Ukelilli: Saturday UkeTube
December 12, 2009
Doctor Who? is one of those things everyone loves and I don’t see the appeal of at all. The theme tune, on the other hand, I do love. And this week’s UkeTube is bookended by two takes on it – one from Ukelilli and one from WS64.
Also this week Craig Robertson, Agathe, Arborea and strictly no Christmas songs.
Abbie Cardwell, Helen Arney: Saturday UkeTube
December 5, 2009
At Christmas we should spare a thought for people less fortunate than ourselves – I write about the ukulele for a living so everyone is less fortunate than me – and there are two excellent ways to do it. Helen Arney is recording a ukulele video every day this month and all she’s asking is that you donate 79p to Shelter. And you should pick up Rocky and Balls’s charity single Grow a Mo before they take it down on Tuesday (even if they did spell my name the satanic way – yes, it’s even more satanic than spelling it this way).
Also this week: Cole Clark’s pin-up girl Abbie Cardwell showing she’s more than just a pretty face (and a shapely pair of legs), Sam ‘Mario Kart Love Song‘ Hart, Herman Vandecauter playing three songs from the Andes and plenty more.
Olivia Ruiz, Miss Jess, tUnE-YaRdS: Saturday UkeTube
November 28, 2009
Videos this week from the mind-bending tUnE-YaRdS (and don’t miss FIYA from the same session), Miss Jess, Siri Nilsen (same song as last time but it’s too good), Nate Lieby (I strongly advise you close your eyes for 15 seconds at the 2:25 mark) and plenty more.
A lot of stuff I wanted to post this week – I’ve gone over my self imposed limit of ten and there were more I wanted to post. If you’re still gagging for more after these check out Kate Sloan, Wilfried Welti and The Corner Laughers (thanks to Ron Hale for that last one).
Patti Plinko, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: Saturday UkeTube
November 21, 2009
One surefire way to get your video featured is to do one of my requests and do it as fantastically as uketreehugger did.
Also this week: a Christmas song from cuddly Japanese super-cuties U900, cuddly backwoods super-cutie Jake Wildwood, cuddly Canadian super-cutie Ukulelezo and plenty of other cuddly super-cuties.
Via Tanya, Sophie Madeleine: Saturday UkeTube
November 14, 2009
After a bit of a male dominated week last week, the girls are back in force
I was originally going to post Via Tanya’s video for Wonder Stranger but the version she did for Shoot the Player. Also this week: Sophie Madeleine doing my second favourite song of hers for a Crypt session (watch the whole session in dazzling HD here), Victoria Vox previewing a song from her next album and plenty more.
Brandi Carlile – Oh Dear (Chords)
November 10, 2009
Brandi Carlile – Oh Dear (Chords)
I must admit I had no idea who Brandi Carlile was until I saw this clip. But when I posted it on the Saturday UkeTube there was an outpouring of love from the ukers. It’s not hard to see why. This is a lovely little ukulele tune.
Suggested Strumming
Dead easy. It’s all down strums on the beats.
Dent May, Craig Chee, Sebi: Saturday UkeTube
November 7, 2009
Fewer videos than usual this week. Must be down to me being in a bad mood. I wasn’t even keen on Sophie Madeleine’s new one at first (it grew on me). And I dragged down the average by uploading five videos of my own.
If you want you fill-up of music, here are a few excellent non-uke videos:
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears – Bobby Booshay
Lindi Ortega – I Never Loved a Man…
Tripping Lily – The Little Black Dress
[Read more]
Todd ‘Brother Sonny’ Baio: Interview
November 2, 2009
If you’ve been paying any attention to the Saturday UkeTube at all, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Todd. With him putting out a new CD, Odd Hill Music, it seemed the perfect time to pump him for more information.
What can we expect from your new CD?
“Odd Hill Music” is a collection of 21 folk and old-timey songs (with one original thrown in there :) . Some of the tunes are the lo-fi mp3s from my you tube channel and a handful of the songs are from some time spent in my office recording with a little more attentiveness to mic placement, etc. It’s a very “uke-ccentric” collection replete with soprano, concert, and baritone ukulele, but it also includes tracks with harmonica, washboard, 3 string cigar box guitar, and the 12 string guitar (which i affectionately call the ‘boom stick’). i’d say it’s a bit quirky, very simple, pretty lo-fi, pretty fun, and a bit punk….even though it’s folk :)
You mentioned on your blog that the ukulele has inspired you to write more songs. Why do you think that is?
*i’ve got a new blog by the way that i promise to post more consistently on….because it’s focus is scattered like me www.brothersonnysblog.blogspot.com
I think this is a great question. Quite honestly, i think it’s partly because i’ve been playing the guitar for 20 some odd years and have become a little too comfortable with it’s voice and tone….(another reason i’ve recently picked up the 12 string guitar and been messing around with alternate tunings). Another part of the equation would have to be the unique voice and feel of the uke….even the baritone (gasp). The re-entrant tuned ukes just breathe fresh life into chord patterns/riffs (which is usually how i start making/writing tunes) and the baritone uke has a simplicity to it that I believe is a good fit for my voice.
Which of your homemade instruments is your favourite?
I’ve got two right now. one is a modification i did on a crappy grizzly kit uke. The Uke-Cimer. I pulled frets off to give it a diatonic scale/dulcimer fretboard and i put the 1st and 2nd strings close together to make them one course….i think i have it tuned to DAD. the other is a 3 stringed box guitar i made out of an old art supply box and a plank of pine….it’s got natural overdrive when you strum it hard enough!
You often play for kids. How do you find they react to the old songs?
They’re absolutely super! They get very involved, many of them are pretty familiar with some of the old folk songs I do (probably thanks to Dan Zanes’ family music empire), and they’re pretty forgiving if i chunk a verse here or there….
You’ve got a new YouTube channel for family, singalong songs. Do you come from a musical family?
Yessir. youtube.com/sonnyssongbag is my start up channel to promote singalongs and internet porch music. I come from a family that appreciates music, but not many players….it’s neat though, my 3 year old son is already messing with the uke, percussion, and my homemade creations, and my 4 year old daughter seems to have a knack for song and dance.
How can people get hold of your CDs?
I’m still a technical Luddite. folks can get ahold of me through my Youtube Channels or e-mail me at folkster.todd@gmail.com (you can see logistics here). Until I can’t maintain it, I actually prefer doing transactions via the e-mail and postal service because I’ve made a lot of great friends that way….it’s a bit more relational. I’ll do the whole paypal thing when i hit folk star status ;)
Visit Todd on YouTube and on his blog.
Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer, Plushgun, Luca Gemma: Saturday UkeTube
October 31, 2009
Most of the UOGB stuff that turns up on YouTube is DVD rips, which makes lizardonuke’s channel very refreshing with lesser seen songs and backstage shenanigans. As well as the UOGB, this weeks vids include Mr B schooling us, Lulu and the Lampshades going bandstand busking (watch the whole thing here), The Bobby McGee’s fighting off zombies, Plushgun making a video on the cheap, Peter Moss soundchecking, Luca Gemma with the UKEit guys and plenty more. [Read more]
Polka Dot Dot Dot, Zoe Lewis, Victoria Vox & BAS: Saturday UkeTube
October 24, 2009
This week’s must-subscribe channel is spankyukes. As well as being incredible strummers themselves, they roped in Zoe Lewis. Other videos include high slapping fun from Polka Dot Dot Dot (who seem to be keen hamboners), Victoria Vox hooking up with Boulder Acoustic Society, Ingrid Michaelson, Mad Tea Party and plenty more. [Read more]
