Windy City Ukulele Festival, Play Well With Others
June 13, 2008
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.
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.
Vote for the song you want Fin Raucous to play in his shed.
Rebekulele: a cross between a ukulele and a rebec.
George Formby’s uke, Bosko and Honey and Others
May 30, 2008
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 Uke Warehouse’s video contest.
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…
Ukulele Contest, Ukulele Yes!, IndieTracks
May 23, 2008
The UkeWarehouse is slowly winding up and is selling off his stock as cheap as he’s allowed to. Jason has also announced a competition to win a Kala Brand Mahogany Tenor (or a Lehua Soprano if you prefer). You can find out how to enter right here. He himself wins the prize of first person to bribe me. He’s offered me some stuff from his site which I’ll be giving away (if I can bear to jump on the bandwagon). Stay tuned for details.
Another ukulele competition. GX9901 of Ukulele Ghetto is giving away his Pono. You can find details on the UU forum.
James Hill is launching a new e-zine called Ukulele, Yes!. You can sign up for it on Ukulele in the Classroom (although I haven’t been able to get it to work or get any reply to email).
I’m not much of a festival goer, but I’m in serious danger of going to this year’s IndieTracks festival. It features a bunch of my favourite uke acts: The Bobby McGees (download one of their tracks here), ‘Allo Darlin’ (formerly The Darlings), Darren Hayman and MJ Hibbett (who seems to have been barred from the festival itself but has found a work around). Also on are The Wedding Present, Ballboy, Los Campesinos and a whole mess of bands I’m nowhere near hip enough to have heard of.
Bob, the world’s most punk ukulele player, now has his own site: Uke Rock.
John Mayer’s Heart of Life on Uker Tabs. Thanks to Nelson.
Guess which song is being played on the uke by The Wikimen on Spicks and Specks.
Article on Ukuleles for Peace.
Other festival news: Latitude has Learn to Play Ukulele in Under an Hour. It’s a comedy sketch show/ukulele lesson with Sam Brown (not Sam Brown daughter of Joe Brown), Donal Coonan (This Is A Knife) and Sally Phillips (Green Wing, Smack the Pony). Ukuleles will be provided.
Ukulele mp3s: The Richwoods have a bunch of top ukulele mp3s on their listen page, a ukulele protest song over newsreader Wendy Chioji, Dr Forrest has the Rutles’ My Little Ukulele and Ivor Biggun’s Formby take off (click the dancing cheese).
KoAloha’s blog. Not much there as yet. And I have no idea why they went with blogspot.
Ukulele in Waking Life (thanks to Minamin).
Dominic Howard from Muse with uke.
Ukulele quiz… erm… in Norwegian.
The UK’s answer to Jason Castro.
A couple of non-uke links: Soviet b-boys and full album covers revealed.
Friday Ukulinklinks
May 16, 2008
A new chord site on me: Benefield has a wide variety of uke chords from The Clash to Reverend Gary Davis. And a new tab site: Nappr with a number of game themes for ukulele and more.
Two gorgeous videos of Rio en Medio on her baritone ukulele on MP3.com.
New website from Lanikai. Some cool stuff on the site including Jason Mraz with his Lanikai and a couple of basic instruction booklets for download.
Cyndi Lauper on her ukulele: “Oh, I love that thing. I found a ukulele in Australia that has a metal top. It’s really loud and kind of fabulous.” (Thanks to Carol for spotting that one).
Ukulele mp3s: Tullycraft have a ukulele cover of one of their own songs, Under The Rotunda has The Acorns’ Brokered Heart, Good Soul Department has the Ice Cream Shout remix of Sound of Arrows’ Danger! and foggy ruins of time puts up Foreign Loren’s Seaside, We Collide.
On Uker Tabs: Anyone Else but You from Juno. And if you like the ukulele and the Juno soundtrack, you might want to give I Think I Love U by The Polaroid a listen.
Will.I.Am from Black Eyed Peas on u.ku.lele.
Ukulele nail care from Dr Trey.
Make a maraca for your ukulele.
Ukulele Brand Consultants. I do hope they’re a company specialising in consultancy for ukulele brands. I think I’d be good at that job. Unfortunately, they’re not hiring.
Friday Ukulinklinks
May 9, 2008
Craig Robertson talks about and demonstrates the dark side of the ukulele.
Acoustic Guitar magazine has a player profile of Jake Shimabukuro (thanks Hughy).
UAS sufferers now have their own support group: the UAS Society.
Gary at Ukulelia on how he designed Warren Buffett’s ukulele.
Another chance to win a ukulele. This time by creating a logo for Ukulele Review.
Ukulele mp3s: Another uke playing Coulton fan Donna Maciocia (thanks to Graeme), weePOP has an mp3 from their latest signing Wonder for All (and many others), The Driftwood Singers Present Lyle Ritz.
The world was not ready for a ukulele/bassoon duo.
Ukuleles in California, Italy and Seattle
May 2, 2008
Ukulele Tonya reports on the Northern Californian Ukulele Festival including Dominator who has a new tab of James Hill’s take on One Note Samba.
Sweetafton23 joins Jonathan Coulton on stage.
Two Italian ukulele sites: The Italian Ukulele Committee and UKEit.
Listen to a George Formby documentary including his contribution to the anti-apartheid movement. I hope Kelso folk club were listening.
Bob Dylan’s Tangled Up In Blue on Uker Tabs.
Ukulele in the movies: Faye Dunaway helps Stanley achieve his dream of playing the ukulele on a Hawaiian Cruise ship (Part 1, Part 2 - most of the uke action is in part 2). “You’re fully fledged, certified, officialized ukesters now. Members of that glorious musical elite.”
Michael Leviton talks about the romance of the ukulele.
A sopranano?
There are plenty of chord charts out there. But this one you can sort by beauty.
A visit to the Kamaka factory.
Friday Ukulinklinks
April 25, 2008
I’m embarking on a new mini-project on the blog. I’m going to list the definitive ukulele songs - the one’s most associated with the uke - and the definitive versions of those songs. If you’ve got any ideas about what should be included, leave a comment.
There’s a really great little feature of Mike DaSilva in his workshop. It’s fascinating to see how much care and attention he puts in to making the ukuleles and how fondly he talks about what he does. (A big thanks to Jeff for drawing my attention to it).
The latest episode of Ukulele Spotlight (mp3 link) is a killer with performances by Tippy Canoe and Uni and her Ukulele. There’s also a new Ukulele Spotlight website in development including instructional materials and backing tracks to jam along with (Thanks to Dave for that)
Performances from the Stockholm International Ukulele Festival
This week’s Uker Tabs: Paul Williams’ Give A Little Love (from the Coke ad) and Going to Resistencia.
Ukulala answers those burning uke questions from a urinal cake taste tester and an 18th Century English Lord among others.
Bill Tapia discusses his 100th Birthday gig.
Dubby Kirk and his ukulele get top marks on the Gong Show (it was like Pop/American Idol but the judges were forced to sit behind signs detailing what they like in bed).
Uke mp3s: Rock Insider has Ema and the Ghosts, What to Wear During an Orange Alert has Arms and ninebullets has the UkeJill endorsed O’Death.
ezFolk’s ukulele girl now flogging term papers.
You can listen to the statistically derived most wanted and most unwanted songs on UbuWeb. I was half expecting a ukulele to crop up on the most unwanted track but it’s edged out by the banjo. The most unwanted song is, predictably, brilliant and the most wanted is awful. Does nobody want humour in music? (Thanks to Dr J - you really should be reading his blog).
Friday Links
April 18, 2008
eMusic has a Friday afternoon time waster quiz. Apparently, I’m a Mix-Tape Master (123/180). And I’m still cursing myself about a couple I got wrong.
The Ukulele Project draws our attention to ‘Little Bill’ Cosby’s ukulele.
Almost certainly the coolest cushions you will ever see.
Pssst. You didn’t hear about this secret page of Jacob Borshard mp3s from me.
Yet more naked ukulele art from Amy Crehore and MiniKim.
Friday Ukulelinklinks
April 11, 2008
Paolo Nutini drives his bands mates to destruction with his endless ukulele playing. The uke’s death was followed by a cremation.
If you like Audrey Lighting’s style, learn how to make your own ukulele LED light.
The winners of Ukulele Review’s Play It Forward contest. As one uke competition ends, another begins on Ukulele Underground.
Fong Songs has an mp3 of Jake Shimabukuro doing Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On. And Indiemuse has Broadcast 2000’s Get Up and Go (best know to UK ukers as that song off of the e.on ad).
Ever been jealous of a ukulele? Ever been not so jealous of a ukulele? (neither of those are particularly safe for work)
Innocent Smoothies: do not contain ukuleles. (Thanks to Artifus for that one)
Lost ukulele answers to the name Snuffles.
Quite possibly the creepiest thing I have ever seen.
I think I must be going soft in the head. None of these made me vomit from cutesiness as they would any right thinking person: Tiny Tiny Tim, Ukulele Cowboy, Jamming, Shanti Rock ukulele. Ah, bless.
Friday Ukulinklinks
April 4, 2008
The New York Uke Fest is officially up and running. You can check out the running order here and read a dubious letter of welcome from the Mayor of New York here.
I’ve mentioned a few times that WeePOP! Records is officially my favourite record label at the moment. So it’s sad news that their podcast blog Not Quite Rocket Science is closing for business. If you hurry, you might be in time to cath the Ukulele popcast.
Speaking of WeePOP!, foggy ruins of time has an mp3 of Jacob Borshard’s tribute to the movie Cocktail.
Craig Roberson’s latest CD Houdini’s Perspective is out now.
seattlepi interviews Howlin’ Hobbit.
Ukulala adds to the ukulexicon.
Download Zach Condon ukeing out with Alaska In Winter on Let’s Sexy Fighting and Matt the Electrician on songs:illinois.
Why does the Church of Christ prohibit ukuleles in their song services? Amos 6:3-7 “Woe to you who put far off the day of doom… who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint yourselves with the best ointments, but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives, and those who recline at banquets shall be removed.” I knew I didn’t like that God dude.
Recent Comments