Welcome to the Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Time Music Society’s Jam Page

SASKATOON JAMS
The following bluegrass jam sessions in Saskatoon will be held from 1:30 pm – 3:30pm at The Bassment (202 4th Ave N)
Please note – the doors to the venue will be locked starting at 2 PM. If you show up late and want to gain access, you will need to message the jam coordinator in this order:
January 19th
February 16th
March 30th
April 27th
Saskatoon jams sponsored by:

REGINA JAMS
The following bluegrass jam sessions in Regina will be held from 1:00 pm – 3:00pm at The Eastview Community Centre and The Artesian.
January 12th at The Artesian
January 26th at Eastview CC
February 9th at The Artesian
February 23rd at Eastview CC
March 16th at The Artesian
March 30th at Eastview CC
April 13th at The Artesian
April 27th at Eastview CC
May 11th at The Artesian
June 22nd at The Artesian
July 13th at The Artesian
Regina jams sponsored by:

PRINCE ALBERT JAMS
The following bluegrass jam sessions in Prince Albert will be held on Saturdays from 12:30 pm – 2:30pm at The Spice Trail
-2025-
January 4th
January 18th
February 1st
February 15th
March 1st
March 15th
March 29th
April 12th
April 26th
May 10th
May 24th
June 7th
June 21st
How It Works
Most of us play by ear, and we encourage new players to learn to play and pick up new tunes that way.
If you need music, that’s okay, but please place your stand where it won’t get in the way. Keep in mind that (a) you may not always hear the tune name before it starts, and (b) the group won’t wait for you to find the page.
Choosing and Starting Tunes: Each person takes a turn choosing a tune to play. To accommodate banjo players who need to retune, choose a tune in the current key. The tune list will indicate the key.
Whoever picks the tune starts it off by setting the tempo, which the group should then maintain. If needed, you can ask someone else to start it.
It’s helpful to set the tempo by starting with a few measures of “potatoes” (shuffle bowing on fiddle) or strumming to lead into the tune.
Stopping: The person who chose the tune always indicates when to stop.
This is usually done by raising a foot as we approach the end of the tune, preferably part-way through the last section, a few measures before stopping.
You can also call out “one more time” or “last time” at the start of the last round. This helps, especially if you can’t raise your foot or if others can’t easily see it.
Here is Some Old Tyme History
Old-time is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances such as square dancing, clogging and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments (most often the guitar and banjo) as well as the mandolin.
Learn more about North American folk music HERE.
Learn more about North American folk dances HERE.
Appalachian old-time music is itself made up of regional traditions. Some of the most prominent traditions include those of:
- North Georgia (The Skillet Lickers)
- Mount Airy
- North Carolina (specifically the Round Peak style of Tommy Jarrell)
- Grayson County/Galax
- Virginia (Wade Ward and Albert Hash)
- West Virginia (The Hammons Family)
- Eastern Kentucky (J.P. Fraley and Lee Sexton)
- Middle Tennessee (Uncle Dave Macon, The McGee Brothers, Thomas Maupin and
Fiddlin’ Arthur Smith) - Eastern Tennessee (Charlie Acuff, The Roan Mountain Hilltoppers, G.B. Grayson)
This music is also found all over the US and Canada with each region having their own styles. Loads of modern composition is being added to the repertoire.