Monday, February 15, 2010

Nellie Does Doris

I like McKay (but does McKay like me?). Her latest CD is a tribute to Doris Day. Link

Train Ukulele Track

(Craig beat me to this one. My kids liked this song until they realized that it's a uke on the track and that I could and would play it when their friends were around. Here is a link to some arrangements. --Gary)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Bill Tapia Performs on Film With Uke Stars

Tappy is still recovering from surgery after a broken hip, and so wasn't able to make the recent Ukulele Masters event at Aloha Tower in Honolulu. So he appeared by film.

How's Tappy doing? Well, if one can judge from his sense of humor, pretty darn well:
"He said he was asked to walk 100 feet with a walker after shorter walks in the hospital. He did. Then he was told because he could walk 100 feet he would have to pay a higher rate of $190-a-day rate or go home. 'If I knew that I would have walked only 50 feet,' Bill said. 'A doctor told me I was the first 102-year-old man they ever operated on. I told him the hell with the history, make me well.'"

Link

Ukulele Hottie Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us here at Ukulelia. Here's a cutie by Chelsey Barnes. Link


Thursday, February 11, 2010

"...don't let them cashew smuggling almonds..."

















The wonderful FolkUke, Cathy Guthrie and Amy Nelson, return from their Australian tour. Read all about it. (Nice to see Amy playing a uke too!)
The Story
Their Site

Sunday, February 07, 2010

A Portrait of Harry

A Portrait of Harry from Thomas Trail on Vimeo.



"A visual portrait of Harry Feinberg, an 88 year old ukulele player. I shot this one summer afternoon in Los Angeles. Featured on the DVD 'The Best of Resfest Vol. 01'" Thomas Trail

thanks,Thomas!

Update: Harry's playing the DeSylva, Brown & Henderson song, It All Depends on You. Music and chords.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

The Cosmic Luthiers











Phil Doleman, at the Ukulele Cosmos blog, has accumulated a rather nice collection of British luthiers' ukuleles. Here's what he has to say:

"Whilst sorting out my uke cupboard, it struck me that I have a large number of ukes made by members of this very forum. It also struck me that many of them are very new to building, and are 'amateur' (in the literal sense that they build in their spare time), often finding their way by talking to other builders right here on the Cosmos.
So here we have, ladies and gentlemen, the Cosmos builders line-up....



Left to right...
Triangle soprano uke in walnut by Rob C
Concert uke in cherry by urbansheepdog
Soprano in meranti by ecosteel
Martin style soprano in mahogany by Timbuck
Soprano in English ash by urbansheepdog
Peardrop concert in walnut & spruce by Rob C

All of these ukes are great players and sound wonderful. They are also all very different, in sound, in design and in the timbers used, and show a heck of a lot of imagination and skill.

Amazing work, fellas!
"

Amazing, indeed. You can find out more about any of these luthiers by heading on over to the Ukulele Cosmos and checking out their "Uke Luthiers" section.
 
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