We Love You Too, Julia

Jim Christian suggested this, and I didn't see it in time to post it for Valentine's Day. So here's a belated VD Video Card from the one and only Julia Nunes. Link

The Ukulele Project

Here's a great project that's harnessing the power of the online ukulele community to teach ukulele to kids on a First Nations Reserve (aka Indian Reservation) in northern Canada. Patrick Costello has sketched out a preliminary lesson plan. Contributors will upload mini video lessons to the Internet Archive.

What a superb idea. Check it out. Link

After all the Hearts and Chocolates

I certainly hope that this was part of someone's Valentine's Day, back in the day. (Nice boots.) Link

Throw Me In The River

Don't even say it. Up here in Ukuleletown we appreciate chops.(and I don't mean pork chops). Neal Paisley; this boy's got some.

Nice Favilla soprano, too.

Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii 2009

If you're on Oahu for Valentine's Day, here's a local uke festival to check out. It's a Japanese Uke event, this year being held in Hawaii. Pretty much everyone is playing. Plus players from Japan.

"The Ukulele Picnic began in 2000 in Shonan, Japan. Since then, the founders have spread the mission to expand the love of Ukulele through concerts in Japan and throughout the world.

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi passionately introduced the Ukulele among the Japanese people, and Iwao--one of the best Ukulele player in Japan--serves as host for the event along with David Smith of Leiland and the group BEGIN. This event is free and open to the public. In recent years, turnout for this event has been over 10,000 people. Even though the event has grown in attendance, the peaceful nature of the event has been preserved."

Link

Pep or Action?

Michael Simmons asks, "Are the uke players the 'Thrills,' the 'Whoopee,' the 'Pep' or the 'Action?'" From College Love, 1929.

Wishing you all much Whoopee tomorrow.

Amy Crehore's Dreamgirls and Ukes Show Opens Tonight

Amy's show opens tonight in LA. I picked the headstock shot here in honor of the day. Link

Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.....

Howlin' Hobbit's band Snake Suspenderz has just released a new CD "Serpentine".

Yass. Hobbit's voice is achingly unique...as is the band:

Thaddeus Spae: Vocals, trombone, guitar
Howlin' Hobbit: Vocals, ukulele
Andrew "Sketch" Hare: Drums, percussion
salamandir: Tuba

Why haven't you got this CD???

go now.

don't wait, it's robertson-essential-listening.

Notes across the ocean...

From Steven Sproat:
"Forthcoming album by Mark Moraghan (actor Holby City, Harry Enfield Show, etc) and Nicky Campbell.

There will be about 5 uke tracks -this one is only one with banjo uke (they preferred for this song)..hope you like it!"

Steven, I'm assuming, plays quite a bit on this CD. Check out the video, it's a lovely balance...the sweetness of Laurel and Hardy juxtaposed with the evil banjo ukulele...!

The Ballad of Blanche Barrow redux

Awhile back, Gary posted a photo of Blanche Barrow with a ukulele. Since she was married to Buck Barrow, Clyde Barrow's brother (of Bonnie and Clyde), I was naturally interested. Gary suggested, half kidding, that this sounded like a good idea for a CR song.
It was.
I wrote one called "The Ballad of Blanche Barrow". and posted a demo of it on this site.

(time passes)

Debbie Moss, who is the cousin of Blanche Barrow, runs a site dedicated to her cousin Blanche. She, while surfing the net, came across my song and wrote me, asking if she could use it on her site.

cool.

The ukulele connection makes a full circle. Blanche Barrow's website.

Tiki King Love for Valentine's Day

His Majesty, Tiki King, dropped us a note to say that he and the Idol Pleasures will be on the bill (playing torch songs, no doubt) at Don Quixote's in beautiful downtown Felton, CA as part of the Billy Martini Valentine's Day show. February 14th, 2009, 8pm. Fez recommended. Link

What's Inside.....

The ever industrious Mickey Maguire has tracked down some fantastic ukulele players to interview and put in Issue No. 3 of Ukulele Player Magazine.
It's Free! Check it out.

Here's what's inside...
p2. Spotlight Bosko & Honey
p7. Special Feature...
Greg Hawkes Beatles Uke
p10. Pohaku Ukulele
p14. CD Review Victoria Vox
"Chameleon"
p15. CK-50G Ohana Ukulele
p17. Diminished Chords (where would I be without them?)
p20. Kala MA-MT Ukulele
p21. Kala Uke Give-A-Way
p22. Lone Star UkeFest
p23. club listings & events.
p28. Online Resources

Update: The Beatles Complete on Ukulele

Roger and Dave dropped us note with a bit more information about their Beatles project:

"Roger and Dave are pleased to announce that renowned composer, singer, and philanthropist Peter Buffett (That's his smilin' mug at left, ed.) has contributed a new recording of You Never Give Me Your Money to the site "The Beatles Complete On Ukulele".

The Beatles Complete On Ukulele is a web based project by Roger Greenawalt and David Barratt where they will

A) Record & perform on ukulele all 185 original compositions by The Beatles with 185 guest singers/artists.
B) Write essays to coincide with each release.
C) Make available for download one new recording and essay every Tuesday for 185 weeks, beginning January 20, 2009 (Inauguration Day) and climaxing July 24, 2012 (The eve of the London Olympics)."

Buffet's recording is actually song three of 185. The first two are that old ukulele chestnut While My Guitar Gently Weeps, performed by Dandelion Wine, and Oh Darling, sung by Kathena Bryant of The Hippynuts.

What I like perhaps best about this concept is that Roger Greenawalt (the Roger of Roger and Dave) provides the ukulele component each recording. So rather than being a showcase of 185 ukulele players (which would nice, but interesting to only about 185 of us, give or take), this project will unite the ukulele with non-uke artists, those artists' fan bases, and Beatles fans. Which, I am absolutely certain, is something more than 185 people. Again, give or take.

So set your Official Ukulelia Club Alarm Clocks for every Tuesday for the next 3 years or so and rock out to Beatles Ukulele Bliss.

And do be sure to visit Peter Buffett's site. He's involved with all kinds of worthy philanthropic endeavors that are worth checking out and supporting.

For The Benefit Of Mr Buffett

Every so once in a while, a story comes around that is so mind-bogglingly complex, I get stymied on how to blog it. I'm still wrapping my head around this, but here evidently is the dope.

Performance artists Roger Geenawalt and David Barratt recorded and performed all 185 Beatles songs with 185 guest artists...on ukulele, natch.

The performance was then cast as a benefit for Warren Buffett. (Head about to explode. Must. Keep. Blogging.) And they've now just delivered the cash to him in person. (Following is the BEST interview with Warren Buffett evar.)



They've blogged about it. They've posted all the tunes. Today (head expanding--watch out!), they posted Emmy Award-winning composer Peter Buffett (son of, yup, him) playing You Never Give Me Your Money. (Ka-Blam!)

"On Sunday December 7, 2008, a day that will live in Infamy, Roger Greenawalt, 67 singers, 37 musicians, a Yoko impersonator & his ukulele performed the entire Beatles cataloge (184 songs) over a 14 hour period

We chose to do this show as a benefit, but were unable to decide whom to give the money to.

Then it came to us.

Let's give it to Warren Buffett!

Frankly if we kept the money we'd just spend it on Viagra, records, and cat food.

Otherwise we would just waste it.

Warren will know what to do.

The films directed by David Barratt on this site will tell the story of how the show came about, the music and how Roger and Dave will deliver the money to Warren's home."

Poke around, check out all the tunes and video. I'll post more links as I piece my head back together and sort this all out.

UPDATE: Mr. Buffett is giving the bag full o' money to Girls, Inc. of Omaha to buy ukuleles!

Link

Sweet Hollywaiians at DaSilva's

Hurry on over to Mike DaSilva's on Thursday, February 5 for a last minute, but not-to-be-missed concert by the Sweet Hollywaiians. (Except I have to miss it, so dang!) Tell me how it was! Link