Having founded the New York Ukulele Ensemble and the New York Ukulele Festival, Uke Jackson is a bit of a ukulele legend. His latest project is the musical Sex! Drugs! & Ukuleles! written with Ragtime musician and historian Terry Waldo. I drilled him for more info.

Where did the idea for a ukulele musical come from?

The short answer is my imagination. Basically, I was looking for a way to bring the ukulele into my art as a playwright, which became my main vocation in life when I was 21 years old and my first play was produced. The show is unusual in that it juxtaposes 2 styles of music – contemporary corporate bass lines and throbbing beats, and trad jazz – and it incorporates this as a theme without being didactic. At its core, the show is about the transforming power of music and love, and the eternal transcendence of the human spirit – all things I passionately believe in.

Can you give us a quick overview of the plot?

Here’s the text that appears at the beginning of the video:

“SEX! DRUGS! & UKULELES!
The Story

At the end of the 21st Century, after an environmental and economic collapse, everything is controlled by the One World Pharmaceutical Corporation. Much of what is considered normal today is abnormal in this dystopian future. Abnormal behavior is treated pharmaceutically. Sex is illegal. Drug evasion is illegal. Making music is illegal, unless you’re a member of the corporate controlled Top 10.

Three young outlaw ukulele players meet in secret to play their music, until a mysterious stranger changes their lives forever. After a series of comic twists and turns, the trio find themselves in the Top 10. The ukulele players start a revolution. Corporate control collapses. Love and music return to the world, forever.”

I think that pretty well covers it

Is the ukulele inherently anti-establishment?

It would be intellectually dishonest to ascribe that kind of quality to any musical instrument. I know ukulele players who are variously conservative, liberal, radical, and apathetic.

You’ve done a huge amount to promote the ukulele in recent years, what inspires you?

Well, it’s certainly not other ukulele players, though many of those folks are wonderful people. I love the sound of the ukulele, and its size makes it charming for me. There’s no question that the ukulele produces a joyous sound, and lots of smiles. I would have to say it’s the music that inspires me, as it should be.

What are the plans for the future of Sex! Drugs! and Ukuleles! and the NY Uke Fest?

These are two very different subjects. NY Uke Fest is undergoing a transformation. My son Jesse, who co-produces the event with me, is busy on this front. There have been a number of requests to have the Fest all under one roof, so we’re talking mainly to some large midtown hotels. We’re also seeking corporate sponsorship for the whole shebang. It’s coming along well. We’ll be updating the web page soon, with info on submitting for 2009.

I’ve actually been working on Sex! Drugs! and Ukuleles! for considerably longer than I’ve been working on NY Uke Fest. Right now, Sex! Drugs! and Ukuleles! is my main focus. I’m working with a small group of very accomplished people “in the biz” to bring the show to Broadway and subsequently to London’s West End. There’s also been some interest from producers of television and movies. I’m open to all possibilities that represent a step forward for the project, but my main focus right now is getting the show up on Broadway.

Broadway is a very expensive proposition. The total budget is $10 million. Money is only part of it, of course. We’re about halfway there. There’s also casting, and then finding the right theater, which is a huge part of a successful production. Fortunately, I’ve been able to surround myself with very capable and experienced people. It’s big business, but, like the ukulele, it’s a lot of fun.

If you want to catch Sex! Drugs! and Ukuleles! or you’re looking to fund a Broadway musical, you can find out more on their website.

This is one of the definitive ukulele songs, yet it no two tab/chords seem to agree how to play it. There are at least two videos (1, 2) declaring that everyone else’s version are wrong and theirs is right. Well, everyone else is wrong and I’m right.

Seriously, though, I don’t think I’m dead on. The turnaround sections are packed with jazzy chords and tricky to get right.

First off, you’ll have to tune every string down half a step (I suppose you’d call it B tuning). But, to keep things simple, I’ve named the chords after their C tuning shapes.

The intro goes like this:

With the G string carrying the little melody.

The chords for the verse are based on a G chord with a descending note and a little filigree on the top string. At the end of the first verse, there’s little little lick (or something like it):

Similarly, there’s this at the end of the second verse:

After that is the, “Way down…” section and you get a break from the jazz chords. It’s mostly Cm with occasional slides up from Bm.

The chords for the trumpet solo are exactly the same as those in the verse.

You can get a solo version by Lyle Ritz (who played the Jerk version) in his Jumpin’ Jim’s Ukulele Masters book (he also has a new book out Lyle Lite. And don’t miss out on the Guthrie girls’ version of Tonight, You Belong to Me.

Videos this week from Kelli Rae Powell, The Jack Lords, Mark Occhionero and many more.

Kelli Rae Powell – Some Bridges are Good to Burn Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a new book in the Jumpin’ Jim/Lyle Ritz Ukulele Masters series just out: Lyle Lite. As the name suggests, it’s aimed a little lower than his other books at the beginner/intermediate level. You can pick one up from FMM for $25, on Amazon for $18.80 (but they’re currently out of stock), or there’s one on eBay with a Buy It Now of $17.70 (and a hefty delivery charge).

It’s not often you get a chance to pick up one of KoAloha‘s Signature Series Tenor Sceptre. According to their blog, they’re back ordered up the wazoo. But MGM has one up for sale at the moment.

A couple of very interesting Tangi ukuleles: a playable, scale model ten and a half inch ukulele and a violin shaped uke.

Dave Gjessing of WaverlyStreet ukuleles has a painted pineapple uke with a nautical design by the Artful Dodger up for sale.

I’m back a little early. There’s news to be newsed. Over the break I had to take the fancy rotating banner off the front of the site. It was bringing the whole site crashing down every couple of weeks so it had to go. It was very pretty but a whole heap of trouble (like a few girls I could mention).

Windy City Ukulele Festival details.

I’ve had a few people ask me various questions about playing with others and in uke groups but – being an anti-social loner who avoids human contact at all costs – I’ve never been much help to them. Now I can point them towards Play Well With Others. It’s a book and website giving advice on jamming which boasts endorsements from Janet Klein, Jim Beloff and Lil Rev. It’s also a handsome looking site.

Amy Crehore is selling 50 signed prints of ‘The Creature’. You can pick up yours here.

Seeso and Clara Belle featured on Boing Boing (thanks for the mention, Seeso).

MP3s: I’ve mentioned foggy ruins of time many times in this section. The guy behind it has released an EP, under the name Existential Hero, featuring his bariuke. You can download the whole thing here. songs:illinois has Jenny Jenkins.

Uke chords on posters: officially a good idea. Shelley ‘Uke Box’ Rickey features Kokomo on her poster (and some not safe for work material – what is it with ukes and nudity?)

Paul McCartney reprises his ukulele version of Something at the Anfield gig plus a quick burst of When I’m Washing [sic] Windows.

Dr Sparkles’ TV theme game.

Isaac was a little disappointed not to win Ukulele Review’s contest and came up with this (inspired by Cyanide and Happiness). Click to enlarge.

Transparent ukulele.

Vote for the song you want Fin Raucous to play in his shed.

Rebekulele: a cross between a ukulele and a rebec.

A jumping fly’s jumping flea.

COMPETITION CLOSED

I’m jumping on the ukulele giveaway bandwagon and starting up a competition. The prizes are:

First prize: A Kala Pineapple soprano courtesy of ukulele for sale.

Ten Runners Up: One of my ukulele ebooks (your choice).

Everyone Who Enters Gets: Tab for my solo arrangement of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up (yeah, you read right).

What you have to do: Review your ukulele.

You can write it, make a video, take pictures, record an mp3, whatever takes your fancy. I’ll put it up on the Buy a Ukulele section so everyone can benefit from your experience. The winner will be the one I find most interesting and enlightening (it doesn’t matter whether you give the ukulele a good review or a bad review; or if the uke cost $10 or $10,000).

Email me with your entry (or, if you make a video, upload it to a video sharing site and send me the url). If you want me to link to your website/blog/Facebook/MySpace when I put it on the site, include that too.

The Rules

The review has to be new and original.
You don’t mind me putting it on the site.
You can enter once per ukulele.

Competition Closes: Midnight (Hawaii time) 6th July.

Before we get down to business, James Hill’s new website/ezine Ukulele, Yes! is up and running. I still haven’t managed to successfully sign up for the ezine itself, but it looks like it’s all online anyway. A bunch of good stuff in the first issue including an interview with Peter Luongo, , an arrangement of Rattle on the Stovepipe (splatters and squiggles only) and an article by John Kavanagh about me (there might be something about Ragtime in there as well).

With the new Indiana Jones film coming out and a couple of requests for it, I thought I’d take a stab at arranging it for the uke. To be honest, I didn’t think it would work on the uke. I’ve been trying to do a decent arrangement of Star Wars for the uke but haven’t come up with anything good enough. The Indiana Jones theme is similarly epic, John Williams stuff. But, with a bit of jumping around and finger twisting, it works pretty well. Make sure you let as many notes ring into each other as you can to get a extra sound out of it.

MP3

There’s a simplified version of this tab here

This week’s videos include Seeso, Janet Klein, James Hill and many more.

Seeso – I Wish Read the rest of this entry »

First off: if you’re in the UK and looking to buy a Fluke, friend of the blog, Gary is selling his Mango Fluke (right).

These four Oscar Schmidt OU2 with a busted bridge. I mentioned another Oscar Schmidt with a broken bridge not long ago. It does make me wonder if this is a common problem with the Oscar Schmidts.

I’m not too interested in this Liberty ukulele (particularly not at $800). But what a fantastic box.

If the Formby/Harrison ukuleles are a bit out of your range, there’s an “Abbot” Monarch ukulele for sale on eBay UK for a measly £6,000 (for that price tag, you’d expect them to spell ‘Abbott’ correctly).

George Formby’s Abbott Monarch “Little Strad” banjolele (as used for recording When I’m Cleaning Windows along with many others) is up for auction at Bonhams in London next month. The estimate is £45,000 (via BBC). Also up for sale is a Dallas E banjolele formerly owned by both Formby and George Harrison (via Uncut).

Bosko and Honey talk about their Ukulele Safari on Ukulele Spotlight (mp3 link).

After a bit of lull with the Tribute to REM season, Le Soir is back on top form with decent performances from famous people like Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and The Wombats; and great sessions from people I’ve never heard of like Timesbold and Cocoon.

There’s still a little time to enter Ukulele Review’s logo contest and plenty of time to enter ukulele for sale video contest.

Ukeaholics’s Weblog.

St Matthew Passion on the Ukulele(MP3 link).*

Does the size of your ukulele stop you showing it to a girl? UPDATE: He should read the Dating Advice from Ukulele Players (includes Uke Hunt faves Jen Kwok and Sweet Soubrette).

Chords for Queen’s Dont Stop Me Now courtesy of Andy.

*I spent so long working this one out the moment has long gone, still…