what's inside... p3. Video Rules! p4. Flip Ultra CamCorder p6. Serif MoviePlus X5 p9. Sarah Maisel Up & Coming p11. Mainland Baritone Review p13. Accessories p14. Kala Ukadelic Uke Review p15. George Harrison Spotlight p18. The Tiny Guitar p19. Tune That Uke p20. Ukulele Bartt Give-Away p21. Kala Uke Give-A-Way p22. KoAloha Builder's Corner p23. Music Camps p25. Club Listings p35. What's Happening p37. Online Resources Special Video Issue and we will be uploading more video content to those channels. The first is for interviews, the second is for ukulele reviews. www.youtube.com/ukeplayermagazine www.youtube.com/theukeplayermagazine Just copy and paste the link into your browser’s navigation bar and you can check it out. We have video from the Tampa Bay Ukulele Getaway on the former channel and ukulele reviews on the latter. Look for a lot more video content in the future. We will be uploaded a bunch of videos this weekend and over the next few days. Stay tuned... Issue 18 In recent days we have been putting together a plan for creating video content. Over the past year we have purchased and reviewed the Flip Pocket-CamCorder, the Zoom Q3 video– which has two studio-quality condenser mics built-in, but was lacking in video quality. Then, we discovered the new Flip Ultra pocket CamCorder, which does record in true high-definition video resolution. Since quality video doesn’t stop with the camera, we bring you a review of Serif Software’s new MoviePlus X5 video editing application. If you have uploaded any video content to YouTube, you have to check out this article. We have a review of a “Classic Mahogany” Mainland baritone ukulele. This uke found a home in my private collection. If you have not contemplated investing in a baritone uke, check out the review and you might just find yourself wanting one of your own. Kala Ukes sent us a new “Ukadelic” soprano ukulele with a cool paint-job and it sounds great, too. We have added some new club entries and continue to encourage more groups to submit their information. Reader feedback tells us that our club listings are one of their favorite features. We have some new writer contributions this issue, including a great article on the late George Harrison, written by Austin Kaiser. Austin is a doctoral candidate and an avid ukulele player. You can look for more contributions from Austin in future issues. We have a contribution from John Wagner from the CA Coast Music Camp. John is another tireless ukulele player and instructor. We still have some CDs and one DVD left for some lucky readers from Ukulele Bartt and a few CDs from Hilo Greg (Little Songs for Big Kids). Maybe we can exhaust our supply this time around. We have two YouTube channels dedicated to ukulele player
Transcript
what's inside...p3. Video Rules!p4. Flip Ultra CamCorderp6. Serif MoviePlus X5p9. Sarah Maisel Up & Comingp11. Mainland Baritone Reviewp13. Accessoriesp14. Kala Ukadelic Uke Reviewp15. George Harrison Spotlightp18. The Tiny Guitarp19. Tune That Ukep20. Ukulele Bartt Give-Awayp21. Kala Uke Give-A-Wayp22. KoAloha Builder's Cornerp23. Music Campsp25. Club Listingsp35. What's Happeningp37. Online Resources
Special Video Issue and we will be uploading morevideo content to thosechannels. The first is forinterviews, the second is forukulele reviews.
Just copy and paste the link intoyour browser’s navigation barand you can check it out. Wehave video from the Tampa BayUkulele Getaway on the formerchannel and ukulele reviews onthe latter.
Look for a lot more videocontent in the future. We will beuploaded a bunch of videosthis weekend and over the nextfew days. Stay tuned...
Issue 18
In recent days we have beenputting together a plan forcreating video content.
Over the past year we havepurchased and reviewed theFlip Pocket-CamCorder, theZoom Q3 video– which has twostudio-quality condenser micsbuilt-in, but was lacking in videoquality. Then, we discovered thenew Flip Ultra pocketCamCorder, which does recordin true high-definition videoresolution.
Since quality video doesn’t stopwith the camera, we bring youa review of Serif Software’s newMoviePlus X5 video editingapplication. If you haveuploaded any video content toYouTube, you have to check outthis article.
We have a review of a “ClassicMahogany” Mainland baritoneukulele. This uke found a homein my private collection. If youhave not contemplatedinvesting in a baritone uke,check out the review and youmight just find yourself wantingone of your own.
Kala Ukes sent us a new“Ukadelic” soprano ukulele with
a cool paint-job and it soundsgreat, too.
We have added some newclub entries and continue toencourage more groups tosubmit their information. Readerfeedback tells us that our clublistings are one of their favoritefeatures.
We have some new writercontributions this issue, includinga great article on the lateGeorge Harrison, written byAustin Kaiser. Austin is a doctoralcandidate and an avid ukuleleplayer. You can look for morecontributions from Austin infuture issues.
We have a contribution fromJohn Wagner from the CACoast Music Camp. John isanother tireless ukulele playerand instructor.
We still have some CDs andone DVD left for some luckyreaders from Ukulele Bartt and afew CDs from Hilo Greg (LittleSongs for Big Kids). Maybe wecan exhaust our supply this timearound.
We have two YouTube channelsdedicated to ukulele player
Video Rules!YouTube has become thesecond most popular "searchengine" on the internet.
Having been the past editor-in-chief of "Connections", acomputer magazine dedicatedto computer networkingtechnologies and the internet, Ihave watched video withinterest from its inception.
I knew that sooner or later, videocodecs would improve andcompression ratios would besuch that real-time video wouldactually become quitefunctional and the internetcould even become areplacement for networktelevision.
When video first came online, itwas lousy. Performance wasslow and dropped framesmade even postage-stamp-sized video as jerky as an out-of-sync super-8 home movie. Addaudio to the mix and you mightas well download a coupleminutes of footage overnight towatch while sipping yourmorning coffee. Yes, it was bad.
Indeed, things have changed.WebCams started enjoying abroad user-base andperformance improved a lot.Video was still tiny, but it wasviewable.
With the growth in popularity ofpocket-sized digital cameras,video became ubiquitous andjust about every camera andcell phone could captureserviceable video.
YouTube came onto the sceneand took the internet by storm.Users had a place to uploadtheir "movies" and share themwith viewers around the world.
Thanks to YouTube, everymusician, every singer, everystand-up comic can entertain aglobal audience in a matter ofminutes– and they do.
People have been "discovered"after uploading videos toYouTube. Some have wonrecord deals and a lot more(Justin Bieber comes to mind).
My wife is the marketing andcommunications guru of acomputer company in town.She uses video to help "market"the company's products andservices. In fact, the companyhas a multi-tiered approachusing blogs, websites, videos,and speaking engagements.Video is one of the mostimportant forms ofcommunication you can use toreach your customer-base.
Every ukulele manufacturer and
every retailer should be usingvideo to reach their customers.If they don't they are missing alot of potential clientele.
The most important thing ininternet marketing is namerecognition, but it doesn't stopthere. Once your name isestablished, continued use ofvideo can generate excitementand keep people coming backfor more.
When Monty Python's FlyingCircus hit YouTube, they addeda live link to a site where fanscould buy Monty Python TVepisode DVDs and their featuremovies. Sales increased by23,000 percent!
If you have a CD to sell, andyou make some promotionalvideos, think seriously aboutadding a clickable link beforethe "credits" and you can takeadvantage of that powerfultool. Imagine having a videoreview of a new model ukulelewith a link for the customer tobuy it while they are yearning forone.
This is not just for manufacturersand retailers. Think of thepotential... "Click HERE to bookmy band." Think of thepossibilities!
Used properly, video hasamazing potential. A persuasivemovie that appeals to a viewer'semotions can trigger a buyingdecision. It could open the doorto a new career inentertainment. It could help youfind the love of your dreams. Itcan unlock your true potential.That is powerful.
Flip Ultra 3rd GenerationHaving realized the importanceof video in media, we here atukulele player have tried to useit for news and events, reviewsof ukuleles, and giving yousome video samples rather thansimply recording some audiotracks with our studio equipment(we have several digital studiorecorders here).
Our first video camcorder wasthe original "Flip" and we wrotea mini-review in issue 13.
In issue 14 we reviewed theZoom Q3 ReadyCamCorderand while it had better audiothan the Flip, it couldn't
compare in terms of videoimage quality.
Since those reviews a lot hashappened. The video segmentof the tech market has gonehigh-def crazy. Everybody wantshigh-definition TV, digitalcameras, and video. Anythingless is "boring" and is kicked tothe curb. If you will settle forstandard video, it's a buyer'smarket and cameras are dirt-cheap.
Cisco, famous for their routersand switches in the computerworld, acquired Flip and theyhave been continuallyupgrading, improving, andtweaking designs.
The Third-Generation Flip Ultrabrings you real high-definitionvideo image quality (1280x720pixels) at 60 frames-per-secondto make your videos run smoothas silk. Thanks to the MP4 videocodec, you can now watch full-screen, high-resolution videowithout stuttering motion.
The Flip Ultra has a f/2.4aperture lens which means ithas great performance in low-light situations. The lens also hasa wide enough field of view togive you the ability to record anentire band without having tobackup so far that the players
look like ants. You can actuallycatch the show and recognizepeople's faces.
If you choose to do so, you canconnect an HDMI cable andwatch your video on any wide-screen television with an HDMIinput.
Flip camcorders have alwaysbeen available in white andblack. If you are one of thosefolks that consider a digitalcamera a fashion accessory,and a lot of people do, you'lllove the fact that Flip pocketcamcorders are also availablein cool fashion designs.
The lower left corner of thispage shows the Flip "St. Patrick"model. That finish is painted ona white Flip camcorder.
You can "design your own" Flipwhen you buy it from theirwebsite. I would imagine thatthis is a popular option thatmore people will choose aspeople become aware of it. Ibought mine from a localretailer. I have the black FlipUltra with eight gigs of RAM.
because when it is in place, itcovers the Flip's built-in tripodmount and I use that for most ofmy videos.
Flip camcorders come withsoftware that makes it easy toshare your videos with the worldvia "FlipShare" or YouTube. Youcan also edit your videos bytrimming the front and back ofyour recordings to remove thepart where you hit the recordbutton or walk into the sceneand sit on your couch to playyour ukulele.
When you have saved yourvideos, you can edit them andthen create your "movie" withthe FlipShare software. If you aremaking a family video of aspecial event and want a littlebackground music, you canadd something of your own oruse one of the audio clipsprovided with the FlipSharesoftware preinstalled on your Flip
camcorder.
The screen capture at thebottom of this page shows theFlipShare software in use. Ithelps you create a library of filesthat makes managing yourvideos easy. When it comes toediting, you are really limited.You can add multiplerecordings in one movie, buttransitions are automaticallyconfigured and you can'tchange transitions.
The Flip Ultra saves files inMP4 format at 60 frames-per-second by default. You canchange that, but it isn'tnecessary. The videos lookgreat and play well on YouTubein that configuration.
We give the Flip Ultra a heartyrecommendation. If you wantmore control of video andmovie editing, don't miss ourreview of Serif MoviePlus X5.
One of the coolest features ofthe new Flip Ultra is theinclusion of the new "FlipPort".
The FlipPort allows accessoriesto be designed specifically forthe Ultra to add othercapabilities. In fact, Blue®, themicrophone people, have aFlip microphone coming tomarket by mid-year that will givethe Flip Ultra 3rd generationcamcorder recording studioquality audio.
The microphone will mate withthe bottom of the Flipcamcorder via this port. Therewill be no cables hangingbelow the camera. I hope themic has a built-in tripod mount
work more professionalism.
Another cool feature of SerifMoviePlus X5 is that you canadd text frames anywhere. Youcan put a title page at the startof your video. You can add textpages between scenes. Youcan add credits at the end ofyour production. And you arenot restricted to a generic font.You have a library of fontsavailable with all sorts of specialeffects.
My advice is stick with a singlefont throughout your production.Again, this adds continuity andprofessionalism to your work.
MoviePlus X5 includes a bookthat teaches you how to makeprofessional-quality productions.It covers the benefits of story-boarding and it is illustratedmuch the way big Hollywoodmovies are planned.
Serif has done a fantastic jobgiving you tips and tricks forproducing better movies. Thereare vacation movie tips,wedding movie tips, and a lotmore. This is a great addition to
Serif MoviePlus X5By now, we have convincedyou that video is a powerful wayto market your musical group orshare your club meetings andfestivals with ukulele enthusiastsaround the world.
If you are a merchant ormanufacturer, and you didn'trealize it before, you now knowthat good video content canincrease sales and help youexplain the cool features andbenefits of your products.
Just about every pocketcamcorder includes simplesoftware for sharing your videos.They all include some very basicediting utility that helps you trimthe start and finish of what yourecord. But if you want to do itright, you need a good movie-maker application, somethingwith more power.
Serif Software, makers of thedesktop publishing powerhousePagePlus, the software we useto create ukulele player, makesMoviePlus X5, their latest andgreatest edition, yet.
MoviePlus X5 actually supportshigh-definition video in nativemode. It works with all the latestpocket-sized video cameras,including the Flip Ultra 3rdGeneration camcorderfeatured in this issue.
What has always impressed meabout Serif products is theirvalue. Dollar-for-dollar, they area best-buy in my book. Theyoffer professional features at abudget price and I have beenrecommending their productsfor years.
MoviePlus X5 is very user-friendlyand you don't have to be avideo guru to learn how to useit. The software features bothtime-line and story-boardmodes to make movie-editingquick and easy.
The real benefit of story-boardmode is that you can add andremove video segments inseconds. Adding new clips is assimple as dragging them anddropping them anywhere in thestory-board. Your movies canbe assembled from start tofinish in the story-board modeand modified at any time.
Transitions are automaticallyadded between your videoclips to give your movies aprofessional look. If you want tochange the default transitions,you can browse through anextensive library that comes withMoviePlus X5 and choose theones that best serve yourpurposes. I like using the sametype of transitions throughoutmy productions. That gives my
the package. Also included is aresource disc filled withtemplates for various sorts ofmovie productions. If you wantto make a DVD production fromyour videos, virtually everythingyou need is in that resourcedisc. What a great value!
When I first tried MoviePlus, Iused version X3, and while it dida decent job on low-res videos,it had some syncing issues onembedded audio tracks and itdid not support high-definitionvideo at all. In usual Seriffashion, MoviePlus X5 fixes thefew performance issues thatexisted in X3 and adds fullsupport for true high-definitionvideo. My Flip Ultra high-defoutput recorded at 60 frames-per-second imported intoMoviePlus X5 without a hitch.
When I played the movie inpreview mode, timing wasperfect. That fixed one of the
major glitches in X3. The olderversion was out of sync in thepreview mode, although outputwas fine. That drove me crazy.
When you finish your movie andwant to export it for use onYouTube, MoviePlus X5 offerslots of great options foroptimizing performance online.Their recommended settingswork great, too. I tried them tomake sure.
I talked with a Serif rep on thetelephone and he assured methat MoviePlus X5 has beentweaked to fix all previousperformance short-falls and hewas right. I have no complaints.The software does everythingSerif claims it does and does itwell.
We will be using MoviePlus X5 forall our videos now. It doeseverything we need and it iseasy to use.
If you want to make professionallooking videos, whether youwant to post them on YouTubeor even plan to make a DVD toshare with family and friends,you can't go wrong with SerifMoviePlus X5.
Between the intuitive design ofthe software and the well-writtenhow-to book that is included,you'll learn a lot and your videoproductions will look as thoughyou paid a lot of money for theirdevelopment.
Even if you know nothing aboutmovie-making, don't worry,Serif's tutorials are first-rate.Between the book and theonline tutorials, you'll be makingmovies like a pro before youknow it– and you'll have a lot offun in the process.
Serif MoviePlus X5 is a winner.We recommend it. Buy it, you'llbe glad you did!
Sarah MaiselNot long ago we reviewedSarah Maisel's CD "Have Uke WillTravel" and I wanted to interviewSarah as an Up & Coming artistbecause her story is notuncommon. In a nutshell, girldiscovers ukulele... falls in lovewith the instrument... makes analbum... and hits the road.
So, what is it that compels aCalifornia girl to develop apassion for ukulele and diveheadlong into the uke scene?
Let's find out...
Q: How long have you playedukulele?
A: I started playing the Ukulele ina group class in 2006. Afterabout a year and a half Istarted private lessons.
Q: How did you discoverukulele?
A: My friend from work told meabout this restaurant shehappened upon that hadalmost 40 ukulele playersplaying together. Of course wehad to go check it out! It wasToday’s Pizza and Salad inEncinitas and every Wednesdaynight they had ‘Hawaii Night’,that is lead by Frank Leong (thesame man who taught thegroup lessons I eventually took).
When I walked in and saw all ofthose happy people playing theukulele, I just knew I had to be apart of it. Such joy– everyonewas so nice and inviting. Youcan’t be sad and play theukulele…
Q: You began your musicaljourney at age six, beginningwith violin lessons. did you haveany interest in guitar or otherstringed instruments?
A: The violin was really it for me.In college I tried to dabble a bitwith the guitar, but I could neverget the hang of it. It was just toobig and awkward for me toplay.
Q: You also had piano lessonsfor a while, do you still play?
A: I do, but I mainly use thepiano for figuring out melodiesand practicing theory.
Q: Are there any other musicalinstruments you play?
A: No.
Q: You developed a passion forjazz, who are some of yourinfluences?
A: It is hard to choose becausethere are so many- so here arejust a few: Ella Fitzgerald, DukeEllington, Erroll Garner, Charlie
Christian, Benny Chong, LyleRitz, Dave Brubek, and SonnyRollins.
Q: Your album, "Have Uke WillTravel" was released in 2010.Have you done a promotionaltour?
A: Not as of yet, but I amcurrently working on getting atour and schedule together.
Q: Have you played at any ofthe ukulele festivals? Any suchplans in the works?
A: Yes, I am working towardsfestivals this summer. I do makeappearances at several Ukuleleclubs in Southern California.
Q: You are pictured on thealbum with a Pono ukulele. Doyou have any other ukuleles? Ifso, do you have a favorite?
A: I own four Ukuleles and theyare all different brands. I can’treally pick a favorite becauseevery uke has a different soundand use. One is my beachukulele and the others aretuned different from oneanother. I like playing withdifferent tunings.
Q: The album cover also
features a 1971 VW "SuperBeetle" Is there a story behindthat car?
A: That is my car. She’s afantastic car– I bought it frommy best friend about two yearsago. I’ve noticed that everyonealways smiles and waves when Idrive by.
Q: You have been involved withmusic all your life, have you had"voice lessons" as well asmusical instrument lessons?
A: Yes.
Q: Have you been in any vocalgroups?
A: Not since high school.
Q: You also have a passion fortheatre. Have you been in anymusical productions?
A: I haven’t been in anyproductions for a while. but I aminvolved in productions yearround (behind the scenes). Iam currently employed by theUniversity of California SanDiego and the La JollaPlayhouse.
Q: Do you have any aspirationsfor future theatrical endeavors?
A: Not at this time, I am morefocused on my Ukulele playing
Q: Is there another album in theworks?
A: Absolutely! I started recordingin Mid February with TimCoffman (of Rolltop Music). I amvery excited about this project.It will be a more intimate albumthan “Have Uke Will Travel”.
Q: Do you have any futuremusical goals at this point?
A: A big goal for me is to do aJazz album. I also hope to meetand learn from other musicianslike Benny Chong, Lyle Ritz, oreven Jake Shimabukuro. Itwould be an honor to meet andspend time with them.
Q: Will we see you on a tour?
A: Yes!
Q: Where can our readerscatch a performance?
A: Currently I play every monthat the Wine Cabana (in OldTown San Diego).
This month I will be playing atthe Bird Rock Roasters CoffeeHouse March 12th 10AM-12PM,Wine Cabana March 19th 7PM-9PM. I also appear frequently atUkulele clubs all over San DiegoCounty, including the MoonlightBeach Ukulele Strummers andSan Diego Ukulele Meet UpGroup.
I feel incredibly lucky to havefound such a fantasticinstrument. The Ukulele hashelped me through some roughtimes and, to me, it's priceless. IfI can share the joy that it hasgiven me with others that willmake me very happy.
This issue we had an opportunityto review the Mainland Ukes"Classic Mahogany" Baritoneukulele.
I will say right up front that I ama big fan of baritone ukuleles. Ihave said before that everyukulele ensemble NEEDS abaritone uke to fill in the bottomend, adding a lot moredimension to your groupsmusic. If you have not addedone to your group, try one andyou will hear a big difference.
As baritone ukuleles go, theyrange from about $50 at thelow end to $1050 for a Kamaka.In the solid-wood models, Ihave to rank the $310 Mainland"Classic Mahogany" right withthe best of this class.
Everything about this Mainlandbaritone uke is done right. Theinstrument is solid mahogany. Itssatin finish really shows off thebeauty of the wood.
This baritone has rope binding,like the rest of Mainland's"Classic Mahogany" series ofukes. The finish is flawless. Thebinding is well made and reallylooks great!
When it comes to baritone uke
necks, I am pretty particular. Ihave played a lot of baritonesand this neck is one of the best Ihave played. The action is alittle higher than some I'veplayed, lower than many others.There are no buzzing strings andthe uke has plenty of volume.
The frets are well-dressed andthe neck is oiled nicely. Therosewood fretboard has adeep, rich color thanks to Mike'ssetup and treatment prior toshipping.
Mainland ukes aremanufactured in China, but thefinal assembly and setup aredone in Nashville, Indiana byMike and his wife, Tookta. If youorder a uke with a pickup, it'sTookta that will install it for you.That means the buyer gets alittle more personal attention.
Mainland Ukes also allowscustomers to choose betweenfriction and geared tuners. Thatgives guitar-player converts thesatisfaction of playing ukulelewithout pulling their hair outgetting used to tuning withfriction pegs. Some people willopt for Mainland Ukes for thatreason alone.
This baritone uke arrived in a
black gig-bag. It does a nicejob protecting the instrument,but I'd recommend talking withMike about buying the hardshellcase to give your uke the bestprotection possible.
I asked Mike what strings theyput on their baritone ukesbecause I really like them. Hetold me that they were Aquilastandard bari strings (DGBE). Theinstrument sounds sweet andmellow, just the way a barishould. While I have toyed withthe idea of alternate tunedbaritones in the past, I don'twant to change this one... It justsounds too good to mess with it.
If you are a fan of baritoneukes, you have to try aMainland "Classic Mahogany"bari. If you have never played abaritone uke, try this one andyou will be hooked.
Mainland's "Classic Mahogany"baritone uke won my heart. I'dhave to say it is one of the best Ihave ever played. I love it.
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kes.co
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AccessoriesHow many times have youbeen playing on stage andnearly made a fool of yourselfstumbling over cords, trippingover musical instrument cases,or you bumped a microphonesending a loud thump throughthe PA system?
Sooner or later every bandencounters such blunders. Themore you play the more likelyyou are to encounter theseissues.
You can avoid these pitfalls byusing long mic cords, wrappedaround your mic stands duringsetup and secured with gaffer'stape. It won't leave stickyresidue and it gets the jobdone.
When it comes to setup, thecleaner your stage set (read lesscluttered), the less likely you areto encounter stage incidentsthat will haunt you forever.
Don't buy cheap mic stands. Agood mic stand is the one thatis strong enough to hold threetimes the weight of your mic. Ifyou use a flexible goose-neck,make sure it is set perfectlybefore you begin yourperformance. It is also a greatidea to cut a piece of carpet tofit over the base of your micstand and cushion it, just incase your foot makes contactin a performance– especially ifyou are recording it.
The better your preparation, thebetter your performance. Anddon't buy gear on the cheap.
Kala UkadelicWhat I have learned from KalaUkes is that you never knowwhat they will introduce next.
In this issue we have one of thenew Kala Ukadelic (pronouncedUke-uh-dell-lick) soprano uke.
The Ukadelic line is one of Kala'snewest and appears in their2011 catalog. The one picturedhere is called "Tropical Day".
For a laminated soprano uke,this instrument is extremelylightweight. It sports ultra-lightgeared tuners with white plasticbuttons. The glossy paintedfinish is flawless. The graphicsactually look good. Kids of allages will love it.
This ukulele is not plastic, it ismade of thin laminated wood.It is well-constructed. All seamswere perfect.
The neck is comfortable in myhand and the frets are dressednicely. There are no sharp fretedges and the action is justright. I was surprised that this ukewas setup so well. Being anaffordable, novelty uke, Iexpected to see some cutcorners, but, this uke plays welland it has surprising volume.
From the catalog images, Iwould guess that the entire
Ukadelic series is built aroundthis same body and scale. Theyare all 12-fret sopranos, allmade of laminated wood, andall have glossy enamel(guessing) painted finishes.
The catalog shows two PaisleyPrint ukes, one burgandy andone green, a tie-dye uke, a tikimotif, a "tattoo" uke, a Tuxedo(guess that's for after-dinnerentertainment on formaloccasions), a tartan plaid, ablack and white checked uke,Texas, Mexican, and "Reggae"flag-patterned ukes (theReggae is also available in atenor-size model), "TropicalNight" and "Tropical Day" sceneukes (like the one picturedabove).
I know a few people that wouldget a kick out of the tie-dye uke.I also know a Scotsman thatwould love the tartan print.
Now you can play uke andmake a fashion-statement atthe same time. But these ukesactually play really well. I wasreally surprised at the sound thissample uke produces.
I'd love to see Kala offer theseukes in custom-painted models.Imagine being able to supply agraphic and have your originaldesign turned into a new
Ukadelic soprano– a one-of-a-kind uke. Now THAT would becool.
If you like soprano ukes and youwant something different foryour collection, the Ukadelicseries would be a fun additionto have. With that finish, I'd bet itholds up pretty well.
If you are looking for a nice"starter uke" as a gift forsomeone, this is a nice playableuke that would be fun foreveryone.
These ukes are real instrumentsin fun patterns. They play muchbetter than I expected. Theirvolume will surprise you.
I am serious about a custom-painted version of this uke. TellKala you'd love to have onecustom-painted. Maybe theycan figure out a way to makethat possible. I'd even order onemyself.
Fun ukes! Great players.
George Harrison: Rock Iconand Ukulele Fanatic
by Austin Kaiser
When George Harrison died ofcancer in 2001, the popularmusic world lost one of the mosticonic guitarists of the 1960sand 1970s. Even if he hadnever written or recorded anymusic after 1970, Harrison’s workwith the Beatles (as a guitaristand a songwriter) has earnedhim a significant place in rockhistory. However, ukuleleenthusiasts mourned Harrison asone of their own– a passionateand highly skilled ukulele playerwhose love for this once-unfashionable instrumenthelped it to acquire somecredibility among the manypeople who have mistaken it fora toy. Indeed, such wasHarrison’s devotion to theukulele that his close friend TomPetty has said that, after the late‘80s, the “rest of his life wasukulele.”
Harrison was born in 1943, andlike almost all Britons of hisgeneration, he was exposedearly on to the incomparablebanjo uke stylings of GeorgeFormby, whose syncopated,split-stroke style and powerfulrhythm playing inspired many ofhis fans to take up theinstrument. John Lennon’smother played ukulele, as didPaul McCartney’s father; both
were influenced by Formby,who remained enormouslypopular with the British publicfrom the Twenties until hissudden death in 1961.1 JohnLennon also enjoyed dabblingon the uke, and in an interviewgiven just after Lennon’s death,Harrison fondly remembered aboat trip the two shared throughthe Greek islands, playingukuleles and chanting “HareKrishna” for hours.
Playing the ukulele was a dailypreoccupation for Harrisonthroughout the last dozen or soyears of his life. His enthusiasmfor the instrument wascontagious– he distributeddozens of them among hisfriends, and he taught his son,Dhani, how to play as well. Inone interview, Dhani explainedthat “the whole time I wasgrowing up there've been ukesall over the house. Even I'veplayed the uke since I was reallyyoung. My dad showed mehow.” He continued:
“We played together. And, youknow, you can't not like the uke.There was a point, I remember,when it was not cool when I wasyounger, but it won me over. . .. For him I think it was just a sillyway of being able to just play a
tune. But when you get good atit, it's really not very silly. I mean,I play the uke every day myself,and I know a lot of people whodo, too.”
Harrison usually travelled withtwo ukuleles in his luggage, justin case he met another playerin his journeys. In a televisedinterview, Dhani said that hisfather once pulled out his ukeand played it for fellowpassengers in first class on aBritish Airways flight.
Although the exact year isunclear, Dhani has said that hisfather’s serious commitment tothe ukulele began in the late‘80s, when Harrisonrediscovered George Formbyand proceeded to immersehimself in the films, music, andplaying of his idol. He joinedthe George Formby Society andover the years attended manyof its meetings, oftenperforming Formby songs for hisfellow members. His interest inFormby was more than ahobby: it was a full-blownmusical obsession, and hecould perfectly duplicateFormby’s playing on the banjo
uke down to the smallest detail.Former Formby Societypresident Ray Bernard recalledafter Harrison’s death: “I don’tthink George Formby had astronger fan than GeorgeHarrison; he was absolutely overthe moon with him.” At onemeeting, Harrison and Dhaniended the night onstage withmore than thirty fellow ukulelists,all playing Formby songstogether. In an interview withRussell Davies for a BBC radioprogram on Formby, Harrisonspoke at length about his lovefor the great entertainer fromBlackpool. He explained that hehad just undergone a “crashcourse in George Formby,” andadded: “I haven’t slept formonths. I’m having dreamsabout Ludwig banjos and... hissongs going ‘round my head.”Harrison described hearing hismother sing along with Formbysongs on the radio as a child.He had a particular interest inthe more obscure Formbygems.
He said that he loved Formbybecause the latter made “funnymusic, very lighthearted,” andbecause “it’s hard to playukulele banjo without smilin– ittends to lighten up your life abit.” Ray Bernard’s friendship withHarrison was based around theirmutual interest: “I first metGeorge Harrison when heattended a George FormbySociety convention in Blackpoolin 1990. George wanted aukulele repaired and I was ableto help him. We all went back tomy hotel and George stayeduntil 2am and from then wehad a very nice relationship.”Bernard and Harrison frequently
visited each other’s homes forukulele jams, and OlyviaHarrison bought one ofBernard’s ukes as a gift for herhusband. Years later, Harrisongave the instrument to PaulMcCartney.
In a January, 2002, interviewwith Rolling Stone, Tom Pettyspoke of Harrison’s devotion tothe ukulele:
“He once brought me four
rooms with those things,because they knew Georgewas going to carry on tilldaylight with the ukulele.”
Harrison also taught Petty toplay, devoting an afternoon toshowing his fellow TravelingWilbury how to finger chords onthe uke fretboard.
Harrison was also a seriousukulele collector. He amasseddozens of rare and vintageinstruments, what Dhanidescribed as “a great collectionof ukes, and banjuleles,resonator ukuleles that haven'tbeen made for God knows howmany years– just all kinds, everyshape and size of uke.” Heplayed the ukulele in many ofthe scenes from the BeatlesAnthology documentary, andhe can be seen with a 6-stringKamaka tenor in the video for“Between the Devil and theDeep Blue Sea” from his finalalbum, Brainwashed(2002).Harrison also acquired severalof George Formby’s banjo ukes,one of which was auctioned offin London for thousands ofpounds after his death.
In 1997, Harrison was diagnosedwith lung cancer. He battledthe disease (which later spreadto his brain) bravely until hisdeath at 58. Cancer may haveshortened his life, but it didn’thamper his love for the ukulele,as uke guru Jim Beloff canattest. In 1999, he was fortunateenough to spend an entireafternoon playing and talkingukuleles with the former Beatle.He generously agreed to writean account of that visit for thisarticle:
ukuleles in a week... I said,‘George, I don't think I needfour ukuleles.’ He said, ‘Well, thisone is better than the otherones. And it's just good to havethem here– you never knowwhen we're going to all be overand need them.’
“He really got into the ukulele. Itsounds kind of corny, but itgave him so much joy, youknow. I was there when he firstdiscovered it. The rest of his lifewas ukulele. He played the hellout of the thing. When my kidswere little, we could clear
“The visit came about thanks tomeeting George's friend andmaster luthier, DannyFerrington, in January 1999 atthat year’s NAMM music tradeshow in Los Angeles. That wasthe show where my wife Liz andI and my brother-in-law, DaleWebb, first introduced Dale’sFluke ukulele to themarketplace.
“At our booth, besides the Fluke,we were presenting several ofour Jumpin’ Jim’s songbooksand my book, The Ukulele: AVisual History. Danny Ferringtonhappened to pass by our boothand saw the uke history book.He commented that GeorgeHarrison was his friend and thatGeorge had given copies ofthe uke history book to his palsas a gift that past Christmas. Healso went on to say that Georgewas in Los Angeles at themoment and would love to seeour vintage uke collection.Naturally both Liz and I, wholived in Los Angeles, werethrilled with the idea that aBeatle might want to visit ourhome. However, because wecouldn’t imagine such a thingactually happening, we didn’ttell anyone and pretty muchput it out of our heads.
“A couple of weeks later, onFebruary 2, we were stilldoubtful even as Danny keptcalling with hourly updates onthe various stops he andGeorge were making as theysupposedly were making theirway to our home. And thensometime in the early afternoonDanny and George Harrisonwalked into our living room. Myfirst memory was that George
grabbed a banjo uke resting ona stand and began to strumand sing the Formby song (andHerman Hermits hit) ‘LeaningOn A Lamppost.’ And for thenext three hours we talkedukuleles and sang songs.George sang and strummedseveral original songs thateventually ended up on his lastCD, “Brainwashed”.
“As it happened, at the time ofGeorge’s visit, Liz and I wereputting the finishing touches onour Jumpin’ Jim’s ‘60s Uke-Insongbook which was to includea number of Beatles songsarranged for ukulele. We werevery excited about this bookbecause it was going to be thefirst uke songbook to featuresongs from the 1960s and wewere especially pleased at howgood these classic tunessounded on the ukulele. As anexample I pointed out thearrangement for ‘All My Loving.’And then a moment later Liz,Danny Ferrington and I were allsinging and strumming ‘All MyLoving’ with George Harrison. Lizand I stole a look at each otherwhile this was occurring as if tosay ‘treasure this moment– this isabout as good as it gets.’
“There are two other momentsthat are worth sharing. The firstcame about towards the endof the visit when I asked Georgeif he would be willing to write ashort note on why he liked theukulele. He sat at our diningtable and composed thecharming paragraph thatbecame the ‘appreciation’ inthe ‘60s Uke-Insongbook.
“The other great moment was
an unexpected flourish asGeorge and Danny wereleaving. At the end of ourgoodbyes George ran over tothe piano and grandly playedthe famous intro to his song,‘Something.’ And with that hesaid ‘See you later’ and dashedoff.
After Danny and George weregone Liz and I were left stunnedand amazed. The year beforewe had made the somewhatcrazy decision to leave goodjobs (I worked for BillboardMagazineand Liz was a highlyregarded graphic designer inthe movie biz) to go full timeinto the ukulele business. At thatmoment we becameconvinced that George’s visitwas a blessing that we were onthe right path. We still do.”
As Harrison’s health deterioratedin 2001, his friends used the uketo lift his spirits. Longtime friendand musical collaborator JeffLynne said that, toward the veryend of Harrison’s life, “I'd sitbeside him and play someukulele very quietly. He'd wakeand smile. . . . I half expectedhim to tell me I was doing itwrong. George was passionateabout the ukulele. He played itbrilliantly, studied it, andcollected hundreds of vintageinstruments. There's not muchyou can do with a ukulele thatdoesn't sound happy. I thinkthat's why he liked it.”
—------------------------------I'd like to thank Austin for hiscontribution and Jim Beloff forrelating his story. Austin isworking on a story on Lyle Ritzcoming in a future issue.
Got Uke?
You can find Kala Ukuleles atwww.ukeladymusic.com
The Tiny GuitarOn Thursday, this past week, Iwas asked by an AfricanNational where he could buyone of those tiny guitars. Yes, hesaw me with a little ukulele, asoprano uke, actually. I wasplaying an Ohana SK-70 andenjoying myself, I might add.
As popular as the ukulele hasbecome in recent years, it isamazing how many people stilldon't know what it is. Somepeople have never heard of it.Even well-educated peoplerefer to it as a little guitar.
Ukuleles are selling as fast as themanufacturers can make them.Some industry watchdogs saythey are selling at an all-timehigh and some people claimthey are out-selling guitars. Yet,there are some people have stillnever heard of it. Prettyincredible, isn't it.
Personally, I don't mind at all.Whether you think of the ukuleleas a mini-guitar or a distinctlydifferent breed or have nevereven heard of it, that doesn'tmatter to me.. What reallymatters is that it's a joy to playand almost anyone can learnto play one if they want to learn.You might even call it "ThePeople's Instrument."
The ukulele is small and lightenough to carry anywhere. It'snot too loud, and not too soft.So, grab a uke and play andsing a song or two– and ifsomeone asks about your tinyguitar, just tell 'em it was in thedryer a little too long.
http://www.wsukes.com
http://www.ukulelenoir.com/
ukulele player is created usingSerif PagePlus page layout andgraphic design software.
http://www.serif.com
Spend a little time watchingYouTube and you might drawthis conclusion...
THERE MUST BE A SHORTAGE OFTUNERS IN THE WORLD!
Sorry for yelling, but I could notresist the temptation.
Looking at the number of tunersavailable at Sam Ash, Musician'sFriend, and Guitar Center, youwould think that tuners areeverywhere. So why are there somany people playing poorlytuned ukuleles and uploadingvideos to prove it.
My advice to new players andold players alike, get yourself areally nice tuner. They don't costa lot, and they do a fine job ofnotifying you when you are notplaying in tune.
I use a couple different modelsof Korg tuners. I have the CA-30and the GA-30. The former isbetter than the latter.
I meet with members of aukulele group in which everyplayer uses a clip-on tuner. Theyare easier to use when you arein a room full of musicians alltrying to tune at once, but I amset in my ways and have usedthe same type of tuner for overtwenty years.
I have to confess, though, Ireally tune by ear most of thetime. When I want to make sureI am on concert pitch, I cancheck the tuner and I am goodto go.
Tune That Uke
We loved MoviePlus X5 so muchthat from now on, we'll be usingit to make all our videos forukulele player.
http://www.serif.com/movieplus/
http://www.ukulelecosmos.com - excitement, music, lively discussion, and a whole lot more...
'Ukulele Bartt In Your Mailbox
Ukulele Bartt has given us a supply of his CDs and how-toDVD to give away to some lucky readers.
Over the next few issues, until our stock is gone, we will beshipping one "prize" per issue to one lucky reader.
If you have not heard Ukulele Bartt's "Under the Big FatMoon" you are in for a treat, if you are one of the lucky
winners. The instructional DVD is very well done and Bartt is agreat instructor. When the supply runs out, that's it.
Check out bartt.net for cool ukulele stuff.
ukulele player and kala present...ukulele player and Kala Ukuleles came together to bringyou this exciting opportunity. One lucky reader will winthis ukulele.
All you have to do is submit your name, an e-mailaddress, and a shipping address so that if you are thewinner, we will be able to ship it to you. You only need tosubmit your information one time and you will be in therunning for all of the Kala Ukulele give-a-ways.
You read about the Kala Ukadelic soprano ukulele in thisissue of ukulele player, now, here is your chance to winit. Follow the instructions below...
We will not share your contact information with anyonefor any reason.
note: if you have trouble with the form, e-mail your entryto [email protected] name, shipping address, e-mail address.
Q: Are there different bracingpatterns for ukes, or is the fan-bracing style the acceptedstandard? Also in yourexperience, does scalloping ofotherwise shaping the braceschange the color andpersonality of individualukulele's?
-Paul
A: KoAloha 'ukuleles are madewith a specially designed Uni-brace. It gives the instrumentexceptional volume.
Most 'ukuleles are not madewith fan bracing because itwould make the soundboardtoo rigid. You would dampenthe vibration too much and killthe instrument's volume.
Scalloping 'ukulele bracingcould be used to lighten theinstrument and give morevibration. With the uni-brace, it istotally unnecessary.
Q: I have always wondered whysome ukes that are the samemodels can't be setup the
same. Specifically, I had oneuke that was able to go downto .100 inch at the 12th, but theother couldn't go lower than.120 inch. A local luthierchecked it out and said that theneck was not bowed and thatwas the best he could setup theukes at.
Another question. What exactlyis considered low action? Mya-Moe states it that .090 inch ismedium action. I have neverfelt a uke lower than thataction height and waswondering how is that possible?And if its higher tension strings,are Aquila, Worth, Hiloconsidered high tension? If not,what brand would be hightension to get that low action.
A: The "action" of a 'ukulele is acombination of threemeasurements. The neck reliefangle is the first. The second isthe height of the saddle. Thethird is the depth of the nut.
If you set the strings too low, yourun the risk of causing string buzz
and you also lose considerablevolume. If you set the strings toohigh, you run the risk of makingthe instrument too difficult toplay.
There is no perfect formula. Howdoes your 'ukulele feel?
If you assume that the neck isset properly on the body of the'ukulele, then the setup wouldconsist of checking the heightof the saddle and the depth ofthe nut to provide the bestcombination of volume andease of play.
The angle of the strings acrossthe saddle is called the "breakangle" and the sharper thatangle, the more downwardforce. Higher downward forceproduces greater volumebecause it increases thevibration of the soundboard.
The perfect action is the onethat feels best to the player. Thebuilder tries to set things to thebest compromise position, easeof play, great volume and tone.
Ukulele & Other Classes at the 20th California Coast Music CampThis summer, California CoastMusic Camp (CCMC) will becelebrating its 20th year ofbringing quality acoustic musicinstruction to California. Two-week-long camps will be held,July 10-16 and July 17-23,2011.
The camp is located on awooded ridge at 4,000 feet, inthe historic Sierra Nevada GoldCountry in Placer County,northeast of Sacramento.CCMC offers more than 30classes in ukulele, acousticguitar, mandolin, bass, banjo,voice, fiddle, accordion,songwriting and even clogging.Styles include bluegrass,swing,blues, country, old timey,folk, Brazilian, Celtic, jazz, rock,and more.
The camp features extraworkshops, band labs, jams,concerts, and dances. CCMC’sinstructors focus on teachingpractical, usable skills which youcan incorporate into yourplaying or singing.
Swimming and hiking are non-musical options at CCMC andsome campers bring bikes toexplore oldroads and miningtowns in the area. The terrain atcamp is fairly flat, with improved
country, including CCMC. Hisstudents give him high marks asboth an entertainer andinstructor and CCMC welcomeshim back for another fun week.
Peggy Reza and her Blue ShoesBand have featured good timemusic since 1990 throughoutNorthern California and beyond.At music festivals, concerts andevents, Peggy combines agreat voice with solid ukulelechops to deliver fresh takes onvintage jazz and blues and onher own tunes. She and herband have produced five CDs.The covers of some are in thestyle of the great Avalon andFillmore Ballroom posters of the1960s– see them all athttp://home.onemain.com/~pr1002472/id5.html.
explore oldroads and miningtowns in the area. The terrain atcamp is fairly flat, with improvedroads and trails throughout, andthe camp overlooks the deepcanyon of the Rubicon River,not far from the original 1848gold discovery site. Campincludes all meals, snacks andactivities; for lodging, you canbring a tent or RV or stay inshared cabins.
Week 1 Ukulele Instructor:Jere Canote
At many ukulele, old timey, andfolk festivals throughout the U.S.and internationally, Jere makesdefinite musical contributionswith his ukulele, guitar, banjoand even Andean pan pipes.He has developed somespecial styles for ukulele,including a banjo-style frailing orclawhammer technique that isan interesting and effectiveaccompaniment for manytunes. Jere and his fiddling twinbrother Greg are based in theSeattle area and have beenplaying and singing traditionaland fun tunes with “brotherharmony” for decades. Youcan get sound and videosamples of their work at
or trysearching “Jere Canote ukulele”on YouTube.
The Canote Brothers haveproduced a half dozen CDs ofmusic in various styles, includinga solo ukulele CD. Jere also
manufactures and playselegant specialty banjos– banjoukes, banjo guitars, banjo-lins,etc. You can see pictures at hisweb site– note the array ofexcellent musicians who playCanote banjos.
Jere has been on the ukulelefaculty of many music campsand workshops around the
You can hear sound samples atthis URL:
http://www.myspace.com/blueshoesband and on YouTube.
This summer will be Peggy’s firstas a CCMC instructor, but shehas been an active ukuleleteacher who has worked withhundreds of aspiring players.She has provided workshops atmany other festivals and campsand currently offers lessons at“Aunty Uke’s School for theTalented” in Columbia, CA.Peggy has also developedukulele instruction materials anda line of ukulele greeting cards.Many CCMC campers arealready looking forward to a funweek of ukulele instruction andtunes with Peggy!
In addition to skills classes,CCMC offers band workshops inbluegrass, Western Swing andjazz styles, plus purely repertoireclasses that ukulele players canenjoy. And campers get in lotsof jamming with faculty andother students, plus many otherchances to perform in largeand small venues.
CCMC’s teachers for otherinstruments and voice havesimilarly strong musicalbackgrounds as the ukulelefaculty, so you’d have achance to work on the non-ukulele parts of your music or tryout a new style. CCMC strivesto bring in instructors who arenot only great musicians butgreat teachers as well.
Go to the following URL for moreinformation:
www.musiccamp.org/uke
At this website you will finddetails on the classes for ukuleleand other instruments, plusinformation about the campitself.
You can find links to the websites of teachers there, too, ifyou want to get more of theirmusical bios and hear samplesof their playing. Students mayregister for one or both weeks atthis site or by mail. Scholarshipsare available.
Whether you're a shy beginneror a seasoned professional,CCMC's classes and activitieswill challenge and inspire you.The supportive atmosphere willencourage you to stretchmusically, regardless of yourlevel or experience. And CCMCis fun– and has been for 20years.
—----------------------------
John Wagner has attendedmost of the California CoastMusic Camps since 1994 andhe attempts to play jazz guitar.He has been among the manyactive volunteers for CCMC, anon-profit organization, and iscurrently on their Board ofDirectors.
http://www.wsukes.com
German Village Music Haus
We Sell Ukulelesexpert setups for your fine
ukuleles and guitars.
350 S. Grant AvenueColumbus, Ohio 43215
Bill Foley, owner and luthier.www.gvmh.com(614) 228-8467
If you would like to list your club here, submit contact informationat this website:
http://www.tricornpublications.com/uke_player.htmor e-mail me at this address:[email protected] will add you to our list.
USA
Arizona
Scottsdale Strummers, Scottsdale AZ, Contact Pat McInnisweekly daytime meeting, monthly evening meetingemail: [email protected]: azukulele.com
Tucson UkestersTucson, AZMeet weekly - usually on Monday afternoonContact: Kristin [email protected]
The Tucson Ukesters - peformance groupMichael Crownhart - Group leaderContact: [email protected]
Phoenix Ukulele Meetuphttp://www.meetup.com/The-Phoenix-Ukulele-Meetup-Group/4th Thursday at Dolce Video Coffee Bar1025 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85014Contact: Carolyn Sechler [email protected]
Phoenix Ukulele MeetupMeeting weekly on Tuesday Nights at Cabin CoffeeOther workshops and meetings as published.Web site: http://www.meetup.com/The-Phoenix-Ukulele-Meetup-Group/Email: [email protected]
California
Ukulele Club Listings...
Ukulele Clubs continuedNuked UkesWe are in Auburn California. Welcoming players from all levels.contact: Loyce [email protected]/loyce'sblog
Ukulele Society of AmericaContact: Richard Douglas(760) 458-6656300 Carlsbad Village Dr.Carlsbad CA, 92008http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukulele_society_of_america
Ukulele Club of Santa Cruzwww.ukuleleclub.com
One of the Largest Ukulele clubs in America! Usually meets every third thursdayat Bocci's celler in Santa Cruz, but check the website, cause it sometimeschanges. Or email [email protected] for club information.
Ukulele UniversityNew uke club in the Sacramento, CA. Area. Meet 1st Thursday eve monthlyemail: [email protected]: www.ukeuniversity.com
San Jose Ukulele ClubEvery second and fourth Tuesday in the month.Beginner session at 6:30 p.m. Regular meeting from 7 to 9 p.mNew Almaden Community Club, 21727 Bertram Roade-mail: [email protected]
San Diego Ukulele Meetup Grouphttp://www.meetup.com/San-Diego-Ukulele-Meetup-Group/We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at Lion Coffeedowntown @ 6:30pm.
"Ukulele Jam" hosted by Shirley Orlando.Meets Thursday evenings at 6:30. All levels welcome. MUsic is contemporary,from tin pan alley to the beach boys, etc.16852 Gothard St Huntington Beach CA [email protected] or [email protected]
Petalukes, Petaluma, CAMeet every Thursday night, other times too. All levels welcome, music providedContact: [email protected]: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Petaluke/
High Desert Ukulele Club, Antelope Valley, Cahighdesertukuleleclub.com or email [email protected]
Canogahana Playersevery second and fourth Sunday, Noon to 2PMGuitar Merchant 7503 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park, CA
Colorado
The Denver Uke Community has been bringing Ukemaniacs together since2005, We meet each month on the third Saturday at Swallow Hill MusicAssociation at 10:30am. All skill levels from beginner to"Wow that person ROCKS the Ukulele", we also play a wide range of music,from country, tin pan alley, Hawaiian.http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/UkuleleCommunityDenver/
Connecticut
The Ukulele Club of Southern Connecticut and theKookeeUkie Ukulele Band.
We welcome players of all skill levels and offer classesfor those new to the ukulele. Check our web site athttp://www.orgsites.com/ct/uke-club/index.html.Pete [email protected]
Ukulele Club and The Four Strings Ukulele Band of Southern Connecticut,URL=http://www.orgsites.com/ct/uke-club/[email protected]
Florida
Tampa Bay Ukulele Societywww.meetup.com/tampabayukesCheck out the website for scheduled "meetups". This groups is very active.
Florida Ukulele Networkwww.FloridaUkuleleNetwork.orgF.U.N. has meet-up groups in Broward, Palm Beach, and the Space Coast
Chicago Illinois
CHUG - CHicago Ukulele GroupWe have our monthly Chicago Uke Jam the 3rd Saturday of every month.Please contact Henry at [email protected]
Oak Park Ukulele Meetup Group aka The Harrison Street Ukulele PlayersEvery Thursday 7P-9P Venue: La Majada Restaurant - Banquet Room226 Harrison Street, Oak Park IL 60304 website: www.ukulele.meetup.com/89contact: [email protected]
Kansas (and Western Missouri)
Ukulele Clubs continued
Ukulele Clubs continuedKansas City Ukestershttp://www.kcuke.com
MichiganUkulele Jam, 4th Tuesday night of the Month Oz'sMusic Ann Arbor [email protected]
MinnesotaTwo Harbors Ukulele Group (THUG), Two Harbors MN.Email: [email protected]
StrumMn ukulele playershttp://strummn.nexo.com/
Nevada
The Ukulele Club of Las Vegaswww.meetup.com/ukulele-club-of-las-vegas
"Uke Nights in Reno"Email: [email protected] Uke gathering in Reno, NV
New Mexico
The High Desert Sand FleasMeet the 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month at theAlbuquerque Press Club [6pm - 9pm]2101 Highland Park Circle, Albuquerque, New Mexico - USAcontact: Stephen Hunt via email: [email protected]://sites.google.com/site/hdsfgcea/
New York
Ukulele Club of Potsdam (New York)meet-up every other Friday at 5PM at Tim's Comic & Game, 6 Main Streetcontact: Tim Connolly [email protected] call: (315) 268-1598.
Ukulele Clubs continuedLoaner ukes available. Bring your uke and leave your cares at home!
The Lower Westchester Ukulele Club, Westchester County, New Yorkhttp://lowerwestchesterukuleleclub.webstarts.com/E-mail: [email protected]
North CarolinaCharlotte Area Ukulele Jamcontact: [email protected] Saturday of each month. 3 - 5 PM At "Aloha Snow"www.alohasnow.com
Jumping Flea Night Monthly uke strum-alongCleveland Heights, Ohio. LAST Tuesdays 7:30 - 8:30 at Coventry Village Library.Free & open to everyone!! Contact: [email protected]
Oklahoma
Green Country UkesMeeting the needs of ukulele players in the greater Tulsa areacontact via e-mail: [email protected]
Pennsylvania
Allegheny Ukulele Kollective (Look for us on Facebook!) New uke group takingshape. Hoping for twice monthly jams and sing-alongs for all levels.Hollidaysburg/Altoona, Pennsylvania, Contact: Steve [email protected]
South Carolina
Lowcountry Strummers Ukulele ClubCharleston, SC metro area. We meet twice a month. One beginner class andopen Jam each month. All are Welcome.www.lowcountrystrummers.com e-mail [email protected]
Ukulele Clubs continuedLone Star Ukulele Club (in North Dallas)http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lonestarukuleles
The Dallas Ukulele HeadquartersGo to www.meetup.com and search TheDallas Ukulele Headquarters to join the group. Lots of fun events and jams!
CHUG - Coffee House Ukulele GangFort Worth, Texas
This wild west ukulele gang meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month.Contact Steve for more info. ([email protected])
Vermont
Vermont Ukulele Societyemail: [email protected] on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Virginia Ukulele ClubVienna, Virginia
Meeting twice a month to play a huge range of traditional, tin pan alley,standards, and lots of pop tunes. Members come from the whole DC metroarea, including Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland. All ages and levels ofability welcome.
STRING ALONG UKULELE CLUBDUNDAS ONTARIO CANADAwww.stringalongukulele.ca
Nanaimo Ukulele Circle - Nanaimo, BC, Canadawww.ukecircle.com e-mail: [email protected]
Ukulele Clubs continuedUKEngland
Ukulele Society of Great Britain43 Finstock Road, London W10 6LUTel: 020 8960 0459Email: [email protected]
Cambridge Ukulele Co-operative [Cuckoo]Meet alternate Sundays 2pm-6pmThe Portland Arms Cambridge CB4 3BAIfIf you're cuckoo about ukes come and join us.http://www.myspace.com/cambridgeukuleleclub
Ukulele Philharmonic Orchestra of SudburyTuesdays evenings from 7.00pmThe Institute, Station Road, Sudbury Suffolk CO10 2SPBeginners Welcome
Uke Wednesday JamEvery Wednesday 7 till closing Downstairs @ The Royal GeorgeCharing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EA, U.K.contact: Quinc email: [email protected]://ukeweds.intodit.com
SCUPA - Second City Ukulele Players Association
We meet weekly on Tuesdays at 7:30pm in the upstairs roomat The New Billesley Pub, Brook Lane, Kings Heath,Birmingham, West Midlands B13 0AB
We accommodate all players beginners to experienced.Call or text Jon 0787 353 1161 or email:[email protected] for more information.Stockton to Darlington Ukulele ExpressMeeting monthly in Darlington, northeast England new members alwayswelcome. contact Simon at [email protected]://ukuleleexpress.blogspot.com
Tune Army Ukulele ClubThe Bay Horse, Front Street, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 4EFMeeting first Monday of the month 7:30 - 9:30http://tunearmy.blogspot.com/
UkeGlos Ukulele ClubMeets Every Mondays every month, 8.00pmThe Exmouth Arms, Bath RdCheltenham, GL53 7LX
Wooden & banjo ukes welcome. All levels of playing ability & song styles. Forfull details visit: www.ukeglos.co.ukhttp://www.ukeglos.co.uk
Ukulele Clubs continuedUkulele Sundays host:Tim Smithiesemail: [email protected] host a Ukulele Jam session on Sunday evenings in Sheffield UK called 'UkuleleSundays' All welcome - 8.30pm onwards. Riverside Cafe Bar.http://www.ukulelesundays.co.uk.
"Brighton ukulele Sundays"Meet first Sunday of the month at the Brunswick Pub in Hove East Sussex UK.Visit Facebook Brighton Ukulele Sundays for more details.
Leicester Ukulele ClubAll welcome, First Monday of the month,Upstairs at Babalas Bar, Queens Road, LeicesterContact: [email protected] or [email protected]
Herts of Uke Ukulele ClubEvery 4th Sunday - 6.30pm onwards.Meet at The Doctors Tonic, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6PR
All Players WelcomeWebsites: http://sites.google.com/site/hertsofuke/email: [email protected]
Luton, UKWe meet once a fortnight at Greenbank Music Village,Greenbank Hal, Cobden Street, Luton, LU2 0NGAnyone interested can give us a call:
Keith 07745 613931Scott 07976 895067Gerry 07785 117029http://sites.google.com/site/ukuleleworkshopinluton/
Ireland
UKULELE [email protected] ukulele club meets on the second saturday ofeach month.Players from all over Ireland. Ukeplayers of all levelswelcome. Ifyou are a visiting uke player please feel free to come along. The meetups areheld at 2, eden park, Dunlaoire, Co. Dublin.
[email protected] Ukuholics are based in the Irish Midlands and meet once a month.Players of any or no ability will fit in nicely!Visit www.ukuholics.webs.com for more info
Scotland
Monday UkearistEdinburgh’s very own ukulele gathering. We gather once a fortnight onMondays from 7 to 10(pm!) at Mackenzie School of English near the foot ofLeith Walk
Ukulele NightsCardiff's Ukulele Jam Session and CabaretMeet Mondays 8 p.m. at assorted venues.Visit www.ukenights.org.uk for full listings and updates.Contact: Nick Canham [email protected] 07971 - 719626
Germany
Ukulele Club of [email protected] (home page)www.ukulelenboard.de (message board)
Deutscher Ukulelenclubc/o Raimund SperKorneliusstrasse 1D-47441 Moerstel. +49/2841-394837fax + 49/2841-394836www.ukulelenclub.de
Holland
Ukulele Jamboree in Rotterdam - hosted by 'The Uke Box'The night is comprised of a workshop, performances & open mic.To Join the Mailing List send an e-mail to: [email protected]
To read more about this and our other ukulele projects go to:http://www.ukulele-interventie.blogspot.com (Dutch)Visit my personal blog spot and click on 'Ukulele' under "Contents" (English)http://www.shelleyrickey.blogspot.com
´Uke & D’Uke’http://ukeandduke.blogspot.com/ (in Dutch)
Note: Shelley has an Etsy store where you can find ukulele related items forsale, check it out: http://www.thejumpingfleamarket.etsy.com
France
Ukulele Club of ParisThursday starting 7:30 PMMeetings are announced on the website King David Ukulele Station at this URL:http://www.ukulele.fr
C.O.U.L.E.Club Olympique de Ukulélé de Lille et des Environshttp://www.COULE.fr
"Stay cool, come and play with the C.O.U.L.E."
VSAleleAssociation des Ukuleliste de Valbonne Sophia Antipolis (Alpes Maritimes)Visit www.vsalele.org for more info
"Ukulele Social Club de Picardie"Amiens (France)See more here : http://www.ukulpic.fr/
Spain
Club del Ukelele de Madrid (SPAIN)http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131466486122
"Para todos los aficionados al ukelele que viven enMadrid
"For all the ukelele fans living at Madrid"Now preparing their first festival and meeting very soon -stay tuned!
USALone Star Ukulele Festivaldates are 4/27-28 in DallasUkeLadyMusic and The Dallas Ukulele Headquarters are organizing the event.more information coming soon.
Kill Country Acoustic Music Camps in Kerrville,TXWe are pleased to be adding Ukulele faculty and classes to it's Feb and Junecamps in 2011. Pops Bayless will be teaching at both camps. Camp details atwww.hcamp.org [email protected]
Reno Tahoe Ukulele Fest IIIMarch 18-20, 2011 at John Ascuaga's Nugget Resort in Sparks, NV....Daniel Ho and Victoria Vox will headline the Celebrity Showroom Concerts. Lotsof great ukulele vendors, workshops, open mic, and much more...Details at PlayUke.net!
The Mighty MO UkeFesthistoric downtown New Haven, MO (west of St. Louis, MO) May 13-14, 2011www.mightymoukefest.comHosted by the Riverfront Cultural Society, a venue for the arts, known as an oasisof music over the last 5 years. MMUF will be a 2-day weekend with workshops,jam sessions, open mic, vendors market, performing artists, food and more.Victoria Vox, the Flea Bitten Dawgs and the St.Louis Ukulele Fight Club will beperforming and conducting workshops. If you live in the Midwest this might bean especially good opportunity to attend, learn and have a lot of fun. Hope tosee you there!
UK Ukefest - waiting for information
Austria
"European Songwriter Workshop" In Innsbruck, Austria. Last year there were 23participants from 16 different countries and it was a great experience for everyparticipants. You find all the results and a lot of impressions of this workshop atthe following URL: http://www.saitenstechen.at/workshop
Next Year in May 2011 I will be hosting an "Acoustic-Strings Workshop" that willbring together again 25 Musicians (playing Guitar, Mandolin, Ukulele, Bouzouki,Saz) from different European Countries in Innsbruck - Austria. TheWorkshop will be held from 14.05 - 21.05.2011 and will last one week.
Marie Darling (France) www.myspace.com/mariedarlingPatti Plinko and her Boy (UK)www.myspace.com/pattiplinkoandherboyLes Ukulélé Boyz (France) www.myspace.com/ukuleleboys47
Vonck and Vlamtouring from Holland to Istanbul - this summer...www.vonck-vlam.euCheck out the Website... that's great entertainment!
Essential Links from the World-Wide-WebUkeTalk - http://uketalk.com/links.html"Ukulele Spoken Here" is one phrase that comes to mind. It you want to talkukulele or catch all the news that is news, this is a can't miss website.
Brudda Bu's Ukulele Heavenhttp://www.geocities.com/~ukulele/index.htmlIf you'd like to learn the history of some of ukulele's greatest players, this site isabsolutely essential.
Ukulelia - http://www.ukulelia.com/The World's Greatest Ukulele WebLog" Need I say more?
Ukulele Cosmos - http://www.ukulelecosmos.comOne of the hottest ukulele forums on the web. Don't Miss It!
Ukulele Undergroundhttp://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/index.phpAnother really popular ukulele forum, lots of Hawaiian players and folks from theWest Coast of the Mainland USA.
Flea Market Music - http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/default.aspThis is Jumpin' Jim Beloff's website. He has lots of great resources and anexcellent forum as well. You can buy Flukes and Fleas there, too. Jim also haslots of songbooks, DVDs, and other great stuff there.
UkeLadyMusic - http://www.ukeladymusic.com/Auntie Noel runs a really great shop. Her passion is ukulele and it shows.Contact Us: phone 214-924-0408or email [email protected]
Home of Tiki King Ukuleles since 1999. lots of neat Ukulele stuff,such as the webs largest Ukulele makers database, Custom HandBuilt Tiki King Ukuleles, and ukulele stuff to see and buy. We haveFlukes and Fleas, Ukulele Art Gallery, Ukulele classes, chordcharts, CD's and more!
How High The Moon PublishingPublisher of the Jam Book "Play Well with Other"9826 James A. Reed Rd. Kansas City, MO 64134816-965-0183 or 816-728-6936http://www.moonbookstore.com
Uke Farm - http://www.ukefarm.com/home.HTMLUke Farm Radio - http://www.live365.com/stations/ukefarm
GoChordshttp://www.gochords.com"GoChords™ is an easy-to-use writing and playing tool withmoveable chord tablature!"
Live 'UkuleleTabs, lessons, and info for 'ukulele enthusiastshttp://liveukulele.com/
