Uke Hunt turned 12 this month. According to WebMD a 12 year old’s, “brain is able to handle more complex thinking now. This goes hand in hand with his expanding vocabulary. He’s better at putting what he’s feeling into words.” It’s about damn time.
Here’s a round-up of the goings-on of the last year.
May 2018
– I usually find writing tribute posts cathartic. It feels write to honour artists by playing their music and helping others do likewise. But the suicide of Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit hit me in a way that’s still sore today. Nevertheless, I put together a a ukulele version of The Woodpile. Which is a song I relate to so much it could have been written for me.
– One of the joys of the past year has been Einer Bankz’s ukulele collaborations with a vast array of hip hop artists. Back in May Mass Appeal did a short documentary on him.
– Andy Eastwood premieres his composition for ukulele and string quartet.
In tabs: John Williams’ Imperial March and David Beckingham’s take on We’ll Meet Again.
In chords: Father John Misty’s darkly comic Mr Tillman.
June 2018
– The fourth Big Chord Quiz.
In tabs: Charli XCX’s Boys and Amy Winehouse’s Rehab.
In chords: Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run and, inspired by the Last of Us 2 trailer Doc Watson’s Little Sadie
July 2018
– Paul Mansell on playing classical ukulele.
– The ukulele that travelled to the North Pole and was signed by Thomas Edison, Charles Lindbergh, and Calvin Coolidge among many others.
In tabs: Leonard Cohen’s Winter Lady and guest tabs from Choan Galvez and Joao Tostes.
In chords: Lou Reed’s Perfect Day.
August 2018
– I’ve been trying to improve my jazz playing over the last year. I’ve still got a long way to go. But I’m particularly pleased with how my arrangement of Summertime turned out.
– Paying tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin with A Natural Woman and I Say A Little Prayer.
In tabs: Aline Kelly’s excellent version of Leo Brouwer’s deliciously discordant Etude V and riffs from Yorkshire bands.
In chords: The welcome return of twenty one pilots with my favourites song of theirs to date Nico and the Niners
September 2018
– What’s the deal with augmented chords?
In tabs: A rare ukulele-group tab from me: Abba’s Mamma Mia and You’ll Never Walk Alone.
In chords: Frank and Nancy’s Somethin’ Stupid.
October 2018
– Halloween season with The Doors’ People are Strange and Midnight and the Stars and You from The Shining.
In tabs: The MASH theme Suicide is Painless.
In chords: Phoenix’s Lisztomania
November 2018
– Jake Shimabukuro exposed where he gets his amazing uke skills from.
– I officially ended my oft-broken no Beatles rule with Hey Jude, Honey Pie and five intros and solos from The White Album
In tabs: Lana Del Rey’s Venice Bitch on baritone and St Vincent’s New York.
December 2018
In tabs: Mariah’s All I Want for Christmas is You, Sousa’s Liberty Bell and What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
In chords: Elton John’s Your Song and The Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen in Love.
January 2019
In tabs: Imagine Dragons’ Thunder and all the riffs from Weezer’s covers album.
In chords: Escapism from Steven Universe
February 2019
– The Billie Eilish takeover of the internet started with Bury a Friend and When I Was Older.
In tabs: Joanna Newsom’s On a Good Day, Tom Waits’s Johnsburg, Illinois and Choan Galvez’s Drama-in-a-box
In chords: ,David Glen Eisley/SpongeBob – Sweet Victory and The Monkees – I’m a Believer.
March 2019
In tabs: The trend of lowercase only titles continues with Billie Eilish – when the party’s over and Ariana Grande – thank u, next.
In chords: Bob Dylan/The Pogues – When the Ship Comes In and Scott Walker – 30th Century Man.
April 2019
In tabs: Thomas the Tank Engine theme, Dream a Little Dream of Me and Herman Vandecauter’s take on Georg Philipp Telemann’s Siciliana and Allegro.
In chords: The Billie Eilish juggernaut rolls on with 8 and Bad Guy.
