Burning Uke 8 (2010) THE CELEBRATION (Part 3)

Jay Holiday's Burning Uke Sculpture in Full Flaming Glory!

There is anticipation Saturday afternoon as the sun starts to set. Sandor’s wife had written a vintage radio-style play and several people had gotten on stage to entertain those seated up along the slope. The play was about a stowaway woman and male uke playing waiter and had us all enjoying the retro feel of those young black and white Doris Day style silly movies. There were a few crooner moments and a hula dance for good course.

Then we move into a variety of musical performances. Some of these came directly from Carolee’s class earlier in the day. Some songs were from the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz song books I and II. [Andy Andrews was on stage and said that there wouldn’t be a UCSC book III but that he is working on a new book I for his students in Hawaii. Andy mentioned that 20 ukuleles had been donated to the group by __________ ukulele company that he had seen the previous week at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival. Andy’s group in Hawaii was in need of their own instruments and he’s hoping to get some music stands, books and tuners from small donations from those who are able to contribute.]

Burning Uke also includes a ceremony. This was a new year and a new beginning. Andy and Pam Andrews had moved to Hawaii. Peter and Donna Thomas were travelling the country in their caravan. There was a void which Sandor, Marty, and Jay Holiday ably continued the tradition. Jay Holiday is a quiet guy behind the scenes. And there is a long story about Jay and his guitar friends meeting at this Burning Uke location several years before Burning Uke came into being. Jay and his musical friends get together here for Thanksgiving each year and celebrate. One year Pam and Andy were camping and walked by the musical festivities carrying their ukuleles… There is more to the story but this was the spark which led to the Burning Ukes.

[Some of you that have followed my personal journey over the last two years know that I was driving 82 miles to Santa Cruz for a ten class course with Rhan Wilson last year. Jay and his very good friend Robbie were in the class too. So I have had the pleasure of getting to know Jay, his sense of humor, his jukebox mind-full-of-memorized songs and his devotion to music in his life.]

There were tiki torches being lit by Robbie behind the mass of players. Soon a small procession of people came single file dancing and wiggling their torches and heading up to the front between the stage and all of the seated players. Much craziness ensued but finally the group of tiki torch holders assembled close to the large black steel ukulele sculpture and lit the flammable portions.As you can see it was a glorious image and the crowd roared at the flaming metal ukulele. The Burning Uke image you see was the brainchild and blacksmith work of Jay to create a new burning uke.

So how do you follow up the ceremony? Well you play more music until a proper musical cue was reached and Andy spoke, “Goodnight Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz” about 10:30pm. Some headed off for sleep and others head upwards towards the firepit and played until about 1:00am. Yes, the firepit music time is essential for the die-hards. Some songs were played by heart, or by music book, or shared song sheet. Andy in his infinite wisdom dazzled us with his singing to a one chord song played solely in Eb.

I am hoping to find a few pictures or videos of this evening to share.

Robbie (L), Jay (Behind), Jeff aka HU (R)

Santa Cruz || Sons of the Beach

So many familiar faces in the Sons of the Beach group. How much ukulele fun can you have in Santa Cruz? Last weekend was the First Annual Ukulele Picnic (created by Jay and Robbie) and every Saturday and Wednesday the Sons of the Beach get together at the Crow's nest. And the upcoming BURNING UKE CAMP OUT in Plaskett Creek, Bir Sur Coastline is quickly approaching!

PLAY UKULELE by EAR || Jim D'Ville || Interview of Andy Andrews

I met Jim briefly one evening at the Burning Uke VII. Click the title above to see an abbreviated interview with Andy Andrews of the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz. His Play Ukulele by Ear blog has grown since my last look. He has some "3 Question Interviews" including one with Lyle Ritz where he discloses, shhhhhh!, his favorite chord!

http://playukulelebyear.blogspot.com/

BURNING UKE VII VIDEO SURFACES

The ukulele tribes have gathered around the firepit for the ceremonial ukulele sacrifice. Peter and Donna Thomas, Andy and Pam Andrews, Sandor (Shawn-Door), Jayme Kelly Curtis and Jay Holiday are up and about the fire closeup. Hundreds of ukulele players were gathered in the flesh or in spirit to celebrate. The camera pans across the darkness for those lurking ukulele strummers. Then the sacred words are spoken, "Oh when the sun beats down and..."

(Accordians? Yeah! Them 2. I mean 2 of them.)

SACRIFICIAL UKULELE || BURNING UKE VII

I spent just a few minutes adding some pyrotechnics to the sacrifical ukulele assembly and Wayne Jiang snapped my picture. Way in the backgroud is Marty - the man responsible for putting all of the details together for the Burning Uke VII weekend. Thanks Marty! HU

BURNING UKE VII - Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz

Jay Holiday Photo (Donna, Sandor, Pam, Peter)

(also pictured: Burnin' Uke VII)

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1) The drive and the ocean: The only way to get there is by taking California highway 1 along the coast. I passed thru Monterey and Carmel as I headed South. The views of the ocean, beaches, waves, rocks, and coastline are just unbeatable. It is worth making the drive just for the views.

2) Big Sur - Plaskett Creek: Plaskett Creek was surprisingly about 45 minutes South of Big Sur. I made it to the campgrounds just as Rhan Wilson was ready to hike down to the beach about 1/2 hour away. There was some hiking down and the a 92 step stairway down to a pristine beach, probably a half mile long in an arc. Our friends Jay, Robbie of the Uklectics were enjoying spotting starfish on the rocks at low tide. And just a short while later Uklectic Butchy-Bob was in his wet suit carrying a surf board and giving it a go. There were some 100 foot tall rocks standing tall and close enough to wade up to and climb.

3) The people, the site, and food: The people of the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz (UCSC) are THE MOST welcoming, friendly and charitable. The cost was $35 whether you spend 1, 2, 3 or 4 days. The comraderie and willingness to share in the chores of a campsite was exemplary. Sue Graziano generously welcomed me to share in some food and hospitality and I asked if I could be part of the kitchen cleaning crew.

There were people from all over California (North and South) and even 'Play Uke by Ear' Jim D'Ville from Portland, Oregon. The High Desert Ukulele Club brought anothr song book with about 80 songs not in UCSC's Book 1 or Book 2. Mary, Carrie, & Gary from Clint's Ukulele Strummers. Oh Susanna from somewhere down South sang "Down by Mexico Way"

I saw a sign for Petalukes which I think was from Petaluma. The newly founded Monterey Ukulele Club was there. I was there to represent the Berkeley Ukulele Club that get's together at Mike DaSilva's studio.

4) Spontaneous Music & Other Instruments: Something quite interesting is the number of people that played other instruments - Andy Andrews and his bluesy saxophone. Peter and his harmonica. Donna's spoons and hand percussion. But there was a man that played great guitar and sang with a voice that challenged Tom Waits for the amount of sand in his vocal chords - that's a compliment. There was also a man playing a big fat Mariachi style bass guitar. Two small accordians were played. Upright bass, bass guitar, and upright galvanized washtub bass. Oh and about 100 ukes. If you weren't eating, cleaning, or sleeping there was no reason that you couldn't be playing music. Small groups would gather and dispurse.

5) Ukulele Strum Alongs - Friday Evening: About 4-5 hours of being entertained and people getting up to the mic solo or en masse for the evening crowd.

6) Saturday Consecutive Hourlong Classes (All gratis, free uke love & good knowledge):

a) Marty -- Chords

b) Jan -- Beginning Harmonica

c) Sandor -- Strumming

d) Rhan Wilson -- Performance

e) Peter -- Movable chords

f) Andy Andrews -- Playing blues on the ukulele

7) Burning Uke VII - Celebration -- I'll save this for another post!

8) Sunday Morning Gospel: It has become a tradition that after Sunday morning breakfast that there's a ukulele gospel song hour or so lead by Rhan Wilson. Many tradition christian heritage classics. Playing Amazing Grace on the uke with the people that you've spent a few days getting to know and sharing just puts a bit of spirit and closure to the Burning Uke festivities.

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Well, there's a lot written here but there's no way to really fully describe it. You just need to go to Burnin' Uke VIII. Andy says the campground is already reserved for next year. SEPT 16-19.