Every Wednesday evening, 8-11pm
At Toronto's legendary Dominion on Queen pub

500 Queen Street East at Sumach (2 lights west of the DVP) in downtown Toronto's Corktown district.
Cost is free if you are carrying a ukulele - $3 if you don't play and just want to see what all the fuss is about.
Please take advantage of the Dominion's excellent menu and selection of beverages.

A brief background
The Corktown Ukulele Jam was conceived on a whim in November 2007 by Ukerists Rye n Ginger (David Newland and Steve McNie) as an open-minded benevolent dictatorship :)
Our first jam was held on January 14, 2009 with over 30 uke players in attendance - most of whom have become weekly regulars. Over 200 members join us regularly from throughout the GTA and beyond.
Out of town guests are very welcome and have joined us from across Canada, throughout the USA, Europe and Asia.
Contact the hosts by eMail from the main menu topping every page in this site.

Our Wednesday jam format
8pm sharp - 8:45 We workshop collectively and at times feature clinics on specific aspects of uke playing.
Very often we learn a new song together, lead by one of the organizers, a jam member or special guest.

9:05 sharp - 11:00PM Following a 20 minute social break, we move into a 2 hour open-mic program featuring approximately 15 performances by jam members and special guests.

One rule: ONE VOICE!
We have a lot to play, learn and share together. Out of respect for everyone in the room, please do not talk, whisper, play, practice or noodle while someone else has the floor. Even a little bit of this is very distracting.

The most happening open-mic stage in town!

  • if you are interested in performing, open-mic sign-up is online in advance of each weekly jam
  • we offer 14 advance open-mic performance slots for each jam evening, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to those who sign up online. 3 additional slots are reserved for special and/or out-of-town guests and will be allocated by the organizers their discretion.
  • see below for complete details on how our advance online sign-up process works
  • the organizers determine the order of performance and reserve the right to make any call they consider appropriate in the interest of keeping things engaging and moving
  • please limit your set to one song and not more than 7 minutes including your (brief!) introduction
  • all styles welcome and encouraged, as are both original songs and covers
  • please take time to tune your instrument quietly in the offstage hallway BEFORE you arrive on stage
  • all styles welcome and encouraged, as are both original songs and covers
  • if you're playing as a group, please ensure that everyone in your group knows what you have in mind ahead of time (surprises can waste time)
Don't be shy! We encourage you to perform, but there is absolutely NO pressure.
Step forward if and when you feel comfortable.

Open-mic advance online sign-up
To perform at our open-mic, you need to be on our email list by entering a correct first name, last name and email address on the home page of torontoUKES.com. We will not share our list with anyone and will not use it for any other purpose than to communicate with members about jam activity. You will not be spammed: our frequency of communication is typically 1-2 times per week).
Please register only once on our home page.
Once registered, you will receive a weekly attendance email that offers critical information about our ongoing jam activity and three possible attendance links that relate to one specific upcoming jam date. You have the option of choosing YES, I will be coming but not performing, OR, NO, I can not attend this jam evening, OR, YES, I will be coming and would like to perform.
Click the later link (PERFORM) and you will be automatically directed to our website to complete the open-mic sign-up process - or, if we are at our limit, you will be informed that we have reached the maximum number of performance slots available for that week's jam and be asked if you would like to be put on a waiting list.
If, for whatever reason your attendance or performance status changes before the jam takes place, go back to the email pertaining to that jam date and click the link that reflects your revised status.
We appreciate your taking the time to indicate your attendance and desire to perform every time you receive our weekly eMail, regardless of whether or not you are able to join us. This helps us run smoother and manage proactively.

Tuning (Hanakosan)
Accurate tuning is critical - and the more expedient, respectful and consistent we are, the happier we will be!
Use of an electronic tuner is encouraged.
PLEASE TUNE QUIETLY, QUCKLY and DO NOT NOODLE OR PLAY CHORDS DURING TUNING.

Our close
In no way religious but in every way spiritual, the "Ukulele Benediction" brings closure to our jam. This brief poetic verse is recited by its author David Newland whilst members hold their ukulele next to their heart with their right hand. It goes like this:
On earth we strive for earthly things
And suffer sorrows daily.
In heaven, choirs of angels sing
While we play ukulele.

Other instruments
This evening is devoted to the ukulele and our aim is to keep it so.
Having said that, complimentary instruments (accordion? harmonicas? bass?) are welcome provided that they are integrated as such that your set is centred around the uke.

Age limitations
Our jam evenings are clearly geared toward adults.
Younger players are welcome provided that they are accompanied by an adult over the age of majority, and with the understanding that we are in a bar environment and our space is a comfort zone for a little bit of un-tempered, tongue-in-cheek adult humour.

We count on the support of key members
We are very grateful to Corktown Ukulele Jam member David Olson for his generous contribution of creativity and design skill. David conceived and designed the official Corktown Ukulele Jam logo and associated characters "Corky" and "Peg".

We also appreciate member support in these roles:
Audio: Nick Tustin
Jambook + projected visuals: Tony Burns
Stage Management: Cate Sweet
Media Relations: Sunny Widerman
Percussion: Rob Poizner
Instrument technician: Richard Bales
There is a lot of unique expertise amongst us.
Please let us know if you're interested in helping out in an area that might be useful.

"Jamspeak"
Official spelling of "ukulele": U-K-U-L-E-L-E
Official tuning: C (G-C-E-A)
Official tuning reference:
"Ha-na-ko-san" (borrowed from the Japanese reference for uke tuning)
Official generic terms for each other as players of the ukulele:
Individually: Ukers, Ukie(s), Ukette(s), Ukudite(s), Ukledite(s), Ukulelien(s), Ukulady(ies), Ukugent(s)
Collective: Ukulelia, Ukurati, Ukulele Kontinuum
New players are Nukies
No uke? You're Ukeless.
Your jam hosts are Ukerists. Celebrate your hosts!
Official essential oil: Ukulyptus
Official Toronto Street: Euclid :)

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