Welcome.

Music has permeated my life since I was a kid. My father was a piano and accordion player. Most weekends, he played at socials in Winnipeg and surrounding towns in our province. This helped to make ends meet as he and my mom raised five kids together. The three-piece band he was in performed old-time music. They played polkas, jigs, two-steps, waltzes, foxtrots, and the occasional bossa nova. My dad played accordion, his brother played guitar, and their friend played the fiddle.

In my childhood years, we often had dance parties. The entire family would get together at the cottage for a weekend. On a Saturday night, they would play music for four to five hours straight with a few short breaks. In my teens, I would occasionally play the drums with them.

On the drums | early 1980’s

The parties would last into the early morning hours. Everyone from nearby came to dance, so no one complained about any noise. There was magic at those parties. I remember the pure joy that everyone felt as they socialized, listened to the music, and danced all night. The dancing especially stuck with me. I remember the patio deck bouncing up and down with all my relatives and their friends doing the polka. What fun!

That is why I am rediscovering music today. I want to feel the magic of making music again and having people dance to it. Whether the dancing part happens is uncertain as I don’t know how it will be received, but I wouldn’t want to regret not trying.

Having lived in an apartment for many years now, I haven’t played the drums much. But I’ve discovered another melodic percussion instrument that my neighbours don’t complain about much: the jaw harp—a pocket-sized piece of metal that vibrates and sings with the heart, mind, and body.

With jaw harp | 2024

Love to you,

Brian