York Music Forum

11/07/2026

🕹️ New Game Alert: Note Recognition!

I've just added a brand new game to the YMF Musician's Toolbox - and it's built for players of all ages (especially fun for the 9-14 crowd, but honestly addictive at any age). Note Recognition, part of the YMF Musician's Toolbox, helps you learn to read notes on the stave with speed and confidence.

Choose your clef (treble or bass), pick your level - Rocket Cadet, Pilot, or Ace - and see how many notes you can name before the clock runs out. Or switch to Sudden Death mode if you're feeling brave: one wrong answer and it's game over! Build streaks for bonus points, chase 3-star ratings, and beat your personal best. Everything saves right in your browser - no login, no accounts, just play. 🎯 Perfect for anyone who wants to sharpen their stave-reading skills. Ian

Interactive musical tools and ear training games for York Music Forum members

02/07/2026

I’ve redesigned our Musician’s Toolbox so it’s even easier to use! It’s free and no sign-up required. It’s a handy practice companion whenever you have a few minutes to spare.

Tools:
Major/Minor Relative Keys
Scale Finder
Chord Builder
Jazz Metronome

Games:
Interval Recognition
Chord Recognition
Chord Construction (new!)
Key Signature Trainer
Major Mode Recognition
Rhythm Trainer (new!)

I’ve added two new games. ‘Chord Construction’ challenges you to build chords on a stave, from triads up to 13ths, so it's a great way to test your chord knowledge across the full range. ‘Rhythm Trainer’ gives you a rhythm with a count-in, then you tap it back at beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels - perfect for tightening up your timing. Give them a go and let us know how you get on! Ian

https://ymf-toolbox.lovable.app/

Interactive musical tools and ear training games for York Music Forum members

23/05/2026

🎵 Album of the Week: Could We Be More — Kokoroko

Join the discussion in the YMF Listening Lounge:
https://ymf-listening-lounge.lovable.app

Album Of The Week doesn't always have to be a 'classic album'. We are looking at a modern masterpiece of horn-led groove music. Kokoroko is an 8-piece powerhouse band from London that has completely revitalized the modern scene. On their brilliant studio album, Could We Be More, they blend traditional jazz improvisation with the heavy, hypnotic, head-nodding rhythms of Afrobeat, funk, and soul. Led by a stellar front-line horn section, this record is 100% clean, vibrant, and packed with incredible melodies.

What to listen for: Check out the track 'We Give Thanks' or 'Tojo'. For the horn players, this album is a masterclass in section playing. Listen to how the trumpet, saxophone, and trombone blend together to play massive, unforgettable unison hooks - it is all about power, timing, and warmth rather than just playing fast notes. For the rhythm section, listen to the layer of percussion underneath the drums. The guitars and bass lock into continuous, danceable loops that give the horns a huge foundation to fly over.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/48e8LFqiVUxumlXDIVyNYl?si=cbcoQRAgS9qatYf-C5Y_bA

Kokoroko · album · 2022 · 15 songs

10/05/2026

I’ve added some great improvements in our Musician’s Toolbox! It’s redesigned with a ‘mobile 1st’ approach. All the sounds are an authentic acoustic piano and I’ve fixed a few ‘accidental convention’ issues/gliches. It’s a much better/fun learning tool now… Ian https://ymf-toolbox.lovable.app and it’s still free for anyone to use!

06/05/2026

Album Of The Week
Wayne Shorter is arguably the greatest composer in jazz history, and this album is his masterpiece. Recorded in 1964 but released in 1966, Speak No Evil moves away from the aggressive 'fire' of other 60s records and moves into a world of mystery and folklore. It features an incredible lineup, including Herbie Hancock on piano and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, creating a sound that feels like a dark, sophisticated film score.
What to listen for: The title track, 'Speak No Evil', has one of the most famous melodies in jazz - it’s haunting and cool. For the horn players, listen to how Wayne Shorter doesn't just play fast scales; he tells a story with long notes and unusual intervals. For the rhythm section, notice how Herbie Hancock uses 'space' - he doesn't play on every beat, allowing the music to breathe and feel 'dreamy'. This album proves that jazz can be intellectual and incredibly catchy at the same time.

10/04/2026

🎵 Album of the Week: The Sidewinder — Lee Morgan. Listen at…

https://ymf-listening-lounge.lovable.app

If you want to hear the exact moment jazz met the 'soul' of the 1960s, this is it. Lee Morgan was a trumpet prodigy who joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers at just 18, but The Sidewinder was his breakout masterpiece as a leader. The title track became an unlikely crossover hit on the pop charts, legendary for its infectious, 'boogaloo' beat and Morgan’s swaggering, bluesy trumpet lines.

What to listen for: The opening track, 'The Sidewinder' is a masterclass in how to play 'in the pocket' - notice how the rhythm section creates a groove that feels impossible not to nod along to. For the horn players, listen to Morgan’s 'half-valve' techniques and his incredible use of dynamics; he makes the trumpet sound like it’s laughing and talking. This album saved the Blue Note record label from bankruptcy and redefined the 'cool' sound of the decade. It’s essential listening for anyone who wants to understand how jazz can be both intellectually complex and a total party.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1n1trPeeY9Q5H4eLbbHHRg?si=lwDTBAMZQ7GUh2qLaAI2Zw

Lee Morgan · album · 1964 · 6 songs

04/04/2026

We are proud to announce the launch of the YMF Listening Lounge - a curated digital archive and educational resource dedicated to the history and evolution of jazz.

From 1920s New Orleans roots to the cutting-edge post-2000s scene, the Lounge provides a roadmap of the music that defines our ensemble.

What is inside:

Instrument Collections: Masterclass playlists for every section, from Alto Sax to Trombone and the Rhythm Section.

Contextual History: Brief backstories on the legends who shaped the sound.

Album of the Week: We are kicking things off with Michael Brecker’s modern masterpiece, Tales from the Hudson (1996).

How to Access:

Members: Access the Lounge via the YMF Member Hub landing page. (Please fully close and restart your app to see the new link).

Non-Members & Friends: You can explore the collection directly at: ymf-listening-lounge.lovable.app

At YMF, we believe the more we listen together, the better we play together.