Time to look back on the ukulele videos of last year. And it was a bumper crop. If you need any proof check out the list of some of the contenders below. And – to be honest – that’s the real purpose of the vote: to get people watching excellent musicians. So if there’s a video you think has been cruelly overlooked, be sure to give it a nomination because I’ll be watching anything I missed first time round.
For the first stage, everyone gets to nominate up to 5 videos – leave them in the comments. From those nominations, I’ll cobble together a list of ten (ish) to go to the big vote.
The rules remain as ramshackle as ever:
– There has to be a ukulele in there.
– Videos must have been recorded and uploaded in 2009.
– Videos must be publicly available online.
– Maximum of five nominations per person.
– Post your nominations in the comments.
– Nominations close midnight Monday 1st February (Hawaii time).
– Ten acts with the most nominations go into the final vote with their most nominated song going forward.
– No prize. Just the love and admiration of the heaving masses.
UPDATE: New rule: no sucking up by voting for me.
Don’t panic if your comments don’t show up right away. When a comment contains a few links it gets held back for spam checking.
My Nominations:
John King and James Hill – Larry O’Gaff & Swallowtail Jigs
Sophie Madeleine – Take Your Love With Me
Peggy Sue – Lover Gone
The Bobby McGee’s – Go, Tiger, Go!
tUnE YaRdS – “Hatari” Part I – Pastport Office
Others you might like to consider:
Michelle Blades – Rie Rio
U900 – Diamond Head
Miss Jess – Philadelphia
Rocky and Balls – I Heart You Online
Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer – Chap-Hop History
Arborea – Beirut
Gensblue with Bosko and Honey – Earthquake
L’Uke and GUGUG – Girl U Want
Kalei Gamiao – Mach 4
Honeycomb – Cough Syrup
Craig Robertson – Wrong’s What I Do Best
Todd Baio – No Tears in Heaven
Dent May – Meet Me in the Garden
Victoria Vox and Boulder Acoustic Society – America
Ukulolo – Ravel’s Bolero
Garfunkel and Oates – Present Face
Tiny McItchyFace – I’m Yours
Agathe and Fine – Pirate’s Gospel
Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra – Dreaming of You
Elliott Brood – Valley Town
Ukulelezo – Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
Here are my nominations :
Agathe and Fine : The Pirate’s Gospel : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDb7jVpe_tk
Woodshed : Music for a found Harmonium : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0bbR2ou998Herman Vandecauter : 3 Andina pieces http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkhOZQV2usk
Todd Baio I’m a uke aholic : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztShbGh4Oeo
Janin Lia : Maszynka Do Swierkania http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Lm1ukV27k
Patti Plinko and Her Boy: Hey Ho Deepest of the Darkest.
I would definitely have included Patti Plinko and Her Boy’s performance of Hey Ho Deepest of the Darkest at the Paris Uke Fest only I didn’t dare because I have uploaded it myself.
Picking only five videos out of a year of ukulele uploads is really tough !