Here’s a very interesting story from Indonesia (don’t miss the link to the audio). An Indonesian punk band, Marjinal, are giving ukuleles to street kids and teaching them how to make money busking. There’s a similar piece on them in TIME. (Thanks to Charlie)
And another very cool idea. James Hill and the Portland Ukulele Big Band flip the idea of a ukulele group (where everyone plays exactly the same thing) and has everyone playing an individual note which builds up the sound (like a big band). Sounds great.
Details of the first Irish Ukulele Festival. The official website is/will be here.
Donnie from UkeToob does an excellent video interview with Jake Shimabukuro.
Sit down a write five lines of verse,
Of a girl who seems slightly perverse.
Reposed on a lion,
Her instrument, Hawaiian,
And a bug sat on her lady purse.
Armelle will be the official Uke Hunt correspondent at this year’s Paris Uke Fest. So if you’re going, leave her a message.
Seems like wherever people congrate, it’s only a matter of time before they form themselves into a ukulele group. Here’s a bunch of ukulele playing photographers.
Keith Clarke (Editor of Classical Music Magazine) takes up the ukulele ready for the Proms.
His name is Ben Lerman, he plays the ukulele, and he has a very funny new song on ReverbNation. Don’t listen if there are sensitive ears around.
Taxpayer funded ukulele transportation – finally, democracy starts working.
What does the internet think of ukuleles? (Thanks to Hobbit)
The Daily Growl has an MP3 of The Conversationalist by Peggy Sue.
My favourite uke photo this week – and only partly because it’s called, “the remains of what we used to be were taken away with the lightest breeze”.
And thanks to Jim for pointing out that last week’s photo of the week was of the Varsity Trio.
The trend for photoshopping ukes onto presidents continues.
Al – Thanks for the link to the Jake interview – I was incredibly nervous about doing a video interview, and with Jake no less, so your kind words really mean a lot to me…..