Hi... I really don't have any sugestions with regard to Brian's quest for ideas. Since there are no chapters near me, I am totally a JPF internet junkie. I've entered discussions and collabed with other JPF-ers and I think building that kind of relationship over the net is very valuable.

If there was a local chapter (and I did volunteer to help start one several months ago and have never been contacted with any info (I asked twice)).

Several songwriters I know joined together to create a songwriting circle and we try to get together once a month to share our music with each other. Many of our members would not be up to performing their work in public - they are too shy or they don't play or their work isn't ready - but we have talked about having a circle in a small coffee house where we'd help each other present songs. Because of the time involved in creating that, it probably would be 3 or 4 times per year. We just had a meeting last night, with 10 people, and we feel that 10 to 12 people is all we could manage in terms of group size, to retain the great kitchen-table easiness with each other.

I suppose I'm a skeptic too... I can see if if we started invited others to play 'showcases' - lots of musicans might come out to play - but I bet very few would be committed to being part of the organizing & administration. I've been there.

In short, I suppose I don't really have a concrete thing to say... except that, if it were me coordinating the local chapter, 3 or 4 times a year would be better.

hope that makes some sort of sense,
cheers
Vikki

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Vikki Flawith, Canadian Singer/Songwriter & Voice Teacher

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