Welcome to our Special Events Page! Here we list, chronologically, upcoming Workshops, Classes, Concerts, & all other Events that aren’t described on our ongoing Classes Page.
Everything listed on both the Classes Page & the Events Page, should also be found on our Calendar.
Please call (941) 966-5800 anytime to register or for more information. Registration is advanced payment, name, phone number, & email. It’s non-refundable unless we cancel the class or event, in which case you’ll be contacted by phone. Any registrations the day of an event or class, or surprise walk-ins, will be accommodated as best we can, if there is room, & may cost more.
Beginner W. African Djembe
Weekly Hand-drumming Classes this Spring!
at The Ukulele Place at The Rhythm Inlet, Nokomis
8 Wednesdays: February 26 ~ April 15; 7-8:30pm
The remaining weeks of this class will be held in-store, as well as online on Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page, for updates, links, & instructions.
With a focus on teaching proper hand technique & interlocking rhythm patterns, she masterfully & sequentially brings you to finding your place in the beat, & your class to playing as a multi-rhythmic ensemble!
Perfect for raw beginners, drum circle enthusiasts, musicians seeking rhythmic training, & folks with some exposure to drumming who want instruction with a solid foundation.
Welcome adults, motivated teens, & youth ages 10 & up with instructor permission. No musical experience needed. Group rhythmic entrainment is relaxing & energizing, & a positive experience for all!
Pre-paid registration required! FMI & to Register: 941-966-5800.
A minimum of 12 people are needed in order for the class to fly!
Weekly Series: $150 in advance, or $165 the day of, cash or check; includes 8-Class Series, & a take-home, play-along 2-CD set. Wanna check it out first to see if it’s right for you? Register & pay $25 in advance, or $30 the day of, for the first night.*
*If you choose to continue, your balance for the series is due before you leave, & your total tuition will remain the same.
Need a drum? Bring $3 cash each week for an in-class drum rental, or BYO tuned djembe, bougarabou, or ashiko drum.
Your Instructor:
Barbara Gail, BA Ed., is co-owner of The Rhythm Inlet in Nokomis. She’s a teacher’s teacher & seasoned master instructor to djembe students, for pre-teens to eighty-somethings, since 1996.
Barbara refers to herself as a “Rhythmist”, serving as a Pied Piper & Ambassador of Rhythm since 1994, spreading the joys of rhythm & movement, hand-drumming & dance, to people of all ages, abilities, & challenges, over 2 thousand times, in schools, conferences, retreats, & community centers, in her dynamic, “edu-taining” performances, classes, & programs.
Though she plays & has taught numerous hand-drums & percussion instruments professionally, the Djembe was her first love.
RSVP & Share the Meetup Event Page for this Class
RSVP & Share the Facebook Event Page for this Class
Check out & Share Barbara’s YouTube Channel
Friend & Follow Barbara on Facebook
Like & Love Barbara’s DrumRise: The Art of Women’s Drumming on Facebook
Open Mic-a-lele at The Ukulele Place!
Friday, February 28; 6:30-8:30pm
We invite you to our monthly event, an open mic night we like to call ‘An Open Mic-a-lele’!
Since adding an Open Mic portion of the evening to our monthly Ukulele Sing ‘n’ Strum Alongs, it became so popular that it was time to give it its own event.
Our first Open Mic-a-lele was in January, 2019. We were impressed by how many ukulele folks
All instruments are welcome, as solos, duets, trios, quartets. (Sorry trap-set drummers, no room for you…) The only requirement is that at least one ukulele needs to be included in the act!
We have a P.A. with effects, condenser & dynamic mics, stands & cables, music stands, & chairs.
You’re invited to present your latest creation, rough or polished. It’s a safe place to give it a try, so come on out & play. Then there’s the equally important role of audience! We welcome all listeners & toe-tappers.
For those who need it, there’ll be a brief orientation to the equipment at the beginning. At the end of the evening, Jeff can lead a roundtable discussion for anyone who cares to share about performance tips & techniques, for any & all interested.
Important!
** You need to call Jeff at 941-966-5800 to sign up to play.
** If ya gotta cancel, please be considerate & call him again, to let him know.
Cost is $3 per person.
Feel free to bring refreshments to share, thanks!
This event also has a description & RSVP list on Facebook.
And on Meetup, too.
Feature Fridays, Spring Session, with Jeff Hanna
An all levels ukulele class
Fridays: March 6 ~ April 24; 1-2:30pm
The remaining weeks of this class will be held in-store, as well as online on Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page, for updates, links, & instructions.
‘Feature Fridays’ is an instruction & technique Friday class for all levels, & focuses on one genre or theme for a month (or 2 or more). Chord & strum challenges will be offered for those who seek them.
If fearful & find it foolish to follow paths to folly on Fridays, do as you feel. You are free to suggest future Friday features.
This Season’s Feature Fridays Theme, ‘The Country Collection’, returns from long ago!
If there are specific songs you’d like Jeff to include with the collection, from the ‘Soundtrack of Your Life’, please get in touch ASAP so that he has time to be working on the arrangement.
(If you’re unable to join us, Jeff will make the chart collection available for some remuneration.)
Pre-paid Registration is required, & space is limited!
Cost is $60 per month, & includes a one-month Membership to The Rhythm Inlet & The Ukulele Place!
OR $20 drop-in; please call ahead to be certain he has room in the class, & if so, he has time to be prepared for you! Thanks!
FMI & to register, call Jeff at 941-966-5800.
RSVP & Share the Meetup Event Page for this Spring Session, thanks!
Spring Sing ’n’ Strum-Along, with the Suncoast Sand Fleas
Friday, March 13; 6:30-8:30pm
SING ‘n’ STRUM ALONG – A Suncoast Sand Fleas Ukulele Meetup each month at The Ukulele Place at The Rhythm Inlet. Everyone’s welcome, all levels of players, beginners to professional, & friends to listen & groove! Come strum, sing, toe tap, percuss, or simply relax & enjoy the music & merriment of some friendly folks.
We use The Daily Ukulele books — both the yellow one & the blue one — by Liz & Jim Beloff, available on Amazon. Don’t have copies yet? No problem! We’re always happy to share. And some members bring plenty of copies of music when they’d like to lead the group in a song that’s not in the books.
SOCIAL – Several of us go out for food & drink in the ‘hood afterwards. You’re invited!
COST – We ask that everyone please drop a few bucks in the bucket to help keep the lights on at The UKULELE Place. Thanks! 🙂
NOTE: The Suncoast Sand Fleas is a ukulele Meetup group that organizes & enjoys many other uke-related activities in the area as well. And they have a presence on 2 websites: Meetup & Facebook.
Here’s the dif:
* Visit or join the Sand Fleas on Meetup for all upcoming events announcements.
* Visit or join the Sand Fleas on Facebook for sharing & viewing fun posts (& some events, too, but those sometimes get lost in all the other posts).
Stay updated on events & communicate with members by joining those pages.
The Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio, in Concert
Saturday, March 14, 7pm
Heather Pierson’s Acoustic Trio, on tour from New Hampshire, is a rare bunch. With Heather’s original songwriting & her trio’s instrumental virtuosity, you’ll hear stirring, 3-part vocal harmonies, along with acoustic guitar, ukulele, U-bass, tenor banjo, keyboards, cornet, dobro, fiddle, mandolin, & stand-up bass!
These highly-skilled musicians bring
Heather’s Trio gave one of the most entertaining, artistic, & engaging performances we’ve hosted in our 46 years! Their consummate musicianship, gorgeous vocal harmonies, & excellent songwriting held me & our full-house audience spellbound. Individually, the three of them are terrific. As a trio they are astounding… The walls of our little venue hold many wonderful sounds & memories. We’ve just added some of the best. ~ Dave Humphreys, Two Way Street Coffeehouse, Downers Grove, IL
Limited seating!
$20 advance; or $25 the day of.
Complimentary refreshments, as always, delightfully served during intermission.
Reserve today at The Rhythm Inlet: 941-966-5800.
Check out, RSVP & Share our Meetup Event Page
Check out, RSVP & Share our Facebook Event Page
Check out, Like & Share this Awesome Video of theirs on YouTube
Check out, Subscribe to & Share Heather’s YouTube Channel
Check out, Like & Share Heather’s Facebook Page
Check out, Follow & Share Heather’s Instagram
March Open Mic-a-lele at The Ukulele Place!
Friday, March 27; 6:30-8:30pm
Cancelled until further notice, we’ll let you know via email if we decide to hold this online with Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page.
We invite you to our monthly event, an open mic night we like to call ‘An Open Mic-a-lele’!
Since adding an Open Mic portion of the evening to our monthly Ukulele Sing ‘n’ Strum Alongs, it became so popular that it was time to give it its own event.
Our first Open Mic-a-lele was in January, 2019. We were impressed by how many ukulele folks
All instruments are welcome to perform in your group: as solos, duets, trios, quartets. (Sorry trap-set drummers, no room for you…) The only requirement is that at least one ukulele needs to be included in the act!
We have a P.A. with effects, condenser & dynamic mics, stands & cables, music stands, & chairs.
You’re invited to present your latest creation, rough or polished. It’s a safe place to give it a try, so come on out & play. Then there’s the equally important role of audience! We welcome all listeners & toe-tappers.
For those who need it, there’ll be a brief orientation to the equipment at the beginning. At the end of the evening, Jeff can lead a roundtable discussion for anyone who cares to share about performance tips & techniques, for any & all interested.
Important!
** You need to call Jeff at 941-966-5800 to sign up to play.
** If ya gotta cancel, please be considerate & call him again, to let him know.
Cost is $3 per person.
Feel free to bring refreshments to share, thanks!
This event also has a description & RSVP list on Facebook.
And on Meetup, too.
Learn to Play Chord Melodies on the Ukulele, with Mike Lehner
5 Mondays: March 30 thru April 27; 2-4pm
Pre-registration required & is limited to 12 students, so register early!
Cancelled until further notice, we’ll let you know via email if we decide to hold this online with Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page.
An introduction to chord melody playing on the re-entrant tuned ukulele, covering 3 different methods of chord melody arranging. Emphasis will also placed on right & left-hand techniques.
By completion, you’ll have sufficient skill & knowledge to create your own chord melodies!
*Bring: paper & pencil, The Daily Ukulele: 365 Songs for Better Living, by Jim Beloff (available on Amazon), & a chord book that with moveable chords up the neck (suggested: Treasury of Ukulele Chords, by Roy Sakuma).
*Pre-requisite: Mike’s first series, Learning to Play Single-Note Melodies on the Ukulele, or the ability to read single note melodies from sheet music. If you haven’t taken that class, please speak with Mike first.
Mike Lehner is a retired teacher with over 25 years teaching in the U.S. & overseas. He’s been playing the ukulele for 8 years, teaching ukulele for 7; 4 of those at The Ukulele Place at The Rhythm Inlet.
Price is $100 pre-paid cash or check only, payable to The Rhythm Inlet, & is separate from our Membership Program.
FMI about class content & curriculum, please call Mike: 941-365-1073.
Pre-paid Registration Required
Please call Jeff at The Ukulele Place at The Rhythm Inlet, anytime with questions & to register: 941-966-5800
Please RSVP & share the Facebook Event Page, thanks!
Please RSVP & share the Meetup Event Page, thanks!
Jim D’Ville from New Mexico, Ukulele Workshop & Concert!
Saturday, April 4
Workshop: 2:30-4:45pm (with a 15 minute break)
Concert: 7pm
Cancelled until further notice, we’ll let you know via email if we reschedule with Jim! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page.
Workshop 1st hour, The Emotional Value of Chords
There is a chord associated with each of the seven notes of a major scale. When played in context, each chord evokes a certain emotional response from the listener. Learning these chordal relationships will open your ears to the chord progressions to millions of songs. This is the first step to playing by ear. Knowledge of finger positions for C, dm, em, F, G, am, bdim are helpful.
Workshop 2nd hour, Buddy Holly By Ear
Buddy Holly changed the face of rock & roll. And he did it in just 18 months! With blues-based classics like
Jim’s ‘Play Ukulele By Ear’ workshops are a high-energy roller coaster of learning & laughs. He is a one-of-a-kind. Buckle up! ~ James Hill
Meet Jim D’Ville
At age 43, after ten years of trying to memorize banjo tab & then play it back, Jim’s wife’s grandmother gave him a 70-year-old Columbia Hawaiian soprano ukulele that had been in her closet for more than 50 years.
To please grandma, he took the uke & bought an instruction book, but was tired of memorizing music out of books! That approach hadn’t turned him into a musician on the banjo, & he doubted that it’d have a different outcome on the ukulele.
Instead, Jim practiced chord progressions & inversions, & listened to the sounds he was making. Developing an emotional relationship with the chords, he realized why songwriters choose specific chords to garner a certain emotional response from the listener.
Jim’s calling was revealed — to teach other adult beginners the fundamentals of music from an ear-based approach. He’s a music educator & facilitator on a mission to get ukulele players off the paper & playing music by ear.
For nearly a decade, Jim has taught his Play Ukulele By Ear workshops to thousands of players in the United States, Canada, Australia, & the United Kingdom, & has taught & performed at major ukulele events including the Ukulele Festival of Scotland, Kerrville Folk Festival, the NAMM Show, Melbourne (Australia) Ukulele Festival, West Coast Ukulele Retreat & many others.
Jim is the author of the Play Ukulele By Ear DVD series & hosts PlayUkuleleByEar.com, & is a Contributing Editor to Ukulele magazine. He’s sponsored in-part by Ukulele & Aquila Strings.
Workshop: $35 in advance, or $40 the day of
Concert: $20 in advance, or $25 the day of
Workshop & Concert: $50 in advance, or $60 the day of
Complimentary refreshments delightfully served during concert intermission.
FMI & to Register with your Pre-payment:
Call The Rhythm Inlet 941-966-5800.
Space is limited! Please call today!
Check out & Share the Facebook Event Page
Check out & Share the Meetup Event Page
Check out & Share Jim’s Facebook
Check out & Share Jim’s Website
Introducing The Rover Brothers
Check out, Subscribe to & Share Jim’s YouTube Channel
Check out, Like & Share Jim’s Play Ukulele By Ear Workshops Are Fun! Video
April Sing ’n’ Strum-Along, with the Suncoast Sand Fleas
Friday, April 10; 6:30-8:30pm
Cancelled until further notice, we’ll let you know via email if we decide to hold this online with Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page.
SING ‘n’ STRUM ALONG – A Suncoast Sand Fleas Ukulele Meetup each month at The Ukulele Place at The Rhythm Inlet. Everyone’s welcome, all levels of players, beginners to professional, & friends to listen & groove! Come strum, sing, toe tap, percuss, or simply relax & enjoy the music & merriment of some friendly folks.
We use The Daily Ukulele books — both the yellow one & the blue one — by Liz & Jim Beloff, available on Amazon. Don’t have copies yet? No problem! We’re always happy to share. And some members bring plenty of copies of music when they’d like to lead the group in a song that’s not in the books.
SOCIAL – Several of us go out for food & drink in the ‘hood afterwards. You’re invited!
COST – We ask that everyone please drop a few bucks in the bucket to help keep the lights on at The UKULELE Place. Thanks! 🙂
NOTE: The Suncoast Sand Fleas is a ukulele Meetup group that organizes & enjoys many other uke-related activities in the area as well. And they have a presence on 2 websites: Meetup & Facebook.
Here’s the dif:
* Visit or join the Sand Fleas on Meetup for all upcoming events announcements.
* Visit or join the Sand Fleas on Facebook for sharing & viewing fun posts (& some events, too, but those sometimes get lost in all the other posts).
Stay updated on events & communicate with members by joining those pages.
April Open Mic-a-lele at The Ukulele Place!
Friday, April 24; 6:30-8:30pm
Cancelled until further notice, we’ll let you know via email if we decide to hold this online with Zoom! So sign up for our newsletters, found on the bottom of this page.
We invite you to our monthly event, an open mic night we like to call ‘An Open Mic-a-lele’!
Since adding an Open Mic portion of the evening to our monthly Ukulele Sing ‘n’ Strum Alongs, it became so popular that it was time to give it its own event.
Our first Open Mic-a-lele was in January, 2019. We were impressed by how many ukulele folks
All instruments are welcome to perform:: as solos, duets, trios, quartets. (Sorry trap-set drummers, no room for you…) The only requirement is that at least one ukulele needs to be included in the act!
We have a P.A. with effects, condenser & dynamic mics, stands & cables, music stands, & chairs.
You’re invited to present your latest creation, rough or polished. It’s a safe place to give it a try, so come on out & play. Then there’s the equally important role of audience! We welcome all listeners & toe-tappers.
For those who need it, there’ll be a brief orientation to the equipment at the beginning. At the end of the evening, Jeff can lead a roundtable discussion for anyone who cares to share about performance tips & techniques, for any & all interested.
Important!
**** You do need to call Jeff at 941-966-5800 to sign up to play.
**** If ya gotta cancel, please be so kind & call him again, to let him know.
Cost is $3 per person.
Feel free to bring refreshments to share, thanks!
This event also has a description & RSVP list on Facebook.
And on Meetup, too.
Feature Fridays: ‘Summer Songs’ on the Ukulele, Join from Anywhere, on Zoom
Fridays, 1-2:30pm; May 8 ~ June 26
An all levels ukulele class
‘Feature Fridays‘ is an instruction & technique Friday class for all levels, & focuses on one genre or theme for a month (or 2 or more). Chord & strum challenges will be offered for those who seek them.
This Season’s Feature Fridays Theme, ‘Summer Songs’, is inspired by these early summer months, during the time of physical distancing & sheltering in place. And you can now join us from anywhere, from the comfort of your own home.
So let’s bring on the summer vibe with our happy ukes, & create our own summer breeze!
If there are specific songs you’d like Jeff to include with the collection, from the Soundtrack of
If fearful & find it foolish to follow paths to folly on Fridays, do as you feel. You are free to suggest future Friday features.
Pre-registration is required. Note that folks have already been registering!
This class, like all of our classes right now, are absolutely FREE! We do mean that. And we also accept donations, whether $1, or $25, or the regular price of $60 monthly membership, or the actual total cost of $120 for the 2 months of weekly classes. Whatever you choose, we want you here. Ask about your included 2-Month Membership!
FMI & to register, call Jeff at 941-966-5800.
Zoom Link & Access Password will be in our eNewsletters, soon. Sign up to receive those, on the Events page on this website.
Please RSVP on & Share the Meetup Event Page for this early summer session, thanks!
May & June Weekly Open Mic-a-lele, Zoom Style!
Every Friday, beginning May 8th; 5:30pm
Now it’s weekly, & on Zoom! It’s an open mic night we like to call ‘An Open Mic-a-lele’.
Every Friday evening beginning May 8th, at 5:30pm, join Jeff on Zoom as he hosts open mics with ukes! All instruments are welcome, as solos, duets, trios, quartets, etc., as long as at least one uke is in your act.
Whether a work-in-progress, or polished, whether amateur or pro, we invite you to share your latest creations! It’s a safe place to give it a try, so come on into our Zoom room, & play.
And there’s the equally important role of audience!
The Open Mic-a-lele Zoom Link & Access Password: 063717 will both remain the same for each week in May & June.
Our first Open Mic-a-lele was in January, 2019, & an impressive number of ukulele folks signed up to share their musical joy. What touched us the most was seeing all the friends who attended, not to perform, but to simply listen & support their fellow ukers. <3
Important!
**** You do need to call Jeff at 941-966-5800 to sign up to play.
**** If ya gotta cancel, please be so kind & call him again, to let him know.
We ask for a $3 per person donation, thank you.
This event also has a description & RSVP list on Facebook.
And on Meetup, too.