Ukulelia

DQ Uke is Buffett's Sunshine

2008-05-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today was the annual Berkshire Hathaway "owners' meeting" in Omaha, and the world's wealthiest ukulele player got off to an early start by swinging by the Dairy Queen booth at the Qwest Center to strum his Talsma DQ Uke.

This DQ uke is actually the second of two made by Michigan luthier Dave Talsma. The first was auctioned off to support the Children's Miracle Network, Dairy Queen's corporate charity. I came up with the basic design of the DQ Uke and commissioned Dave to build it. While the uke looks like a novelty, let me tell you that it is a fantastic piece of lutherie. But don't take my word for it. Take Mr. Buffett's. He wrote me a nice note recently and waxed poetically about it. I have it from reliable sources that he's even serenaded Berkshire Hathaway staffers with "You Are My Sunshine."

Anyway, Mr. B liked the first DQ Uke so much that he hated to part with it (so did I; he almost didn't get it!) and promptly ordered a second for his personal collection. He likes it so much he even had a custom display case made for it (and Dave was gracious enough to provide all the necessary measurements from his plans so the uke never left Mr. B's office while the case was being made).

I wish I could have gone to the meeting this year. It would have been fun to strum a few bars with Mr. Buffett. But family and Masonic charity obligations kept me in town this weekend. Maybe next year!

Video at the link

Panic at the Disco

2008-04-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

My daughter Maddie is a big fan of Panic at the Disco. She just brought home the new CD Pretty Odd. It features a ukulele track on "I Have Friends in Holy Places." I haven't yet found a video of the uke version in performance, but this video has the uke version from the CD. If you have the chords, send me a note and I'll post a link.

UPDATE: Al ("Number One Uke Site"--grrr) Wood has graciously obliged. Link

(Thanks, Woodshed!)

It's Swimsuit Weather!

2008-04-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here in balmy Lafayette, CA, the mercury has hit close to 90 today. The sun feels terrific. Perfect for sitting outside, strumming your uke with your best pals. In commemoration thereof, we present this stunning photo from the 1920s. Enjoy!

Fun at the Run

2008-04-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...a bit of a report on the Ukulele Noir at the Bull Run this last Saturday (April 5th).

Great house and killer sound system. Everyone sounded so good it was almost frightening. The evening started with Jason Escape dragging two people up on stage to strap him into a straightjacket...from which he promptly escaped! Then yours truly got up and did selections from my new CD "Houdini's Perspective". I was followed by the Moonlighters, who were in great form, smooth and professional as always. Bliss was playing her new Pohaku ukulele and Cindy was playing a Harmony baritone.
Robert Wheeler did his usual "surprise guest" thing and had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Then the inimitable Victoria Vox got up. (in a bright yellow shirt! Noir? not.) and wowed the crowd. She has an amazing style.
After her Uke Box got up. Shelley and Marko from Holland. They were so well rehearsed and professional you couldn't help but be impressed. Shelley's voice was like liquid honey. IF you have a chance to see them live...go for it.
Finally Mark Occhionero got up and did an amazing set of solo ukulele numbers. Man, that guy can play!

Wish you could have been there...

link.

Banjo Ukulele Haven

2008-04-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Check out this new site devoted to the banjo ukulele. I particularly love this Magic Electric Banjo made by Emenee. It's like an early Guitar Hero axe! Link

Ukulele Idol

2008-04-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Jason Castro plays (surprise!) Somewhere Over the Rainbow on (you guessed it) ukulele. Gets rave reviews. Buy Kamaka stock now (you wish). What make uke is he playing? I don't immediately recognize it. Maybe you should buy their stock. Link

Outermost Uke Memorial

2008-04-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

Gonna be on the Cape this weekend? Provincetown is the place to be!

"Before Frank D. Schaefer died last year he let it be known to his wife, (uker) Mary Martin Schaefer, that he wanted a memorial celebration in Provincetown for his friends. Well, that�s what he�s getting � in celebration of Schaefer's life there's going to be an Outermost Uke Memorial concert at 3 p.m. April 6 at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, and everyone's invited."

Last stop on the Ukulele Caravan! Link

Take a Class With a Napa Haole

2008-04-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Iuka Grogg (aka Judd Finkelstein) of The Maikai Gents is teaching a one-day class ukulele class on Saturday, April 5 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at The Upper Valley Campus of Napa Valley College (on College & Pope Streets in St. Helena). Deets here.

Napa Haole. Hey, that's pretty good...

The SLO Strummers

2008-04-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

From the Central Coast of California, meet the SLO Strummers! (For those of you from out of the region, "SLO" is short for San Luis (don't say "Looie") Obispo, and is pronounced "Ess Ell Oh".)
Link

Eddie Vedder Uking on Solo Tour

2008-04-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Expect a lot of attention to come to the uke from Eddie Vedder's current solo tour, which kicked off Wednesday in Vancouver, B.C. Wonder if he sells ukes along with the usual tour swag... Hey, not a bad idea. Eddie, how about a couple of comps for the suggestion? Link

Stairway to Heaven

2008-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'll consider this penance for my admittedly bland attempt at an April Fool's post this year. (Not even one comment. Oh, well. I thought that if I said that Obama can't, but McCain can, it would be too obvious. At least give me credit for being subtle...)

I'm enough of a geezer to remember when guitar stores had signs encouraging people to try out any instrument so long as they didn't play Stairway to Heaven. Personally, I think the same extends to the uke.

But as stated, here is my cilice, tabbed out, courtesy of Al over on Uke Hunt. Link

Ukulele Hero!

2008-04-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

For April Fool's Day we were going to gin up a fake story about there being a ukulele version of Guitar Hero, but someone beat us to the punchline. And it's not all that funny. Link

So no fake Ukulele Hero story this year, dear readers. However, it does turn out that there's something floating around about there being a ukulele tune coming out for Rock Band:

"Portal's highly quotable protagonist, GLaDOS, is coming to Rock Band. The end credits song performed by the rogue A.I., "Still Alive" [and written by Jonathan Coulton, ed.] will be a downloadable for free in April."

Link

Update: Uke tabs here!

Yes He Can?

2008-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, here's something that's pretty surprising. If I asked you if any of the three major Presidential candidates knows how to play the ukulele, I'm guessing that you'd say Barack Obama would. After all, he was born in Hawaii.

That'd be my guess, too, but you'd be wrong.

While Senator Obama was born in Hawaii, he moved to Indonesia with his mother and stepfather when he was six. He later returned to Hawaii and wen' grad at Punahou. But since he attended early elementary school in Indonesia, he missed the obligatory ukulele lessons. The gap in his cultural upbringing was discovered during a 2004 fundraiser for the Hawaiian Democratic Party. Local party Chairman Brickwood Galuteria (see photo) presented Obama with a koa canoe paddle as a souvenir of the event:

"The Senator (Obama) thanked Galuteria for the gift and joked that "this will come in handy when I'm paddling up the Potomac to re-take Washington for the American people. I'm grateful that you saw fit to present me with this rather than an 'ukulele. I have no idea what I'd do with that."

Local 'ukulele teacher and impresario Roy Sakuma read the report in the Star-Bulletin and got in touch with Obama's sister, Maya. Roy offered to teach Obama to play, but the idea went nowhere since the Senator spends very little time in the Islands.

Fast forward to 2008. A chance conversation between Roy Sakuma and Abe Lagrimas, Jr. leads to a couple of telephone calls with Maya and guess who's teaching the G7-chord to you-know-who in the Presidential Suite at a swank LA hotel? Yep. Honest Abe.

I guess Obama didn't want George W. Bush to be the last occupant of the Oval Office to play the uke. Could a re-entrant version of "Yes We Can" or other campaign songs be far off? Link

Ukulele Sighting, Oscar Style

2008-03-31T23:03:00.000-07:00

Finally caught this year's Oscar winner for Best Original Score, Atonement. There's a memorable bar scene with British soldiers belting out "Bless 'Em All," led by uke player Paul Harper.

"Paul, who plays a sergeant in the British Expeditionary Force, said that Joe Wright, the director of the film was impressed with how much he knew about the 1940s and even asked him for his advice on what song the cast should sing in the cinema scene.

"Paul said: "He came up to me and asked me if I'd like to have a singing part in the scene set in a French bar. When I accepted, he asked me what song I thought we should all sing.

"I suggested Bless Them All, but not the normal version - the army version which is a lot ruder! Joe Wright agreed and then I was miked-up and put on set."

Link

New York Mayor Hearts Uke

2008-03-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

Everybody is trying to get into the act! Now it's Hizzoner Michael R. Bloomberg. Link

New York(er) Hearts Uke

2008-03-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

Even The New Yorker has noticed the resurgence of interest in our favorite instrument. This week's issue's Night Life section lists both the New York Uke Fest and Ukulele Caravan.

Craig's new(est) CD...

2008-03-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

"Houdini's Perspective", my third CD is available now.

More dark and magical stuff from the murky recesses of my mind.

link.

Rock That Uke Rocks

2008-03-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

We'd like to send out a big Ukulelia "Mahalo" to William Preston Robertson for sending us a copy of his landmark documentary Rock That Uke. It's terrific! And no self-respecting uke lover should be without his or her own copy. Available in fine stores everywhere, and online via Amazon, Elderly, Lark in the Morning, and Fleamarket Music.

Now if I could just get Holly Hunter to narrate my documentary...

(Thanks, Bill!)

Sex! Drugs! & Ukuleles!

2008-03-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well, reviews have been mixed, but we presume that ukefans will give two thumbs up to Uke Jackson's Sex! Drugs! & Ukuleles! at Theater for the New City. Runs thru the end of the NY Ukefest.

Start Spreading the News...

2008-03-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

The NY Ukefest 2008 is this upcoming weekend, April 3 - 6, 2008. Uke Jackson got a nice plug in the NY Times. Link

So what's in the box??? Magic and ukuleles!

2008-03-19T10:58:00.001-07:00

Perhaps I can get Jason Escape to escape from the tiny metal box he uses to introduce this act�.

All the way from Holland, this is your chance to see Marko van der Horst & Shelley Rickey, known as Uke Box in America. More precisely, at the Ukulele Noir on April 5th at Shirley Mass. This show is part of the Ukulele Caravan.

Uke Box is an eccentric little act comprised of nostalgic tunes and off-beat theatrics. Besides Ukuleles they also use and abuse a Banjolele, a Child Prodigy Midget Accordion, a Washtub Bass and a Toy Piano.

link.

Irish Ukulele Tabs

2008-03-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Pakelika Day! Here are some uke tabs for the day, courtesy of Uke Hunt.

Remember: don't drink and strum.

A Wartime Casualty

2008-03-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a bit of unexpected news from Anita Coyoli-Cullen:

Hello friends and supporters of Ukes for Troops;

I want to thank everyone for their support of Ukes for Troops, but the time has come to bring an end to this wonderful charity.

I find that I am unable to handle Ukes for Troops alone, and realize that God has other plans for me.

Effective July 1, 2008 Ukes for Troops will no longer be in operation.

I am currently not accepting any more donations and will use the remainder of my funds to finish filling the requests I have for ukuleles.

I will continue to support the military, my church, and the world of ukulele in whatever way I can.

Thank you,

Anita Coyoli-Cullen

Homefront America-Ukes for Troops
Program Director
16651 Island Circle #2
Huntington Beach, CA 92649

Without a doubt, the War has lasted longer than anyone would have wanted. It's a shame to see that it has lasted longer than Anita's resources. It was a wonderful program, and I know that it lightened the burden for our men and women in harm's way.

Mahalo nui loa, Anita.

Crafty Cartman Ukes Out

2008-03-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

A clever crocheter has crafted an uke-clutching Cartman. Who knew he played? Link

Kani Ka Pila Klip

2008-03-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here's something we haven't seen before: an 'ukulele "lyre." The Kani Ka Pila Klip attaches to the headstock of your 'uke and holds your music. Link