Swing Music Jam Night
Thursday, February 25, 2016: It’s with great pleasure to host our first ever swing music jam night at Sugar Swing! We are bringing together musicians, dancers, and listeners to enjoy an evening of swing music together. Please join us and support this new initiative!
RSVP to our Facebook event page if you want up-to-the-minute updates.
MUSICIANS
Jazz musicians are encouraged to partake in the jam. We fully appreciate you taking the time and initiative to be part of the jam, no matter your level! We aim to make this experience for you highly rewarding — appreciative listeners and dancers, playing with other fantastic musicians, and learning about swing music and how to play for a dance audience.
For criteria, you should be somewhat familiar with swing music and dabbling with improvising. Your own playing should be of a high enough level to allow you to keep up with the other players on stage. The vision for the music played is, specifically, dance-era swing music, reminiscent of the music played in New York in the 1930’s and 1940’s by such small groups as Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller and Lionel Hampton’s. We fully realize that not many musicians in Edmonton are experts on this music, so we have an attitude of encouragement!
There will be a sign-up sheet for when you enter the ballroom (amateur, student, or professional); the jam spots will be managed by the jam coordinator (Birkley Wisniewski) and the evening’s jam leader (Brad Shigeta).
We’ll be posting jam guidelines here shortly!
http://www.swingmusic.net/
DANCERS & LISTENERS
All levels of dancers and listeners are encouraged to come out and support this initiative! We even offer a drop-in lesson that teaches you how to dance to swing music at the start of the night. Please bring your friends, as they can take the drop-in, dance a little bit, and sit back with a latte to listen to the music!
Please be respectful of the musicians who are on stage; they are doing their best to make great music in a jam setting! Shy away from unsolicited feedback and criticism.
NOTE FOR EVERYONE
As this is a new initiative, it will take some trial and error to get it right. Please be patient, and if you should have any feedback or suggestions, please message dance@sugarswing.com with your ideas!
ITINERARY
7:30-8:00pm Drop-in Lesson
8:00pm-9:00pm Jam Night Opener: Brad Shigeta’s Swing Time Band
9:00pm-11:00pm Swing Music Jam Session
EVENT DETAILS:
Regular Admission: $15
($2 off students and members)
Includes drop-in lesson!
Jam Musicians Admission: $5
(sign-up at door)