I don’t remember seeing many people busking in HK a few years back. I’ve noticed many in the area between Pedder street and LKF these days and have heard of many more on Kowloon side. Just this past Wedneday night, the sounds of Enrique Iglasias’ “Hero”, and The Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly”, were livening up the Central evening air. Seems like more and more groups of people are daring to just go and play to the crowds whether they like it or not!

I’m a fan of these musicians! I think there is something very liberating about playing the streets. It adds a nice touch to the atmosphere, whether you stop to watch or are just passing by. It’s almost like musicians are on a mission to bring music to the masses.

Sometimes it can be tiring to hear generic tunes though, so I would like to see some less overplayed songs and more original ones – Something that makes me stop and ask for a CD. It’s also a great way for musicians to get exposure and reach the people who don’t particularly seek out gigs.

What do you think?

Back in December, I went to the 7th [FMEL] Open Jam Session (pictured below). [FMEL] under Wikitopia, a division of Videotage, runs these open jams from time to time, and they are a great way to connect with others through music.

Musicians of any skill level are invited to take part in these events. As a vocalist, I wasn’t sure how well I could improvise and blend with other improvised instruments, but it was a great pleasure to see that everyone was there for the same reasons: Curiousity and a willingness to experiment.

There was a good vibe and a real mix of people: students; fathers; established musicians; amateurs; locals; foreigners, etc.We discussed music and what it meant to experiment and speak through music. There was also a range of different instruments in the group which we definitely noticed after some rusty starts. However, we eventually began to play as a somewhat unified ensemble despite complete improvisation. We learned to follow the same rhythm and listen for the nuances in what we were each playing. There were some moments of chaos and some moments when there was a surreal sense of conversation without words.

These open jams are a great asset. They give room for a meeting of musicians, where creative  musical minds can talk about music, make connections, educate themselves and be free to experiement. My only criticism is that they should be more frequent!

Those of you interested in making music should definitely be on the lookout for the next session! Take a look at the Wikitopia and Videotage pages.