Sakura, Sakura (Tab)
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This work by Ukulele Hunt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
In honour of the weather warming up a bit here (with apologies to those places under snow) a couple of summery tunes this week from Hellogoodbye and Shugo Tokumaru.
Highlight of the week is the video of Mel Torme busting out the bari that Shelley discovered. And there’s plenty more jazz this week from Sarah Maisel, Honey and the Baldies and Eugene singing a song that could be my theme tune.
I’ve always associated coconut ukuleles with tacky tourist ukes. But here’s a Cox’s Cocolele from 1937; the year it was invented. You can see the patent here. Turns out old Coxy didn’t intend them as a cheap souvenir but a vast improvement over the heretofore crappy sounding ukulele.
Heretofore ukeleles have been made of mahogany, ohia, monkey-pod or redwood and, in spite of the exhaustive efforts made, fine tonal qualities have not been obtained.
It is therefore the principle object of my invention to produce a ukelele having fine tone, and I accomplish this by constructing a substantial portion of the main body of the ukelele from cocoanut shells.
Strange how that didn’t work out.
Sedlacek Jazz Ukulele
I was quite interested in the Blackbird Carbon Fiber ukulele being a uke impervious to heat and moisture (even if it doesn’t sound that great). But the $1,300 price tag makes it much less appealing.
“The hell with that damned guitar. It’s a haole-made instrument. And how’s my ukulele playing?” Kahauanu Lake died last Sunday. He’s most famous for writing Pua Lililehua (which I tabbed a little while back) and was a militant supporter of traditional Hawaiian music, Hawaiian culture and the ukulele’s place in them. As you can see in this interview. Ukulelia has a round-up of links.
Geek Pop’s sampler Geek Like Me is out now and features ukes from Helen Arney (as featured in the podcast), Jonny Berliner and MJ Hibbett.
Vingtage Ukulele Ike songbooks on Ukulele Cosmos. And less vintage chords for Uni and her Ukelele songs.
Charlieissocoollike did a ukulele song with Tim Minchin – and forgot to turn the mic on. There aren’t enough heads or desks in the world to do that one justice.
Musician microfunder site, Pledge Music has set up a publishing and made Sophie Madeleine their first signing. (Those three guys behind her do make her look like a cheery despot parading prisoners of war).
Amanda Palmer comes up with a clever solution to the playing ukulele whilst standing problem.
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy (Tab)
I was halfway towards doing a version of the Patsy Cline Crazy when I heard Don Ross’s cover of the Gnarls Barkley Crazy and decided on that instead. Or maybe as well as; I might do both.
I play this one quite loosely – strumming when the mood takes me and messing around with the verses – so the tab shows the melody and the chords and you can strum as you see fit. It’s also worth hitting a few extra notes along with the melody to keep things going.
There are lots of rapidfire note sections which are quite tricky to play. You could pare these down a bit to make it easier to play and still recognisable.
Yesterday – it being International Women’s Day – I was musing on how gender balanced the ukulele world is (compare the average ukulele festival to scenes from NAMM). I like to have a healthy mix on the site and writing about the ukulele makes it very easy.
But it goes beyond gender. The ukulele scene is generally inclusive and has long been home people who are not fitters-in. It’s one of my favourite aspects of the scene. And it got me thinking of Tiny Tim.
When the campaign to induct Tiny Tim into the Ukulele Hall of Fame came along I was more than a little sceptical. And I still have my doubts. But I’ve started to change my mind.
The uke has always been an outsider instrument. It was built by immigrants and adopted by Hawaiians quickly being elbowed out of their own country. Ever since it’s been taken up by the misunderstood, the misshapen and the mentally other. And Tiny Tim is the embodiment of all those things. Best of all, he was happy to be that way. It never seemed like he was putting on an act but just gleefully being himself. It’s a point Penn Jillette makes in this video:
What I really love most about Tiny Tim is the complete lack of irony and the complete lack of cynicism in Tiny Tim.
Whether you’re seven hundred pounds, buck-toothed, slightly deranged or all of the above, Tiny Tim means you’ll never be the weirdest person to pick up a uke. And that’s the way it should stay. No matter how many skinny, straight-toothed popstars pick it up.
Tiny Tim should be in the Ukulele Hall of Fame because he is the ultimate representation of one concept: the ukulele will always welcome freaks, weirdos, outcasts and outsiders.
Amanda Palmer – In My Mind
Amanda Palmer’s new one Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under is a very enjoyable listen. Particularly Map of Tasmania (C6 – D) and this simple little waltz. She’s really good when she manages to get her ukulele in tune.
Suggested Strumming
Almost all the way through it’s this four times for each chord:
d – d u d –
The exception is at the end of what I’ve called the chorus. There do this for the C:
d – d u d – d – d – d –
And just one down strum for the D.
Links
Buy it on Bandcamp
More Life is Strange tabs and chords
Requested by Amy.
Favourite video this month comes from Keston Cobblers’ Club. There seem to be more cobblers in the club with each new video. Not that I’m complaining. They make a lovely noise.
Also this week Lil’ Rev busting out some of his 101 licks with Dominator, Francesca Belcourt in the snow and Nicholas Abersold with my favourite line of the week.
Gleeks might want to watch this premiere of Matthew Morrison’s single. It’s written by the people who wrote Hey, Soul Sister with Train so take that as a warning before you click the link.
Fretboard Journal heads to the movies.
Agathe’s self-titled EP is available on iTunes and on eMusic.
Successful February Album Writing Months for MJ Hibbett and Tally ‘live2tivo’ Deushane. And while we’re on the subject here’s Tally’s How I Met Your Mother song as it appeared on the HIMYM DVD.
Emergency ukulele: every jeweler should have one.
UKULELE: The Sound of Life. And if you’re into your animation you have to check out this channel (not uke-related).
Direct Current has a couple of tracks from the new Misty Miller record for download (and they’re sounding rather fine).
I am so excited that there’s a new Lefties Soul Connection album on the way. They’re easily the funkiest Dutchmen ever to strut the earth. So in anticipation I decided to tab up a few of the funkiest ever riffs.
I’ve tried to keep them in the original key. It’s not always the best key to play them in but it does mean you can funk along with the songs.
The Meters – Cissy Strut
The Meters – Funky Miracle
Two riffs from The Meters because they were so badass. The only band badassier were The Bar-Kays and I might end up doing a full rundown of Soul Finger sometime.
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Funkadelic – Hit It and Quit It
Rick James – Super Freak
