Making Music and Friends

Monday Night Music at Epiphany Space
Written by Kara Christensen

I pour myself a delicious glass of lemonade; and notice the plate of still warm ginger snaps baked by Cortney Matz herself. A few regulars are gathered in a semi-circle holding guitars, ukuleles and sheets of freshly written songs. Cortney smiles and waves at me as I take a seat with the eclectic group. They turn and shake my hand. Somehow, I feel I just made six new friends. It’s Monday night, it’s the Epiphany Space songwriting circle, and it’s fabulous.

Cortney asks the musicians how they are doing, and we answer with anecdotes from the past week. Broken guitar strings, stories of busking on Hollywood Blvd., and broken hearts are easily shared. Cortney starts off the night playing one of her original songs, and then turns to the group. Katie Ludden plays a song she made up while cooking pancakes for her children. The melody and her voice ring out beautifully across the Hollywood night. The group chimes in with encouragement and suggestions. As the night goes on, the Capitol Records building winks at us from two blocks away. Outside lights give off a warm glow, I snuggle deeper into my sweatshirt, and the music wraps me in sweet songs, surprising baritones, and fresh lyrics.

The crowd changes weekly. They show up to share their music, their dreams, try out new songs and bask in the company of fellow musicians. The whole thing has a peaceful, encouraging vibe. It’s low commitment and incredibly relaxing. Songs are also played so that the group can jam along. You never know what you are going to hear, both musically and story-wise from the people who show up.

If you play an instrument, and/or write songs, this is definitely a safe place to workshop your work and find other musicians. On top of that, once a month the back patio turns into a concert venue with an open mic for only $5. So whether you are looking for new acts and musicians or want to improve your own sound… this is the place to be.

Kara Christensen is a screenwriter in Hollywood. Kara is active in the Epiphany Space community, co-leading events for writers, and recently wrote and directed an immersive play for the Hollywood Fringe festival, Rainbow Brite Power Naps. For fun, Kara writes a blog about recipes, wardrobe ideas, and maybe one or two posts about sex.