, Bill Staines, Leadbelly, the Weavers, Simon & Garfunkel, Ian & Sylvia, etc. Come sing, play, perform, lead or just listen!
Singers & Acoustic Instruments Welcome! Larry says, "We expect that most folks attending our song circles, sings, etc. will not play instruments. We are mostly just singers. I say this because I just got a note from someone who wondered if she would be welcomed if she did not play guitar. So, no instruments are required. However, guitars, ukulele, banjos, fiddles, autoharps, etc. are welcomed. (Please no electrics, trap drum sets, Hammond B3s.)" He also mentions a couple of useful folk music websites: www.hober.org and www.wumb.org.
IMPORTANT: The time and venue for this group is subject to change. They also meet at other times and locations. If you want to keep up-to-date, please contact Larry Sarner at LSarner@maui.net or 808/575-9695 and ask him to add you to his mailing list!
There's also a new Contradance movement on Maui! Dave Fullaway is organizing the events. He recently offered dance lessons for newcomers at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center. If you'd like to get involved, please contact Dave at davidfullaway@msn.com.