Florida Today's article on the ukulele revival

Nice article about the uke revival. If you are a uke aficionado already, you won't learn much from reading this, but heck, I'm not one to pass up an article about my favorite instrument. Link

Aloha, Dad Peare (1918 - 2004)

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. I've been away from the blog for the past two weeks, attending to my dad, who passed away on August 13. I took my ukulele with me back to Detroit and spent a lot of nice, reflective time playing and singing to Dad at the hospital. At the end he was very tired and slept most of the time, but he seemed to like the music, and it seemed only right to sing him to sleep with songs from his glory days.

The last song I sang for him was "I'll See You in My Dreams", which I chose not because of the George Harrison memorial connection, but because Dad's cousin was married to Saxie Mansfield, a tenor sax player who played with the song's composer, bandleader Isham Jones. I remember Dad recalling how several times when he was a kid, he woke up and went downstairs to find the Isham Jones Orchestra crashed in his parents' living room. Imagine having to step over Woody Herman to get to the kitchen!

So, farewell, Dad. I'll see you in my dreams...

'Uke Birthday Celebration Tonight in Honolulu

From today's Star-Bulletin:

"Today is "Ukulele Day in Hawaii," honoring the 125th anniversary of the islands' musical icon.

From 7 to 9 p.m., a ceremony recognizing the day will be held in the renovated Mission Memorial Auditorium, located on the Civic Center Grounds, makai of the State Capitol and between Honolulu Hale and the Sky Gate sculpture.

The anniversary also commemorates the Honolulu arrival of the Barkentine Ravenscrag, a Portuguese ship that departed from Madeira, bringing 419 Portuguese men, women and children to settle in Hawaii. Aboard the Ravenscrag were the men who invented, built and popularized the ukulele.

A stellar lineup of entertainers will be demonstrating the many ways that the ukulele can be played, from traditional Hawaiian to Tin Pan Alley and jazz numbers.

If you're lucky enough to go tonight, send pix!

Link

Happy 125 birthday, ukulele!

Nice Honolulu Advertiser article about the ukulele's 125 anniversary. Link (Thanks, Chris!)

Rock That Uke screening in Hollywood CA, August 14

Bill Robertson sez: "Just a heads up that ROCK THAT UKE is screening in Hollywood, CA, this Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Arclight Theater. Showtime is 2:00 pm. The promised post-screening pool party concert fell through, but there will be live uke performances outside the theater in the Arclight Courtyard! Unconfirmed report (read: to my knowledge they haven't been asked yet!) is that Larry D. and RTU featured artist King Kukulele will be on hand with a third performer I haven't met yet! for more info, check out the Don't Knock the Rock Film Festival." Link

Jake Shimabukuro profile

Jake Shimabukuro is profiled in this brief article, "Ukulele master seeks respect for his 'toy' instrument" in the South Florida Sun-SentinelLink

Update on Los Gatos uke concert August 13

I recieved this email this morning:

Just when you thought things couldn't get any better...

Today I have the honor and pleasure of announcing that Ukulele Lady and her Aloha Style Band shall be playing with us at Ukulele Night next Friday, August 13 at Borders Books in Los Gatos!!!

This means that the final official lineup is as follows:

-Tiki King
-Oliver Brown
-Beau Vine
-The UkeAholics
-Ukulele Lady and her Aloha Style Band

Each act will play for approximately 20 minutes.

You do not want to miss this event. The ukin' will start at 8:00 PM but parking can be a bitch so leave yourself plenty of time.

Borders Books is at 50 University Drive in Los Gatos, California.

Link

Uke box project

Paul Overton's step-by-step guide to making a nifty gift box out of a cigar box and a ukulele sheet music cover. Link

Hulabilly - Red Hot Hawaiian Western Swing-a-lulu

Rob of Hulabilly emailed me with a fine treat -- a free song by his band! He writes: "Hope all is swell. Just wanted to let you know that
Hulabilly has been working on new material and we just
posted an MP3 for The People. A little rough, but if you don't mind, then we don't either. Enjoy! Link

Ukes in Yachats - September 24 & 25

Jim sez: "Tickets are now on sale for Uke In Yachats, September 24th and 25, 2004 in Yachats (YA-hots), Oregon on the central coast.  Uke jazz master Lyle Ritz headlines the festival and we've just added Canadian uke virtuoso James Hill to the bill." Link

Curt Sheller's Uke Books

Curt Sheller has written several ukulele instructional books:
QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele - Volume 1
QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Tenor & Baritone Ukulele - Volume 1
Advanced Guide to Ukulele Chords - Volume I,
Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Volume I
Link

2004 San Diego Ukulele Festival is August 28 and 29

I wish I could go to this! Link

Midnight Ukulele Disco Tonight

This just in from Sonic Uke:

Midnight Ukulele Disco

Tonight, Tuesday 3rd August
10:30pm
MNN Manhattan Neighborhood Network
---------------------------------
Time Warner channel 67
RCN channel 113
Free-to-air channel 16
live stream at: mnn.org
---------------------------------

this week:
- special guest, M. David Hornbuckle, on banjo-uke
- Eve of Mass Destruction
- Ukulele Rapture II
- more Uke (in)Sanity
- unexpected guests
- live call-in 212 757 1538

Check out clips from previous shows at Ukulele Disco

Folk Uke

If I've Googled this correctly, Folk Uke is a duo comprised of Cathy Guthrie and Amy Nelson. That's Guthrie (left) as in Arlo; Nelson (right) as in Willie! They have swell T-shirts for sale on their site, but apart from a (probably) NSFW song on the homepage, not much clue as to their repertoire. Link