Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Defamer Discovers Jake

Another notch in Mr. Shimabukuro's peghead. Well, two, actually. First he rips it up on Conan O'Brien. Then gets a nice plug on Defamer.com. Video of his appearance at the link. Link

Monday, February 25, 2008

Remembrances of Genoa Keawe

As you can see from this article in The Honolulu Advertiser, Aunty Genoa touched many lives, and had a profound impact on the music of Hawaii. Link

Aloha, Aunty Genoa

Hawaiian music icon and ukulele player passed away at her Papakolea home early Monday morning, after struggling with health problems for years. She was 89. Link

Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Ukulele Cruise!


If you've ever needed an excuse to take a cruise, here you are. Shirley Orlando and Pat "Palika" Enos are your Ukulescorts for this Baja Cruise on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas. April 18th to 21st, 2008. Leaves from San Pedro, CA. Oo-wee, oo-wee, baby...won't you let me take you on a--sea cruise! Link

Bill Tapia in Concert Tonight

Tappy will be in concert tonight (February 23, 2008) at the Diamond Head Theatre, Honolulu in public celebration of his 100th birthday (his birthday was New Year's Day). Wonder if I can fly standby...

Download clips of Tappy playing "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Sheik of Araby" here!

Oh, and how's this for uke-driven optimism: Bill just bought a house in Hawaii. On a 30 year mortgage. Link

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Mockingbird Noir


THIS Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
UKULELE NOIR at Mockingbird Music in Mansfield Mass.
8:30
Craig Robertson, Mark Occhionero, Greg Hawkes and, always a special guest: Robert Wheeler


Make the trip.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Ukulogisch Museum (Kulturama 2008)

Perhaps some kind Ukulelia reader from Belgium would clue us in as to what this bit of tomfoolery is about. Looks like it was fun, though...Link

And da wind cry moron*

Pearls Before Swine is fast becoming one of my favorite comic strips. But I do have to take issue with this strip, which appeared on January 30th, 2008. As we all know, Jimi Hendrix did indeed play the ukulele. Okay, a one-stringed uke. And only until he could afford an acoustic guitar. Anyway, it's still a brilliant strip.

(*the croc, not, Stephan Pastis, ed.)

Lil' Rev in the Hood

Hey, NoCal ukers, Lil' Rev is in the vicinity and is putting on a variety of performances and workshops. This week he's in the Santa Cruz area. Click here to see his current calendar. Workshop and concert at Mike DaSilva's on Sunday, February 24th 2008! Heading Mendocino and Oregon way in March. Don't miss him!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Cliff Edwards' Last Interview?


Here's a YouTube clip of a radio interview with Cliff Edwards from the twilight days of his life. It might very well be his last recorded interview. Link

Hawaiian Quintet PPIE Instruments

Nina C asks:
"I'd like to know what all the instruments were in the picture, particularly the instrument on the left front. It looks kind of like a tenor scale ukulele, is it a parlor guitar or some other instrument?"

I trust our readers will be able answer this in about 10 seconds. If you know, please leave a comment by clicking on the "comment" link below.

By the way, the leader of this quintet is Henry Kailimai, who penned "On the Beach at Waikiki." Henry Ford caught the quintet's gig at the Hawaiian Pavillion and liked them so much that after the PPIE he hired them to be the Ford Motor Company's house Hawaiian band. They recorded under the name of The Ford Hawaiians.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Congratulations, Jerrold!

The New Yorker recently ran an illustration contest in which they invited artists to submit their contemporary interpretation of the iconic Eustace Tilley, the magazine's "presiding dandy." Winners were selected to appear in the current (February 11th/18th 2008) issue. They received nearly 300 entries, which you can see here.

A brilliant handful were selected for reprinting in the magazine. One of winners, "Leather Daddy Eustace," was drawn by ace cartoonist and Ukulelia pal Jerrold Connors, host of the popular and value-packed Ukulele Boogaloo. If I were a completely narrow-minded geek, I might be slightly miffed that Jerrold didn't submit a uke-playing Eustace, but who am I to argue with genius.

Congratulations, Jerrold. You done good!

Origin of the Species

John King has reposted the article he and Jim Tranquada originally wrote at the request of Stephen Becker for last year's "Evolution of the Ukulele" exhibit in San Francisco. I had the distinct pleasure of hearing John's lecture on the same as part of a performance at the exhibit and it was truly unforgettable. I think this deserves a permanent link here on Ukulelia, as it should rightly be considered the definitive essay on the historical origins of our favorite instrument. Link

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Tiny Tim on Ironside - Boing Boing

Mark posted a video clip of Tiny Tim performing in a beatnik club on the pilot episode of Ironside. Not for the squeamish, but cool man, cool. Link

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Trailing Edge Technology


So, I’m slidin’ down a street in Ukuleletown in my ’54 Mercury and I turn on the radio and this british bluesman blows out of the AM playing, of all things, a slide biscuit tin ukulele!
I tracked him down on the internet later….This is a killer video from Rob Collins, a self confessed low tech luthier in the English town of Hebden Bridge. It’s called “Can’t Be Satisfied”.

link.

and, for the cookie tin ukulele in action...
link.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Vote!


It's Super Tuesday, so if you live in a state with an election today, grab your uke, and get out there and VOTE!
 
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