This week there have been some worthy additions to stuff I’ve already mention with more videos from the Belgium UkeFest and Taimane at her family reunion. But this week has been notable for two strangely compelling performances. f3rt – 4:33 A note perfect rendition of John Cage’s defining work. The tune reaches a dizzying crescendo […]

The Shane Victorino ukulele figurine I mentioned last week inspired him to great things. He hit a walk off homer at the bottom of the ninth (I have no idea what any of those words signify but that appears to mean that he did good). I hope you took my advice and grabbed an armful […]

Joanna Newsom – Peach, Plum, Pear (Chords) All this talk of freak folk has put me in the mood for some Joanna Newsom. The harp is my second favourite instrument. In fact, if my parents had been immensely rich you’d be reading a harp blog right now. Come to think about it, if my parents […]

It was only a matter of time before someone on the freak-folk/naturalismo scene picked up on the ukulele. Last month saw the debut release by baritone ukeist Rio En Medio (aka Danielle Stech Homsy). The album features some of the cream of the movement including Devendra Banhart, Andy Cabic (Vetiver) and David Coulter David Coulter […]

It’s rare you seen charm in comedians anymore. Usually, they’re either spraying vomit and mocking mental disability or inflicting genital torture. Jack Pepper was a man with charm. So much charm that he managed to marry Ginger Rodgers (he was her first husband of five) despite having a face like grinning frying pan. Of course, […]

Gothic Archies – Shipwrecked Live (Chords) I can’t discuss Stephin Merritt songs without it descending into me reeling out quotes from the song. So, I’m not even going to try to resist. Shipwrecked with you/I can’t think of a single thing I’d rather do/and that’s why I decapitated the crew You needn’t do much, just […]

Klaxons – Golden Skans (Chords) New rave and ukulele: go together like a horse and marriage. I’m a firm believer that if a song has chords and a strong melody it’ll work on the ukulele. Golden Skans is a case in point. You can even play the ‘ooo eee ooo eee ooo eee ooo ee […]

A bumper crop of YouTube videos this week. It was tough narrowing it down. Wilfried Welti – Elspeth of Nottingham Welti plays with a restraint and clarity that’s rarely seen on the uke – suiting the classical pieces perfectly. You can download some of his tabs and mp3s here Jake Shimabukuro – Orange World This […]

Brian Hefferan – Sailor’s Hornpipe (Tab) Oh, the long, lonesome nights spent at sea blowing the sailor’s hornpipe. Brian Hefferan (of The Fabulous Heftones) has for the last few months been uploading some staggering finger-picking uke pieces on YouTube. I couldn’t resist trying to work some of them out. Here, with the help of the […]

As someone who doesn’t dare uncork a wine bottle without an emergency helicopter and a skilled team of physicians on standby, I have great admiration for anyone who can start with a few lumps of wood and end up with ukulele. I’ve found it fascinating to follow luthier Pete Howlett’s blog as he sets about […]