THE GALLERY IS A SAMPLE
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< Radio Interview on Foggy HollowMike Kear interviews Dianne Porter on the Jammalong in Canberra.
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YouTube ClipsHere's a few YouTube clips that may be of interest to you.
Jammalong hosts Michael and Dianne Porter Performing at Black Mountain Peninsula, ACT at an Aussies United concert 2012.
Dave Llewellen shares his video of Jammalong September 2012 ->->->This is what Jammalong in Canberra is like - if you like what we are doing come and join us. 2nd Satruday of each month 12md till we have had enough all year round.
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This clip was created by the Abbott Family who run the TONEWAY PROJECT from Santa Cruz USA. Luke Abbott opens the clip which is an example of the style of music and approach to music we often play at the Jammalong.
At the Jammalong other types of folk and country music are also played. |
This is my all time favorite example of the lengths people go to so they can jam. It features several people I don't know as well as Luke and Kyle Abbott of the Toneway Project and was taken during a small festival some years ago in the cubby house at Johnston Farm north of Santa Cruz USA.
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Photos are often taken and shared at Jammalong in CanberraThese pics show the relaxed approach we take and our all important use of our Portable Chairs.
To see current images and news for Jammalong in Canberra - go to our face book page. |
October 2014
You never know who or what will drop in to our Jammalong activities while we play music in this public park. This month was surprising as a baby possum fell off the back of its sleeping mother from the rafters of the Pergola on the lake side of the Questacon Building while we were jamming. Possums in Australia usually sleep during the day and are awake at night. The possums mother tried to retrieve her baby but would not leave the rafters while we were there. She watched us closely till we all left and it was safe. As always, Jammalong day is our favorite day to meet with other musicians and play music. We dusted off the lyrics to some old Gospel songs this time and between us managed to recall most of the lyrics so it was fun with Amazing Grace the most loved. We had some newcomers with Donna Vaughan and Larry O'Shea so got to play some old timey instrumentals while they joined us. Eric John's had a smile on his face that would not go away because this is his kind of music as he gleefully shared. Jammalong has grown and now has a regular session at the Up-Opping second hand clothing store that runs on the first Saturday of each month from the Ainslie Church of Christ, 82-88 Limestone Ave, Ainslie. This means its good times ahead for Jammalong in Canberra Friends. |
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September 2014It has been a while since I added to the gallery - now I will. Jammalong in Canberra are the support act for the TIDAL MOON Concert on Tuesday the 16th of September 2014. Several regular participants are doing a solo act and as Jammalong Friends we are all doing a combined number as the finale of the first half of the show. Tidal Moon will be the main act for the second half. They have a web site at this location where you can find more information about other musical events they are involved with.
http://www.barbara-jeffrey.com/gigs.html This concert is an exciting development for Jammalong participants involved as many will be trying new material and new skills. The goal of Jammalong has always been to enable people to move from playing alone at home to playing with others and going on stage if they so choose. It is an amazing step for the people performing to take a place on the stage in this context. Dianne Porter. FACEBOOK MEDIA SET https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.747494911953753.1073741882.100000797522233&&l=5fcc1b2c35 |
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January 2013HOT HOT HOT - Hot day, Hot Pickin and Hot Pickers : ) Who could ask for more from a jam session. We played from 12md till 7.15pm.
This is the first session of our fourth year of running the Jammalong and it is getting better and better. Jammalong co Host Michael Porter turned 60 in December 2012 and wore his new banjo shirt given to him by Jocelyn Bynre and Brian Parsons. He is also sporting his gold watch and chain given to him by Chris Mcginty so I got a few pics to celebrate. Kate and Matt have not been able to join us for a long time as Kate now works in Canada so it was nice she was visiting Australia and they joined us. It was great to have Charlie Chan along on bass as well as he is a busy man. David Wilson drove down from Sydney to pick a tune or two and newcomer James Greenhalgh brought his Bellbird banjo along sing some tunes that are new for us but great bluegrass songs so its all good. The summer heat was pretty intense but the clouds gave us some relief. For this time of year we need to bring along a lot of fluids and keep out of the sun to reduce the risk of heat stroke. The photos here show some of the particpants enjoying the day under the pergola at this great location. Harrietville National Bluegrass Festival 2012Jammalong in Canberra accepted the opportunity to run a one hour concert on the basics of playing with other people for this event. While it was open to all levels, the majority of participants were not familiar with the protocols for playing bluegrass and traditional country music with other people. Of the thirty or more participants severel were new to this style.
Our workshop led new and less strong players to the Band workshop run by Jacinta Connery. At this workshop participants learned two Gospel songs and then went on to the main stage Sunday morning to open the Gospel Concert with Mike Kear. From " newby to the main stage in three days" - this is an amazing experience for those participating. More than 25 participants made it the whole way. There are concerts with really good bands, and guest artists from the USA who play bluegrass or old timey music. Their skill level, and hence the standard of playing and teaching they give, is at master class level in my opinion. For musicians wanting to really hone their playing skills this festival is a must each year. There are lots of chances to practice by participating in one of the many jamm sessions all over the venue. Patrick McAvinue at age 24 from the USA was the standout instrumentalist on the fiddle - he literally shredded his bow strings he was so hot and fast. Orange Blossum Special was a brilliant song under his bow. PLAN NOW TO BE THERE IN NOVEMBER 2013. November 2012The real highlight for this month was sharing lunch with the students of Wesley College from Perth in WA. The cooks preparing the food left the sausages to sizzle and did a spontaneous hoedown tongs in hand at one point. That was fun. When the students arrived to eat Shami Modar asked if he could play a fiddle and demonstrated his well developed techniques much to our delight. Many of the students danced as well so it was great fun for all.
It was a real fiddlers jam session at one point with Eric Johns guiding us all into song after song. Michael Cook, Michael Porter and Maria Wylks really got into it with fiddle sticks flying and songs called forth and shared till the flow ran its course. The rest of us acccompanied as best we could making up chords if we didn't know what ones to use. With the warmer weather we had folk come who often shy away at winter time so there was lots to catch up on. At one point we had 5 separate groups all working on material and sharing tips and tricks since they last met. Its great to see skills develop and see them shared so readily in this context with everyone else on had to support with backup or a group to join in as needed. Its on again Saturday 8th of December 2012 from 12md. |
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October 2012Jammalong this month was very special. Anticipating cold winds and rain we made soup to warm us up but having Jose and Laura Garcia visiting from Melbourne was the icing on the proverbial cake. Their encouragment and enthusiasm for Jammalong kept us motivated and excited in the first months of our Jammalong event as we got established. The musical chemistry we found then has not diminished. This time Michael and Jose played fiddles together for the first time. A magic musical moment for them till the wedding they were attending here called them away.
The magic continued when Wayne Young arrived and showed us his new ukulele bass and added this new sound to the jam session. It was the final flavour to the sound we have been looking for. News was flying fast with Wendy sharing her visit with friends she met on her travels for a cup of tea led to three days stay and a recoding session. Peter Wardrop arrived quite late in the day with exciting news that he is now a member of Kiros prison ministry to the Canberra Prison. He has been a member in Goulburn for some years now. He said he didn't have a late note but it was clear he was still on fire after the rehersal he had just been too. Maria Wylks and Brian Ridge had arrived by mid afternoon in the midst of the cold chill and the rain we expected and were joined by Michael Cook on the fiddle. Dave Llewellen was well established in his portable chair and noodled away on his fiddle as the session really got a head of steam with some serious singing done and one song after the other till the setting sun meant we had to wind it up. A wonderful day with wonderful people. Its on again Sat 10th Nov 2012 - 12md till we have had enough - see you there. |
These pics are also on face book at |
August 2012Imagine what it is like to stand in an Antartic Wind Tunnel - August Jammalongers got a taste for it braving winds gusting from Antartica to play from 12md till we had to give up because it was too cold at 3.30pm. The pea and ham soup we are eating in these pics was a warm highlight.
It was great to catch up with news and share songs even so. The hot topics were - the upcoming National Bluegrass Festival in Harrietville in November - the visit by Luke Abbott to the Bluegrass Society Walkup Concert at 79 Johnston St Annandale in Sydney on the 1st of September 2012 - and Australia's first all day Singing of the "Shape Note Singing" well known in Appalacian Mountans of USA will be held the first weekend of October also in Annandale Sydney 2012. Michael Porter took these photos. |
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July 2012At 12md we had some sun and scattered clouds with a chilly wind blowing so we made a wind break out of umberellas that worked well. 14 Jammalongers gathered with a collection of instruments and we a had a good time singing and playing new and old songs we liked.
By 4pm the wind had changed direction and it was icy cold so we called it a day. The hot soup gave us some warmth but the weather got the better of us in the end. On this day Rosalyn and Maria bought the words to "Oh I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee." We had 5 banjos on hand so it sounded nice with each one playing a different style or different type so it had a real old timey ring to it. Peter requested Poor Wayfaring Stranger toward the end of the session,and I got to really belt it out which I just loved. The real treasure of meeting like this is hearing everyones news. Amanda had been to New York, Michael told us Redlands Bay Bluegrass festival was on and I was able to share news about the October all day Shape Note Singing coming up in October. We also shared a lot about the November National Bluegrass Festival in Harrietville with several of us planning to go. |
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May 2012JAMMALONG IN CANBERRA
SATURDAY 12th May 2012 Yes it was cold and windy but the sun was warming and illuminating. It blessed our Jammalong circle yesterday as you can see in the photos Michael Porter took. We had new comers and old comers and a great time playing songs that are slowly becoming more familiar. The banjo pickers had a lively discussion about the rolls Luke Abbott plays on certain songs with different ones demonstrating how they thought it went. The song writers had a small group discussion going as well and Wendy shared with the group the song she has submitted to the Camoweal songwriting competition. Those of us more familiar with the Toneway notation explained what the numbers mean in the song lyrics and talked about the Toneway Community accessed by their web site. ...By popular demand we played Ashokan Farewell at least 5 times as different people came and went. It is so special to be with musical friends and it was nice of Linda and John Hilvert to invite us back to their place to warm up. |
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April 2012 |
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PhotosJammalong on the 9th of April, 2011 |
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Jammalong on the 14th of May, 2011
Jammalong on the 13th of August, 2011