Betty Lou's Love Me Tender

http://bettylou.zzruss.com/lovemetender.htm

NEWS ABOUT SANTA CRUZ AND UKES, WHO KNEW?

The Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz has turned a once laughed-at musical instrument into a tool to build community

By Wallace Baine - Sentinel staff writer San Jose Mercury News
Posted: 04/23/2009 08:34:12 AM PDT
Updated: 04/23/2009 08:36:03 AM PDT

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Santa Cruz has yet to declare an Official Musical Instrument. And while the guitar has always been the even-money favorite - considering one of the world's most respected high-end acoustic guitars goes by the brand name "Santa Cruz" - there is an intriguing dark horse coming up strong on the outside: the ukulele.
Once a punch line, the "uke" has now become a powerhouse instrument, and nowhere it is more popular than in Santa Cruz. In fact, an anthropologist looking for a quick way into the uniquely free-spirited culture of Santa Cruz only has to circle the third (sometimes fourth) Thursday of the month on his calendar. That's the day of the monthly meeting of the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz, a group of give-or-take 200 colorfully dressed locals who've made the uke a tool for instant community-building - which, to these folks, is just a fancy word for good clean fun.
The Uke Club began back in 2000 when uke lovers Andy Andrews and Peter Thomas started a club dedicated to jamming together on the tiny Hawaiian instrument. The first meetings were at Thomas's house, but eventually the club found a simpatico home at Bocci's Cellar in Santa Cruz. Since its beginnings, Andrews and Thomas have remained as pied pipers of the club, providing much of the daffy energy that characterizes the club's racuous meetings.
Still, said Andrews, the focus is not on performance, but on participation. The key to the Hawaiian ukulele's enduring popularity is its relative accessibility for musical newbies. One club meeting and someone who's never picked up a uke before can come away with a decent competence with two or three songs.
"What's that line in 'Home on the Range?'-'Never is heard a discouraging word'? That's the way it is at our meetings. There is no 'pro section' and no 'amateur section.' Everybody's just playing together."
A typical meeting at Bocci's is packed with smiling uke kooks, many in aloha shirts, and the ratio of ukes to people is close to 1:1. Andrews and Thomas lead the activities by frantically handing out song sheets and yelling out instructions. Volunteers act as the "Chord-ettes," who, at the appropriate point in each song, hold up enormous cardboard signs on which are drawn chord diagrams.
The club operates on an ethic that music is meant to be shared communally rather than as a gift from a single performer to an attentive audience.
"The musicians that come," said Andy Andrews, "many of them the very best musicians, they'll be incredibly generous in showing people how to do things on the ukulele."
Santa Cruz is also a key stop on the ukulele performer circuit - from the Hawaiian musicians of the Santa Cruz-based Dancing Cat label, to young hot shot Jake Shimabukuro, to 101-year-old legend Bill Tapia. As a result, the club often gets big-name guests from local virtuoso Bob Brozman to frequent visitors Cyril Pahinui and George Kahumoku to sit in for a jam session or two.
As clubs go, the Uke Club is a rather loose confederacy of crazies. It's a club with no invitations or club dues. "There are no rules at the Uke Club," said original member Vince Tuzzi. "If you show up and play with us two times, you're a member." {HU Note: Vince also does a great Willie Nelson impersonization}
In this respect, the Ukulele Club reflects that ineffable spirit found in Hawaii that goes by the name "aloha."
"Clubs are always talking about 'exclusivity,'" said Andrews. "Well, we have a theme of inclusivity. We have people who come to the club, who've come for years now, and it gets to the point where you have this revelation. Making music with your friends is infinitely more pleasurable than watching someone else play music, no matter how good they are. What's that saying? 'Happiness self-made is music self-played.'"

ORIGINAL LINK TO SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12206514 found at

http://ukulele-ireland.blogspot.com/2009/04/bad-news-good-news.html through Al at Ukulele Hunt

http://ukulelehunt.com/2009/04/24/madame-pamita-uketopia/

ALAN / UKISOCIETY / FOLSOM PRISON BLUES

I was working on this song with a group of friends recently. Alan is a friendly voice on YouTube that I always enjoy his talent and sense of humor. In the second video he explains his transitions in a very clear manner using variation of the C7 chord. Thanks Alan.

John Rockwell "Songwriting for Regular Folk"

In a previous post I briefly mentioned John Rockwell and his pdf booklet on Songwiting for Regular Folk It has practical ideas for the home based songwriter and MUCH MORE. Only giving a quick mention doesn't give it the attention it deserves for a truly thoughtful and inspiring piece of great ideas and extremely professional presentation. Sometimes, I find a diamond and don't really show off it's sparkling beauty. So here I want to give you a page by page breakdown...

(P1) Table of Contents

(P2) Encouraging Songwriting, Tell a Story, Play, Finding Your Style

(P3) The Song Writing Process in a Nutshell, Instructions to Special Diagrams (Very cool)

(P4) Circle of Fifths, Major Scale Cheater Guide, Common Progressions (YEAH!)

(P5) TIGHT Shapes for Chord Progressions

(P6) Broadening Chord Qualities

(P7) Progressive Chord Progressions (Snazzy stuff to do between chord changes)

(P8) Lyrics for Songs / Song Patterns / Melody and Hook

(P9) Ornament Notes / Embellishents / Slash Chord Explanation

(P10) Technology - Saving Your Ideas & Songs / Publishing & Recording

(P11) Songwriter resources

(P12) John Rockwell's song - Flukified

(P13) John Rockwell's song - I Love My Ukulele

It is clear that John has put a tremedous amount of knowledge and effort into this gift to the ukulele community. Sorry for the brief mention in the past. This is awesome! THANKS

http://www.ezfolk.com/writesongs.pdf

Beauties on a '37 Buick

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Why are all these beauties smiling?

Some ukulele crooner just sang a plaintiff melody, I suppose.

Thanks to Ron H. with the photo tip.

If only there was a ukulele lady to be found.

Smithsonian Magazine Cover

Sonntag Archtop Jazz Uke

Sonntag Archtop Jazz Ukes

(these are quite a cool looking ukes!)
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http://www.sonntag-guitars.com/english/Archtops/Jazz-Uke.php

Life is Like an Etch-A-Sketch / MICHAEL McNEVIN

Just heard a song I really liked played on http://www.live365.com/ Contemporary Folk radio station. It was called Etch-A-Sketch. The basic theme was about the important things in life. Notice that in the photo of Michael McNevin there's a 4 pegger in the background. He has a CD that can be found on CD Baby, I'm gonna take a listen, http://cdbaby.com/cd/michaelmcnevin HU.

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This Contemporary Folk station plays the likes of: Cheryl Wheeler, Dar Williams, Chris Smither, Patty Larkin, ,...

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History of Etch-A-Sketch (Curiousity)
In 1955, Frenchman Andre Cassagnes developed the toy he called the Telecran, which he modeled after a television. The toy was composed of a joystick, small plastic beads, aluminum powder, plastic and glass. The idea was to create a device that could draw without pens and paper. He sold the rights of the toy to Ohio Art in 1959. By 1960 the Etch-a-Sketch was on the market.

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His MYSPACE page (Read his story): http://www.myspace.com/mudpuddlemusic

UKULELE DISCO / Jason Tagg

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Here's a great place to watch many talented ukulele players and watch interviews with performances on the ukulele. Jason Tagg's intro's are always... let's say a bit exhibitionist but the interviews are insightful. I'm sure everyone can find something they will like here. My favorite is Money by Craig Robertson and Karen Langlie.

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Click the title above to go to the website.

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HU

Michael Wagner / Spooky Uke / Uke Percussion

This YT video shows a unique strum that has some percussive techniques that I'd like to try.

eBay Heartbreaker (Vintage Photos)

VINTAGE 20's PHOTOS

You can probably tell by now I like old photos. Especially the 1920's with it's unique style. I have been looking for a photo of flappers sitting in or on a car playing one or more ukuleles. I have collected quite a few photos, magazine covers, ukulele music sheets with ukuleles on the front but recently, for about a year now, have really cut back. A large photo like the one below would be quite a catch.

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About a week ago I saw an original picture of two young kids playing ukulele on the sideboard of an old car. It was 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" and sold for over $50. Ouch! It is quite a unique picture. I hope that it gets published and shared somewhere...
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Happy Easter Uking!

Andy Andrews, John King, Jim Beloff

There are some wonderful recollections of John King in words and YT videos being posted on websites and blogs. Mike DaSilva, http://www.ukemaker.com/ , posted this fun video of Andy Andrews singing Annie Lennox's Talk to Me, with John King playing background and then soloing. Jim Beloff (he's big in Japan) makes a cameo appearance in this video too.

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Andy Andrews, is such an amazing spirit, he has amazing energy and is always incredibly welcoming. I love this video. Andy is a ukulele and ukulele memorabilia collector. He invited me down to his home once and I had the pleasure of sitting in his "uke room". It was that kid in the candy store feeling. Over 200 ukuleles, perhaps 20 Martins. He welcomed me to sit and explore while he took care of putting club song arrangements at his computer in another room.

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There is a wonderful vibration that happens when you're playing a ukulele and you can feel and hear the vibrations of 200 songboxes all facing you and vibrating back. I also explored books of ukulele sheet music and collections of ukulele player photos. I could have easily spent a day exploring and playing.

My Personal Ukulele Aspirations

I have a friend, Doug, that has a lot of time on his hands and we ponder some of life's deepest questions via e-mail. He's a man full of ideas and curiousity. Doug and I watch a lot of YT videos and share them back and forth. He's always asking me questions. Sometimes his questions annoy me as much as my answers annoy him.

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Sometimes there's contemplation on ukulele strings and guitar strings being similar; why not buy guitar strings and cut them in half and save money? You know, the big questions! We've talked about Loop Machines and Kaoscillators, cheap ukes, expensive ukes, and custom ukes.

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We've been going back and forth about the topic of "chopping wood" (the standard club strum) and how to effectively express oneself on a ukulele. Rules for the performance. Standing ovations for beginner's at open microphone night at the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz, the enigmatic Steven Straus, Jane's lovely voice and awesome uke skills, etc.

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"As I get a better focus of my personal musical style..." was the intro to a recent question. Somehow that touched my funny bone! I am still quite rough around the edges. My style is, "keep playing and perhaps one day it will all pay off." Style doesn't concern me as much as having fun with the ukulele and people along the way. I have tried (John King) finger picking, a variety of strums, and Herb Ohta (chord melody) styles.

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I think I said this before but, Hiram Bell (musician/instructor/artist), told me that "you learn something every time you pick up the ukulele." I try everything, with a daily dose of Ukulele Hunt. I have cut back my playing recently because of an overuse injury to my left inner elbow. So, I sing more in the shower, in the car, in the music room, sometimes whilst I work. I also want to try my hand at composing a song.

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So, Dougie and friends, after this long winded intro, here's one video that seems to fit my high-class style. Introducing Kermit the Frog, singing Ukulele Lady

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Do you know wht Kermit the Frog and Winnie the Pooh have in common? (scroll below)

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(Ans. They both have the same middle name.)

REVIEW OF BOB BROZMAN UKULELE CLASS

I've had this blank blog canvas open for nearly a week now. At the March Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz open mic. meeting Bob Brozman stopped by to play us a song on his National Resonator Ukulele and let us know about a ukulele workshop that he was holding at his house in the hills nearby. Bob is a professional musician that has been performing for a long time and many YT videos keep springing up of his many performances.

He and his wife Haley, put together the workshop in a very professional manner. There was so much interest that they decided to add a second day. Bob is originally from New York, he said that he was a bit of a cross of Groucho Marks and (can't remember).

There were about 30 of us in the Saturday workshop and he went right to work with his 20 page hand written workbook. The pace was set for an intermediate player to be just a little behind. Which kept it challenging and interesting at the same time. There was a lot of material and he wanted to give us as much inspiration as possible. We went thru simple strums, double strums, triple strums, rasquedos up and down, and other finger and thumb strum variations in about 1/2 hour. There were two pages and we played successfully in some part and he gave us instructions for further home practice.

Next he opened up the "Slack Key Sounds in C" page that was slammed and crammed full of information that can last a lifetime. These were essentially string-pair melodies. Steven Strauss had taught me about this many moons before and I had noodled around with them. So I felt a familiarity. Bob wowed us with the potential that these melodies can make. Bob plays them loud and lightning fast, whereas Steven gets a soft and soothing sound from songs like Moon Glow or Moon of Manakoora. I am saying, these string pair melodies are simple, powerful, and useful for any genre.

Example, pluck the strings in pairs... (I hope it lines up)

A... X X X X X X X X <-- Don't play the A-string

E... 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 <-- PINCH

C... 0 2 4 5 7 9 11 12 <--PINCH

G... X X X X X X X X <-- Don't play the G-string

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I have found portions of these used in the recently departed John King's Ukulele Solos and Duets book (songs: Hene and Aloha Quickstep). They are fun songs and relatively easy to learn. [You can see Hene on the Berkeley Ukulele Club Song Book, See ukulinkies to the right.]

The string pair study was fun and almost worth the price of admission. But, we still had about 3 hours to go.

(more later)

CLASSICAL GAS ON BARITONE

Alyssa Marie plays Classical Gas. It's not yet perfect but she's got some real nice finger work. I wonder if these tabs are posted anywhere?

I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A SONG (Coming Soon)

(Coming Soon)

BILL TAPIA "DUKE OF UKE" PLAYLIST

I went to the Kuumba Jazz to see the 101 year old kid, Bill Tapia, play tonight. He is such a wonderful story teller. His show was well worth watching if he's performing anywhere near you. Some of the videos don't show him a vibrantly as he is in person. Flood lights a bit too harsh.

The Most Rambling Uke Song Challenge