Mar/5/10
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Ukuleles for Peace, UOGB on Skins: Friday Links

Ukulollo has made a short documentary about Ukuleles for Peace (a project bringing together Jewish and Arab children in Israel to play ukuleles). You can donate and find out more on their website and you can help by buying the How to Play Ukuleles for Peace ebook.

If you haven’t seen the new look site yet click here and check it out. It’s all the hard work of Ben Lew and I think he did an incredible job. If you come across anything that isn’t quite right, let me know.

You can watch the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s appearance on Skins on 4oD. I’m told it works outside the UK. There’s a YouTube link here. I’ve never watched Skins before but I enjoyed it. In fact, I almost loved it. The Ukes start at about 44:30.

The Lummy Days ukulele podcast is available for download. It’s present by George from UOGB and features Fairport Convention, the Bobby McGee’s and Mr B. And don’t miss Keston Cobblers’ Club.

Smoldering Uke – ‘A winter ukulele retreat’ in California.

50 State Uke – cool idea. I’ve been considering something similar – visiting at least one uke player in every country in the EU (called, inevitably, EUkulele).

I can’t watch this video in the UK but apparently Penn Jillette is considering buying Tim Tim’s ukulele. Update: You can watch it in the UK here if you’re willing to wait a few minutes for it to start (Thanks to @ukegnome).

Buy a uke in a police seized goods auction.

In the comments: Howlin’ Hobbit makes a case for the inclusion of Brian Hefferan in the soloists section. I disagree with myself on this one as well. Perhaps I should have a ‘Most Underrated’ section. Get your nominations in now.

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16 Comments

  1. alec March 5th, 2010 2:13 pm

    Wow. I loved the look of the site before, and I was skeptical and worried when you talked about changing it. I was wrong. It looks fantastic, and is way easier to navigate.

    Brian Hefferan is amazing, but he isn’t influential, like you said. All those other soloists are amazing and influential. You should definitely make a ‘underrated’ section; I’d love to learn about some soloists I haven’t heard.

    Also, and I’m just tossing this out, I don’t know what I’m talking about, but he isn’t as clean and precise as those other guys, right? Personally I prefer that kinda dirty attack and sound, but precision and perfect tone are more challenging to master it seems like.

    I’m going to go play around on the site. Great job.

  2. sam March 5th, 2010 2:50 pm

    Gotta say, I think the Ukuleles for Peace project is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.
    And I love the site’s new look.

  3. Alf March 5th, 2010 3:27 pm

    I hate to be tediously pedantic, but it’s the managing director of the Independent who’s the Lancashire-born ukulele natural mentioned in the article to which you linked. Well, I say I hate it; given the frequency with which I do it, it’s reasonably apparent that I quite like being tediously pedantic, and that such hatred as this activity undoubtedly generates must be coming from elsewhere. Probably from everybody on whom my tedious pedantry is inflicted. Ah well.

  4. Mike March 5th, 2010 3:39 pm

    Hi, the new site is excellent, good job. Might be me but I’m having trouble getting the tabs-chords treasury that you have here. I’m working in Firefox (and have tried it in Safari) but I’m only getting the first few tabs or chords links and nothing else.There used to be hundreds. Am I missing something obvious?

    Thanks

  5. Acilius March 5th, 2010 3:49 pm

    I love the new theme, Al.

  6. David March 5th, 2010 9:28 pm

    Like the new look.lots!

  7. Mike Tobin March 6th, 2010 12:14 am

    All the guys & gals in Stackridge are pleased & proud to have George from The Ukulele Orchestra as our guest presenter for the March Lummy Days Podcast, as well as our good friends Fairport Convention. You can subscribe @ I-Tunes or download /listen to it @ http://www.stackridge.net

  8. Woodshed March 6th, 2010 11:17 am

    alec: Glad you approve of the new look. Brian is a pretty slick player as well. Perhaps not quite as slick as the likes of Jake and James.

    sam: Thanks.

    Alf: You’re absolutely right. I’ve taken that bit out. Who cares about the MD of The Independent?

    Mike: Yeah, working on that.

    Acilius: Glad to hear it.

    David: Thanks.

  9. PotofBasil March 6th, 2010 11:48 am

    Most Underrated would be OK and get a
    few responses, Al, but if you really want to get
    people going, ask your readers for a list
    of Most Overrated Ukers. Such a list would
    be huge, and guarantee a lively exchange of
    comments.

    Stick to your guns with your soloists list.
    There’s no way BH belongs on a list with
    James and Jake. Playing great solos isn’t enough. James and Jake transcend merely playing great solos, Hobbit or no Hobbit. And if
    you put BH on the list there’s no way you can
    justify not putting Taimane on it, or Brittni
    on it. Is he better than them? Not a chance. And then who else? Where does it end?
    You’ll have so many names on the list that it
    stops having any real meaning. Ohta-San any less
    worthy than BH? I don’t think so. What about Aldrine? John Kavanagh? Any number of classical ukers out-solo BH.
    No, don’t second guess yourself, you were right
    the first time.

    What you might do is set up a sort of miscellaneous
    section for ukers that don’t fit any of the categories you’ve already established, but have
    something special about them that can’t be pinned-
    down with a limiting label. People such as Tappy and Craig. Just two examples…

  10. Woodshed March 6th, 2010 12:04 pm

    PotofBasil: That’s a very dangerous and very tempting idea. I don’t like to slag off people who are at least putting their stuff out there – but sometimes I do want to.

  11. Frances March 6th, 2010 12:30 pm

    Flaberghasted in the USA! How could the site possibly get better??

    Love the look, navigability, and especially the energy. I can confidently send my uke evangelees here (those stunned friends who get makalas for their birthdays) here and know they will find their way to uke-bliss. .

    Not only on the surface, but all the behind the scenes outlining and diagram work really shows. Simply fab! And I thank you.

  12. Art Crocker March 6th, 2010 3:17 pm

    The new look to your Uke Site is great. As others said, I had concerns to fixing something not broke, and I was about to call out your name 5 times real fast,,,,. Sorry, change is good, and so is the new you.

    Art

  13. Claire March 6th, 2010 3:45 pm

    LURVE the new look!

  14. Woodshed March 7th, 2010 10:56 am

    Frances: Thanks very much. Glad you like the new layout.

    Art: There was definitely a lot wrong with the old site so I was never worried about making it worse.

    Claire: Thanks!

  15. Jen March 9th, 2010 4:08 pm

    I enjoyed the Uke action on Skins but was slightly disturbed by the self footering that took place to the George Formby soundtrack!

  16. Woodshed March 9th, 2010 6:36 pm

    Jen: Formby has never created those urges in me either.

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