Lil' Rev at Gryphon Stringed Instruments

Lil' Rev will be at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, CA this Saturday, February 19 at 11am. If you haven't taken a class with Marc, I highly recommend it. (Sadly, I have to miss it!)

Here are details from Lil' Rev's site.
And more details from Gryphon.

Buy Eric Clapton's Ukulele

Part of an auction of items from the collection of Eric Clapton at Bonhams. This 1995 Lewis Fine Resophonic Uke features an alder body, maple neck, and mother-of-toilet-seat pickguard. It was built by Mike Lewis and given to Eric Clapton when Clapton bought a Tricone Guitar in Paris in 1995.

Perfect for playing "The Intro and the Outro":

And over there, Eric Clapton on ukulele. Hi, Eric!

If it goes for the estimated $300 - $500 it'll be a steal. (New, they're about $1,200). Link

I'll See You in My Dreams

Okay, Ron Hale, I'll see your Lady Gaga and raise you an Isham Jones and Gus Kahn. Here's Michael Lande's multi-plex version of I'll See You in My Dreams.

Gary Responds to the Ron Hale Challenge

Ron Hale recently thew down the gauntlet and challenged me to find a better video from 2010 than Danielle Ate the Sandwich's version of Bad Romance (see post below). While I'm working to prove to Ron that I am not a "mere poseur," here is one of my greatest video discoveries of all time. I've updated the links so they're live again (as of today). You'll find it here, at my 2007 post, Ukulele at the Dawn of the Talkies. Enjoy.

Ukulelerotica

With JoJo Lazar and Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys (Photo by David Aquilina)

LINK

Danielle Ate the Sandwich: Bad Romance

Here's Danielle Anderson, backed by some of the boys from Boulder Acoustic Society doing some Lady Gaga that won't make you Gag. (Thanks, Ron Hale!)

Uke Jam at Lamorinda Music

Gary will be hosting another uke jam at Lamorinda Music in Lafayette, CA, Saturday, February 12 from 2-4. See you there!

Ukuleles and Yo-Yos?

Really? Really.

"Sunday, Feb. 13 at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton (Mass), a series of successful ukulele and Yo-Yo performers are putting on what sounds like a unique and entertaining show that will be filled with surprises.

Jim and Liz Beloff, Greg Hawkes, Tripping Lily, Ruth Ungar and Joel Eckhaus are the scheduled ukulele performers."

Tickets and more info here. Link to related article.

The Phi Mu Washboard Band

Ladies and gentlemen: The Phi Mu Washboard Band. Just Because. Link

Patsy Montelone's 100 Songs Project

Patsy Montelone is strumming and singing his way through 100 songs. All will be posted online for listening and download.

"Most tunes I record and post here will be from the so-called 'Great American Songbook,' works by Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, and other less-well-known song writers of the Tin Pan Alley jazz-pop genre."

As of this morning, he's up to Number 15, "Waltz for Debby." Link

Hawaiian Music at the Grammys

An interesting essay from The New York Times on the uneasy relationship between the Hawaiian music community and the Grammys. With music producer and ukulele ace Daniel Ho stuck in the middle. Link

Today is World Ukulele Day 2011

Who knew?

Taimane's Got Bach

Taimane Gardner. Nuff said.

Garfunkel & Oates Get HBO Deal

Looks like Garfunkel & Oates (aka Lindhome & Micucci) have inked a deal with HBO in what the LA Times calls "the West Coast female response to 'Flight of the Conchords'." Nice goin', gals. Link

Ukulelia Michigania

Nice little podcast from Michigan (Public) Radio on the uke scene in the Water Wonderland. Maybe some old auto plants should be retooled for uke production... Link