What a great weekend at the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival in Washington State, hosted by Centrum and led by the incomparable Aaron & Nicole Keim of The Quiet American! I always enjoy teaching at these camps, and this was no exception – best students, best colleagues, best job ever.
It was great to see old friends from the Menucha Ukulele Band Camp in Oregon, and meet new folks from the Seattle region and further afield in the Pacific Northwest. Fort Worden State Park was also such a dreamy spot, and the excellent weather did not hurt!
My favorite thing about ‘ukulele festivals and camps like is the value folks place on teaching and learning and sharing the gifts of music. Of course, we teachers get up and perform, as do the campers … but the focus is really on what we get to learn together. This camp, I was invited to teach some of my favorite workshop – How to Sing and Play At the Same Time – as well as a new workshop I’ve developed, based on an 8-week class I taught last fall – The Music and Activism of Harry Belafonte. As per usual, my students were stellar and I was especially proud of those who joined me on stage for a rousing closing night performance of Belafonte’s song Turn the World Around.
Happy *almost* New Year! I hope you all have been and still are enjoying the holiday season with friends, family, and fun. I am really looking forward to making music with you in 2025 and am here with info and invitations!
Weekly Classes
‘Ukulele! I’ll be teaching IN PERSON in SW Portland / Beaverton on Wednesday evenings and SE Portland on Thursday evenings, and ONLINE on Thursday mornings (Pacific time). All classes start January 15/16 and run 8 weeks:
‘Ukulele for Beginners. Covers all the basics you need to know for early success in your ‘ukulele playing: how to hold and strum your instrument, a strong repertoire of songs, and other essential skills and good habits. IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland.
Beyond Beginner ‘Ukulele. For players with basic skills looking to take it to the next level: popular and accessible songs to build up a repertoire of chords, keys, strum patterns and maybe even a fingerpicking pattern or two! IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland; ONLINELive on Zoom.
‘Ukulele Jam Songbook Study.A mixed-level ukulele class for players of various learning styles and experience. Using songs from our 2025 Jam Songbook, we’ll expand our repertoire of musical skills and techniques, including new chords, various strumming / fingerpicking patterns, and occasional riffs and fills to complement our playing. IN PERSON in Beaverton and in SE Portland; ONLINELive on Zoom.
Songwriting! I’m super excited to launch an ONLINE songwriting cohort in January and greatly appreciate the patience of those who have been waiting for this!
In March, we’ll start up mixed-level Songwriting Sessions on 1st & 3rd Saturday mornings, so keep an eye out for more info on that.
Monthly / Quarterly Jams
Our monthly jams in partnership with Artichoke Music and Portland Folk Music Society will continue! In addition, I’ll be hosting a Spring Zoom Jam in March (exact date TBA). Save the dates and/or donate ahead of time via the links below.
Saturday, January 4 – 1:30pm Songbook Work Party / 2:00pm Jam at Artichoke Music in SE Portland. Join me a little early so we can put together our new 2025 Songbook! There’s a slightly different format and some new songs, so thanks in advance for bringing your many hands to make light work. 🙂
Saturday, January 11, 10:00am-Noon, How to Change Your ‘Ukulele Strings. This workshop will demonstrate the process for you, then allow you time to practice putting a new set of strings on your own instrument, provided as part of your registration by the Artichoke Music store. Learn more and register here.
Pre-Jam Workshops, 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 1:00-1:45pm. As you saw above in the Jams list, each jam is preceded by a short skills workshop. 1st Saturday workshops are an on-going study and practice of How to Lead a Song at a Jam, offering you the chance to practice with a small group of fellow jammers. 3rd Saturday workshops are a series of strum pattern studies affectionately called “Strumming Support Group”. Learn more about both workshop series here.
So much fun ahead!
Whew! We’re in for a ton of fun in the New Year, I hope you will join us. As always, you can stay most up to date by subscribing to my e-newsletter and/or reach out any time with questions and concerns. Both of these options are available here.
In place of our usual Songbook jams, this month we’ll sing and play songs for the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, and generally finding and keeping the light bright in our hearts through the darkness of the season. It’s a fun, eclectic collection of songs, ranging from The Pretenders to Ella Fitzgerald, from Traditional and Blues tunes to Pop favorites, and more. I hope you’ll join me!
Holiday ‘Ukulele Jam Songbook
All three jams will use the same songbook described above. In person jams will have paper packets available, but if you’d like to preview and practice a bit beforehand, feel free to download it here:
Note: This document has some two-page songs, and I recommend you print double-sided if you can so you can easily see the whole song at one glance. 🙂
Scroll down for links to practice videos for many of the songs we’ll be playing!
Jam Details
Saturday, December 7 ~ Artichoke Music. Our 1st Saturday jams here start at 2:00pm and run until 3:15pm or so. Paper copies available, or download the PDF above.
If you are able to offer a donation to cover the use of the room, the printing of the packets, and my time, it is gratefully accepted. You can pre-register here or bring cash. That said, donations are optional – all are welcome, regardless of funds, and no one is checking at the door.
Saturday, December 14 ~ Live on Zoom. The online jam is back for this special occasion! We’ll meet live on Zoom at 1:00pm Pacific time (check your time zone here). To receive the Zoom link, please subscribe to my e-newsletter here (it helps maintain a certain level of privacy for the group), and make sure you’ve downloaded the Holiday Jam Songbook PDF above.
Saturday, December 21 ~ with Portland Folk Music Society (Beaverton). Our 3rd Saturday jams take place at Southminster Presbyterian, and start at 2:00pm and run until 3:15pm or so. Paper copies available, or download the PDF above.
Jam Donation Options
If you are able to offer a donation to cover the use of jam rooms, the printing of the packets, and my time both preparing the packet and leading the jam, it is gratefully accepted. I love my work teaching and sharing in my community, it is my livelihood. You can pre-register for the Artichoke Music jam here, and for the Online and Beaverton jams here. You may also bring cash to either in person location. Thank you!
That said, donations are optional – all are welcome, regardless of funds, and no one is checking anyone at the door. Please join us to share in the music!
Jam Songbook Practice Videos!
Click on the links below to practice for our Holiday Jams ahead of time. I’ll be updating my ‘Ukulele Studio YouTube Channel with new holiday song videos all month. Feel free to subscribe and get an email each time a new song is ready for you!
It’s finally here! You can stream and/or download The One Who Remembers from Bandcamp now! You can also order a CD or pre-order a vinyl record on my website. Click through your preference and enjoy! 🙂
If you’re in the Portland OR region, I’d like to invite you to come celebrate this album’s release at the Album Release Show on November 10! I’ll perform the songs start to finish with the band and be able to thank you and hand your copy of The One Who Remembers in person. Learn more and get your tickets here!
To share my deep gratitude and to offer you the title track, here’s my video announcement:
I’ve been through so many ups and downs, doubts and questions, laughs and tears … but ultimately so much joy and gratitude in the process of making and releasing this record. I want to give a big thank you to those of you who pre-ordered and donated to this album earlier this year. It made such an impact on my ability to get this album out into the world!
I am also so grateful to the incredible people who helped this record come to be – I shared more about them during my crowdfunding efforts, which you can read here. You can also read more details about the album, along with some personal reflections, in this press release.
No matter how you listen to this album, you – the listeners – are as part of it as anyone else. I know there is a lot out there that calls on your attention, so I am so grateful to anyone who takes the time to listen to any of these songs. Thank you so much for your support!
For those wanting to stream The One Who Remembers on Spotify or to purchase it on iTunes, it will be up on these platforms soon! Bandcamp is the most artist-friendly platform out there, so I encourage you to check it out first.
Thank you SO MUCH for your interest and your support. Enjoy … The One Who Remembers
In preparation for the release of The One Who Remembers – coming out November 1! – here is the formal press release. Making this feel awfully real, folks! Read on for lots of details about the new album, along with some personal reflections…
Portland-based singer-songwriter Avery Hill is set to release her sophomore full-length album, The One Who Remembers, on November 1, 2024. This album marks a significant return to her roots as a storyteller and reflects Avery’s profound personal journey. “The title is an introduction to myself as an artist,” Avery explains. “I am not a flashy performer or a storm chaser; I am the one who remembers.” She further elaborates, “Fundamentally, every artist is a ‘rememberer,’ and the purpose of art is to invite us all to remember what it is to be human.” The album title, she adds, is also the title of the opening track and represents “a certain amount of humility” and “a truer picture of myself,” emphasizing that her role is to reflect and make sense of experiences rather than seek attention.
Avery’s music career began in a home filled with the sounds of her parents’ favorites. She recalls, “My mother bought me my first guitar and patiently listened to me rave about Joni Mitchell. My father made me mixtapes and taught me to harmonize to The Beach Boys on the radio.” Originally aspiring to be a teacher, Avery’s life took a creative turn after teaching in classrooms across Germany, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon.
In 2015 she released her first full-length album, Dreams & Ghosts: A Family Album, which received critical acclaim and ranked in the Top 10 on the Folk DJ charts. Tom May of River City Folk praised the album, stating, “This emerging singer-songwriter has a memorable, lilting voice and is already penning songs that could someday be classics. She is an extraordinary young talent.”
Avery’s passion for teaching remained strong alongside her music career. “Teaching music became as fulfilling as writing and performing,” she says. She started teaching ukulele in 2013 and has become a staple in Portland’s ukulele community. “I strive to educate everyone’s inner musician, elevate their self-knowledge and confidence, and enchant them with insight, presence, and a handful of good jokes.”
The creation of The One Who Remembers was deeply influenced by Avery’s personal experiences. “After my last album in 2015, a lot of life happened,” she shares. Avery got married in 2015 and discovered a love for teaching music, balancing her career with independent touring. “I gave birth to my son, Oscar, in 2018, and anyone who is a parent will tell you how much that really turns your life upside-down.” The pandemic further complicated Avery’s life, revealing cracks in her marriage. “When the pandemic lockdowns began in 2020, I realized my marriage wasn’t what I thought it was and that it wasn’t bringing out and allowing me to be the full person I knew I was.”
In September 2020, amidst the smoke from wildfires and the uncertainty of the pandemic, Avery and her husband separated. “It felt like life as I knew it was going up in smoke—I was now a single parent, and we were all in this place of not really knowing what the pandemic would bring next. And yet, deep down, I knew how lucky I was.” Avery found not just solace, but strength, in the songs she had written. “On one level, they’re just stories about my childhood experiences and relationships, but I realized that—on the other side of all this change—I needed to put these songs to press to capture this moment in my life,” she reflects. The songs served as a means of staying connected to who she is and who she has become. “They helped me stay in touch with who I am at my core, who I am because of the people who raised me.”
The album’s highlights are deeply intertwined with Avery’s personal narrative, culminating in the closing track “Roll Down the River,” the meaning of which took on new meaning as Avery navigated her changing life. “I wrote it almost right after my last album, and at the time, it was a nice song dedicated to my growing family, but as my life changed and the shape of our family changed, I made some changes in the lyrics and arrangement and it became this song I so deeply feel when I sing it because I know better now what I’m really singing about.”
Avery found that “sometimes the songs we write don’t make sense until we live our way into them, like they’re waiting for us on the other side of something we haven’t lived through yet.”
Reflecting on the creative process, Avery mentions, “I was intrigued by what remembering sounds like. These ‘echoes’ set the scene for certain songs and transitioned between memories.” She adds, “The songs were written before the hard times hit, and they didn’t fully make sense until I lived through those experiences.” Avery found herself doubting the relevance of these older songs but was reassured by producer Steve Drizos. “I did have some doubts in the recording process, whether it was worth recording these songs that were so old. Steve said, ‘Well, maybe they’re not done with you.’ Give that man a therapy degree, because he was totally right.”
The album’s theme revolves around family and personal growth. “There’s definitely a theme of family, I think, and the love—if somewhat complicated—that one can feel for one’s family.” The final track, “Roll Down the River,” encapsulates this message: “It’s ok to be unsure, it’s ok to be brave; darling, you’re the one I’m rowing for; you’re the tomorrow to see me through today.” Avery emphasizes, “Family can be a really fraught topic for folks, but the point of the album isn’t really about the family you’re born to; it’s about the family you make from the people who have loved you and whom you have loved.” She reflects on the strength derived from these relationships, noting, “Wherever your strength comes from, hold onto that, remember that, tell yourself that story, because that’s ultimately all we have in the end—the stories we tell ourselves. No one can take that from you.”
Avery’s self-consciousness about her place in the musical landscape reflects her humility. “Sometimes I look around and feel like the media only want to hear from artists who have overcome hardship and trauma. That work is so important and should be shared. I would also argue that we need stories of joy and love, too, in the larger landscape of what music can reflect, and what we can find meaning in. Sometimes we need to remember – in those moments of hardship, as we overcome our trauma – what it is that keeps us strong, what were the positive things in our lives to keep us stable and ready to ride the waves of whatever life brings us.”
Looking ahead, Avery expresses a desire to connect with new audiences and communities. “My goal is to expand my audience and connect with communities that value personal connections with artists,” she says. “I’m not looking for recognition for its own sake but for the chance to make a deeper connection with listeners.” The One Who Remembers represents Avery Hill’s ongoing journey as an artist and teacher, highlighting her resilience and deep connection to her personal story. As she puts it, “In some ways, I’ve already reached my goal because the record is done. I’ve done the best job I could putting them to press, recording them in a way that I hope does them justice. That’s the most important part.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ALEX STEININGER AT IN MUSIC WE TRUST PR: 503-557-9661 or alex@inmusicwetrust.com
I’m so excited for our in-person jams to resume this month! If you haven’t been, in a while or *ever* here’s a quick refresher on what to expect:
‘Ukulele Jam Description
The mixed-level jams I lead are best suited for ʻukulele players who are already comfortable playing in the Key of C and are looking to expand their musical repertoire. We play songs that pull from a variety of genres, songwriters, and musical traditions, especially those you won’t hear at other ʻukulele jams. For example, we’ve got everything from folk favorites from The Carter Family to an ʻukulele adaption of “The Wind Cries Mary”, by Jimi Hendrix. We’ll play “Bring Me Little Water Sylvie”, by early 20th century songwriter Leadbelly, and then “Closer to Fine” by late 20th century rockers The Indigo Girls.
Songbooks are provided. If youʻd like to download / print the songbook ahead of time, join my newsletter.
Pre-Jam Workshops!
To kick off the new jam season, I’ll be offering a series of pre-jam skills workshops. Here’s a sneak preview of the first one:
How to Sing and Play at the Same Time! How many times have you mastered a strum pattern, lined it up with your chord progression, only for it to all fall apart when you start to sing?! This workshop will break down the layers of both playing and singing, and guide you through exercises for building them back up to successful singing and playing simultaneously.
Note: Workshop registration includes admission to the jam that follows at each location, 2:00-3:00pm. Yay!
Looking Ahead…
I’ll continue to offer pre-jam workshops before each Southeast and Southwest Jam in the coming months. Here’s what to look forward to:
October 19 – Strum Pattern Bootcamp. Feeling stuck playing the same strum pattern all the time? This workshop will introduce you to a few other options to try, and discuss how to decide which pattern is best suited for a particular song.
November 16 – Chord Families (Learn/Review the 1-4-5). Have you heard folks talking about the “1-4-5” and have no idea what they mean? Maybe you’ve got the basics, but you have some questions? This workshop will help expand your repertoire of chords and keys, and introduce you to some accessible basics of music theory.
I had forgotten how much I ***LOVE*** this song by Harry Belafonte, inspired by his experiences in Africa and shared both in recordings and on The Muppet Show. It’s a great opportunity to expand our repertoire of rhythms and strums because it is in 5/4 time. What the heck is that?! Watch the video to find out! And join us in class to learn and practice more…
If you haven’t already, you can browse more videos on my YouTube channel here.
This October, I’m so pleased to be one of the featured instructors at the Reno Uke Fest! It should be a great weekend of music performances, workshops, jams and more, not to mention new and deepened friendships.
I’ve been working with festival hosts Dani Joy and Perry Stauffer of Starlight Ukes and we’ve come up with a great roster of workshops for me to teach, including:
Deer in the Headlights: for first-timers and absolute beginners
Songwriting: one workshop on writing lyrics, and another on writing music
Paperless Campfire Jam: come learn and play some sing-a-long favorites *by ear*
How to Sing and Play at the Same Time: Ah yes, the ultimate ‘ukulele player’s challenge! I’ve got everything you need to move toward this important goal.
Learn more about what’s in store in this interview below:
Learn more about this fun festival and register your spot on the Reno Uke Fest Website. Hope to see you there!
I’m so grateful to public humanities scholar Lois Leveen, PhD for leading these discussions! Many of you may know her as our Zoom jam “chatsisstant”, a co-leader of the annual ʻUkulele Bike Jam, and/or as a fellow ʻukulele student in classes. Here’s a little more about her background and what expertise she brings to these discussions:
Photo by John Melville Bishop
Dr. Lois Leveen earned degrees in history and literature from Harvard University, the University of Southern California, and UCLA. A former faculty member at UCLA and Reed College, she has led programs at museums, libraries, humanities organizations, K-12 schools, and universities. Her writing about race, history, and American culture has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and similar outlets, and in scholarly journals and academic books.
An award-winning poet and novelist; one of Lois’ poems is inscribed on a hospital wall, and she is the author two novels: Juliet’s Nurse and The Secrets of Mary Bowser. She is now researching the first scholarly biography of the real figure behind the “Mary Bowser” myth. In researching this project, she has been a Virginia Humanities fellow at the Library of Virginia, a Mellon Fellow at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, and the inaugural Cokie Roberts Fellow in Women’s History at the National Archives.
Lois can also often be seen riding her bicycle around Portland with her signature cat ears on her bike helmet.
I hope you will join us both at BOTH online discussions. Each will focus on a different documentary related to our class theme study:
Please be sure you have watched the documentary ahead of the discussion, and plan on at least one hour of discussion. Iʻll send the Zoom link to all registered participants for this class. Learn more and register here. Hope to see you in class!
As the seasons turn – one way or another, depending on your hemisphere – I hope you are enjoying your playing these days! We had a great series of (mostly) outdoor jams here in Portland over the past couple months. Now, as I help my son get ready for Kindergarten (!!), I am also preparing for a new term of classes, beginning the week of September 9 and running through the end of October.
ʻUkulele for Beginners
Did you recently receive an ʻukulele as a gift? Dusting off this delightful instrument that has been sitting in the closet too long?This 6-week class will cover / review all the basics you need to know for early success in your ‘ukulele playing.
This advanced beginner ʻukulele class is for players with basic skills looking to take it to the next level. We’ll use popular and accessible songs to build up our repertoire of chords, keys, and strum patterns.
Offered in person Wednesdays in SE Portland and Thursdays in Beaverton/SW Portland. Also available online as a self-paced course. Learn more and register here.
Featured Theme Study ~ Songs of Activism: The Music and the Movements of Harry Belafonte and Cesar Chavez
Each term, I enjoy offering what I call a “theme study” class, in which we dive deeply not just into learning how to play music, but greater themes of how music impacts our wider culture and is intertwined with history. This term, we’ll be remembering the legacy of musician-activist Harry Belafonte and exploring the songs sung and written as part of the United Farmworkers Movement led by Cesar Chavez.
Songs, while often thought of as a form of entertainment, have the capacity to be so much more. They inspire us. They rally us. They help us work that muscle of empathy that reminds of our connections to each other. Ultimately, they reflect what is most important to us.
In this class, we will learn songs that were central to the Civil Rights Movement, the United Farm Workers Movement, and other recent justice movements. We will be looking specifically at the activism of musician Harry Belafonte, and at the musicians who supported the activism of Cesar Chavez.
The class will include six sessions of musical instruction and two online discussions. The discussions will be led by public humanities scholar Lois Leveen, PhD, and they will focus on two documentaries: Harry Belafonte: Sing Your Song and A Song for Cesar , giving us historical background for the music we are studying.
There are several ways to participate in this class:
In person here in Portland: Wednesday evenings in SE Portland and Thursday evenings in Beaverton/SW Portland.
Live on Zoom: Thursdays, 10:00-11:00am PT (check your time zone here)
Online as a self-paced course: Participants receive a weekly email with a syllabus, song charts, and practice videos
Click on the direct links below, or peruse these offerings in my website shop. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts on these classes, please reach out to me anytime.
