Rick Turner and Tony Graziano Discussing Ukes (Jayme with the JuJu)

More stalwarts of the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz talking uke...

More Jayme Kelly Curtis JuJu...

Nina also made this video of the UCSC tribute to Bill Tapia

Iki Ukulele || One of the Best Historical Docu-videos (w/ Bill Tapia & Herb Ohta Jr.)

Bill Tapia Video

She mistakenly flashes a photo of Cliff Edwards and says Arthur Godfrey WHOOOPS!

MIKE DaSILVA delivers a DIAS REPRODUCTION UKULELE to BILL TAPIA

This is a segment of a today’s (9-29-09) Notice of Upcoming Events from Mike DaSilva…

Last April, I was lucky enough to have Bill Tapia perform at the shop on my birthday. During that visit, Bill fell in love with Mary's Dias reproduction soprano ukulele. Bill talked about how it reminded him of his first ukulele (a Nunes) and how he had a very small ukulele just like it that used to fit in his jacket pocket.

A couple of weeks later, I get thisphone call. It's Bill Tapia. He is in the car (somewhere in the Northwest, at 101 years old!) going off to another gig, and he called to ask about purchasing a Dias reproduction. I had a nice conversation and gave him some info and the price for the ukulele. I thought he might call back, but I did not hear back from him, so I decided to build him a Dias reproduction as time permitted.

Well, Bill Tapia played at the new Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley last Sunday. I had just finished the Dias ukulele that day. Here is video of what happened...

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==> You can contact Mike DaSilva at http://www.ukemaker.com/

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BILL TAPIA PHOTO

Bill Tapia in Contemplation Beside His Uke

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.