Manitoba Hal - Flirting With Mermaids - CD REVIEW

I was lucky enough recently to grab a copy of Manitoba Hal's latest CD release - Flirting With Mermaids - and here is my report!

Canadian Manitoba Hal (Hal Brolund) is a well known face in the Ukulele Community, and bills himself as a 'Ukulele Bluesman'.  UK readers may have also been lucky enough to see him at the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain last year.

In this CD release (his tenth) Hal has delivered a 15 track collection of songs, in the main self-penned, and in the main played or accompanied with ukulele. This CD has a distinct blues feel, but with one or two surprises that I rather liked.

Opener and title track Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me has Hal picking a nice ukulele blues and telling us listeners that when his days are numbered, we can save the undertakers bills and cast him into the oceans - it's a really pretty tune and for me one of my favourites on the album. Despite the sombre subject matter, Hal injects some levity to proceedings with his wonderful cheeky chuckle that precedes some of the lines.

More uke picking opens up the love song Adelyn, but it is soon accompanied by the backing band and a beautiful mournful sounding fiddle. The picked riff in this one has been stuck in my head for weeks now.  But it's not all words on the album and we move on to the first instrumental track White Dog which sounds with about as simple a strum pattern as you can imagine before moving in to some sublime picked bouncy blues that actually found me thinking of some early UK Folk Rock a la Fairport Convention.

Learned Pigs And Fireproof Women is the albums first wall of sound type track showcasing how I prefer Hals voice - dark growling blues in which Hal tells the story of the Carnival sideshow which contain (amongst other things, 'a piece of the one true cross and the bones of the Union boss'). There is much more backing on this track and the lead amplified ukulele riff adds to the dark imagery. In fact an interesting point here - when I first put the review up I was totally convinced that the album had electric guitar in it. You will see from the comments after the review that Hal had me fooled - and that was part of his plan! I've left the comment deliberately as I'll be interested to hear from other listeners whether they thought the same as me!

Next track is another highlight for me, and a departure from straight up blues as Hal moves into Cajun style in Down In Pubnico - complete with French lyrics and accordion. This really has the toe-tapping!

We move on to a cover song - Big Joe Williams, Baby Please Don't Go (perhaps more famously covered by Van Morrisson amongst others) but delivered by Hal in a wonderfully understated, slowed version with just a bit of picking and his blues growl replaced with a much softer sweeter refrain. A great version of this standard.

We move on to Turn Out The Lights, a slow strummed old time love song, accompanied only by harmonica. It's a sweet little tune, but has had that 'radiophonic' lo fi mono effect applied to Hals voice - I can see what he was trying to achieve, but think I'd like to have heard it without the effects which was a slight shame.

Now, lets not forget this is an album dominated by ukulele, so how could Hal not give us something more of an 'island feel' - My Creole Belle delivers this complete with a horn backing and dub bass. One to listen to when lying on a beach this one!

Tastes Like Chicken delivers the light hearted interlude in which Hal asks us why every other unusual meat is always said to taste like chicken, sung over a country blues backing complete with call and refrain vocals. I'm not against such funny songs, but I thought it felt a little out of place on the album if I am honest. That said, I am told that Hal is a light hearted fella, so who am I to judge? 

Back to pure lo-fi, raw blues on Way Down In The Hole - and another highlight for me - a gospel tune delivered with growling vocals over a blues lead. A track that will have Tom Waits pricking his ears up at it's delivery (and he should know, he wrote it!). And from raw electric blues we move to the gospel song Keep On Singing - backed with picked acoustic with a superb riff that has also got stuck in my head - think early Bert Jansch and you get the idea.

Another cover in the Merle Travis spiritual track Sixteen Tons - more shades of Tom Waits on this version which is unlike any version of this you will have heard - very nice muted blues lead and an absolute howling screaming vocal from Hal which was quite superb and fitted the subject matter perfectly.

Another instrumental in the intriguingly titled Incredible Bread Washing Machine ( I have no idea..) - delivered on uke and picked to perfection  - I could listen to this one all day and reminds me of some of the instrumental tracks recorded by Nick Drake.

Back to the islands again for the duet with Shawna Caspi in Across The Sea - beautifully delivered and and had me reaching for a cocktail! Really sweet and evocative and another standout.

The album ends on a sombre tone in The Thrill Is Gone a very slow mournful blues delivered with just uke, vocal and a bit of bass. I think this track may have been better placed earlier in the album as I'd been having so much fun listening to the rest of it that this brought a rather sad end to the experience. It's nicely delivered though, but perhaps felt that the album should end on a high.

So, in summary - I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. Sure, it's mainly blues based, but there is a lot of variety in here too. Some may prefer Hals growling brooding vocals to his softer sweeter style (as I do) but some may like the opposite and they both work. His uke playing is superb and one thing that really stands out is the amazing power he gets into his picking and bending - really good stuff. For me there were one or two minor misses, but on a set of 15 tracks that is pretty good going I think. This is a set of songs from someone who is clearly an accomplished musician and someone who understands the blues in all its many forms. Recommended and if you can get the chance to see Hal play, judging by this offering I don't think you will be disappointed.

The album can be bought at Hals site, and also on iTunes and on Amazon

RECOMMENDED DOWNLOADS - Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me, Down In Pubnico, Way Down In The Hole, Across The Sea.

credit - Lisa D Buchanan

Track Listing

1. Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me

2. Adelyn

3. White Dog

4. Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women

5. Down In Pubnico

6. Baby Please Don't Go

7. Turn Out The Lights

8. My Creole Belle

9. Tastes Like Chicken

10. Way Down In The Hole

11. Keep On Singing

12. Sixteen Tons

13. Incredible Bread Washing Machine

14. Across The Sea (feat. Shawna Caspi)

15.The Thrill Is Gone

Read More »

Phil Doleman - Maydes Are Simple Some Men Say

Do having interviewed ukulele duo The Re-entrants, and than sharing a video from One half of the pair it seemed hardly fair to leave Phil out.

So I remembered this piece, an example of some tab you can get hold of from from His website in his book that contains tablature arrangements of the 17th Century composer Thomas Campion.

And some people think the uke is just about Jason Mraz covers.... This is lovely!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

Ukulele omnibus!

I've had a few suggestions from readers of my ukulele books, that I should offer the first two books as an omnibus or compendium.

Seeing as that is a straightforward thing to do that is exactly what I have done!




Therefore you can now get my first two ebooks, What Ukulele Players Really Want To Know and More Of What Ukulele Players Really Want To Know in one single book for a better price than buying them separately.

The book is now on Amazon and Amazon UK (as well as the other Amazon stores) in Kindle format, and in other ebook formats on Smashwords.

And of course, the original books are still available if you prefer to get them separately. Expect iTunes, Nook and Kobo stores to follow shortly.

Enjoy!

Read More »

Ukulele Vid - Croonalonga Watchtower

Love this ukulele vid from Ian of the Re-entrants.

I am always a big fan of the uke being used to play a well known song in a style that you wouldn't normally expect, and this does that. The video also gets a notable mention as I have it on authority that this Ohana Baritone uke Ian is playing is strung with a set of uke strings new to the market, and brought to us by Ken Middleton. I'm currently testing his tenor set of Living Water strings and will be giving you my thoughts on GAU soon. As you can see, these Bari scale strings sound just great!




You can now get Living Water strings via Ken's site


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

More than four ukulele strings?

Hang on you are saying - MORE than four strings on a ukulele? I'm only just learning to play the four I have! Well, as you go on a hunt for different sorts of instrument you may well come across ukes with more than the normal four strings. I thought I would give you some explanation on that.

You will commonly find ukuleles with either six or eight strings, and to further complicate matters, the six stringers come in two distinct types.

SIX STRINGERS

The first type of six stringer is where the extra two strings still play in "four courses". But what does that mean? Well the four strings on a normal four string uke are known as the four courses.  A six string uke with four courses means that there are an additional two strings that are tuned the same as two of the standard four (meaning that there are a total of four main notes on the instrument). This gives the ukulele a richer more harmonic sound because of the interplay between the strings. The most common strings that are paired are the first (A) and third (C) strings with the extra A tuned the same as the standard A, and the extra C either an octave above or below the normal C.  Some people do however experiment and there are a whole variety of tunings.

Kala 6 string

The other variety of six string ukulele uses six strings over six courses (much like a guitar) and is commonly tuned like a guitar at the fifth fret, i.e. ADGCEA. These are usually called guitarleles and one of the first I saw was introduced by Yamaha.

Yamaha Guitarlele

That said, I've noted that Kanile'a are also making one (drool)

Kanile'a guitarlele

The guitar ukulele isn't created to give that harmonious shimmer that the six and eight four course instruments provide, but really just to add some extra note options and give a guitar like feel to the uke player.

EIGHT STRINGERS

The eight string ukulele is most commonly made in four courses, so with four additional strings tuned to the same notes as the standard four string instrument.  The most common way is to tune the two G strings an octave apart, the two C strings an octave apart, and the two E and A strings at the same pitch, but again, people experiment with this to find their own sound. The eight stringer is a common instrument seen in Hawaiian bands and adds a real shimmer to the sound.

Kala 8 string uke

Beyond that of course there are loads of variations on the theme. Ohana make a five string tenor for example with an extra G string giving the uke both a low and a high G. In short - you don't have to be restricted to just four strings!

(All photos provided with kind permission of http://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/  where all of the instruments above can be found)

Read More »

Great N'Ukes ukulele session

Hey, we play every week, we have huge fun, and the progression of our new players astounds me.  Tonight though we saw a new member join us with a great set of skills and a guest appearance from none other than Ken Middleton!

Say hello to the N'Ukes Here, and while I am at it - do yourselves a favour and check out Ken here - http://www.kenmiddleton.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx

Read More »

Ukulele News 24 June 2012

Ukulele news time again with stories from around the globe.

The Buxton (UK) Ukulele Day - featured Phil and Ian from the Re-entrants!

---------------------------------------

A ukulele class in action

--------------------------------------

I love a bit of ukulele and art crossover - news from the Cairns fest

-------------------------------------

Brittni Paiva's new CD

-------------------------------------

Cars keyboard player Greg Hawkes ukulele trio to play a Beatles themed gig

------------------------------------

Imagine Jake visiting your school!

------------------------------------

Read More »

If I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - CHORDS

This is a tune that has become something of a favourite in a host of ukulele clubs. If you look around you will also find a host of versions of the lyrics too. This is the one I usually play - as sung by the Ditty Bops and Madeleine Peyroux

The chord changes are quick, and will take a bit of practive but it's worth it. The verses are easy and are just D7 to G to D7 to G.

The chords in the intro are as follows

C6 = 0000
C#dim7 - 0101
G6 = 0202
E7 = 1202
A9 = 0102
'D7' = 2020 (an alternate D7 sometimes called the Hawaiian D7 which isn't actually a D7 at all..!)

NOTE - the D7 in the verses is a standard 2223 barre chord, but for the intro sequence at the beginning and on the "might be late" bits, use the 'Hawaiian' D7 2020! (which isn't actually a D7) - just makes the chord change easier.


INTRO

[C6] [C#dim] [G6] [E7] [A9] [D7] [G]
[E7] [A9] [D7] [G]

1.

[D7] If I could shake it like my sister Kate
[G] Shake it like a bowl of jelly on a plate
[D7]My momma wanted to know last night
How [G]sister Kate could do it oh so nice..

[D7] Now all the boys in the neighbourhood
[G]Kate could shimmy and it's mighty good Now

It [C6] may be [C#dim] late but I'll be [G6] up to [E7]date
When I can [Aadd9] shimmy like my [D7]sister [G]Kate
Oh [E7]yeah, [Aadd9]shake it like my [D7]sister [G]Kate


2.

[D7]If I could shimmy like my sister Kate
[G]I'd never stay home, stay out too late
[D7]I'd get myself about as high as a kite
[G]You know I'd do it for you every night

Now [D7] all the boys in the neighbourhood
[G] Katie could shimmy and it's mighty good  Now

I [C6] may be [C#dim] late but I'll be [G6] up to [E7] date
When I can [Aadd9] shimmy like my [D7]sister [G] Kate
Oh [E7] yeah, [Aadd9] shake it like my [D7}sister [G]Kate


Repeat verse 1, then end with the INTRO riff

Have fun!

Read More »

Ukulele ebooks - the independent alternative

I don't say enough about Smashwords. When I first wrote my ukulele beginners books, the Amazon Kindle was the obvious first choice, but then you realise that a) not everybody has a Kindle and b) not everybody wants to give Amazon their money. Smashwords provides an independent alternative!




So, if you like the ebook format, you can grab all three of my books via Smashwords in Kindle, ePub, Sony, PDF, you name it, formats!

What Ukulele Players Really Want To Know

More Of What Ukulele Players Really Want To Know

Chords That Ukulele Players Really Want To Know

Give them a try! (oh and if you DO prefer Amazon, iTunes or paperback, that's cool, they are there too! ;-)

Baz



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

Ukulele Video review - Big Island Traditional Koa Concert

Following on from my written review of my latest uke from Big Island, I thought it worth giving it a video run down too.

Enjoy!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

The Re-entrants - INTERVIEW with Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson

I was delighted to be able to hook up with a couple of ukulele players extremely well known in the community - Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson of 'The Re-entrants'.

Photo Credit - Tim Smithies

Formed in 2007, Phil and Ian are hugely popular on the ukulele circuit and are a damn hard working pair of guys having performed hundreds of gigs across the UK and Europe including The Acoustic Festival of Britain, and such venues as Leicester Square Theatre in London, and the O2 Acadamy. Together with several TV and radio appearances and five CD's under their belts, this is a full time job for each of them. Their  act sees them playing anything from Motorhead to Lady Gaga, wringing solos, arpeggios and riffs out of nothing more than two ukes.  George Hinchcliffe of the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain said of them - "Their act is so very strong: they transcend the limitations of the ukulele". High praise! I've not (yet) seen them live, but come across them regularly online through their videos and the appeal is clear to see.

And why "Re-entrants"? Well for those new players who read this blog, standard ukulele tuning uses a 'High G' on the fourth string and that sort of tuning is called re-entrant tuning. An inspired band name!

I caught up with them both recently...

Hi guys - so, tell me about your backgrounds and your earliest musical memories.

Phil: Apparently I had a ukulele when I was about 3 (I don’t remember it, but I do have a photo of me playing it!), and I had a Spanish guitar from about the age of 8. I didn’t really do much until I was fifteen when I took up bass guitar, and then I took guitar lessons about a year after that. At 16 I joined my first band and have been performing since. 

Ian: My elder Brother was in a punk band, and when he went out, I would noodle around with his guitar, learning by ear and without his knowledge. By the time he found out, I could play a bit, so we formed a rock band together. I continued after that band, playing in original and covers rock bands, as well as in a 10-piece soul band. I had a long layoff from playing live, before returning to performing with the Re-entrants. 


What made you pick up your first ukuleles and did you find the transition to the small uke easy?

Phil: Like many guitarists I’d always toyed with other stringed instruments (mandolin, banjo, dulcimer) and when my first daughter was born I thought it would be a nice gentle instrument to serenade her with! For a while I just treated it as a small guitar, but it didn’t take long before I started to see its potential, and the benefits of the high 4th string. I then made a conscious effort to stop thinking in guitar terms and to learn the uke as an instrument in its own right. People sometimes assume we play the uke for ‘novelty value’ and play the guitar the rest of the time, almost like the uke is a stage prop, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We both think of ourselves as uke players nowadays and rarely play the guitar. 

Ian: Because I played guitar, someone bought me a ukulele as a joke Christmas present. It was a revelation. I’d always thought: ‘Wouldn’t this be so much better if it were a lot smaller?’ and all of a sudden, it was. Within a very short time, the guitars were gone. The size was never an issue at all. I love the soprano scale, and am confused when people say it’s too small for their big fingers. It’s not a miniature guitar; it’s a full-sized instrument in its own right, designed to be played by fully-grown people. That false impression that it’s a shrunken version of something else isn’t helpful. 

Photo Credit - Rod Mercer / Dave Griffiths

How did you guys first get together as an act?  

Phil: I was aware of Ian as I’d seen him on Ray Shakeshaft’s UKuke website and a bit later on the Ukulele Cosmos forum, and knew he was from Derby. I was doing a solo singer/songwriter type act and fancied being back in a band, just as I was really getting into the uke. I advertised for other uke players (the original idea was to form a larger band) and emailed 

Ian. In April 2007 we met for a jam and realised we had similar taste in music (we both made a list of 20 songs we wanted to try, and 13 of them were the same!), and when we played together it just seemed to click. At that point we decided we didn’t need any more players and that it would be more fun to try and see what we could achieve as a duo. 


Having similar tastes in music is certainly helpful! Are there any songs you have disagreed on - any guilty pleasures?

Phil: I can’t think of any. We have a rule that any song has to be familiar to the majority of the audience, so no obscure album tracks. As for guilty pleasures, I don’t agree with that concept: if you like something, listen to it! I have been surprised by how some songs, when stripped back to their bare essentials, turn out to be great (‘...Baby, One More Time’ springs to mind). 

Ian: I think in the earlier days, songs would crop up that one or other of us was unconvinced by, but everything is given a fair crack of the whip. Songs that one of us feel aren’t working tend to be conveniently ‘forgotten’ during rehearsals, and end up discreetly withering on the vine and dying of neglect. The audience has the casting vote in some respects though – sometimes a song you’re convinced is a corker, that you’ve spent a long time on, doesn’t really hit the mark with the audience, and it’s only after it’s been gigged a while that it starts being left out of the set as inappropriate, and quietly disappears. My favourite Beatles song is ‘I am the Walrus’, and it’s the most complex song in our set; it took months to get right. Then you find it only appeals at certain gigs, and it’s only sheer bloody-mindedness that’s kept it in there. We worked too hard on it to let it go, but it rarely gets an outing. As to guilty pleasures, any piece of music has equal chance of being stuck in my head, whether it’s a Beethoven piano sonata or the tune from the Cocopops advert. It’s all music, and everything has something interesting and engaging about it. As I said, though, the audience is a third member of the band, and you have to think of the set as a coherent, cohesive whole. Some things just aren’t appropriate for our show, but that is never a qualitative judgement.


How did your first ever gig go?

Phil: We played at a garden party in the June, really just to see if everyone else would enjoy what we did as much as we did. They seemed to- the host asked people to donate money to cover our petrol and we left with a uke case stuffed with money! 

Ian: It had been some time since I’d gigged, and I was so nervous I had to get Phil to do a short set on his own before I could get up. 


Do you still get the nerves? If so, how do you deal with them? 

Phil: No. I used to get so nervous on stage that I would shake, especially when I first started doing solo gigs. I didn’t really deal with them, it was more of a case of keeping on gigging more and more until it became something I was so used to it didn’t bother me anymore. There’s a difference between nerves and adrenalin though. At the ‘big gigs’ I usually get a bit of a rush just before going on which can make you feel like you’re ‘nervous’, but again I have just learned to enjoy the feeling and go with it. 

Ian: Not any more. I get the adrenalin, but that feels like a normal state to be in now. It certainly wouldn’t adversely affect me. I actually find the ‘being on stage’ bit the least nerve-wracking bit of gigging. Possibly, it’s the most relaxed and comfortable I am in life generally. In life, you’re ricocheting around, improvising constantly, in unfamiliar surroundings; onstage, you know what you’re supposed to do, you know how to do it; you’ve done it many times before. You know the material works, because they were all massive hits. There’s always the possibility of the unexpected, but disasters are never particularly traumatic or difficult to fix, and tend to fall between fairly tight parameters. The only two unknown quantities are the audience and the potential for technical problems, and there’s a fair amount you can do to guard against either being totally disastrous. If I was on my own, however, playing stuff I’d written, I’d be paralysed with fear I reckon.


What are your lows and highs from touring with the band? 

Phil: The highs are too many to count- we have a lot of fun doing this. Personally though stepping out onto the stage to an audience of over 1000 at 53 degrees in Preston was pretty special. Off stage, jamming with James Hill was pretty cool, too! Sometimes though the best highs are unexpected, such as playing a small venue to a crowd that you think might be hard work and suddenly having them go with you, really get into it, and have a brilliant night. Aside from the playing we both laugh a hell of a lot, which can’t be bad! Lows have been few and far between, and as we stay busy it’s pretty easy to shrug them off and move on. 

Ian: Signing bits of women. No, that sounds wrong. The bits were still attached and the women were fine. I still get a kick out of being familiar with so much of the country now. Also, the odd moment of clarity when you’re in the middle of things and you suddenly realise what you’re doing, and how surreal it all is. As to lows, Phil’s bang on. 


My readers are always keen to know what ukes people play - what's in the collection - any particular favourites? 

Phil: I have a pair of Pete Howlett Uklectics (solid body concert scale electric ukes) that are my main stage ukes, plus a lovely koa concert also made by Pete that I won in a raffle at a ukulele festival! Of course I have my signature model aNueNue, which is very special, and 6 fantastic ukes in various shapes and sizes made by Rob Collins at tinguitar.com. I also have a couple of other luthier-made sopranos (one by Simon Bush and another by Steve Caldwell), a 1930s Slingerland banjo uke and most recently an Ohana electro-acoustic concert, which I’m very impressed with. ‘Favourite’ is difficult- on stage I feel most at home with my first Uklectic as I’ve been gigging with it since the very beginning, but at home I find I most often reach for my Tin Guitar meranti soprano or the Howlett Koa concert, depending on what size I feel like playing. Uke players are spoilt rotten nowadays- you can pop into your local music shop and choose from a wealth of great ukes. When we first started we had to order them from Hawaii! 

Ian: I’ve got 20-odd ukes nowadays. For gigs, I’ve always played Applause UAE-20s, and I’m unlikely to change in the near-future; they’re resistant to blood, sweat and beers, being kicked, sat on, frozen, baked, dropped; they sound fine electrically and acoustically, and they’re eminently replaceable. My absolute favourite home uke is my Kiwaya KTS-7, which is the one I’d rescue if my house was on fire. I’m not usually very precious about ukes, and mistreat them terribly. I don’t have a uke without a scar or a lump out of it somewhere, and I’ve been known to saw bits off that get in the way. I don’t own any tenors or concerts; they’re sizes I don’t really get on with. I have at least a dozen sopranos, half a dozen sub-sopranos and a few baritones – baritone is my second favourite size. I’ve got some lovely handmades by Rob Collins, Simon Bush and Argapa, as well as my Anuenue, which are all brilliant, but I always feel a little bit guilty when something someone took care over gets trashed in my hands. In some ways, I like the anonymity of the replaceable, cheap, breakable, disposable factory uke. I don’t picture a weeping craftsman if I accidentally step on it. 


I think you are right Phil - the choice these days is huge and I think the quality is going up at the lower end as well. There are still pitfalls though so do you have any tips for new players on buying an instrument?

Phil: Whenever I pick up an instrument it has to 1. have good intonation and 2. a low action (or enough spare saddle to be able to lower it) otherwise it goes straight back on the shelf. After that the bottom line is that it has to feel and sound right to you. Get the best instrument you can afford, but bear in mind that the most expensive one might not be the best! If you’re buying on the net, but from somewhere with a good reputation and who actually know about ukes. Here’s a top tip if you’re buying in a shop- when you’ve decided on a uke, don’t let them go and get another one that’s in a box from the back of the shop- buy the one you played! 

Ian: That’s all very sound advice. The one thing I’d add is that the quest for the ‘Holy Grail’ instrument is pretty much futile. The great all-round perfect uke is a myth. I have some very expensive ukes that are brilliant for some things, and not so brilliant at other things, and I have some cheap ukes that I could say exactly the same for. I don’t know anyone who bought one uke, thought: ‘Perfect’ and never bought another. I don’t know anyone who has only one uke. The moral of the story is don’t put all your eggs in one basket, because you WILL be buying other ukes.

Photo Credit - Graham Whitmore

What are your plans for the band going forward? 

Phil: We want to keep moving up in terms of the audiences we reach, but also we have to bear in mind this is our living so we can’t be too precious about the gigs we play! That said, at Easter we played our last ‘free entry’ gig and are now starting to play theatres and arts centres. We really can’t expect people to pay for tickets for one of those gigs only to have us play for free at the pub at the end of their road! We did a small experimental tour of ticketed venues early in 2012 and sold out every date, so we took that as our cue to take the leap. We’ve now got 9 theatre dates booked for the autumn and we’re already booking more for 2013. It’s a change in our way of working, we have to think of ‘putting on a show’ rather than just ‘doing a gig’, and it’s also harder in terms of the business side of the band (I’m currently drowning in contracts and posters, it’s almost like having a real job!) but it’s worth it for the nicer venues and bigger crowds! 

Ian: Phil is in a massively unenviable position working with me. I do practically none of the planning or organizing and have no real ambition or clear idea of where I want to be, yet still make a lot of demands about where I don’t want to be. I’m a spoilt child really, and I tantrum if Phil commits me to anything I’m not so keen on. I bully him a bit, and I think it’s made him a bit more circumspect when it comes to considering options. He’s developed an instinct for knowing when I’m likely to turn something down – something I’m far more likely to do than him. I’m not a diva about it – it’s just that the only aspects that engage me are playing and performing, to people who are on the right wavelength. Chasing money or reputation doesn’t interest me, and the business side bores me rigid. We joke about the fact he just drives me to gigs, points me at people, I play, get back into the car and get taken home. But there’s a lot of truth in that. I have no real ambition; I’m just enjoying the ride. I like not knowing. 

Phil: Sometimes he doesn’t even know which town we’re going to... 


I ask this of everyone I interview - as a it's beginner’s blog - what is your best tip for new players? 

Phil: I teach quite a few beginners  ( https://www.facebook.com/Learntoplayuke) , and whilst I encourage them to appreciate the fact that the uke is very easy instrument to get past the ‘sounding horrible’ stage on, that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. The more you put into the uke, the more you get out of it. Oh, and play with other people. 

Ian: Play. Use your ears, and learn how the thing sounds and is supposed to sound. Listen to music; try to play along. Your ears are more important than your hands, and your hands are way more important than your theoretical knowledge or reference library. There’s no teaching tool out there as effective as time spent with the instrument in your hands and your ears open. Playing + listening + time = playing well. 


Thanks so much to Phil and Ian for talking to Got A Ukulele - if you can get a chance to see them on their forthcoming UK tour - get along and give them your support!


STOP PRESS! Since doing this interview, Phil and Ian have changed direction. 2012 saw the last of the Re-entrants shows and they are now performing and touring as Phil Doleman and Ian Emmerson!


Watch Phil and Ian below!

Read More »

Uke choices of the professionals - pt1

As amateur players you probably beat yourself up enough over which ukulele to choose to play (or, like me, to play next!). I suppose it's the same for the pro's too, but have you wondered what ukuleles the professional players choose to play? Check out this first selection.

Jake Shimabukuro

Whilst Jake may have other ukes in his collection, he started playing ukulele as a child on a Kamaka uke and is said to have played them ever since. Today if you see him play he will most likely be performing on a beautiful custom built Tenor model, made specially for him.

James Hill

James is known to play many ukes, and chooses what he wants depending on the voice he needs for a particular track. If you have seen his online videos of him performing tracks like Billie Jean he is playing that on a custom uke from G String.

Eddie Vedder

I had to mention Eddie - whilst not most famous for being a ukulele player, he certainly hit the headlines and shook the uke world up last year with the release of his Ukulele Songs LP. Eddie has reported in interviews that he plays many types of uke, but on the record he is most famously associated with playing custom models from his friends at De Vine guitars.

Amanda Palmer

Another player who divides opinions, but Amanda has become completely linked to the ukulele, releasing EP's and other tracks played on it. She has been seen in city centres playing impromptu live jams on the ukulele on a range of cheap Mahalo type ukes, or playing the one above which was a gift from her father (it's a Hilo). Interestingly, whilst in her punk tradition she claims that quality and tuning don't matter too much, it would appear that Ms Palmer recognises that a bit of tuning and intonation are kinda important - playing live recently she has been spotted with a Pono model!

I hope to revisit this theme soon on Got A Ukulele with a roundup of some other famous players 'ukes of choice'.

Read More »

The N'Ukes and ukulele guests

The Nantwich N'Ukes are jamming - together with welcomed guests from the Bridgnorth Strummers!

Keep up with the N'Ukes here - https://www.facebook.com/NantwichNukes

Read More »

Makin' Love Ukulele Style

Seems I've been doing it wrong all these years! (many thanks and kudos to Penny Howe for bringing this to my attention!)




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

Ukulele News - 17 June 2012

Another weekly round up of ukulele news from around the world.

Baildon Uke Club gig and tribute to former band member

------------------------------------

Ukulele mis-steps?

-----------------------------------

Ukuleles are hip? Well, gee thanks for telling us that MSNBC

-----------------------------------

Release a Geek Dads inner musician

-----------------------------------

Ukulele Camp!

-----------------------------------

More news next week.

Read More »

Ukulele string update on the Big Island uke

Following my detailed review of my new Big Island Concert Koa Ukulele, you may recall that I set off with it by trying out Martin Flourocarbon uke strings. Well, time for a change.




The Martins were on for about a week, and also got thoroughly tested on a fairly vigorous uke jam with the N'Ukes. I really liked them. Very much in fact and for me they were a big improvement on the Aquilas the ukulele arrived with. More volume, more sustain and a far sweeter and cleaner sound. So, why would I change them then? Well, as I often say, there is no right and wrong string and with all my ukes I always experiment with several types to find what fits that instrument.

I had read some recommendations for a string I had not used before - Worth Clear Dense strings. I have been using the Worth Clear Mediums for years on a variety of instruments, but never used the Dense variety (a harder material, and, I believe, a bit more tension).

So a set of those went on a day or two ago and have been settling down. Initial thoughts are extremely positive. They have retained the clarity that the Martins brought to the uke, but to my ears have brought another noticeable leap in volume and a bit more sustain. I really do adore this ukulele, but it does need string testing. I may move on and try some others, but to my ears these Worths are giving me exactly what I wanted. This Sunday sees another session with the Nantwich N'Ukes and that will be a critical part of trialling these strings. It's one thing listening to strings in the quiet of your home environment, but quite another alongside a bunch of other ukes, different singing voices and the general hubbub of a noisy pub. The Martins cut through ok, but am hoping the Worths may do even better.

So, if you have a uke, perhaps your first instrument, and you are still playing the strings that came on it - consider experimenting. You may find you give your ukulele a whole new improved voice and feel!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

Famous Ukulele Players Part 27 - George Clooney

Another good spot, (via Rare Celebrity Photos) - George Clooney!

(OK OK, dont shoot me, he may not actually be a player - this was a PR shot for his recent film, but you know, I HOPE he chose to continue with it!)

Check out the other entries in this section of Got A Ukulele HERE

Read More »

Blue Suede Shoes - Ukulele Chords

Another easy song for ukulele that most people already know the tune to very well. It's a fairly standard rock and roll blues pattern in the key of C. Learn some blues patterns like this and you have the essence of 90% of popular music!

BLUE SUEDE SHOES


1.Well, it's [C]one for the money, two for the show,
Three to get ready, now [C7]go cat go!

CHORUS

But [F7]don't you step on my blue suede [C]shoes.
You can [G7]do anything, but lay [F7]off of my blue suede [C]shoes. [G7]


2. Well, you can [C]knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh, honey, [C7]lay off of my shoes...

REPEAT CHORUS


3. Well, you can [C]burn my house, steal my car,
Drink my liquor from my old fruit jar
Do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh, honey, [C7]lay off of my shoes.

REPEAT CHORUS

[C]Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, blue, blue, [C7]blue suede shoes
[F7]Blue, blue, blue suede shoes, [C]blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Well you can [G7]do anything, but lay [F7]off of my blue suede [C]shoes. [F7]  [C]

Read More »

Big Island Koa Traditional Concert ukulele - REVIEW

Time for another Got A Ukulele instrument review. For a while now I have been looking to plug the gap in my collection at the concert scale. That basically consists of my Mainland Mahogany and my wife's Pono MHC. Both of those are very nice ukes, but as I own Koa Hawaiian instruments in the tenor and soprano scale, I have developed a love for the richness of tone that wood brings.  Enter the Big Island Koa Traditional Concert.

Now I do like to keep a balance on Got A Ukulele by reviewing both cheap and pricey instruments. Well this one falls in the middle, at the upper end of the intermediate level instruments (price £370).  As tempted as I was to go for a Hawaiian or luthier built Koa, I wanted to look at something more affordable. This places this uke at a price considerably higher than the £180 Mainland uke, and only a bit higher than the £350 Pono model. For this review I will principally be comparing this uke to both of those.  I was also intrigued by this instrument and suppose I took a bit of a chance with it - whilst there are several reviews online of their Honu line of instruments (pretty much the same save for different stylings on the bridge and headstock), I've not yet found a review of the standard Big Island models - surely there must be more of them out there?

So what gives this uke, an all solid Koa instrument a lower price point? Well, Big Island, despite being a Hawaiian based company (in Hilo) don't put these together on the Islands, rather they are built in Vietnam. Much like many other top brands, such as Kanile'a with their Islander range or Ko'olau with their Pono range, manufacturers have looked at creating more affordable instruments by outsourcing the building to the far east. What Big Island did was something different though. They outsourced all of their builds to the far east, but maintained control of the wood, growing, harvesting and shipping their own Koa for building. The finished instruments return to Hawaii for final checks before being shipped out. Can that compare to a pure Island brand?

The Big Island series comprise three options - this standard 'Traditional' model uke, their Tortoise Rope curly koa model, and a solid Hawaiian Mango model. When you look at the ukes I own, I don't go in for much bling, and the binding or fancy wood of the other two models didn't really appeal - for me its about how the wood looks and sounds mainly. The fact this is gloss is something of a concession for me too, but they don't offer a satin finish.

So what we have is a beautiful, yet plain instrument. The finish all over this uke is absolutely first class, and I gave a genuine gasp when I took it from it's case (thanks again to the guys at Southern Ukulele Store). In fact, I will stick my neck out and state that, Hawaiian ukes included, this is the nicest finished ukulele I own - it really is absolutely perfect all over. Not a glue drop or imperfection anywhere and the gloss is deep and even and really makes the wood shimmer.

Starting with the body we have a traditional uke shape with a  wide butt. In fact the uke is actually what I would call a jumbo concert in the body department - it is considerably bigger than my Mainland or Pono, and in fact won't fit in either of their standard concert uke hard cases (something you should note if buying one). The top and back are book matched beautifully and the grain is really stripy with some nice dark patches. It's got a beautiful orange hue that looks so warm and I am very taken with it. It has that wonderful koa grain that if tilted in the right light has a kind of 3d effect to it with colours changing depending on how you look at it. The finish is sublime. It's a league above the finish of the Mainland, and ahead of the Pono (which is also beautiful). The grain on this though leaves the Pono in the shade, but that is koa wood for you.

I was very pleased to note that the wood pieces on the back (also book matched) match the top perfectly.  The top and back wood grains are pretty straight, but there is a bit more curl in the wood used for the sides. The sides are in two pieces and don't quite match on the join at the butt, but this is a factory instrument away from premium prices so I can forgive it that.

As I say, all brilliantly put together. Standard slotted kerfling inside the ukulele assists with holding the top and back to the sides, and the bracing looks fairly standard issue but is nicely scalloped.

The bridge is a standard square tie bar affair made from East Indian Rosewood and looks well made. The saddle is made of bone, and is shaped in a compensated pattern to assist with intonation. For me, the jury is out on these as I don't consider the scale of a ukulele demands them (and my Kanilea Tenor doesn't have a compensated saddle and intonation on it is perfect) - but there you go - it can't do any harm I suppose. Incidentally, the uke came strung with the now ubiquitous Aquila strings. I like Aquilas, but this gets me down as they now seem to appear on absolutely everything. I actually tend to find them overkill and boomy on finer solid wood ukes, and think fluorocarbon strings suit these ukes much better. Anyway, I immediately swapped them out (yes, I did try them first - boomy!) and currently have Martin Flourocarbons on it. I also have some Worth Clear Dense on their way as they get good reviews on the Big Island Honu line of ukes. As I often say about strings - experiment!

On to the neck and we have a neck made of mahogany and topped with an East Indian Rosewood fingerboard. I actually thought the neck was a one piece, but it isn't, it has a join at the heel - not that you would know as the join is so perfectly matched it's hard to spot. The neck has 20 nickel frets which are finished perfectly at the edges and incredibly small and low which should make for an easy playing experience. I love how the fingerboard comes down to the sound hole and is shaped around it.

The wood of the fingerboard is also nice and even and dark with very few lighter patches that can sometimes affect cheaper rosewood. Fret markers are provided in abalone at the 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th, and there are similar side markers too. The edges of the fingerboard are bound in a dark wood to hide the fret edges which is a nice touch - something missing from the Mainland uke.  I adore the neck profile too - its very shallow, yet has a good width at the nut. I usually like chunkier necks, but find this ever so comfortable.

On to the headstock and we have a bone nut (cut nice and shallow - I cannot stand huge tall nuts that have deep slots), and the mahogany head is topped with a face plate of Koa. Inlaid into this is a nice version of the Big Island logo in abalone - again, no finish issues with it whatsoever. It's a fairly stock three pointed crown style shape.


The tuners are unbranded, sealed, chrome geared with a 14:1 ratio. They are very nicely finished with small koa buttons which I think look absolutely great. They feel good too with the right amount of resistance and certainly not sloppy. Unfortunately, this is my first gripe with the instrument. I don't like geared tuners that stick out too much - makes a uke look like Mickey Mouse. These could benefit from being shrunk (the tuners, not the buttons) a touch, or attached on an angle to lessen the effect. The geared tuners on my Pono and Kanile'a stick out far less than these. A shame.

So, that is the uke described for you - but how does it play? Well firstly on to setup and tuning. The action, coupled with those low frets and thin profile neck make it a joy to play. Action is nice but I may well take it down a fraction, though that is no big job and certainly not a complaint. A check on intonation up the neck shows it's pretty damn good - not quite as accurate as my Kanile'a but certainly better than the Mainland, and on a par with the Pono. No complaints here - the uke plays well.

Sound wise - well, WOW it's rich! I had heard some reviews that these ukes were quiet. Well, it's not the loudest uke I own (that job goes to my Koaloha Soprano, but then that uke is louder than all my other ukes) but this is no slouch - its got a perfectly reasonable volume and when strummed hard a nice bark if you need it. I actually jammed with it on the second day of playing along with 9 other ukuleles in a crowded environment - it did take a little more effort to find it's place in the mix compared to, say, my Kanile'a or Koaloha, but it was there.

Fingerpicking makes it sound very sweet indeed. The tone is balanced across all the strings and when strummed the uke has an extremely rich chime sound to it. In fact its got a ring and a chime unlike any of my other ukes. Sure my Kanile'a Tenor beats it when picked, but I am not sure it does when strummed. It has almost a 3d sort of sound - in fact the best way I can describe it - it sounds like it has more strings on it than just four - a really rich shimmery sound that I adore. Whilst that may sound like the tone is confused or busy, it isn't - its very clear and you can hear every note being played in a strum. Sustain is superb too and after picking a string not only can I hear it ringing on, I can feel the wood of the body vibrating.

In fact, despite only playing this for a couple of days, first impressions are that this is probably the most balanced in tone and sound of all my ukes. Whilst it's not as loud as my Koaloha soprano, it beats it in strumming for richness of tone. Whilst it gets beaten by my Kanile'a Tenor in fingerpicking, I think it's up there with it in strumming richness - an altogether brighter and broader tone to my ears. And what about the other two concerts I mentioned? Well, compared to this, as much as I love my Mainland, the sound leaves the Mainland sounding rather thin and boxy. The finish on this also beats that one hands down.  As for the Pono - the finish just edges that uke (though that is probably as much down to wood choice than anything else), but it certainly has a broader tone and better volume. I actually think this says more about the Pono than the Mainland - this is more than twice the price of the Mainland - it should sound better! But if you are in the market for a Pono at this sort of price I suppose what I am saying is, try this one out for size.

For a ukulele that doesn't seem to get written about very much, I would like to think that this review may help to change that and get a few more out there. In fact, with this sound I will have to question myself if I do choose to buy a K Brand Concert - I mean, why?

PROS

Wonderful construction, finish and setup
Beautiful wood choice
Nice neck profile and perfect frets
Rich broad sound

CONS

Tuners could be smaller
Can't makers ship with anything OTHER THAN Aquilas?
Body size may limit case choices


SCORES 

Looks - 9.5
Fit and finish - 10
Sound - 9
Value for money - 9

OVERALL - 9.3



Video Review

Read More »

Famous Ukulele Players Part 26 - Griff Rhys Jones

Another update, and I'm sorry, not the best of photographs - UK presenter and funnyman, Griff Rhys Jones playing a banjo uke

Check out the other famous ukulele players HERE, (that is to say, famous people who you wouldn't necessarily associate with the ukulele!). If you have any pics you want to submit, get in touch!

Read More »

Ukulele News - 10 June 2012

Another catch up with what has been happening in the ukulele world in the last week.

Teen recovering from brain tumour gets his wish to play the ukulele

-----------------------------

Blind to the signs of ukulele crimes

----------------------------

Tricity Vogue guest blogs about the uke on WhatsOnStage

---------------------------

Nice piece with Danielle Ate The Sandwich (and if you don't know her, check out her YouTube vids!)

--------------------------

Jake Shimabukuro eye candy (just gorgeous!)

-------------------------


More news next week!

Read More »

Comparison of new Martin ukuleles

Now there is a certain ukulele brand that intrigues me greatly. It's not a brand I've played, but I have played their guitars, and their guitars have a heck of a heritage,

But that guitar maker in the more distant past made ukes, and,actually has continued to do so. Some of their newer models have had their detractors, but, equally, some of their higher end models get huge plaudits.

But don't listen to me, I haven't played one. Equally, don't listen to anyone who claims a certain uke is the best because it has the name Martin on the headstock. What you SHOULD do though is take proper advice from someone who owns, understands, enjoys and plays a range of Martins when making a choice..... In that respect, much thanks to Peter Forrest for this video. It's already done the rounds, but he gave me a thumbs up for sharing on GAU. Now THIS is a review vid!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More »

Brüko model 6 video review

As a follow up to my written review of the excellent Brüko 6 ukulele, I thought I would do a video too, with sound sample.

Enjoy

Read More »

Which country are the biggest uke fans?

Time for some statistics. Which country are the biggest ukulele nuts? Who have the most fans? I have been delving into the all time stats for Got A Ukulele which consider well over a million page views now (gulp) and have done some crunching!

Can I just say before I start that this is JUST A BIT OF FUN! I'm not trying to create a global argument, just thought it would be fun to look at numbers. Remember, as the wise sage Homer Simpson said, "Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 14% of people know that.". So don't shoot me!

Anyway, since the birth of Got A Ukulele, my stats show me the following rankings in terms of percentage of total hits for the top ten countries that have visited.

1. USA - 53.1%
2. UK - 27.9%
3. Australia - 6.0%
4. Canada - 5.1%
5. Germany - 2.3%
6. New Zealand - 1.5%
7. Thailand - 1.3%
8. France - 1.1%
9. Singapore - 0.9%
10. Italy - 0.7%

But of course, that avoids the obvious issue of the populations sizes in the countries, as well as the fact that the English language is not the common tongue of about half of them. I don't have the stats on English speakers, but I can access accepted population statistics.

Therefore, when I work out what the page view count is for each country as a percentage of population, we get the following.



1. UK
2. New Zealand
3. Australia
4. Singapore
5. USA
6. Canada
7. Italy
8. Germany
9. Thailand
10. France.

Something of a turnaround, and massive surge for the Kiwi's. But it has to be said, according to Got A Ukulele, the most uke-centric country around is.... The United Kingdom...

(dont shoot me! Your visits are much appreciated wherever you come from!)

Read More »

Proud Mary - Ukulele Chords

Great song choice this one. At one of our previous ukulele sessions, one of our newest members brought the chords down for this song, something we have not played before - and he nailed it!  Some fast changes in here too, but huge fun

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary


Introduction [F] [D]   [F] [D]  [F] [D] [C] [Bb] [G]

[G] Left a good job in the city,
Workin' for the man every night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleeping
Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been

[D7] Big wheel keep on turnin'
[Em] Proud Mary keep on burnin'
[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river

[G] Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis
Pumped a lot of pain down in New Orleans
But I never saw the good side of the city
Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen

[D7] Big wheel keep on turnin'
[Em] Proud Mary keep on burnin'

[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river

[F] [D]
[F] [D]
[F] [D] [C] [Bb] [G]

[G] If you come down to the river
Bet you gonna find some people who live
You don't have to worry cause you have no money
People on the river are happy to give [D7]

Big wheel keep on turnin'
[Em] Proud Mary keep on burnin'

[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
[G] Rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river

[F] [D]
[F] [D]
[F] [D] [C] [Bb] [G]

Read More »