Happy Spring! What are your music goals for this season?
Acoustic Irish, Old Time, Popular, etc. Music Gatherings
S-L-O-W Irish Jam, Saturday, June 20, 2026 11am - 1pm
Acoustic players are welcome to meet up with Dolly and Walter at Ireland's Own in West Ashley on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 11am - 1pm to share traditional Irish tunes. This will be a slow circle so folks have time to digest a tune and some good food. Each person has the opportunity to call a tune they want to share. We think it will be a fun way for newer Irish Trad lovers to gather in West Ashley and share tunes they are learning. Walter has been in contact with the owner and they know we will be gathering. We are just going to grab a table and gather round. We are hoping this might turn into a regular monthly gathering. We will see how it flows. Ireland's Own is at 3025 Ashley Town Center Drive, Charleston, SC 29414
First Saturday Trad Irish Beginning Group at Dorchester Library 10am - noon (acoustic only)
Catherine Kinder leads this group on the first Saturday of each month. She teachers one tune a month that is part of a set. Typically three tunes (jigs, reels, or hornpipes) are played together to create a set of tunes. This group plays at an intermediate tempo. You will want to get on Catherine's email list because the meeting time occasionally has to be adjusted for other library events. Location: Dorchester Library, Ashley River Branch, 2824 Bacons Bridge Rd., Summerville, SC 29485. There will not be a session in July due to the holiday.
Check out the "Celtic Music in Charleston" facebook page.
First Thursdays. Goose Creek Community Jam 6pm (acoustic only)
All levels are welcome to this popular music circle at the American Legion Post #166, 116 Howe Hall Rd., Goose Creek. 843-553-5454 Check out the "American Legion Post 166" facebook page.
2nd Tuesdays Irish Traditional Jam 6pm - 8pm Park Circle (acoustic only)
I have not attended this jam yet due to my teaching schedule. I understand from others that the tunes are played at a fast pace. All levels are welcome and it is a good way to get a feeling of how a standard traditional Irish gathering flows. Felix C. Davis Community Center, 4800 Park Circle, North Charleston, SC 29405. Check out the "Celtic Music in Charleston" facebook page.
3rd Tuesdays & 1st Thursdays Old Time Jam 5:30-7:45pm Park Circle (acoustic only)
I was able to pop into one of these gatherings and they are a kind and welcoming group. Old Time tunes are shared and played at an intermediate to fast tempo. Park Circle, Felix D. Davis Community Center, 4800 Park Circle, North Charleston, SC 29405
2nd Sundays Long Bay Old Time Jam / 3rd Sunday Traditional Irish (acoustic only)
Old Time: This gathering is (not officially) in Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet, SC
Irish: Meets at Smuggler's Den, 4660 Hwy 17 ByPass, Murrell's Inlet, SC 2:30pm - ?
Check out the "Long Bay Folk Society" facebook page for more information.
Charleston House Meetups (acoustic only)
We are currently gathering at Walter's home in West Ashley, when we can, to get better at playing traditional Irish tunes. Most of the tunes we are currently practicing are from the Dorchester Library sets. We welcome anyone from the library group to meet with us so we can all get a better handle on these tunes between the library sessions.
Play Music On The Porch Day Practice Sheets
We are looking for a new jam pot. Please visit again!
A number of you have asked when we will start a jam in the West Ashley area again. We are still looking for an indoor space. We need a place that will allow us to come once a month, at the same time, for at least two hours each month - and without a fee. I volunteer my time writing out arrangements and putting together song sheets for the jam for free. And, as an independent teacher, I don't have extra funds to rent a space. So far we have not had any luck finding that perfect spot for an acoustic string jam. While I keep searching, if you would like to be added to our mailing list to be notified when we can meet again - send your contact information to: LowCountryStudios@yahoo.com with "Slow Jam List" in the title. We will also post it on our Instagram and Facebook sites when we are ready to meet again.
Types of instruments in a typical acoustic string jam can include: guitars, mandolins, bass, fiddles, mountain dulcimers, psaltries, banjos, etc. We also have welcomed ukuleles, and harmonicas - if you aren't sure just ask.
If you just need to be somewhere to play - we get it! There is a slow jam that happens once a month in the Myrtle Beach area. Long Bay Folk Society is running those jams. They have a facebook page with the same name Long Bay Folk Society.
January through March of 2026 Dorchester Library on Bacon's Bridge Road has a slow Irish Jam for beginners. It meets the first Saturday of each month from 10am - 12 noon. Free.
So, What's a Slow Jam Session? A Slow Session, or Slow Jam, is an environment where musicians can work on Old Time, Irish, and Bluegrass, traditional music and play with others at a comfortable speed. You need to know how to play your instrument. We welcome beginners but please know this is not a group music lesson (you would want to find a private music teacher to help you learn how to play your instrument), it is a tune sharing community. I started offering free Irish Traditional Slow Sessions in Charleston in 2004. At that time you couldn't find Old Time (still can't) or Trad Irish musicians in Charleston and had to travel outside of Charleston to find other players. I hope you will join us!
Tunes and stuff
For full access to all the tunes you can join our Patreon page. Thank you and happy pickin'!
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