Kiwi Ukulele: the New Zealand Ukulele Companion
July 30, 2008
Finally, a beginner’s ukulele book that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
I’ve been moaning about the quality of ukulele beginner books for a while now. They all seem very dated in the songs they select and nowhere near comprehensive enough to cover everything a beginner should know when they out. Luckily, Mike Dickison (he of Mike’s Ukulele Page) has written the book that the ukulele deserves. He covers the basics comprehensively, but what really makes it stand out is that he conveys where the ukulele scene is at right now. There are chords for ukulele classics (Five Foot Two, Ukulele Lady), uke/punk crossovers (Anarchy in the UK, Blitzkrieg Bop) and indie ukulele (Ukulele Me).
All the basic chording, strumming and picking are put across effectively and concisely with top notch illustrations (not surprisingly).
As well as the playing side, he also covers the other essential parts of the modern uke scene that none of the other books mention: ukulele clubs, recording yourself on your computer and ukuleles on the net.
The book does have a New Zealand focus (I’m ashamed to admit that I couldn’t have named the New Zealand national anthem in either language before reading the book), but set your New Zealand prejudices aside. It deserves to get picked up and adapted by an International publisher as it’s by far the best introduction to the ukulele I’ve ever read.
Mike will be putting up extracts from the book here and you can order it online here.
Kiwi Ukulele, ezFolk and other Uke Links
July 25, 2008
Mike’s ukulele book Kiwi Ukulele is out now. You can buy it here. The book has endorsements from Age Pryor and George from the UOoGB, to which I can add my whole hearted supported (more on that in the not too distant future).
ezFolk has a new blog look. As an aside/hissy-fit, is it just my self interest speaking or is it a bit off that general sites like ezFolk and Curt Sheller are included in the Top 50 Ukulele Sites list?
First ever Wine Country Ukulele Festival in Napa Valley featuring workshops and performances from the likes of Herb Ohta, Jr., Keoki Kahumoku, Ralph Shaw, and James Hill.
HawaiiMusicSupply has just put up a selection of ukulele tutorials.
Does anyone know anything about Oly Arkle? His From Paris to Barcelona is rather magnificent. All I’ve been able to find out is that he’s French and he looks like this.
I long ago gave up reading ‘news’ pieces about Jake Shimabukuro, they all say the same thing. Luckily, Gary is far more diligent than I am. He found out that Jake’s new album will include a uke/cello duet and a ukulele string quartet. Speaking of Jake, Cover Me has an mp3 of his version of Time After Time.
If you’ve been watching closely, you’ll know I’m a fan of Poopy Lungstuffing. It turns out that she was a sort of proto-Avril Lavigne with the band Rosebud. This was the song as it was and here it is now. A big improvement I’d say.
The Offspring’s Original Prankster on Uker Tabs.
Ukulala gets his make-out socks on for the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
