GD JAM
GORGIE DALRY MUSIC PROJECT
In 2018, I was approached by the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival to run this new community music session based out of St. Bride's Centre in Dalry. It prioritised inclusivity and quality and after a few weeks it became clear that the focus would be on jazz and improvisation. Many smaller offshoot bands were formed as a result of the warm and supportive community atmosphere. These bands still perform around the city till this day. I ran the session for 2 years before we were forced online, like most other musical communities, by the pandemic.
One of the focuses of my research into online musical connection was the continuation and survival of the GD Jam. In the first week of lockdown 2020 I attempted a viable online alternative to the live session - Zoomjam. It involved the live, muted accompaniment of all participants, to a lead musician, combined with an individual remote recording process, followed by the editing, mixing and mastering of both video and audio. I produced dozens of these Zoomjam videos with all particpants playing their music together live in real-time.
Every 10 weeks the group would convene via a live stream showing of all our work that term. Friends and family could view the performances and send their support and appreciation in the comments. The players could hear their music 'in the flesh' for the first time. The GD Jam leadership role has since been passed on but I remain a keen supporter of the project.
They are back in live session so if you're interested in joining up, get in touch with EJBF HERE.