A very good week for ukulele performances. I usually try to restrict myself to four or five videos. Couldn’t do it this week.
Jake Shimabukuro is to release a new EP entitled My Life. The tracklist includes Over The Rainbow, In My Life, Going to California and Time After Time. Via Honalulu Advertiser. Pre-order on Amazon.
La Blogotheque has a series of beautifully shot videos Daniella ‘Rio En Medio‘ Stech-Homsy singing and ukeing in the streets of Paris.
Musicguymic has the new and strangely shaped KoAloha Sceptre. Quite possibly the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen.
MP3 Blogs: Not Quite Rocket Science offers up a podcast full of charming lo-fi uke songs from the likes of Magnetic Fields, Jakob Borshard and Beirut. While Songs:Illinois presents mp3s from occult banjolele playing psychic Madame Pamita and Cover Freak has a list of the top 5 ukulele cover versions.
Amy Crehore has produced her first art ukulele.
A collection of rare and unusual Flukes and Fleas.
Nellie McKay is to provide a ukulele version of PS I Love You for the forthcoming film of the same name.
Another picture in the Lewis Carroll machete series. (Thanks to Rufus).
The nominees for the Mercury Music Prize were announced yesterday and, despite the lack of ukuleles, it’s a strong line-up. It’s the only event in the year I gamble (and lose) on and this year my money is on Bat For Lashes.
Playing the harpsichord riff on the uke demonstrates just how useful the re-entrant tuning can be sometimes.
By giving each note it’s own string you can let the notes ring into each other recreating the sound of the original much more effectively.
Beirut – Elephant Gun (Chords)
Elephant Gun was annoying to work out as the original version is played on a uke tuned a semitone sharp (g#C#FA#). I decided to notate the chords as if the uke was in standard C-tuning. If you want to play along and don’t want to re-tune or use a capo, you can play along with this live version (or the many others on YouTube) which is in standard tuning.
To get the opening bars to sound right, start by strumming downwards twice, concentrating on the 3rd and 4th strings. Then strum upwards concentrating on the 1st and 2nd strings. Do this twice on the Am. Then, on the D7, strum in a similar way but hammering on from open strings on the first strum.
A quick aside, I’ve tweaked the tab (but not the chords) for Postcards from Italy. So if you grabbed it first time you might want to check back.
Buy Lon Gisland 
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Korobeiniki/Tetris Theme Duet (pdf)
MIDIs: Duet, Ukulele 1, Ukulele 2
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve listened to this tune more than any other over the course of my life. Yet I didn’t even know what it was called until I started researching for this post. The tune is variously called Korobeiniki, Korobeyniki, Korobushka, The Peddlers and ‘that plinky-plonky Tetris music’. The lyrics of the song (written by one Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov in the 19th Century) tell of a young stable-boy who was obsessed with arranging different shaped straw bales as they dropped from the sky.
This duet divides the parts up fairly evenly. The first ukulele takes the main melody and the second plays a counter melody. I’d suggest that you repeat it more than is indicated in the tab, speeding up each time until you’re going at a frantic pace at the end.
“But,” I hear some of you cry, “I have no friends.” No worries. I’m working on a solo version so stay tuned.
Update: The solo tab is here: Tetris (solo)
On The Waikiki (mp3) via Mill Pond Records
It’s a typical English summer; I’m up to my elbows in flood water. At times like this I grab my ukulele, close my eyes, put on some suitably tropical music and imagine I’m sat on a Hawaiian beach. My fantasy may be eased a little further next week by the release of Jason Holstrom’s Tiki-resurrecting solo project The Thieves of Kailua.
There’s precious little in Holstrom’s previous work to suggest he was a laid-back uke player. He was a founder member of United States of Electronica and a knob-twiddler for the likes of Aqueduct. But a trip to Hawaii with his future wife obviously woke something in him.
The record was made entirely by Holstrom over three years in his bedroom-studio. Which makes the clear harmonies, rumbling percussion and large sound all the more impressive. More than enough to keep me happy as I rust in the summer rain.
12th Street Rag (Tab 1)
12th Street Rag has long been a uke favourite and it seems to be very popular at the moment. Gary at Ukulelia wants to learn the Lightnin’ Wells version (above) and a number of people wanting a simpler version on Ukulele Cosmos. So I decided to knock together a version of 12th Street Rag stripped to its bare minimum. The idea is not that you play it this way, but that you take this and give it your own twist. Read the rest of this entry »
The week’s best uke videos after the cut.
LA Daily News talks to Jim Beloff and Dan Sawyer about the ukulele’s gaining popularity.
Is this the earliest photo of an ukulele? It is according to this great article by John King. The photo was taken by Lewis Carroll and features Alice (of Wonderland fame), on the left, and her sisters holding machetes – the Maderian precursor of the ukulele.
The Idler magazine Ukulele band announce lit festival appearance. Rehearsals for which have a habit of starting late.
Why didn’t I think of this?
For when only real style will do. Buy on Flea Market.
What do you do with the offcuts from ukulele picks? Turn them into trivets and sell them for $196.
Dreamtime has a dark and atmospheric podcast telling the tale of Stagger Lee/Stack O’Lee and playing versions of the song including that by Ukulele Ike.
A Saint not playing the ukulele and Lee Morse not playing the ukulele either.
Uke Hunt is two months old today – still not in full control of its faculties and gurgling incoherently. Like most blogs, the only person reading it was its mum. So you may have missed some of the early posts. Here’s a rundown of the eleven (yes, eleven) most popular posts so far:
- Julien Doré – Cet Air-Là : Sexy Frenchman covering France Gall/April March.
- Top 10 Free Ukulele Software Downloads: People like free stuff.
- Simpsons Ukulele: how do you play the ukulele with only three fingers?
- Pink Panther: some people may put this post’s popularity down to a killer tune. I say it’s all down to the handsome guy in the video.
- UkeTube 5: Fantastic videos from Bob Brozman, Bosko and Honey, The Winin’ Boys, Earlyguard and Cool Hand Uke.
- Rick Sauer – Tequila: Excellent arrangement by Mr RISA.
- Various Artists – Creep: Everyone’s playing it, everyone was searching for it.
- The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
- Stephin Merritt – Smile: Everyone you despise will die so smile.
- Earlyguard – Blue Smoke: Very effective tune, great for those learning fingerpicking.
- Ukulele Flash Cards: Cut out and test your chord knowledge.
A big thanks to everyone who has commented, linked and emailed. It makes it seem like this blog isn’t a colossal waste of time.
