Spirit Jam

Spirit Jam is a workshop for vocal improvisation based in healing and transformation. This workshop is about bringing together people from all backgrounds to create music together. You need not be a “musician” to attend Spirit Jam, because it’s about sharing the medicine of music-making with all people.

The workshop contains three parts. First, Leah guides the group through vocal exercises that get the voice ready to sing with ease. Second, Leah leads the group in music making “games”. These ”games” help to develop a shared understanding with the group about ways to improvise and how to connect while improvising. After a short break, the group then transitions into the Spirit Jam. The jam begins with intention setting and continues in a spontaneous and free-flowing musical journey that empowers participants to be both leaders and supporters in music-making.

The Spirit Jam workshops can be a powerful experience. Because the jam is improvised, the sessions are always different. Often, there will be laughter, movement, tears and, of course, beauty.

The name, “Spirit Jam”, comes from the mystical connection between breath and the spirit. In Hebrew, the word for spirit/soul is נְשָׁמָה (N’shama). The word for breath is נְשִׁימָה (N’sheema). They share the same root. In Sanskrit, the word for breath and Spirit is प्राण (Prana). When a person sings, they are adding sound to moving breath. So, if breath is connected to Spirit, then a group singing together is a unification of Spirits… a Spirit Jam.