Youth jam making beautiful music
A new musical jam group in Hudson aims to give budding musicians an opportunity to meet other players and practise strumming and singing with others.
The Hudson Youth Jam, led by local musician Tim Walsh, aims to give older kids and teens between the ages of 11 and 17 an opportunity to develop their musical skills and learn to play and sing with others inagroup.
“I wanted there to be a place for kids to play music, to normalize it, and to get used to the nuts and bolts of playing together,” said Walsh.
The youth group launched last month, and meets every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at the Stephen F. Shaar Community Centre. It’s open to all musicians who can keep a steady beat on a drum or bass, or play a few basic chords on guitar, mandolin, banjo, or another acoustic instrument.
A lot of people think musical talent is innate, something you either have or you don’t. But according to Walsh, musical ability isn’t something you’re born with — it’s a skill everyone can cultivate.
“I hear a lot of people say that music’s not for them, but to me, that’s crazy. I see music the way I see walking and talking. It’s for everybody. If you ever tap your foot to the radio, music’s for you,” Walsh said.
Walsh describes jamming as a kind of musical conversation, with players not only focused on their own instrument, but also listening and responding to each other. It’s a skill that’s all but impossible to develop practicing at home alone, and essential for budding musicians to learn, he said.
“The jam is a place where we remove the glass wall between the producers and consumers of music, where music becomes something that’s a daily, normal, everyday thing we can all do,” Walsh said.
Playing together also coaches players to keep going when they make a mistake. When playing alone, Walsh said, most musicians want to stop when they make a mistake and start over. In the jam, the music keeps going and musicians learn to stop and listen to the group and jump back into the flow. Players also learn that flubbing a chord or singing a flat note isn’t the end of the world.
“We aim for the best and we accept what happens,” he said.
Walsh performs with several local bands and teaches a variety of instruments, including guitar, drums, bass, banjo, mandolin and piano. For the last five years, he’s also led the Monday night Hudson Bluegrass Jam group at Cunningham’s Pub.
The Bluegrass Jam draws between eight and 20 musicians with guitars, mandolins, drums, banjos and other instruments every week. The group became so popular that members started an additional Acoustic Jam at the Cozy Café in Hudson and Rube Restaurant in Rigaud on alternating Wednesdays. Both groups are open to all ages and abilities, but the 7 p.m. start time isn’t ideal for some younger players.
In addition to the Youth Jam, Walsh is also organizing the Youth Stage at this summer’s Hudson Music Festival, to give older kids and teens an opportunity to perform on stage.
“If you can get up and play your song from beginning to end, we’d be happy to have you perform,” Walsh said.
For more information on the Youth Jam or the Youth Stage at the music festival, contact Walsh via Facebook at facebook.com/ timothy.d.walsh.9. For information on the Hudson Bluegrass Jam and Acoustic Jam, visit facebook. com/hudsonbluegrassjam.
Ihearalotof people say that music’s not for them,buttome, that’s crazy . ... If you ever tap your foot to the radio, music’s for you.