TORONTOUKES
THEME NiTES
Once per month, a theme connects the focus of the workshop and an extended open stage line-up of up to 17 performers. The workshop is $6 and the open stage is $3. Themes vary from once per month but generally fall into one of these categories: Music of a genre, of an artist, relating to a calendar event or holiday, music that emerges from a common idea or concept. Refer to our calendar for a schedule of upcoming theme nites which typically occur on the first Wednesday of each month.
CORKTOWN UKULELE JAM
RICHARD BALES
Bass; Resident instrument technician
QUENTIN THWAITES
Photo/video archives; Weather Report
KEVIN FOX
Percussion
BOB n SUE CUTLER
They epidomize and represent the spirit in what we do.
DAVID OLSON
Solos; Design (all logos); Birthday Time In Corktown
CREW
The good people who set up and strike our stage every week
SUNNY WIDERMAN
Host
BRENDAN O'MALLEY
Host
TONY BURNS
Production
STEVE McNIE
Producer
CAST
Every Wednesday | 8-11pm
500 Queen Street East, Toronto
Regular nites
$6 workshop, group jam and open stage FREE
Theme nites
$6 workshop + $3 open stage
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On January 14, 2009, 28 people with ukuleles braved a road-closing winter storm to gather for the first time at Toronto's legendary Dominion on Queen. As torontoUKES flagship event, the Corktown Ukulele Jam has grown to 1,700 active members and become the epicenter of Toronto's thriving uke scene.
Since its inception, CUJam has been cited as having inspired the emergence of ukulele communities in Kingston, Beamsville, Orangeville, Richmond Hill, Welland, Scarborough, Port Dover, the Comox Valley (Vancouver Island) and the University of Waterloo.
PROGRAM
CUJam's weekly program remains remarkably consistant with the original vision of co-founders Steve McNie and David Newland: each regular Wednesday consists of three one-hour segments: a workshop, a group jam, and an open stage.
Group Jam playlists are determined by online vote by those attending in advance of every jam and the line-up of performers for open stage is by online sign-up in advance from our weekly eMail.
Open Stage sign-up is also facilitated in advance by clicking a link in the weekly eMail prior to that evening. Performers, please familiarize yourself with our open stage guidelines. If you wish to have a chart for your song projected on our screen, please create it using this powerpoint chart template and adhere strictly to our formatting. Give your chart on a memory stick to Tony Burns immediately after the workshop.
SKILL
Our workshops and group jams assume at least some playing experience: the ability to fluidly transition between the 8-10 basic chords and sense for consistent rhythm and some strum technique. Absolute beginners are encouraged to first attend one of our UKE-101 introductions to the the ukulele in order to contribute and glean from the CUJam experience.
▶ MEDIA COVERAGE | ▶ THEME NiTES + SPECIAL EVENTS | ▶ KEVIN FOX UKULELE SERIES
▶ PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS | ▶ PORTRAITS | ▶ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS I | ▶ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS II