Aldrine Guerrero, James Hill, Rachel Goodrich and more Videos
July 26, 2008
The boys and their fretboard wankery are back with avengeance this week with videos from James Hill, Aldrine Guerrero, Dominator, Takashi Nakamura and Bobby Tomei.
In other news, the Ukulele versus Major League Baseball campaign is gaining momentum.
Aldrine Guerrero – Bodysurfing
There are a bunch more UU tour videos here.
Aldrine, Ryan and Dominator – Reason
Rachel Goodrich – If Your Mine
Takashi Nakamura – Spanish Guitar and Ukulele Battle
Ken Middleton – The Colosseum Hornpipe
Fabio Koryu Calabro – Zbylenka TournĂ©e
Bobby Tomei – E Ku’u Morning Dew
Poopy Lungstuffing – Why Don’t You Do Right?
The Be Arthurs – Rock Your Body
Review: Aldrine Guerrero – Suite 409
July 21, 2008
You probably already familiar with Aldrine Guerrero from his YouTube videos and his lessons on Ukulele Underground. Aldrine has just released his debut CD, Suite 409, and Ryan from UU (the album’s Executive Producer) was brave enough to send me a copy for review.
The Good Stuff
Bandito Tyler (Unplugged): A phenomenal tune. A stone-cold ukulele classic. It’s played with real force and energy. It fizzes out of the speakers.
The album contains two versions of Bandito Tyler: a solo version and a band version. The solo version is by far the most exciting. The tune is so strong and forceful that the band dilute it rather than add to it.
The Instrumental Tracks: As well as having impeccable technique, Aldrine has a way with a tune. The instrumental tracks are instantly catchy.
They’re also nicely varied. Schizophrenic Snowflakes is light and atmospheric. Uke on a Stick is great fun. It starts out as a 21st Century Greensleeves, kicks into some Dick Dale tremelo, launches into Santana-style soloing and recalls the solo from Hotel California before it’s done. Cecilia is steady and meditative. Each of them a huge success on their own terms.
The Not So Good Stuff
The Vocal Tracks: In contrast to the variety of the instrumental tracks, all the songs are mid-tempo, easy listening RnB. Whether he’s lonely (Buttercup), in seduction mode (Red and Silky with Danyo Cummings and Ariki Foster), or resigned (Ducky Adores Me), it never really shows in the songs. Lyrically, the songs don’t ring true. It feels like he’s holding back most of the time.
Listening to the songs made me feel like the girl who feel for the cock-strutting MoFo of Bandito Tyler and ended up with the limp lothario of Red and Silky. I wanted the same passion and honesty of the instrumental tracks in the songs.
Overall
Suite 409 announces Aldrine Guerrero as a serious contender in the ukulele world – up there with the very best. If he can get the same passion that he has in his playing into his songs, he’ll be unstoppable.
Ukulele Links: Irish Uke Gathering, Julia Nunes Inspires Molly Ringwald
July 4, 2008
Last call for entries to the win a Kala Pineapple competition. It ends on Sunday.
Ireland will be having its first ukulele gathering in Dublin on August 9/10. Guest of honour will be Dan ‘Cool Hand Uke‘ Scanlan. If you’d like more info contact Tony Boland.
Italy’s first ukulele festival kicks off today with appearances by Bosco and Honey and James Hill.
Aldrine Guerrero releases his debut CD.
The Ten Commandments of Uke (via Ukulelia). And now that straps are verbotten, here’s the Catholic solution to a slipping ukulele.
Molly Ringwald was inspired to take up the ukulele by Julia Nunes (Noonz). That might be my favourite bit of news ever. Skip ahead to around 4:20. (Props to Uni for finding it).
Soldier’s Joy on Uker Tabs (Thanks Ken).
The Barnkickers are the deserving winners of buy a ukulele video contest.
You really should be following Ukulele Hero. Half the news here has already been on there.
The Beautiful South’s Paul Heaton writing their next album on ukulele.
Get yourself a free ukulele by having your YouTube videos sponsored. OK, that guy’s not much of a uke player, but I think that’s a pretty good idea for people whose videos get plenty of views. Bushman are the Bentley of ukuleles? I’d say they’re more the Ford Taurus of ukuleles.
The Independent on Sunday’s style guide favours the MJ Hibbett spelling of ‘ukelele’.
Ain’t nothing but a G thing. Who plays the G chord like that?
Re-entrant tuned guitar. I love Soukous, but I never realised some of them replace the D-string on the guitar with a high E-string tuned to D – giving it a ‘my dog has fleas’ style tuning. Diblooooooooooooooo!
Seeso, Janet Klein, James Hill and More
May 31, 2008
This week’s videos include Seeso, Janet Klein, James Hill and many more.
Roy Smeck, Ledward Kaapana, Shorty Long
April 26, 2008
Lots of precipitation this week; two songs about rain and one about snow. And, of course, plenty of other great stuff including Roy Smeck, Ledward Kaapana and Shorty Long.
Meaghan Farrell – Sombrero [Read more]
Sweet Soubrette, Sweetafton23, Aldrine Guerrero
April 5, 2008
You should probably brush your teeth after watching this week’s crop of videos featuring Sweet Soubrette, Sweetafton and Sweet Georgia Brown.
At the behest of Howlin’ Hobbit, I’ve added in links to the videos themselves.
Sweet Soubrette – Cut-Up [Read more]
Elvis Costello, James Ward, Kate Micucci
February 23, 2008
This weeks best vids include Elvis Costello, Ernie the Cockroach and two from my latest ukulele crush Kate Micucci [Read more]
James Hill, Dent May, Erin Lang and More Videos
February 16, 2008
James Hill and his imaginary friends, Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele, bolomusic and his two necks and plenty more.
[Read more]
The Saturday UkeTube
September 1, 2007
First off, be sure to check out the videos from the ukulele festival in Helsinki. Loads of excellent stuff. Second off, head over the fold for more. [Read more]
Friday Links
August 3, 2007
Uke Hunt has a MySpace. Friend me up and join the Uke Hunt endorsed Ukulele Nation.
Lyle Ritz and Roy Sakuma chat on NPR (via Ukulelia).
The C-FleaPO & R2-Flea2 Flea ukulele doesn’t exist. But Darth Vader plays uke.
Howlin’ Hobbit is dishing out bi-weekly uke tips.
An ukulele has finally made an appearance in Flight of the Conchords during the song Goodbye Leggy Blonde.
Short lived cartoon character Crazy Ike and His Uke.
A short clip of Aldrine Guerrero in the studio on DoctorTrey and a podcast with him here.
Old Blue Bus has Hawaiian tracks and WFMU’s Beware the Blog has an interview with Tiny Tim (thanks to KDUS).
Another art uke.
Naked ukulele in New York.
Be careful how you type ukulelehunt.com.
The chords for 100 Hawaiian songs.
