May/31/13
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Friday Links

New Releases
– Spirit Runners (Kate McLennan and Noel Tardy) Choose Love.
– New live album from UOGB Uke-Werk Live in Germany. And here they are being interviewed by Stefan Raab (in English).
– Williwaw – another diversionette.

Videos
– Helen Arney sings a googol.
– Vaudeville Entertainer Bobbie “Uke” Henshaw Plays His Ukulele (thanks to Ron Hale). Read his bio here.
– Don’t take a ukulele to a guitar fight.

Pictures
– Lots of lust-worthy restored vintage ukes on Antebellum Instruments.
– Film-inspired ukulele designs.
– Charles Dance takes a uke break.

After an extended hiatus Makapili Ukuleles – a favourite of Wilfried Welti – are back in business.

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  • Written by Woodshed
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5 Comments

  1. George May 31st, 2013 4:55 pm

    The Bobbie “Uke” Henshaw video is great!

  2. Ron Hale May 31st, 2013 9:30 pm

    Innocent oversight I’m sure, Al, but UOGB isn’t the only Brit uke orchestra with a live in Germany CD out this year.

    Or the only Brit uke orchestra to perform in the land of the Deutsche Mark in 2013. To wit:

    “On the occasion of his visit to Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany, the British Prime Minister David Cameron personally inaugurated a MINI which is completely covered with the colors of the Union Jack.

    “This MINI paid a visit to the artistes at the Savoy Theatre in Dusseldorf 4.5.2013 on an assignment from the British Embassy.

    “The reason for this mission was the guest performance of [Not to be named on this site] in Dusseldorf.”

    Ignore “artistes”. Too missy prissy for words.

    But this bit about uke orchs brings me to something that’s been roiling about my cranium for ages now.

    The term “ukulele orchestra” itself. These are not orchestras in any real sense. More like string ensembles. They’re too small even to be referred to as string orchestras.

    Perhaps the term is part of the joke. But it’s an old, tired, joke that should be put out to pasture.

    Now, the London Ukulele String Octet has a much classier ring to it. The Uke Hunt Sextet.
    Let’s start seeing names like this.

    Williwaw was cutting edge then and still is now.
    That shows just how little the uke envelope has been pushed since “Rock That Uke”.

    In fact, most of the RTU gang still would be on the leading edge of the uke scene today. To me, “Mighty Uke” (for the most part) represents a watered-down version of the RTU world.

    The potential of RTU has been squandered forever. Buried under a wave of Mraz/Train/Disney covers. The downside of uber-popularity.

  3. Woodshed June 1st, 2013 7:41 am

    George: Agreed!

    Ron: The UK and Great Britain are different things. No one could possibly confuse the two.

  4. JimUke June 2nd, 2013 12:40 pm

    Oh my, that interview of UOGB by Stefan Raab was horrible to watch. I am so sorry they had to put up with him. German TV has really taken a downfall since a decade or so and unfortunately people like Stefan Raab are considered good entertainment. Although I have to admit other shows of his, where he doesn’t do the main talking, are not bad. But his own show turned horrible years ago. Also I kind of thought his English would be better, no reason behind it, just thought it would.

  5. Woodshed June 3rd, 2013 7:32 am

    JimUke: I don’t think it was as bad as all that. I quite enjoyed it!

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