JAMS, OPEN MICS & DANCES IN NORTHERN CA - Updated September 19, 2017
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CONTRA & SQUARE DANCING IN NORTHERN CA:
FIRST FRIDAY: ARCATA - FOLK DANCES at Arcata Presbyterian Church (11th and G Streets) at 8pm. Presented by The Folkdancers, schedule usually includes Club Band from 8-8:45 pm, followed by Chubritza until 10pm, with open mike/jamming to follow. Occasional guests bands include Musaic, Joe & Me, and the Ethniks. Requested donation of $4. If you would like to receive monthly reminders about Folkdance events, email Craig at Ckurumada@aol.com

JUST ADDED! FIRST SATURDAY: NEVADA CITY, CA - NEVADA CITY CONTRA DANCE at Oddfellows Hall (212 Spring Street) 8pm-11pm. House band: Hot Cider. More info of for directions, confirmed schedule, and bands and callers, check Foothill Dancers website.

SECOND SATURDAY: CHICO, CA - CONTRA DANCE at Chico Grange (2775 Nord Avenue, off East Avenue, at Rodeo Avenue.) at 6:30pm. Beginner's orientation at 6:30pm. Dance: 7-10pm. Live music by the Pub Scouts. All dances are taught in a walk-thru and then called to music. You do not have to bring a partner with you. Fingerfoods are always welcome. Admission: $8/adult, $4/teen or student with ID; $7/members; children free with supervising adult. More info: call Mark or Grace 877-2930 or Joy 891-8789. There may be no dances during summer!

JUST ADDED! THIRD SATURDAY: NEWCASTLE, CA - NEWCASTLECONTRA DANCE at Newcastle Portuguese Hall (690 Taylor Road) 8pm-11pm (some exceptions). House band: Starthistle. For directions, confirmed schedule, and bands and callers, check check Foothill Dancers website.

MONTHLY: ARCATA, CA - BARN AND CONTRA DANCES at Arcata Veteran's Hall (14th & J Streets) and other locations. Caller and live music. No need to bring a partner. All dances are taught. Beer and snacks will be sold. Ice water available - bring your own bottle or cup! Volunteers are welcome - work part of the night, dance the rest! Admission is $6/Humboldt Folklife Society members, students, and seniors; $7/general; free for children 12 & under, as are volunteers. More info, for time and date of next dance, or to volunteer: call HFS at 707-822-5394 or Larry Levine at 707-822-7190.

FOOTHILL COUNTRY DANCERS: Contra dances in GRASS VALLEY/NEVADA CITY area (YOLO COUNTY).

MENDOCINO ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCES: Dances at Caspar Community Center in MENDOCINO. 

NORTH BAY COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY: Dances in SONOMA and MARIN COUNTY, in SANTA ROSA, SONOMA, SAN RAFAEL, SEBASTOPOL, CALISTOGA, and UKIAH.

MUSIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
RED BLUFF - BLACKTOP BLUES SOCIETY JAM. Group may be looking for a new venue to hold blues jams. More info: call 384-1109.

JUST ADDED! ARCATA AREA - HUMBOLDT FAMILY SINGALONG for the whole family at Redwood RAKS.

GYPSY JAZZ MAILING LIST: Be notified of gypsy jazz and related events in Butte and Shasta County. Sign up at http://www.pianofun.com/gypsyjazz.

BLUEGRASS MUSIC: Love Bluegrass?? Find concerts, festivals, instructors, jam sessions, and more at California Bluegrass Association website.

FOLK MUSIC: DATABASE OF FOLK JAM SESSIONS connected to Google maps. See Butte County events currently listed on folkjam.

REALLY OLD MUSIC: Cylinder recordings, the first commercially produced sound recordings, are a snapshot of musical and popular culture in the decades around the turn of the 20th century. With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, UC Santa Barbara Libraries have created a digital collection of over 6,000 cylinder recordings held by Dep't of Special Collections. In an effort to bring these recordings to a wider audience, they can be freely downloaded or streamed online. On this website you can find out more about the cylinder format, listen to thousands of musical and spoken selections from late 19th and early 20th centuries, and discover a little-known era of recorded sound. Click search button to begin, or sample some of their favorite selections in the featured cylinder section or by listening to online streaming radio.

PUBLIC JAMS, OPEN MICS, & SONG CIRCLES IN NORTHERN CA: Here are events that are roughly 3 or less hours driving time from Trinity County. Please email me or call 628-4579, if you are interested in jamming in the Hayfork area. Please support the public venues hosting the jams by purchasing food and refreshments!

BLUEGRASS JAMS IN CALIFORNIA: State of California bluegrass jams from Alameda to Ventura. You can submit your bluegrass jam for addition to website.

WEEKLY EVENTS:
TUESDAYS: REDDING - WEEKLY REDDING BANJO GROUP MEETING at Redding Spray Service (2150 Airstrip Road). They cover bluegrass/3-finger style banjo theory and roll patterns 4-5:30pm. Jamming starts round 5:30pm. Come join them. Visit Redding CA Banjo Group on Facebook.

JUST ADDED! TUESDAYS: UKIAH, CA - WEEKLY TUESDAY NIGHT OPEN MIC at Ukiah Brewing Company (downtown) at 8pm. Sign-ups start at 7:30pm. Every week the house band kicks it off with a couple songs, then very special Featured Artist does a few, then all forms of wildness kick off with Open Mic. All family friendly entertainment is welcome. Acoustic volume level. Upright piano and drum kit, backing band available. Free, please tip the band and buy a beer and support the venue! More info: call Wendy DeWitt at 707-467-9343 or email tqobw@yahoo.com. Facebook page.

JUST ADDED! WED: PARADISE, CA - OPEN MIKEFULL IN PARADISE at Norton Buffalo Hall (5704 Chapel Drive) at 7pm. Nearly every Wednesday at 7pm, the fine performers of the Chico area -- including those who want to become better performers -- gather to share their latest accomplishments in song, poetry, comedy and other staged entertainments. Hosted by Susan Dobra (with an assist from John-Michael Sun on sound), Open Mikefull has become the most consistently fun ongoing event at Norton Buffalo Hall. All are welcome to bring their talents, or to just come and enjoy what shows up!

THURSDAYS: REDDING - WEEKLY OPEN MIC at Barista's Roasting Company in evening. Performers get a 30-minute time slot. More info: call 221-7070. Facebook page.

THURSDAYS: REDDING - WEEKLY  SHASTA BLUES SOCIETY BLUES JAM at Lulu's (Pine at Cypress Street) 7-10pm. Shasta Blues Society furnishes sound equipment, drums and keyboard. Public is invited and all ages are welcome. Jams are family oriented. Bring your own drum sticks, instruments and necessary cables. Arrive early and sign up with Jam Coordinator as jam slots fill up quickly. Setup from 5pm-6pm. 6-7pm Novice warm-up. Sets are 20 minutes and there are 6 or 7 sets per evening. You must be present to be added to sign-up sheet. You need to be a member to jam (non-members get two freebies). If you are in warm-up jam it doesn't prevent you from playing later. Help with set-up and breakdown. 

THURSDAYS: PARADISE - WEEKLY UPPER RIDGE BLUES SOCIETY BLUES JAM & OPEN MIKE at Lynn's Optimo 8-11pm.

JUST ADDED! FRIDAYS: HAYFORK - WEEKLY OPEN MIC at Northern Delights Coffeehouse at 8pm (summer hours, 7pm winter hours). Sound man, drum kit, and PA equipment provided. More info: call 628-5246.

FRIDAYS: LEWISTON - EVERY OTHER WEEK KARAOKE NIGHT at Lewiston Hotel in evening. This event alternates weeks with Open Mic nights at Lewiston Hotel on Saturday nights.

SATURDAYS: LEWISTON - EVERY OTHER WEEK OPEN MIC NIGHT at Lewiston Hotel in evening. Bring an instrument or other talent to share.This event alternates weeks with Karaoke nights at Lewiston Hotel on Friday nights.

JUST ADDED! (MOST) SATURDAYS: ARCATA, CA - HULA FOR HEALTH in Arts and Crafts Room of Arcata Community Center 9am-11am. Cost is $3. Learn basic hula steps and movements in an easy format. More info: call 707-839-2816.

JUST ADDED! SUNDAYS: SANTA CRUZ, CA - THE CREPE PLACE WEEKLY OPEN BLUEGRASS JAM at The Crepe Place (1134 Soquel Avenue) 5pm-8pm. This is a open bluegrass jam started in July 2016. More info: call Steve at 831-566-6828 or email steverosen@polarlight.com. 

MONTHLY EVENTS by DAY:
***MONDAY***
FIRST & THIRD MONDAY: SHINGLETOWN, CA - UKULELE GROUP at 6pm. Bring your ukulele and join them for music and singing. More info: call Nicki at 474-4427.

SECOND MONDAY: ARCATA - HUMBOLDT UKULELE GROUP (HUG) GATHERING at Arcata Community Center crafts room at 5:30pm. All strummers welcome, beginner or experienced. They play all kinds of music (including Hawaiian) and have great fun! Bring your own ukulele and music stand (though they always have extras of both). $3/person. Songbooks available for purchase at the gathering for cost of printing ($15). Held on FIRST TUESDAY, SECOND MONDAY and THIRD THURSDAY each month, with an absolute beginners ukulele gathering on FOURTH SATURDAY each month. More info: call 707-839-2816.

***TUESDAY***
FIRST TUESDAY: ARCATA - HUMBOLDT UKULELE GROUP (HUG) GATHERING at Arcata Community Center crafts room at 5:30pm. All strummers welcome, beginner or experienced. They play all kinds of music (including Hawaiian) and have great fun! Bring your own ukulele and music stand (though they always have extras of both). $3/person. Songbooks available for purchase at the gathering for cost of printing ($15). Held on FIRST TUESDAY, SECOND MONDAY and THIRD THURSDAY, with an absolute beginners ukulele gathering on FOURTH SATURDAY each month. More info: call 707-839-2816.

FIRST TUESDAY: CHICO - CHICO UKULELE GROUP at Trinity Methodist Church (Flume between 5th and 6th Streets). They start at 6:30pm and usually end at around 8:30 or 9pm. Everyone is welcome, even if you don't have an instrument. They have some extras. They love beginners and their emphasis is on fun!

***WEDNESDAY***
FIRST WEDNESDAY: CHICO - MIDNIGHT BLUES SOCIETY OPEN BLUES JAM SESSION at Nash's Restaurant Bar Grill (1717 Esplanade) 7-10:30pm. More info: call 916-894-7540.

THIRD WEDNESDAY: ARCATA - SONG CIRCLE WITH SEABURY GOULD at St. Alban's Church (1675 Chester Avenue, Sunny Brae, Arcata) at 7:30pm. A fun & informal singalong of folk songs. Think Globally, Sing Locally. Bring your voices and songs to this monthly gathering for singing together! Many of you know Seabury from his work with children - but this circle, while for people of all ages, is geared for adults. All ages welcome. Free admission. More info: call Seabury at 707-845-8167. 

***THURSDAY***
FIRST THURSDAY: REDDING - MUSIC NIGHT AT THE LOFT at The Bohemian Art Loft (3304B Bechelli Lane) at 7pm. Open invitation to all musicians - all genres, all instruments - to share their music and jam. No censorship. Audience welcome. Donations accepted. Refreshments. More info: call 229-7818.

FIRST THURSDAY: FRESHWATER - BLUEGRASS JAM at Freshwater Grange (49 Grange Road) at 7pm. First hour, from 7-8 pm, is open to any level of bluegrass player. After 8pm, jam progresses to an advanced player's circle. People who are still developing their playing and singing skills will be welcome to stay and listen (instead of participating) during later set. Freshwater Grange is located at 49 Grange Road, near Garfield School, just a few miles up Freshwater Road from 3 Corners. More info: call Judy at 707-443-4258.

UPDATED! FIRST THURSDAY: ARCATA - COMMUNITY SING ALONG / SONG CIRCLE at Arcata Community Center at 7pm-9:30pm. Hosted by Joel Sonenshein and presented in association with Arcata Parks & Recreation. Those of you who have attended Joel's Beatles sing along at HFS summer festivals already know what fun is in store. For you newcomers here's how it works. Joel provides song books and accompanies the group on guitar. All you need to bring is your voice. They sing music of the Beatles, Stones, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, The Eagles, Peter, Paul & Mary, James Taylor, Carol King, and Kate Wolf, to name a few. You'll have several hundred songs by dozens of your favorite folk, rock and pop artists from which to choose. Should you have a particular song you would like to sing, just print out a few copies to share with the group. This is a free event. All ages and free. More info: call Joel at 707-839-7063 or email joel@asis.com.

FIRST THURSDAY: CHICO - RISE UP SINGING CIRCLE at Chico Friends Meeting House (corner of 16th Street and Hemlock) 7-9pm. Like to sing for fun? Rise Up Singing is a compilation by Annie Patterson and Peter Blood of great songs for group singing - words only, tunes will be taught. They have some books to lend. If you have one, please bring it. More info or for directions: call Leslie Howard at 891-0750.

SECOND THURSDAY: REDDING - SPOKEN WORD NIGHT AT THE LOFT at The Bohemian Art Loft (3304B Bechelli Lane, Redding) at 7pm. An evening for serious poets, writers, playwrights, storytellers, comedians, and actors of all genres. No censorship. Audience welcome. Donations accepted. Refreshments. Second Wednesday each month. More info: call 229-7818.

***FRIDAY***
THIRD FRIDAY: CHICO - EDUCATIONAL ACOUSTIC JAM & SHOWCASE at 2750 Sierra Sunrise Terrace (off of Bruce Road) 10:30am-12noon. Play, sing, listen and learn about the music of our life. A short presentation about music history or information would be welcomed. Showcase performances are asked to be kept to 10 minutes. Open to residents of The Terraces, seniors, Butte Folk Music Society members and guests. More info: call Bernie or Bob at 894-6854.

***SATURDAY***
FIRST SATURDAY: WEED - ROCK CREEK JAMS at Weed Mercantile (on Main Street) 2-5pm.

SECOND SATURDAY: CHICO - MUSIC CIRCLE at Cafe Flo (365 East 6th Street, 402-7121) 3pm-6pm. Bring your instruments and musical energy to acoustic music circle. Folk, bluegrass, old time - all is welcome. Meet local musicians to play, sing or just enjoy. More info: call David Bilinski at 872-2084.

SECOND SATURDAY: REDDING, CA - CSOTFA DISTRICT 6 PIZZA JAM at Round Table Pizza in Mt. Shasta Mall (900 Dana Drive) 5:30pm-7:30pm. Enjoy an oldtime fiddle concert and open mic plus some great pizza. Come and plan to have dinner, enjoy the music, and help support CSOTFA District 6. They have discovered that, “Music goes better with pizza, and pizza goes better with music!”. More info: call George Fredson at 604-8706 or email RootsMusic@Csotfa.org.

SECOND SATURDAY: COHASSET - OPEN MIKE & JAM at Cohasset Community Building 7-10:30pm. All welcome to come participate and/or listen. Food & beverages for sale on site.

FOURTH SATURDAY: ARCATA - HUMBOLDT UKULELE GROUP (HUG) GATHERING FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS At Arcata Community Center crafts room at 5:30pm. They play all kinds of music (including Hawaiian) and have great fun! Bring your own ukulele and music stand (though they always have extras of both). $3/person. Songbooks available for purchase at the gathering for cost of printing ($15). REGULAR HUG GATHERINGS held on FIRST TUESDAY, SECOND MONDAY and THIRD THURSDAY each month. More info: call 707-497-7244 or 707-839-2816.

***SUNDAY***
FIRST SUNDAY: REDDING - DISTRICT 6 CA STATE OLD TIME FIDDLER'S ASSOCIATION WORKSHOP & ACOUSTIC JAM SESSION at St. James Lutheran Church (2500 Shasta View Drive, just south of Highway 44). CSOFTA board meeting at 12noon (?). Free concert / performance on main stage at 1pm, followed by an open mic segment. Downstairs they have two rooms dedicated to an Old Time Fiddle Jam, for pickers and players, and another "Bluegrass Jam," for those that like to sing a few tunes. Plus a Slow Jam for anyone that feels they need to hone their picking or playing skills and practice some of the traditional fiddle tunes just for fun and without any pressure. Everyone is welcome to participate (beginner, intermediate and advanced), listen or just join friends and spend time together jamming and visiting. If you have a band or fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, etc. students that would like to stage a performance in the future, please let them know. More info: call Tricia Ferguson at 241-6265; Lee Brushett: 243-4772; George Fredson at 604-8706 or email RootsMusic@Csotfa.org. . DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 44 East; Shasta View is 2nd or 3rd exit; turn right; church is on right. First Sunday each month.

FIRST SUNDAY: CHICO - NORTHERN CA HARP RING meets at various homes in Chico. Anyone who plays any kind of stringed harp, or is interested in learning to play the harp, is welcome. More info: call Janice at 893-8026 or email or nchr@sbcglobal.net. Facebook page.

SECOND SUNDAY: ANDERSON - OLD TIME MUSIC CIRCLE at Anderson Church of Christ (3434 North Street, corner of North and Riverside). Playing begins at 12noon; potluck around 1pm; followed by more playing until about 3pm. Bring a potluck dish, your acoustic instrument/s and your favorite Oldtime songs. Second Sunday each month.

SECOND SUNDAY: EUREKA - OPEN IRISH/CELTIC MUSIC SESSION at Gallagher's Irish Pub (139 2nd Street in Old Town Eureka) 3pm-6pm. Open session hosted by Seabury Gould (or Sam McNeill). Admission is free. All ages and younger players are enthusiastically welcome to attend! This is a session where songs and tunes are equally welcome. They will be playing mostly Irish, but feel free to bring in your songs and tunes from Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Galicia, and French-Canada as well. They'll start with "slow play" at 3pm - both by playing certain tunes at a slow tempo, and playing tunes that are inherently slow. The tempo will pick up at around 4pm. People are invited to bring instruments and voices (or just come and listen) for the sharing of Irish traditional/Celtic music of "mostly tunes and some songs. More info: call Seabury at 707-845-8167. A Humboldt Folklife Society event. FREE 

THIRD SUNDAY: MT. SHASTA - PANTHER CREEK JAMS at Stage Door (on Main Street) 2-4pm.

JUST ADDED! THIRD SUNDAY: ARCATA/EUREKA, CA AREA - Open MIC at Brew Coffee (downtown) 2pm-5pm. Hosted by Grant.

FOURTH SUNDAY: OROVILLE - DISTRICT 1 OLD TIME FIDDLERS ASSOCIATION OPEN MIKE & JAM at Oroville Municipal Auditorium 1pm-3:30pm. Membership encouraged but you don't have to be a member to join in or come listen. More info: call 589-5841 or Bob Hedrick at 589-4844.

FOURTH SUNDAY: PALO CEDRO, CA - CSOTFA OLD TIME FIDDLE CONCERT & JAM at Millville Grange Hall (22037 Old Forty-four Drive) 2pm-4pm. This event has great community support with food provided by Millville Grange and dessert provided by “For the Love of Pie.” If great music isn’t enough, the great food is something you don’t want to miss. More info: call George Fredson at 604-8706 or email RootsMusic@Csotfa.org. Fourth Sunday each month.

In regards to musical learning, I try to follow the Three P's:
PRACTICE: By yourself
PLAY: With others at jams sessions
PERFORM: On stage alone or with others. 

I do all of the above and they all help in different ways. Practicing at home gives you time to slowly work out the correct way to play something, with no one there to make you nervous. You can play a sticky spot over and over until it get smooth, practice scales, etc. Playing with others teaches you to do more than one thing at once: play your part, listen to the other musicians, and learn the basics of performing without the pressure of the stage. It is a supportive place to improvise and try new licks and songs, yet you still have to keep playing if you mess up, so you learn to "think on your feet". Performing on stage has different functions for different people. For some it is the "gravy", finally being on stage. For others, like me, it is something I do to give back to the community. Plus, by scaring myself on stage, I am no longer nervous in most jam sessions, which is truly my favorite place to be! - Rachel

THE TEN JAMMANDMENTS:
I. Thou Shalt Tune Thy Instrument.
~ Electronic tuners make this easy. 

II. Thou Shalt Keep Steady Rhythm.
~ Count beats if necessary.

III. Thou Shalt Take Turns Choosing Songs.
~Announce the key. Vocalists always choose their key.
~ Choose a song you can complete.

IV. Thou Shalt Not Speed.
~ Start songs at a reasonable tempo. Speed up according to abilities.

V. Thou Shalt Signal Who Has The Solo.
~ Follow a pattern when taking solo leads.

VI. Thou Shalt Listen To Others.
~ If you can't hear the lead, consider yourself too loud.

VII. Thou Shalt Welcome Others.
~ Include everyone in your jam. Help everyone sound as good as they can.

VIII. Thou Shalt Not Steal Other Musicians From An Active Jam.
~With time, players move around anyway.

IX. Thou Shalt Try New Material.
~ Original & different tunes are OK occasionally.

X. Thou Shalt Be Considerate Of Pickers.
~ Explain when you're rehearsing, not jamming. Help beginners.