Case study – Rock Jam
Rock Jam connects music students with some of Dublin’s finest musicians, via weekly jam sessions, workshops and summer camps. These culminate in live gigs that give students a taste of what it is like to play for an audience in some of Dublin’s most famous live venues.
Formed in 2013, Rock Jam is the brainchild of musician and educator Baz Rycraft. Originally located at Harold’s School in Glasthule, Rock Jam has now expanded to other locations around Dublin, including Blanchardstown Music School, The Dublin School of Music and Newpark Music Centre. They have 8 musicians working with their students including such luminaries as James Vincent McMorrow and Kodaline, providing a great opportunity for kids to work with established successful musicians and bands.
Baz Rycraft, the founder of Rock Jam, talks about the aims behind setting up Rock Jam: “The first aim is to give relevance to music study. It’s such a shame for kids to study for years and never share that experience with their friends. The second aim is to connect them with professional musicians. This is a game-changer for kids because they meet someone who is actually living the life of a working musician. Finally, performance experience brings so many benefits, even beyond music. Confidence, friendships and teamwork, alongside the technical leaps students make when they perform on stage.”
Despite being still early days in the life of Rock Jam, and most students being under 15 years old, the first group has already been signed to a record label and released their first album. Local band Tobi the Dog are signed to Little L Records and have released their debut album ‘Never Ever Ever’. So a 100% record so far for Rock Jam!
Baz Rycraft added “Goldfish suits my business because of its flexibility. As a working musician, I can run my business on the road. The messaging service is very modern. Goldfish record my messages and email them to my phone. It’s a perfect fit for me.”