Humble Uker has a new look and the UK has a new Ukulele Orchestra. What has the world come to? It may not be original but they sound great and if my theory about the growth of the ukulele stands true we will have many more bands (and orchestras) incorporating the ukulele.
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The theory is that the more people are turned on to music because of the accessibility of the humble instrument there will become a time when people grow tired of soloing and seek out others to make some music with. In the previous post that featured the tinklele there were other instruments that put together a nice full sound.
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Now the question is this, will the world become more harmonious due to the ukulele?
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7-24-2010
These videos have been disabled for embedding -- but the first is an outstanding performance of the William Tell Overture... just click the center of the black video box and see it directly on YouTube. I don't know what happened but perhaps there was a "Poisoned Pen" involved.
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Always look on the Bright Side of Life.
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Love the new look, Jeff, very, very nice. Easy on the eyes, too. Like the band, also, especially the bass player (Jonty's future).
ReplyDeleteGive HB the same new look.
Wonder why they didn't show "live" performances. Obviously a rip-off of the UOGB. Think I'll stick with the originals.
ReplyDelete@ Ron Hale -- Thank you for your considerable support, enthusiasm, and persistant research into the YouTube archives. I like the flexibility of this blogger template. Even the videos can be larger. It was time for a shake up. Humble Uker Ramblings now has over 85,000 hits in about 15-16 months. I did not figure out how to get a stat counter for about 9 months.
ReplyDelete@ v60slive -- UOGB is the GOLD standard to which all ukulele bands will be scaled. I liked this band but I tend to dislike chopped up videos. There also seems an effort to be clever a la UOGB.
Caveat emptor!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ukuleleorchestra.com/main/important.html
http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18491&p=215720#p215720
I like the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra. I see their canned laughter as a Monty Python sort of thing, not at all meant to be taken seriously. The fact that they covered a MP movie song just reinforces my view. Right now they're a newish group, still finding their feet, still developing individual performing personalities. Their stage personas will develop, or they could change.
ReplyDeleteThey're also young, except for this player (I love the bass player, he offsets the young, energetic performers, delightfully) and they'll bring a new energy to the ukulele orchestra genre, which perhaps was beginning to sag a bit. I like UOGB, but I feel absolutely no need to prove some sort of loyalty by attacking the new group. The one female vocalist in the new group has a fantastic voice and I really like her, just because. The other female seems to have adopted a stage persona of a withdrawn type. I don't even remember if she sings.
The look of a UOGB copycat is part of the Monty Python joke of it all, as far as I'm concerned. It is so obvious, along with the similar name that it can't be taken seriously, and those who are foaming at the mouth over it are missing the humor of it all. The new band is full of young people (except bass), smart young people is my guess, and I think they are deliberately sending-up UOGB as old and stale, and perhaps coasting.
As far as booking confusion goes, well yes, this is unfortunate. But again, it's so obvious, that they cannot really be trying to fool anyone. If you're a booking agent you'd better know the difference between the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.
I try to keep my comments, like my ukulele playing, humble... I try to keep a sunny outlook, to enjoy the music and laugh as much as possible. I really like the analogy to Monty Python and that style of dry humor. I think there's plenty of room for both bands -- Heck more music for us all!
ReplyDeleteWhen did we start taking the ukulele so seriously? It is too laugh!
It's pretty obvious from the comments that anonymous is actually involved with this copy cat group
ReplyDeleteOh, it's a joke. May I suggest that maybe a laugh-track would make it more obvious.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous #1
These are good performances. I like them based on the musical and video quality. They are well produced and a bit silly. Copy Cat? The highest form of flattery.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous is in fact myself, and out here in California's Napa Valley I am most certainly not involved with The United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra. It's about time someone pointed out that UOGB have been coasting along for ages now (even the over-the-top hair of TUKUO's leader is a biting comment on
ReplyDeletejust how long the band has been around - one need only look at George Hinchliffe yesterday and today to get that point), and if the new group can light a fire under the old group, then
we'll all benefit.
UOGB have gone from being liked to being loved to being venerated and finally to
taking that veneration to heart. They are seen as above and beyond criticism by a ukulele establishment that itself is becoming hidebound
and creaky and threatening to become permanently set in its ways. Both the band and the ukulele establishment need a good shaking-up. TUKUO are doing just that, and more power to them.
If a campaign has been launched against TUKUO to keep their videos off of blogs, then the online ukulele world is in need of a serious cleansing.
Dear Anonymous, or should I call you K. W.?
ReplyDeleteyou can't be very much convinced of the quality of your performance, when you feel the need of posting insults about the band, that you intend to copy. Such behaviour surely doesn't make you more likeable.
Maybe you should read your own publicity texts again. "Newish" isn't exactly what it says there.
I am here to cherish all aspects of the ukulele. I love the UOGB and wish they'd come across the pond and across the continent to the San Francisco Bay Area in California.
ReplyDeleteAll assumptions as to my or RH's affiliations with the TUKUO are way off base.
Well now I better understand the CAVEAT EMPTOR message ealier on in this message string. I took the time to slowly read thru UOGB announcement. I understand the venom based on the announcement.
ReplyDeleteI do think that TUKUO's music is just fine and so does the UOGB but someone has been unscrupulous and hopefully time will out the culprit.
I will now step off the soapbox on this subject.
Einfach sehr jung und frisch UKUO , Die Stimmen sind klasse. Habe gehört se kommen nach Deutschland!!! KLASSE wir kommen auch
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice community for ukulele players with good informations.... yes, I agree with You, this TUKUO ist an excellent orchestra, we need more music of those newcomers. I have never heard of Peter Moss, but this parts are excellent and all this bad comments of the UOGB are ridiculous and arrogant like: we are the only ones ! God save UOGB !
ReplyDeleteI really don't see what the big deal is, off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 'regular' orchestras in London alone? Why not so with the ukulele?
ReplyDeleteThere are uke orchestras all over the world, and the UOGB are the most respected and well known, they certainly have no reason to feel musically threatened by anyone else. More the merrier when it comes to playing the uke!
@ Julie. Yes, I agree enjoy them all AND the UOGB really has the corner in this market being the first to have charmed the world. Jeff/HU
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with You, they have been the first, doesn't mean the last, nevertheless I will visit a concert of TUKUO in germany, the dates I found on www.ukulele-orchestra.co.uk
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I don't know any ukulele player, or any other musician, that would want to be associated with something so cheap. I would bet that the real UOoGB are not in any way threatened musically by these fakes, other than that people might walk away from a TUKUO concert believing they had been to see the UOoGB and being very disappointed. That could damage the reputation of the UOoGB They are also probably highly concerned that the public are being cheated. The other ukulele orchestras that you speak of are not trying to copy of the UOoGB down to every last tiny detail, or trying to fool people into thinking they are something they are not.
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand how anyone could support such unscrupulous behaviour. I am just a ukulele player who disagrees with such tactics. Why don't they have their own image and be a little original?
The world is full of copycats. Success breeds imitation. I think that TUKUO is a fun group to listen to. I like their music too. If some unscrupulous act has happened it will sort itself out. I prefer to stay out of the non-musical affairs and ask myself if I like the music, do I like the presentation, does it entertain me. You can scour over YT and find groups calling themselves ochestras. You find all sorts of players wearing the same style of hat. Humans are imitators. I am just a humble Humble Uker and I prefer not to slam anybody.
ReplyDeleteI just rewatched "Time To Say Goodbye" and it seems that there is a fake audience soundtrack and the performance is definitely studio quality but is portrayed as live.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have more videos of this performance video and sound quality. I am tired of seeing laundry strewn bedrooms, dimly lit garages and such. And oh, the dreaded kazoo! Give me more lovely ladies singing Italian opera-style in black gowns!
Jeff / HU / HB
The videos are set up as if TUKUO is giving a concert but this is obviously not the case. I agree with the comments about made by "Anonymous" that at least the promotors of TUKUO are deliberately misleading venues to get bookings. There are going to be a lot of disappointed audiences out there.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how an audience can be disappointed TUKUO seems to have disappeared. I wish that they would perform and break out some more orchestra type music. I enjoy seeing women in evening gowns and lovely voices playing uke. But they need some serious public relations work now -- right Cosmos?
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing has been irritating me for some time. I am a big fan of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and have been for many years. This United Kingdom orchestra are simply trying to fool the public into thinking they are the UOGB. If they aren't, then why do they say they are 'the cult sensation from London' when, as far as I can see they have NEVER played a concert in London, or indeed, ever played a concert anywhere in the world. The UOGB have always encouraged ukulele players and groups, and did workshops for people like me, to get them going on the ukulele. But I think they have every right to be angry with the United Kingdom fakers. Let's see the UKUO have 8 members, 6 men, 2 women, wear bow ties, sit in a line... hmm sounds like another ukulele orchestra I know. They just need to be original! What is wrong with the world that people have to tread on something beautiful!? I hope they vanish without a trace. Thanks for the space Humbleuker! Great site...
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused as to who is concocting UKUO press releases? They have certainly never played in London and are under no circumstances a "cult sensation". I can find no reviews or any other kind of press coverage? Someone's cynical way of making a fast buck on the back of someone else's years of slogging away making an international reputation? Sad really!
ReplyDeletehttps://sites.google.com/site/ukuleleinformation/
ReplyDeleteDear Anon...
ReplyDeleteVery nice head to head comparison!
Not only is TUKUO a fraud, so is their musical director http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Peter_Moss
ReplyDeleteHere is a warning about another fraud touring Germany from a couple of years ago.
(scroll to Feb 26 2008) http://www.howardshore.com/news/newsarchive.php?id=52
And guess who is still touring that show today. Peter Moss. Seems he specializes in this sort of thing.
http://www.tim-ticket.de/der-herr-der-ringe-in-concert_d1500.html_o=da_a
The claims of 'The sensation from London' and press quotes from non-existant newspapers (I believe these are now removed) are laughable. They originally used photos of the UOGB too! (also now removed). I, and several other people, were asked to audition for this orchestra, and declined. That was last year. Before that, they did not exist, and had never gigged. Not sure how that makes them a 'cult sensation'. As for 'UK orchestra', yes there are some UK players, but this is a German band, playing in Germany, so why not 'The Ukulele Orchestra of Germany'? Because then they wouldn't get booked by big venues thinking they are getting the UOGB. Venues advertising gigs seem genuinely confused as to who they have booked, mixing up photos/quotes and videos from the two outfits in their advertising.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to fake a live performance video, at least plug the mic cables in!
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am aware (from my intitial contact about possibly auditioning for them and seeing the contract terms, and from following band members posting on Twitter), this band has not yet played a single live gig.
Phil:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I like to think favorably on ukulele players but this delightful group really botched their chances of ever sniffing "Cult Sensation."
They have been in deep hiding ever since.
Jeff
Still at it...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.viennaticketoffice.com/the-united-kingdom-ukulele-orchestra-neues-theater-spirgarten-sch-112880-de.html
I've seen them in Germany, they are great ! It's am excellent comedy-show with very, very professional musicians, we had a lot of fun in frankfurt !
ReplyDeleteWhat Phil Doleman is telling here is absolutely wrong and a bad libel of the UOGB. I know Peter Moss personally and he is a great composer with long BBC experiences and so it is stupid to tell that this is a german ukulele orchestra. And they have never played in public ? .... why does he put such lies out into the world? - Because they believe to be the only ORIGINALS ! Like the pope ! - This is ridicolous ! Have a look at this interiew on youtube:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08_a9Krkqpw
It's certainly not the point that YOU know him personally.
ReplyDeleteThe point is: this seems to be an orchestra especially MADE FOR the German and Austrian audience: If I was an economist (fortunately I'm not), I would take profit from the UOGB's fame, hire some musicians, give my orchestra's name a slight twist (UK, GB who cares) -- and people would buy tickets thinking this might be a good concert because they have heard about the UOGB's reputation.
I think TUKUO by Peter Moss is just another commercial exercise in order to make money quickly and without any effort - or more precisely: to make money with somebody else's fame. In German you call this "absahnen and abstauben". They have apparently understood that they can easily benefit from the UOGB's success in Germany ...
For some people who lack originality or individual talent or both it is hard to compensate, everything that is left to them is copying (well or badly, doesn't matter). People who do so AND want to be respected should use their OWN reputation and avoid tricks and confusion. Everything else can be called cheap, a fault and not charming at all.
Don't know why you say "YOU" insinuating that I know a band member personally. I live in California and don't know anyone from this group. This blog is a personal notebook for myself as I explore the ukulele. TUKUO appeared on YT and I enjoyed the videos. I think that the continued obscurity of TUKUO speaks for itself. I love the UOGB but can enjoy other videos too.
ReplyDelete"YOU" refers to the person who wrote the previous anonymous entry. Didn't mean to offend you, HumbleUker, I'm sorry. And of course it is okay to enjoy their videos. As a contrast, OUR joy was harshly led to 10 degrees below zero as we discovered that we spent 30 bucks (!) on tickets and we wondered why there was none of the "old" band members. Can an orchestra change so rapidly? How could we think of ANOTHER ukulele band from Great Britain, the UK, whatever you can call the British Isles ...
ReplyDeleteI hope you see what I mean: everything is alright up to the point when fun/art (the videos you enjoy) is turned into commercialism by some businessmen on cost of the audience.
Again: sorry for the misunderstanding. Didn't want to make you feel bad.
Erna B you hit the nail on the head, if you had come across TUKUO first, then fine, if the otherway around and having sampled perhaps the bbc prom performance, of UOGB then found TUKUO, I suspect you would feel confused (as I did) you can tell when something is special or when something is put together for commercial reasons
ReplyDeletethanks for you considered comments, right, got to share Psycho Killer with a friend