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Jam Squad: making music with your kids at the library

CBC Music and the Library Partnership program have launched a series of free music-making weekend sessions for parents and kids.

CBC Music and the Library Partnership Program have launched a series of free music-making sessions

Grant Lawrence · CBC Music ·
A child and library volunteer have lots of fun on their tablet and headphones at CBC Music's Jam Squad launch in Brampton, February 2023.
A volunteer and participant in CBC Music's Jam Squad delight at the music being created. (CBC Music)

Has your child ever been shushed in a library for being too loud? This winter, you can make all the noise you want at your local Ontario library, courtesy of Jam Squad, CBC Music's newest project in support of musical literacy.

Jam Squad is a series of interactive, one-hour library sessions where kids and parents create and build songs together, using a tablet with GarageBand. The program was launched February 18 and 19, 2023, at libraries in Brampton and Markham, and it proved to be a huge hit with kids, parents and librarians alike.

"The Jam Squad GarageBand workshop was a great experience for families!" exclaimed Brampton Four Corners branch librarian Skye Soobramanie. "The participants and their parents enjoyed creating music together, and expressed a lot of interest in having more programming like this at the library. It was awesome to see everyone in the room engage with the workshop and have a lot of fun."

The Jam Squad GarageBand workshop was a great experience for families!- Skye Soobramanie, Brampton librarian

Jam Squad is also a productive way for parents to share some positive screen time with their kids, while being musically creative at the same time. 

Ryan Green brought his daughter Maddy and step-daughter Ryah to the Jam Squad launch.

Maddy Green, along with her father Ryan and sister Ryah, show nothing but smiles at the Jam Squad launch event in Brampton, Ontario.
Left to right: Maddy Green, Ryan Green, and Ryah Stroeder enjoy the Jam Squad launch event in Brampton. (CBC Music)

"If this technology was around when I was a kid, I would have made a lot more music," said Green. "I did play music when I was younger, but this is next level, and it's so easily accessible. I thought it was a really cool experience for the girls."

If this technology was around when I was a kid, I would have made a lot more music.- Ryan Green, participating parent at Jam Squad launch

Maddy confirmed her dad's feelings: "It was really fun, and my sister was jumping off the walls because she was so excited!"

CBC Music producer and Juno-nominated singer Jasmine Denham was also in Brampton for the launch.

"I can't get over the look of pride that parents had in their eyes as they watched their children create and experiment at the Jam Squad launch," said Denham. "So many of them expressed gratitude for providing such a unique workshop for free in their community. It was humbling and heartwarming to see."

Here's how Jam Squad works:

  • Two CBC Music Jam Squad leaders will visit 12 libraries across Ontario on weekends in February and March (see specific dates and locations below). 

  • Our Jam Squad leaders will come equipped with tablets and headphones for participants — you don't have to bring anything.

  • The Jam Squad leaders will conduct hourly workshops to show kids and parents how easy and fun it is to make their own music and beats on tablets. 

  • At the end of every session, the participants share their beats, and the Jam Squad leaders will help kids to share their newly composed music with friends and family. 

  • All participants must pre-register here, and participation in Jam Squad is 100 per cent free.

  • CBC Music will leave a tablet behind at the library for use by the community after the workshops, so the beats will go on.

"Music is a great way to express your creativity," said parent participant Shawn Simonelli. "Jam Squad was fantastic. If there is more of this in the future we will definitely be back!"

Shawn and Madison Simonelli intently enjoy Jam Squad at their local library in Brampton for the Jam Squad launch event in February, 2023.
Shawn and Madison Simonelli enjoy Jam Squad at their local library in Brampton, Ont. (CBC Music)

Check out the following Jam Squad dates across Ontario*:

  • Saturday, Feb. 25, Victoria Avenue Library, Niagara Falls, Ont.
  • Sunday, Feb. 26, Brantford Public Library (main branch), Brantford, Ont.
  • Saturday, March 4, Waverley Resource Library, Thunder Bay, Ont.  
  • Saturday, March 11, Greenboro Public Library, Ottawa. 
  • Sunday, March 12, Beaverbrook Public Library, Ottawa.
  • Tuesday March 14, Barrie Public Library (Painswick branch), Barrie, Ont. 
  • Thursday March 16, McLaughlin Branch, Oshawa, Ont.
  • Saturday, March 18, North Branch Public Library, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
  • Saturday, March 25,  Chatham-Kent Public Library, Chatham, Ont.
  • Sunday, March 26, Riverside Public Library, Windsor, Ont.

Please register for Jam Squad here.

Jam Squad is produced by CBC Music through the Library Partnership Program. 

*Jam Squad is currently piloting this project in Ontario libraries. We hope to take it to libraries across Canada soon! 

Check out CBC Music's Jam Squad at libraries across Ontario in February and March 2023.
Jam Squad is CBC Music's new initiative to allow children and parents to make their own music in libraries across Ontario. (CBC Music)

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