The First Fridays Art Walk on June 6 will celebrate the coming change of seasons with a theme of “Endless Summer.” Attractions will include rock-and-rollers, art talks, burlesque dancers and a petting zoo.
A special function of the art walk will be the 10th-anniversary celebration of Jammin’ Music, 4228 Atlantic Ave., which began in 2004 after founders Geoff Parry and Kerri Hikida sought to open a space for the community dedicated to teaching and making music.
“Our goal was not only to educate people how to play music, but also provide a space for them to perform and share it,” said Parry. “Music is a wonderful vehicle of communication that brings the community together.”
In the last 10 years, Jammin’ Music has grown from a one-room, one-instructor operation into its current 4,000-square-foot facilities on Atlantic Avenue, where it employs over a dozen instructors teaching piano, guitar, voice, drums, bass, violin, viola, cello, clarinet, saxophone, flute and ukulele. In addition to private lessons, they offer a variety of group music classes, from preschool music to group piano, group guitar and group singing classes. Group art instruction and acting instruction rounds out their offerings.
“We’ve seen many kids start off in our preschool music classes that go on to study piano, guitar or another instrument with us,” says Hikida. “Other kids started learning guitar, bass or drums as preteens or teens and are now in their own bands or majoring in music at university.”
One of the in-studio groups, the Jammin’ Music Rock School, has performed at numerous local fairs, local venues such as DiPiazza’s as well as some corporate shows. In July 2013, select Jammin’ Music students played onstage in Los Angeles alongside well-known artists such as Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips, Chicago guitarist Dawayne Bailey and members of the Beach Boys.
“Music is the birthright of every person, and studies show that kids who learn music do better in school,” says Parry. “Learning an instrument and performing live also builds self-confidence, which helps in all aspects of life.”
The First Fridays Art Walk will take place at businesses along Atlantic Avenue in Bixby Knolls.
The Big Red Bus will be available to transport attendees from venue to venue via designated stops at the participating businesses.
Bella Cosa, 3803 Atlantic Ave., will have information about First Fridays, maps, business info, and restaurant recommendations from 6:30pm to 8pm.
The nonprofit organization For The Child will accept new children’s book donations near the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association offices, 4313 Atlantic Ave. The books will support one of For The Child’s services to the community— Kids’ Place childcare centers, which are located in nine Los Angeles County Superior Courthouses, including the George Deukmejian Courthouse in downtown Long Beach.
For the Child opened the first one in Long Beach in 2002 to keep children out of adult proceedings they are too young to understand and could find traumatizing. The Long Beach Courthouse has 6,000 child visits each year. For The Child reports that their greatest need is for books written for kids age 4 to 8 years old.
After First Fridays, books can be delivered directly to For The Child’s Bixby Knolls location at 4565 California Ave. Those interested in coordinating a Kids’ Place book drive of their own can contact Shannon Chamberlain at SChamberlain@ForTheChild.org or (562) 422-8472.
More Information
firstfridayslongbeach.com
Source: BKBIA
