Thowback: Jamming with friends, with my harp!
Growing up, jamming was a way to hang out with friends. I loved it because we were creating, not consuming (like we usually do with food or movies when spending time with friends). There’s a different kind of fulfillment that comes from jamming; it's not like paid work, where expectations can take the fun out of it. It feels more like a party quest in MapleStory.
A friend recently dug up an old video of one of these jam sessions, which inspired this post. So here is a little archive of random, impromptu jamming moments from over the years, ranging from recent to really ancient.
1. Thinking Out Loud with Linus (2025)
My friend Linus is a budding singer-songwriter and our favourite artists include Ed Sheeran and Lauv. This is our harp-guitar-vocal rendition of Thinking Out Loud.
Linus' website: https://linusrphoon.com/
2. When a Child is Born with Gavin (2020)
A Christmas special!!
3. Fly Me to The Moon with Eugenia (2020)
Eugenia and I were studying a Diploma in Architecture together many years ago. Architecture was so hectic that we only had time to film this harp-and-vocal duo after graduating. We also both decided the field wasn't for us!
4. 小幸运 with my Cell Group (2019)
My church cell group was celebrating an occasion (we held celebrations frequently and I can’t recall what this one was about) and as part of the program, we threw a sing-along to the then popular song, 小幸运. I brought my lap harp to accompany my friends' guitar and singing.
4. 情非得已 with Ying Ying (2017)
Ying Ying and I used to volunteer together biweekly as musicians at the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. So we'd frequently pull together mandarin and dialect songs to jam to entertain elderly patients in wards.
5. From Now On with Jacyline (2016)
Jacyline doesn't play any musical instrument, but she managed to learn how to play the melody of From Now On, from the then hit movie, The Greatest Showman, in under half an hour.
6. Over The Rainbow with Chermaine (2013)
Chermaine and I were in Secondary 4. One weekend, Chermaine came over to my place with a ukelele in hand.
