Uke Players?

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

I just picked one up. I bought a baritone. I'm not real interested in the whole "Tip Toe Through The Tulips" thing. However, I have heard some pretty cool sounding Uke tunes over the years. Most recently, Paul McCartney played "Something" on the Concert For George DVD. VERY COOL STUFF!

RObbie Bossert

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

Hi Robbie, I have a band called Old Puppy which features baritone and soprano ukes as the voice of the band. I play bari and I'm so hooked on it. We also stay away from the whole novelty vododiodo thing. The sound of Old Puppy (we also have acoustic bass and are plannig to add light percussion) is based on playing just about any tune with a good melody and beautiful harmony. ie: Standards, Latin, Hawaiian, Bossa, Country, you name it. On our best of days we might remind you a little of the uke ledgend Herb Ohta(Ohta San) The warmth and depth of these instruments often pleasantly surprises folks who come in contact with us. We have a Christmas cd out called Uketide. We even got a whole room full of folks up dancing to cajun tunes played by just the two ukes,no ampflication. Glad you asked, Billy

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I keep a Fluke Uke in my office - especially good for those slow downolads and software installs. It has a square bottom so it can stand on the floor ready for inspiration to strike. While nobody is gonna confuse it with an all koa model, the fluke has surprisingly good sound and playability. the chord forms are the same as a guitar albeit with the 4th string up an octave. I don't really play it as a Uke. More often then not, Charlie Christian licks tend to come out of it.

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 21 March 2004 at 03:01 PM.]

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

The coolest band around today ...

Thats the Moonlighters ... Bliss Blood on Uke and lead vocals and forumite Mike Neer on Tricone ...

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www.horseshoemagnets.com

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

According to George Harrison's son, he used to travel everywhere with 2 ukes, one for him and the other for whoever wanted to play along with him.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

...and anyone with reservations about the versatility of the uke in Jazz has not heard the album "How about Uke, Lyle Ritz plays Jazz Ukelele" with Red Mitchell on bass, Gene Estes on drums, and Don Shelton on flute!

Jazz is not determined by instruments, but by the ability of the players of instruments!

www.genejones.com

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 21 March 2004 at 05:12 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Yes, Gene, I bought a Lyle Ritz CD and it is reaaly good.

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I like to make my own little home-made Steel-solo recordings and although I play Flat-top Rhythm-Guitar, I always use my cheap $59.95 Baritone-Uke for my Rhythm-Tracks. It just records so much better with my equipment! And when I need to find a fitting chord it's much easier for me with only (4) strings to figure out! My Baritone-Uke is tuned standard to the first four strings of the Flat-Top. (no high 4th.) I really prefer the sound of the Baritone-Uke for my Rhythm & Steel recordings. My beginning in music, after 3 yrs. of Piano was back in the mid to late '40's when Arthur Godfrey taught Uke on TV! He always played a Baritone-Uke, but; I couldn't find one until several years ago, and even then; only this cheap one. But, it works ok for me. Back in the '40's I used the regular one from Sears & Robuck. I'm really getting old!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 & Cool

Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom 15”
http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

seldomfed · From: Colorado

Our band has a uke www.book-em-danno.com

Stuart tunes it like IZ by replacing the smaller 4th string with a larger guage. Makes it easier to play leads and fatter sounding chords. He has a pickup in it and amplifies it thru a Marshall acoustic amp for a large sound. We just recorded Take the A Train yesterday for a CD project - the uke is a pretty amazing instrument if you give it a chance.

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I did forget (as happens nowadays) to mention that I also have a P/U on my Baritone-Uke. It's called a Wood-Picker, and attaches with 2-way tape to the sweet-spot on top, near the bridge, somewhat similar to the sound-pin inside a fiddle. The main reason for the P/U is because I do all my recording Direct, since I got my Teac 4-Track R-2-R. Very effective!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 & Cool

Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom 15”
http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Do you guys use a pick when ya' play? It always looks to me that uke players use the tip of their index finger.
Robbie Bossert

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

No pick. I use alot of downward motion with the flesh of the thumb and upward motion with index and middle. Alot of folks strum with the down and up motion of the index finger. BW

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Ukelele was the first instrument I played. My mom (who was a major music influence for me- she plays piano and sings very well) bought it (a soprano uke) for me when I was about 10 years old... it's here in the room with me now, in fact. It's a Harmony, made in Chicago, IL.

When I first started, Mom used to sit beside me and fret the thing while I strummed, but before long I could do both. It was way cool, and I started playing in church and for friends within a few weeks, accompanying myself singing...

Nice memories.

I always played it with my forefinger, which is how the little method book I had showed that it should be done.

Rick

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

Sometimes I use a Felt-pick and sometimes I use a Pick shaped from a piece of scrap-leather, but; usually I use a thin Nylon Guitar-pick!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 & Cool

Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom 15”
http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

Shaan Shirazi · From: Austin, TX, USA

During SXSW last week I saw a cute band called Petty Booka. They're two Japanese girls who play ukes and do Country, Pop, and noveltyish originals. (Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian) Great Harmonies too, they were the darlings of the in store I went to.

In other news, I found out recently that my Great Grandfather was Augusto Dias who is credited as being one of the original musicians/craftsmen who brought prominence to the ukulele in Hawaii after his arrival on the Ravenscrag from Portugal.

Who knew?

Shaan

seldomfed · From: Colorado

We play "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian" , we cover it from an old John Prine album.

Chris

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

I returned from Hawaii just a couple weeks ago with a baritone uke in hand. Loads of fun. The simplicity of the instrument is wonderful. Once I pick it up, it's very difficult to put it down.

John Kavanagh · From: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.

See you over at www.fleamarketmusic.com !

A lot of baritones sound pretty poor with the dgbe' tuning - it's a little too low for the size of the instrument, in my opinion, so you might try a tenor tuning - d'gbe' (with the fourth string up an octave) or gce'a' or ad'f#'b' (a fourth or fifth higher).

I have a bari/tenor in the last tuning (with no wound strings), and it sounds really sweet. I ocasionally use a flatpick for a solo or mando-style tremolo, but mostly thumb and fingers, guitar or clawhammer style. There are a lot of right-hand tricks.

I really love the uke, and play it a lot - always happy to talk ukes.

[This message was edited by John Kavanagh on 26 March 2004 at 09:48 AM.]

Wayne Carver · From: Martinez, Georgia, USA

I have a cd by "Ohta San". It's very relaxing to listen to. Almost like a type of jazz or something.

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

My 2 cents: Seems to me that there was also an old cat by the name of "Ah'-tah" Godfrey on the CBS radio network back in the 1950's and early 1960's who played pretty well on the uke (a lot better than he sang) and I've been told that he made a dollar or two with the thing.

I started on the standard uke when I was just a small kid, and wore out several felt picks before I learned the thumb-and fingernail-sweep technique. My fingers are so pudgy now that I'd probably have to get a baritone or at least a tenor in order to make the chords.

Tim "my-dog-has-fleas" Rowley

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

Tim, I think the "Ah tah" your talking may be Atta Issacs from Hawaii. He plays uke very well on Jerry Byrd's record Hawaiian Style. One thing I noticed being in Hawaii was that alot of uke players over there were playing tenor sized ukes that are tuned up to the soprano tuning: a e c g. Don't bother telling them that this is not the "real" tenor tuning. I mean the thing was invented over there after all. BW

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

"Hawaiian Nights", by John Kelly

ORIGINS AND LEGENDS

When the Ravenscrag arrived in Honolulu on the afternoon of August 23, 1879, it was carrying 419 Portuguese immigrants from the island of Madeira to work in the sugar cane fields. It had been a long and hard journey of over 4 months and some 15,000 miles. In celebration of their arrival, Joao Fernandes borrowed his friend's braguinha, jumped off the ship, and started playing folks songs from his native land on the wharf. The Hawaiians who came down to the dock were very impressed at the speed of this musicians' fingers as they danced across the fingerboard and they called the instrument "ukulele", which translates into English as "jumping flea". You see, that was the image conjured up by those flying fingers.

At least that's one of the stories about the origin of the name "ukulele". Typical to much of Hawaiian history, there are several accounts of how the ukulele got it's name. Queen Lili'uokalani thought it came from the Hawaiian words for "the gift that came here", or "uku" (gift or reward) and "lele" (to come). Another legend says the instrument was originally called "ukeke lele" or "dancing ukeke" (ukeke being the Hawaiian's three stringed musical bow). The name, being mispronounced over the years, became "ukulele". Another theory comes from a story about Edward Purvis, an English army officer and the Assistant Chamberlain to the court of King David Kalakaua, who was very adept at playing the braguinha. Since he was small and sprightly, the rather large Hawaiians nicknamed him "ukulele", the whole "jumping flea" thing all over again. Still another version of the origin of the world "ukulele" is attributed to Gabriel Davian and Judge W. L. Wilcox, who was a member of a well-known island family. According to the story, the two men were in attendance at a housewarming party at the Wilcox home in Kahili, where Davian was playing an 'ukulele he had made himself. When one of the guests asked what it was called, Davion jokingly replied that, judging from the way one "scratched at it," it was a "jumping flea". Wilcox, who was fluent in Hawaiian, was asked for the Hawaiian translation and is supposed to have answered, "'Ukulele!".

Over the years, the "jumping flea" legend, the one where Joao Fernandes' fingers were jumping like fleas over the fingerboard, has become the most accepted, probably because that is the coolest story and Hawaiians just love a cool story.