Listening To Music

**Book here on Meetup or on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-listening-room-tickets-1991313328771?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)** This community-centred evening aims to transform the conversation around ageism in music, celebrating all generations, but in particular songwriters who have lived a little longer. Artists will share new and old songs in an **unplugged setting.** The audience gathers to listen **in silence** and hold space for the stories behind the songs. An evening to celebrate artistry, connection and community. Every evening has a theme, and there will be an an opportunity to chat and share with each ohter in between sets, talk to the artist and check out their socials or merchandise :) Please bear in mind that once the artist starts, we will require everyone to sit and be silent to enjoy the music. If you arrive late, you might be asked to wait for the song to finish before you can enter. Don't be afraid to come alone, the facilitator will welcome you in the space and introduce you to other people so you can feel welcome and at ease straight away. **Book here on Meetup or on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-listening-room-tickets-1991313328771?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)**

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT CHORAL CONCERT SATURDAY 4 JULY, 6-8pm (doors open 5.30) *Here Comes the Sun*, music by Handel & Schubert, *A Hard Day’s Night* & *Rock Around the Clock* EARLY BIRD TICKETS (£12) at primrosehillchoirs.com before 1.7, or £15 at the door (under 4s free) VENUE: St Mary’s Church, NW3 3DJ (enter via Elsworthy Road, wheelchair accessible) PERFORMERS: Primrose Hill Choirs, London Classical Choir & Let the Children Sing, pianist Hannah Gill, conductor Matthew Watts ENQUIRIES: maestromattheww@yahoo.co.uk

Come and join in the fun with talented guest Drum Masters Always suitable for beginners! All ages above 8. We are a 'Social Enterprise' so your attendance & support really helps us to survive. Drum hire included in price as well as community vibe! Learning traditional African rhythms through chant and song . Djembes and dun duns. Learning the rich cultural oral history behind the rhythms and how generationally passed down.

**An evening of soul, jazz and groove.** **We’re bringing a fresh take on some timeless songs, blending warm piano, soulful vocals and contemporary arrangements inspired by the music we love.** **Join us at Malavenda for a relaxed evening of great music, food and atmosphere.** **📍 Malavenda Café Bistrot** **1E Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3DQ** **🗓 Saturday 4 July 2026** **🕢 Music starts at 7:30pm** **See you there.**

**To mark National Thank You Day** Counting your blessings, being thankful and appreciative… Sometimes, do you find it difficult to be grateful? Even when things are tough, gratitude makes sense. Because gratitude is short for ‘great attitude’. It makes us happier and hopeful. It keeps you focused on what is there, instead of what isn’t, on what’s right instead of what’s wrong. Join us to explore ways to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and practise more gratitude, especially in hard times. **This is a free 60-minute in-person seminar.** **If you would like to make a voluntary donation, please click** [here.](https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/ "https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/") \* I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored. We will process your personal data in line with the GDPR requirements and always store it securely and use it only for the purpose for which it has been collected. We will not pass on your details to any third parties without your consent.

update: full for drums, vocals, guitar, piano, 1 of 2 spots taken for bass, 2 of 3 spots taken for lead instruments **Please use this link to sign up and pay** https://tickts.co.uk/events/novice-10-12pm-july-4-vortex-upstairs (Note you must already be accepted as a member of this group, otherwise your ticket will be cancelled) There will be a delay in the attendee list here being manually updated - please always check tickts.co.uk link above which is always up to date for what instruments are available. full list of scheduled sessions: https://www.meetup.com/Practice-Jazz-Jam-Sessions/events/ **What is it** The novice rehearsal sessions provide an opportunity for people who are relatively new to jazz, to play in a friendly, low-pressure environment. With a short set list that attendees can prepare in advance, it becomes a little less daunting to play and get the most out of practising in a group. See below for this week's setlist. Please sign up before attending. Already full for your instrument? Please check back every other Wednesday, when new sessions go live. If you keep not being able to get a spot, please message the organiser (Xie). Location: Vortex upstairs **Who's it for** Anyone who has practised following the forms (chord progressions) of jazz tunes - maybe on their own at home - and would like to build up playing experience, expand repertoire and practice performing with other musicians. There are various introductions on how jazz jams work - see e.g. https://jazznightschool.org/pages/jam-session-basics You don't need to get all these details right for these novice practice sessions. The set list format should offer opportunities for those at different levels of developing their playing. While at the beginning one might struggle to follow/comp the chords or play through the melody, it gets easier over time and one can start to develop approaches to improvisation, harmonise lead lines, add intros/endings, work on communication between band members, and even listen to recordings together and pick up specific arrangements. Bass players are expected to be able to play a walking bass line on swing tunes, and simple bossa lines for bossa novas. Playing the melody, or "head" - the responsibility is shared between horns players (e.g. sax, trumpet, violin), guitar and piano. Feel free to discuss among the group before each song - different parts of the head or the starting / ending heads can be played by different players. Some melodies will better suit several voices at the same time, whereas others are sensitive to variations in how they are played and may prefer a single instrument at a time. **What it's like** A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - please put aside any worries of making mistakes if you’re thinking of joining us for the first time. To ensure the group is accessible for those at different levels, I ask that each novice session should work on only the below four songs of the set list, unless each and every attendee feels they prefer to move on. Each novice session is limited to up to: 1 drummer, 2 bass, 2 keys, 2 guitar, 3/4 lead instruments. The tickts.co.uk page will have tickets available only for the instruments/vocals with spots remaining. **Tunes this week (Sat July 4)** * Blue bossa in Cm (Art Farmer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4FcsB_WXmI * Afternoon in Paris in C (Sonny Rollins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3kjGMK5GXc * Doxy in Bb (Davis, Rollins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWreJOSbIQQ * Chameleon in Bbm (Herbie Hancock) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqomTAiRnVM Everyone is encouraged to listen to a variety of recordings for each song, but please ensure you are familiar with the recording provided as a primary reference. (Note the recordings provide stylistic reference, but may not be in the key listed, with the latter based on common real books) **Tune preview - next novice session (Sat July 11)** * Tenor madness in Bb (Blake, Roberts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SsRegn8IG4 * Corcovado in C (note odd number of measures) (Stan Getz) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5XTnAQqczw * Little Sunflower in Dm (Freddie Hubbard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZBu0ARDGxs * Lullaby of Birdland in Ab (Chad LB) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPqqVjfK2f4 **Preparing for the session** The chordal form of each song follow the iReal Pro app as a common reference, or you can use sheet music from Real Books. Resource for sheet music: https://www.seventhstring.com/fbindex.html http://therealbook.info/ Try to immerse yourself in the songs by listening to recordings by different artists on youtube, spotify etc. Learn the head (main melody) of the song if you can. Don't hesitate to let the band know you can play it so you can start things off **Playing well together** The rehearsal groups are often quite large for a jazz ensemble setting. Please follow the below arrangements, which are designed to help the group be mindful of each other's volumes, and to build good habits for playing as a group * Every tune should be played at least twice. Swap the bass, piano and guitar players between the two renditions (if there are two attending) * Only one guitarist should comp - i.e. play chords - for each rendition (both guitarists can solo, and comp without amplification) * After each rendition of the warm up tune, the whole group should take a moment together and help each other to check on volumes, including: \*\* Can everyone hear themselves? \*\* Are the drums too loud? \*\* Can everyone hear the bass? \*\* Is the guitar comping too loud? \*\* Is the piano loud enough? (staff at the office can turn this up) \*\* Feel free to revisit volumes after subsequent songs * For any song, if at least two people in the group feel it would be better, the guitar and piano should share the choruses for comping (instead of comping together) - e.g. guitar comps the first time through the head, then piano, then guitar, etc. **Equipment** there is a piano, drum kit (no cymbals or high hat clutch), bass and guitar amps, stands, and microphones. Drummers: please bring cymbals (none available for rental) and hi hat clutch **Percussion** Percussionists are welcome to join with their instruments, alongside the drummer. Feel free to sign up to any session, even one that says "full for all instruments" at the top, unless it explicitly mentions "full for percussion". **Vocalists** Singers are welcome, however please note that the songs have fixed keys, and some of the repertoire are likely not in the right key for your range. If you are an experienced singer, it may be possible to arrange sessions with repertoire catered to you - to explore this, please first come to the "Afternoon Open Jams" so I can get a sense of your singing. **Observing** Would you like to attend a session without playing/singing, to get an idea of the format or to get a sense of what to practise first at home? You can sign up as usual to any novice session, and send me a message that you'd like only to watch the session. When you feel ready, the fee paid can be carried over toward any future session where you join to play or sing at the rehearsal. **Cancellation policy** Please try to make it to any session you sign up to, as the jams are organised around a particular mix of instruments. However, if things do come up and you can no longer make a session, please send a message to the organiser, Xie, as soon as possible. Places are non-refundable if your plans change, but if you provide over 1 week notice it may be possible to carry over the fee for a future session. \-\-\-\-\- any questions do get in touch!

I am proud to announce that we having our jam at the Temple Of Art & Music in Elephant & Castle!! 20 Second Chain: A structured improvisation format where a musical “chain” unfolds organically, with each player responding to and building on what came before. Lineup (on stage together): - 2 guitarists - 1 bass - 1 drummer - 1–2 singers - 1 additional instrument (sax, trumpet, percussion, etc.) How It Works: 1. All musicians on stage are assigned a number, which determines the playing order. 2. Playing order, a key (and available chords) is written on a whiteboard opposite the stage. 3. Number 1 begins alone with a simple idea for 20 seconds — leave space for others to build. 4. Every 20 seconds, the next numbered musician joins one at a time, layering something that complements what’s already happening. 5. Once everyone has entered and the full band is playing, the group improvises for 5 minutes, developing the groove — complexity and solos can grow naturally. 6. No on-stage planning — listen and respond in real time. 7. After the timer ends, the group rotates and a new chain begins. The Temple Of Art and Music is a live music venue and bar in Elephant & Castle so I encourage anyone attending to bring friends as it will be great fun for them even if they are not playing. The venue has a PA system, drum kit, mics and guitar/bass amps. There is no guarantee that there will be cymbals or drum accessories with the drum kit at the venue. Drummers please being your own if you can. Like all our other jams it will be a chance to jam with other musicians playing the music that you love in a gentle environment with no judgement and no pressure. This jam also uniquely gives the opportunity to play in front of a crowd! Tickets are **£10 online** message us let us know what instrument you play and we will confirm if there is space and send you the Eventbrite link for the jam. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more information about this jam and London Jam Sessions. At London Jam Sessions we have an active community on WhatsApp where we all discuss the upcoming jams and future events. Everyone in the community is encouraged to ask questions and bring forward new ideas. Dm me and I can add you to our Whatsapp group.

This week we're moving our usual Hyde Park jam session to Victoria Park, East London. Meet 1pm near The Pavillion and we'll figure out a place to play. Look for people with guitars. Feel free to bring other instruments too (nothing overpoweringly loud though please) We usually play a selection of pop / rock stuff, with a bit of jamming / improvisation. But whatever people wanna do, really. There may also be convivial eating, drinking and chat. If it's raining we'll have to call it off. As of Tuesday the forecast looks good though. Victoria Park is a bit of an experiment for us, I don't suppose anybody will mind us playing there but we'll see.

Kick off your week with music, movement, and great vibes. Come solo or with friends—no partner needed! **Schedule (This Sunday):** • 6:00 PM – Free Bachata Taster • 6:30 PM – Bachata Classes (3 Levels) • 7:30 PM – Salsa Classes (3 Levels) • 8:30 PM–23:00 AM – FREE Social Dancing (Salsa, Bachata, a touch of Kiz) **What to expect:** • Friendly teachers, clear level splits, and lots of practice time • Great music and a welcoming crowd for all levels—absolute beginners to improvers • Central location, easy transport, and good vibes all night **Why social dancing is good for you:** Social dancing is a fun workout that boosts your cardio, coordination, and posture—without feeling like “exercise.” It reduces stress, fires up your brain with musical timing and footwork patterns, and improves confidence through gentle challenges and quick wins. Dancing with different partners builds connection, empathy, and communication skills (you literally learn to “listen” with your body). It’s also an incredible way to make friends and feel part of a community—one song at a time. Good to know: • No partner or experience required • Wear comfy shoes, bring water, and arrive a bit early for level check-in • Classes start right on time—don’t miss your warm-up! Price: £10 one class £15 two classes 6:00 PM class is FREE intro to bachata RSVP now so we can plan levels and floor space. See you on the dance floor! 💃🕺

update: full for drums, bass, piano, 1 of 2 spots taken for guitar, 2 of 3 spots taken for lead instruments **Please use this link to sign up and pay** https://tickts.co.uk/events/novice-12-2pm-july-4-vortex-upstairs (Note you must already be accepted as a member of this group, otherwise your ticket will be cancelled) There will be a delay in the attendee list here being manually updated - please always check tickts.co.uk link above which is always up to date for what instruments are available. full list of scheduled sessions: https://www.meetup.com/Practice-Jazz-Jam-Sessions/events/ **What is it** The novice rehearsal sessions provide an opportunity for people who are relatively new to jazz, to play in a friendly, low-pressure environment. With a short set list that attendees can prepare in advance, it becomes a little less daunting to play and get the most out of practising in a group. See below for this week's setlist. Please sign up before attending. Already full for your instrument? Please check back every other Wednesday, when new sessions go live. If you keep not being able to get a spot, please message the organiser (Xie). Location: Vortex upstairs **Who's it for** Anyone who has practised following the forms (chord progressions) of jazz tunes - maybe on their own at home - and would like to build up playing experience, expand repertoire and practice performing with other musicians. There are various introductions on how jazz jams work - see e.g. https://jazznightschool.org/pages/jam-session-basics You don't need to get all these details right for these novice practice sessions. The set list format should offer opportunities for those at different levels of developing their playing. While at the beginning one might struggle to follow/comp the chords or play through the melody, it gets easier over time and one can start to develop approaches to improvisation, harmonise lead lines, add intros/endings, work on communication between band members, and even listen to recordings together and pick up specific arrangements. Bass players are expected to be able to play a walking bass line on swing tunes, and simple bossa lines for bossa novas. Playing the melody, or "head" - the responsibility is shared between horns players (e.g. sax, trumpet, violin), guitar and piano. Feel free to discuss among the group before each song - different parts of the head or the starting / ending heads can be played by different players. Some melodies will better suit several voices at the same time, whereas others are sensitive to variations in how they are played and may prefer a single instrument at a time. **What it's like** A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - please put aside any worries of making mistakes if you’re thinking of joining us for the first time. To ensure the group is accessible for those at different levels, I ask that each novice session should work on only the below four songs of the set list, unless each and every attendee feels they prefer to move on. Each novice session is limited to up to: 1 drummer, 2 bass, 2 keys, 2 guitar, 3/4 lead instruments. The tickts.co.uk page will have tickets available only for the instruments/vocals with spots remaining. **Tunes this week (Sat July 4)** * Blue bossa in Cm (Art Farmer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4FcsB_WXmI * Afternoon in Paris in C (Sonny Rollins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3kjGMK5GXc * Doxy in Bb (Davis, Rollins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWreJOSbIQQ * Chameleon in Bbm (Herbie Hancock) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqomTAiRnVM Everyone is encouraged to listen to a variety of recordings for each song, but please ensure you are familiar with the recording provided as a primary reference. (Note the recordings provide stylistic reference, but may not be in the key listed, with the latter based on common real books) **Tune preview - next novice session (Sat July 11)** * Tenor madness in Bb (Blake, Roberts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SsRegn8IG4 * Corcovado in C (note odd number of measures) (Stan Getz) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5XTnAQqczw * Little Sunflower in Dm (Freddie Hubbard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZBu0ARDGxs * Lullaby of Birdland in Ab (Chad LB) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPqqVjfK2f4 **Preparing for the session** The chordal form of each song follow the iReal Pro app as a common reference, or you can use sheet music from Real Books. Resource for sheet music: https://www.seventhstring.com/fbindex.html http://therealbook.info/ Try to immerse yourself in the songs by listening to recordings by different artists on youtube, spotify etc. Learn the head (main melody) of the song if you can. Don't hesitate to let the band know you can play it so you can start things off **Playing well together** The rehearsal groups are often quite large for a jazz ensemble setting. Please follow the below arrangements, which are designed to help the group be mindful of each other's volumes, and to build good habits for playing as a group * Every tune should be played at least twice. Swap the bass, piano and guitar players between the two renditions (if there are two attending) * Only one guitarist should comp - i.e. play chords - for each rendition (both guitarists can solo, and comp without amplification) * After each rendition of the warm up tune, the whole group should take a moment together and help each other to check on volumes, including: \*\* Can everyone hear themselves? \*\* Are the drums too loud? \*\* Can everyone hear the bass? \*\* Is the guitar comping too loud? \*\* Is the piano loud enough? (staff at the office can turn this up) \*\* Feel free to revisit volumes after subsequent songs * For any song, if at least two people in the group feel it would be better, the guitar and piano should share the choruses for comping (instead of comping together) - e.g. guitar comps the first time through the head, then piano, then guitar, etc. **Equipment** there is a piano, drum kit (no cymbals or high hat clutch), bass and guitar amps, stands, and microphones. Drummers: please bring cymbals (none available for rental) and hi hat clutch **Percussion** Percussionists are welcome to join with their instruments, alongside the drummer. Feel free to sign up to any session, even one that says "full for all instruments" at the top, unless it explicitly mentions "full for percussion". **Vocalists** Singers are welcome, however please note that the songs have fixed keys, and some of the repertoire are likely not in the right key for your range. If you are an experienced singer, it may be possible to arrange sessions with repertoire catered to you - to explore this, please first come to the "Afternoon Open Jams" so I can get a sense of your singing. **Observing** Would you like to attend a session without playing/singing, to get an idea of the format or to get a sense of what to practise first at home? You can sign up as usual to any novice session, and send me a message that you'd like only to watch the session. When you feel ready, the fee paid can be carried over toward any future session where you join to play or sing at the rehearsal. **Cancellation policy** Please try to make it to any session you sign up to, as the jams are organised around a particular mix of instruments. However, if things do come up and you can no longer make a session, please send a message to the organiser, Xie, as soon as possible. Places are non-refundable if your plans change, but if you provide over 1 week notice it may be possible to carry over the fee for a future session. \-\-\-\-\- any questions do get in touch!

The ultimate Thursday night out is back. Join us for BAM Thursdays (Bar, Art, and Music) at the Columbus Museum of Art. Live music, great art, delicious bites, vendors and fresh cocktails in the garden space. Limited seating is also available inside Schokko Café (yummy sharable plates). **FEE:** BAM Thursday evenings offer **FREE general admission** from 5:00–9:00 PM. See what’s on view [here](https://www.columbusmuseum.org/art-exhibitions/on-view-now/) (special exhibits are $5.00 fee). **TOUR**: I'll lead a tour of the main museum from 6:30pm til 7pm. FREE **PARKING** behind the museum is $7.00. Nearby parking a little cheaper. **SEATING**: *Tables are available on a first come first serve basis for dining. In the event of inclement weather, BAM Thursdays will move inside to the atrium.* **DRESS**: Summer dressy casual

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/columbus-oh/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott