Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 22/02) - Delta musicians and music fans have a bright spot to go to every week now as darkness descends along with the temperature.

Bob Mumford jams during last week's get-together at Inuvik's Small Family Hall. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

The Delta Folk Club started last Saturday at the Small Family Hall as an outlet for local players to rub shoulders and share some songs.

Organizer Colum McReady said the club is a good way to keep sane during the winter months.

"We should call it the 'Preventing people from going nuts club,' " McReady joked.

"It's a place for people to escape to."

He said they've been doing the get-togethers over the past few years in different venues and under different names.

"Last year, it was called the Fiddler's Roost, but we didn't get too many fiddlers coming along, so we had to change the name," McReady said.

It's an informal coffee house atmosphere where musicians can come out to share and get some exposure playing in front of other people.

"Richard Nerysoo started coming out and at first he was kind of shy to play, but now he joins right in," McReady said.

He brings along a selection of instruments and has even offered lessons during the sessions.

"People come along and pick up tips and tricks from other musicians," he said.

Musician Bob Mumford said the club could grow into the type of society that was here about 10 years ago, when they had 20 to 30 members in the music society.

"We had coffee houses about once a month at Ingamo Hall," Mumford said. "There'd be anywhere from eight to 12 performers who would get up and play. Sometimes it was just people jamming and it was good."

As time wore on, people moved away and some lost interest, but he hopes that interest will be rekindled in the new club.

"Things sort of died down here, but now we might be getting things together again," Mumford said.

He has hopes the group of musicians might be a stepping stone for something larger.

"We were talking about the idea of organizing a music festival in conjunction with the arts festival that would emphasize local musicians," Mumford said.

He recalled how the last society formed the Great Northern Music Festival and they brought in many big name acts from the south.

"They were musicians who were in the circuit, but we'd also feature Northern musicians too," he said.

"It was a pretty big event. It was a weekend affair, but it was a huge undertaking and sort of burned out everybody who did it."

McReady thinks the idea for a music festival would be a great idea.

"Great oaks from little acorns grow," McReady said. "This could be the acorn that develops it."

The club meets each Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.