Jayme Kelly Curtis || Cocktail Hour (with Ud & Matt)

I haven't had a chance to watch the whole show yet... but looks like its quite a production. Jayme is singing away and Ukulele Dick is an amazingly talented vaudeville-style ukulele player. Matt Bohm is playing upright bass. Check out the show in vintage black & white...

http://sandraleighpresents.com/index.php?page=jayme-kelly-curtis-cocktail-hour

Castro Theater, San Francisco || Ukulele Fun Time

Here's Eileen S's video of the World Record attempt for the largest ukulele gathering. It starts off with a portion of the Santa Cruz contingent loading up on the bus. Andy Andrews leads the show. While Ukulele Dick and Jayme Kelly Curtis get some great footage. We also get to Uni and her Ukulele. Perhaps you're in the footage too -- who knows? Eileen is a percussionist with the Son's of the Beach in Santa Cruz. The Mighty Uke film was also shown and you hear Andy call it the greatest ukulele film ever.

VIEWER ALERT! This was shot in the Castro District of S.F. and you never know what may happen on the streets of San Francisco and it does! So if some nudity bothers you then stop the video at precisely 12:00 minutes! VIEWER ALERT!

San Francisco World Record Attempt...

London's record is safe for now. I see many familiar faces in here and I'm sure it was another moment of ukulele player comraderie and bliss. Jean, from the Berkeley Ukulele Club has a nice little cameo appearance. Ukulele Dick is amazing as always.

UCSC -- UkeAholics -- Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz

Here's a spicy taste of the talent at the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz. Sandor (Shawn-door), Ukulele Dick, and band...



This video has a ghostly intro...

Strum Masters || Tiamane & Lil' Rev. & Ukulele Dick

Tiamane strum variations



Lil' Rev strum variations



Hey, where's Ukulele Dick? We'll he's a local favorite with amazing ukulele personality. You can see him playing with Sandor and the UkeAholics in the next posted blog entry video, but you're really not getting a good dose of his ukulele strumming talents. Sorry, but I couldn't find a YT video that did his talents justice. I'll keep looking.

Also, to the powers that be at the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz,
I think a Ukulele Dick strumming workshop is way overdue!

Howard Rugg Dulcimer History, A Vintage Ukulele Story, Ukulele Repairs, Ukulele Dick

POB, Inc. has been plastering me with so many ukulele related YT videos lately. I have skipped over any that were displaying the capricious destruction of any defenseless ukes and have spared you from the swedish songs for a brief period.

This video is very appealing to me because of it's luthierial and historical aspects. This luthier, Howard Rugg, shares many photo of his start with CapriTaurus dulcimers and several other iterations of dulcimer companies. And then he talks about a vintage Hawaiian koa soprano uke that was brought to him for repairs. It is amazing how much can be done to restore instruments and keep them living.

Another highlight of this video is the appearance of Ukulele Dick (about 5:25 mark) playing the Jose Do Espirito Santo. I just wrote about UD a couple of posts ago. He is an intellectually creative and talented ukulele player who has the best vaudevillian talents. His strumming techniques always keep me at the edge of my seat trying to learn more. He is a master musican and equally disposed to playing Beatles or Elvis to entertain.

The Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz...

Anyone that knows me very well knows that I try to get to Santa Cruz every month for the gathering at Bocchi's Cellar. The meeting is usually the 3rd Thursday of every month but it is wise to get on their mailing list because it is Santa Cruz and we want to keep Santa Cruz weird and not to predictable. This club is full of love, mostly love. May sound a bit silly to some but I have been travelling down to the "Love Shack" that is known as the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz because of the people.

-

This club has just gone through a change, Peter and Donna, "The President and the First Lady," are gone on their book binding caravan travels for 6 months. Andy and Pam Andrews have now made their journey over to their new house in Hawaii. Wild and crazy were their ways. Peter also played the harmonica and Andy wailed on his saxophone. Andy and Pam danced in the heaven of each other's arms. Donna almost always knitted, but occassionally pulled out the recorder or sang. I will never forget Andy's generous spirit, "Spread the love" seemed to be his motto.

-

So, Thursday April 15, 2010 was the first meeting of a new era. Sandor, Rhan & Marty are now leading the masses. And what a spectacular beginning. The dining time house band was lead by Rhan Wilson and great as usual. The house was packed full and more people were trying to find seating as the evening moved on.

-

The song selection had a Blue theme: Blue Moon, My Blue Heaven, Blue Hawaii, Lovesick Blues, Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain, and Blue Moon of Kentucky. But the energy was cheerful and festive. We continue to socialize, celebrate and SHOW OUR UKES. Sandor, Marty, Rhan and Vince "S.C." Tuzzi led us in the play alongs.

-

Last night, I sat at the table in the corner by the bar with Bob "Duh Dog" Rainey, Tomi, and Dr. John B. John leads a ukulele group in Lancaster which in southern California and drives 5 hours one-way almost every month. We had two lady newbies, Diane and Susan that came ukeless but we gave them our ukes and surely overloaded them with information.

-

I brought my Balalaika that I restrung with Worth medium brown strings and tuned C-E-A. Bob Rainey who always likes something new - played a few Blue songs worth on it. I call it a Bala-uke-a. The uke club is a also a place for the great kindergarten tradition of Show-n-Tell. The newest ukes are always fun to check out.

-

The FANTASTIC evening show was headlined by our very own amazing Ukulele Dick and supported by the lovely Jayme Kelly Curtis and ROMP. Romp is comprised of Rhan, Olaf, Matt and the ever popular P-P-P-Patty M-M-Maxine. Sandor (shawn-door) also joined in to play some of the UkeAholics Beatles and Elvis tunes! I think Jan even got in there for some harmonica melodies.

-

Back to the love. Next month, May 2010, will be another Open Mic Night. If you have ever considered doing an open mic night, then this is the safest and most supportive club in the world, every skill level is encouraged, supported and applauded. Share the love, feel the love, come and play.