Last Update: July 3, 2024

The camp is coming up in a few days!

We have 30 confirmed attendees from Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Parksville, Victoria, Lethbridge and Kansas. We have a good mix of instruments so we’ll be able to split into several jams according to level and interest. There are quite a few guitar players, a couple of violins and a viola, mandolin, one accordion, two ukuleles, one clarinet (or two?), one dobro and three or four upright basses. We have three jam locations: a central gazebo, one beginner-level gazebo, and one back in the trees for whatever. We can split up according to skill level or music interest. Or start your own jam anywhere. If you can, please bring a gazebo in case we need sun shade and/or rain prote`ction.

There is electricity on site (at Brenda’s house), but not enough to power everybody’s trailers without tripping breakers. I will set up my trailer on power and have some power bars available for charging devices.

Instructors: Jeremy Doody on guitar, Cam Neufeld on violin/mandolin/guitar, Rick Moore on guitar and ukulele, Kevin Jacobson on guitar and/or bass as needed.

Directions have been sent to all the participants. I will be setting up some signs at key intersections to help navigate.

If you need potable water for your trailer before arriving at camp, and dumping afterwards, you can check www.sanidumps.com. For those on the road from the north, there is a good free sani station in Lacombe at Michener Park: Michener Park (Dump Station #1964) (sanidumps.com).

Schedule

This is a fairly informal camp so the schedule might change a bit, but here’s the plan.

Friday

Your host Brenda is on site, Kevin and Rick will be at the site by noon or so. If you’re here early, I’ll be setting up my camp and the signs so I might not have much time to chat until later.

2:00-5:00 PM-ish.  Arrive on site and set up camp. Wander around and introduce yourselves, pre-jam jamming. 

5:00 PM or whatever. Supper break.

7:00 PM.  Meet at the central gazebo – Jam 1 – for introductions.  We have a lot of new people again this year so we should get familiar with each other. We are planning to have a short ice-breaker event to help with that.  

8:00 PM.  Facilitated beginner or ice-breaker jam – central gazebo – Jam 1. Join in for a facilitated jam to get familiar with some swing and hot club material.

8:00 PM until late. There are three main jam locations with gazebos. One is designated as a central gazebo for meeting (Jam 1) and one will be designated for more entry-level jamming. The third, whatever you like. If you prefer, split into your own sub-jamming! 

Saturday

10:00 AM.   Group workshops. About two hours long.  

• Introduction to swing and hot club/Django rhythm guitar. Rhythm and chord changes for those that are not familiar with the genre. This will be good for those that are somewhat familiar with playing guitar. Instructor: Cam Neufeld.

• Intermediate guitar topics. Instructor: Rick Moore.

• Introduction to swing and hot club/Django rhythm guitar or introduction to swing bass. Another introductory guitar class in case the classes get too big. Or we can talk about some swing bass topics. Instructor: Kevin Jacobson.

12:00 PM.  Lunch break.

Work on what you learned at the workshop!  

1:00 PM to 4:00.

• Melodic Contours of Swing Improv for Guitar.
  This is an intermediate level workshop. It will focus on mixing arpeggios, pentatonics, and scale passages. The last hour will be a facilitated jam led by Jeremy. Instructor: Jeremy Doody.

1:00 PM.   Group workshops. About two hours long.  

• Introduction to swing and hot club/Django guitar. Instructor: Cam Neufeld.

• Ukulele and swing. Instructor: Rick Moore.

• Introduction to swing and hot club/Django rhythm guitar or introduction to swing bass. Another guitar class in case the classes get too big. Or we can talk about some swing bass topics. Instructor: Kevin Jacobson.

5:00 PM. Put in an order for the takeout supper if desired. We’re planning to order from a restaurant nearby to feed the instructors and organizers. You can chip in if you want to order from the same place and we can pick it all up. There will be a sign-up sheet at the the central gazebo. Please get your order in by 5:00 so we can order and pick it up. Etransfer or cash to whoever is buying.

6:00 PM.  Supper break.    

8:00 PM. Central gazebo – Jam 1. Band lab assignments. We will randomly assign people to bands with a band leader and a tune assignment. You’ll 30 minutes to prepare a tune. Everyone shall participate!

9:00 PM. Central gazebo. Band lab performance!

After all that: Jamming until the wee hours.  

Sunday

Jamming all day. Possibly some informal workshops if anyone is interested.

People generally trickle away during the afternoon as needed. I will be around until about supper time but eventually I should get home.  

See you there! Kevin.