issue11

what's inside...

p2. Barnstorming - the movieP3. Barnstorming - the soundtrackP4. Suzanne Brindamour SpotlightP8. Photo Tips for your eventsp9. Ohana CK-70G Reviewp10. Kala KA-SEM mahogany ukep11. Guide to Uke Chordsp12. Moore Bettah UkesP17. Wahooligans - CD Reviewp19. Kala Uke Give-A-Wayp20. Club Listingsp28. What's Happeningp29. Online Resources

Welcome 2010Charlie Connelly, Smiler and thegang in Ireland are carrying onand ukulele is growing inpopularity there. I hope to getanother contribution or two fromCharlie this year. The ukulele isalive and well in Dublin.

MusicGuyMic was down with theflu, but he hasn't been downand out. Mike, we hope you arefeeling better.

Ukulele Underground is goingthrough some site changes andAlli at Cosmos has brought insome mods to help her withCosmos. The place is hopping.

2010 is starting off well for theukulele crowd and we'll be hereto help spread the cheer.

issue 11

This is the first ukulele playerissue in 2010 and we havesome exciting things planned.

It’s the dead of winter in MidOhio and we have beenfortunate that we have not hadmuch snow and ice. We arewaiting for the installation of anew furnace and heatpump,so, we have had a few delays,but things are moving forwardnow. That’s good because thereare a lot of cool thingshappening.

Ukulele manufacturers aremaking money when manyindustries are laying off workers.New models and greatinnovations are coming tomarket and while we have seensome price increases, all themajor uke companies are tryinghard to keep value-pricedinstruments coming off theassembly line.

In this issue, we review Ohana’sCK-70G, a great-sounding ukewith maple back and sides anda solid spruce top. This is one ofthe loudest ukuleles we havehad the pleasure of playing. Itlooks beautiful.

Thanks to Kala Ukes, we have an

exotic mahogany soprano togive-away with a Kala gig bag.Some lucky reader is going towin this one.

We have another Curt Shellerbook in review. We also haveCD reviews and if you lovevintage aircraft, we have adocumentary on the topic of“Barnstorming”. If you don’t knowwhat that is, the article andreview will explain it. The moviescore was writing by singer-songwriter Suzanne Brindamour.

Suzanne contacted me andasked if I’d like to review themovie soundtrack, and shegave me a link to the movietrailer. Well, it just happens that Ilove aviation history and have apassion for vintage aircraft, so,Suzanne also sent me themovie. The soundtrack includesukulele, guitar, keyboard,percussion, and more.

If you have not heard, Bill Tapiafell and broke his hip.Emergency surgery wasperformed and Bill is back inaction. He even insisted that hismanager not cancel a singleengagement. Yep, the showmust go on. Bill, you are aninspiration to me!

Barnstorming - the MovieIf you have never heard of"Barnstorming" then hopefullythis review will introduce you toa part of American andEuropean history that you neverknew until now.

After World War I, when hostilitiesended, there were a lot ofairplane pilots that returnedhome and many of themdiscovered that they could usetheir experiences from the ArmyAir Corps in civilian life bydelivering mail, by crop-dusting,and barnstorming.

If I had lived back then, I wouldhave found barnstorming themost appealing pursuit of them.

Barnstormers went from town totown flying their biplanes andentertaining folks. They wouldoften perform arial acrobaticsand draw crowds at local fairsand festivals. One of their bestmoney-makers was air-hopping.They gave plane-rides.

Pay a dollar and the pilot mightbuzz around a few laps, land,and take the next passenger.

Barnstormers didn't need arunway, a nice tract forfarmland was the perfectlanding strip. Those earlyaviators were folk heroes andevery kid wanted to be a flying

“Ace”. Oh, I had my dreams offlying, too. I even worked acouple airshows years ago. So,when Suzanne Brindamourcontacted me about writing areview of the “Barnstorming”soundtrack, not only did I jumpat the chance, I was absolutelythrilled because I had so manychildhood dreams of being apilot and flying a biplane.

Barnstorming - the movie, is a48 minute documentary. It tellsthe story of two pilots thatlanded in a farmer’s field inIndiana. Before the day wasdone, they had found a newfriend and an invitation to returnthe following year for food andfun. They did.

Nine years later, these two pilotsand several barnstormingfriends still fly into that samefarmer’s field and make a dayof it. The audience has grown toabout two-hundred strong andkids of all ages share in thegames, plane-rides, good food,and friendship.

If you love vintage airplanesand airshows, you don’t want tomiss this movie. It is a one-of-a-kind viewing experience.

I was captivated with the storyand music from start to finish.The story is really great and the

friendships of the farmer and hisfamily and the barnstormersreally had me yearning to gothere at the next appointedtime and take pictures, meeteveryone, and join in thefestivities.

Barnstorming was in its heydayat the same time that theukulele was in its glory days. Iremember, years ago,watching movies ofbarnstormers and aviationhistory and it seems to me thatold war movies with the likes ofCliff Edwards, Buster Keaton,and, yes, George Formbyplaying ukuleles andentertaining the troops makes“Barnstorming” and itssoundtrack even moreappropriate.

You can check out the movietrailer at this URL:http://www.barnstormingmovie.com/film.htm

A review of the soundtrackfollows...

Photos by Paul Glenshaw

barnstormingthe soundtrack

Music adds so much to a moviethat people just don't realizeuntil you remove it.

I cannot imagine Barnstormingwithout Suzanne Brindamour'smusic.

Here is the track lineup:

1. Rising2. Born Flyers3. Pilots Rendezvous4. In the Sky (Barnstormer's theme)5. Fireflies6. Can't Wait/Pop's Theme7. Kim's Wish8. Barnstormer's Approach9. The Arrival10. Spreading the Gospel of Airplanes11. Flying Circus12. Fireflies Reprise13. Pop's Theme14. The Flight of the Farmer15. Barnstormer's Depart

The MUSICIANS are as follows:

Suzanne Brindamour...acoustic guitar, broom, chimes,kalimba, keyboard, ukulele, vocals

John Previti...string bass

Christopher Veatch...drums, percussion

Frank Cassal...banjo

Mark Williams...electric guitar

Having a passion for aviationand also barnstorming since Iwas a teenager, I was eager towatch the movie and also tolisten to the soundtrack.

This soundtrack is very much apart of this movie from the veryfirst seconds of footage to thecredits. The compositions arepart of the movie, not justthrown in to all some color to fillup empty space.

Try to imagine "Jaws" withoutJohn Williams' shark theme orthe entrance of Darth Vader inStar Wars without his theme. Thatwould leave the scene flat. Thesame holds true withBarnstorming. The film andsoundtrack are seamless. Theyare part of each other. Thebelong to each other.

"Fireflies" is the only track withvocals. It is a song that fits thescene so well. In it, the kids arechasing lightning bugs througha grassy meadow. It is a fittingend to an exciting day in the lifeof a child, but it gave mememories of childhood so longago.

The music is very well mixed andthe use of ukulele is mainly in

the pilot scenes. If you listen forit, there are times where it issubtle and times where it ismore pronounced. I like thattreatment. The ukulele is giventhe same credibility as otherinstruments, it is not treated as anovelty but a serious part of thecomposition. It was used for itstone and flavor.

Several soundtracks featureukulele in this way. Suzanne tellsme that she discovered ukulelenot all that long ago and nowfinds herself using one moreand more. Yes, I know thatfeeling. I find myself doing thesame thing and my guitars sitidle a lot more in recent years.

You can find the Barnstormingsoundtrack on lots of musicsites. You can purchaseindividual tracks or buy thewhole album. I recommendbuying the CD and then youcan always load the songs onyour iPod or choice of MP3player.

If you loved the movie, you'lllove the soundtrack. You canbuy them both via the moviewebsite and save $5.00 in theprocess. I hope you enjoy themas much as I did.

Suzanne BrindamouRThe IntervieW

When Suzanne Brindamourcontacted me about doing aBarnstorming soundtrack review,I was immediately captivatedby the movie trailer andenthusiastic about watching themovie, listening to thesoundtrack, and doing a reviewof both. A couple of e-mailslater, I realized that this was notjust a story about a moviesoundtrack that contained aukulele. Here is a recording artistand performer that discoveredukulele and has added it to herrepertoire. She now finds thatshe is including it more andmore in her music.

Suzanne Brindamour is a serioussongsmith and performing artist.She gigs regularly and hasplayed far and wide. Adding amovie soundtrack to her list ofcredits is a fine feather in hercap, to be sure, and includinga ukulele in that same projectsays something about the artistand the instrument.

Like all good folk singers andsongwriters, Suzanne has a storyto tell. She does this through hersongs, but, there is a storybehind the artist, the discoveryof ukulele, and her use of it inthe movie and her music.

Q: How long have you been amusician?

A: Hard to believe, but over 30years (I started in the womb). Ibegan with acoustic guitar andtaught myself to play piano byear a few years later.

Q: How long have you playedmusic professionally?

A: The first time I receivedpayment as a musician was in1991 when I was hired to scorea video for the VA Hospital herein DC. I would score a series ofgov¹t & industrial videos, a fewAmerica¹s Most Wanted andNational Geographic Explorersegments, and some politicalspots before I would have theguts to become a performerand release my first singer,songwriter CD. That was in 1999.

Q: How many instruments doyou play?

A: Not sure which ones to count“officially”. I play guitar. As ofnow, I “play” ukulele. I “plunk” atthe piano, and do okay onother various small instrumentsthat a monkey could play. Imean no disrespect to monkeysor musicians who play various

small instruments. :-)

Q: When did you first start writingsongs?

A: For several years I fiddledaround on the guitar and piano,making up my own musicalphrases. When I was 18, theexperience of unrequited loveinspired songs complete withsappy lyrics.

Q: When did you "discover"ukulele?

A: Ukulele made its firstappearance in my life 10 yearsbefore I would actually startplaying. While in Hawaii in 1999I was given a souvenir uke formy birthday. It wasn¹t terriblyplayable. Years later I foundmyself working a ukulele festivalfor the House of MusicalTraditions (a great shop inbeloved Takoma Park,Maryland, a self-declarednuclear free zone) and myinterest was peaked; but I stilldidn¹t bite. After hearing someincredible songs including IsraelKamakawiwo'ole's “SomewhereOver the Rainbow,” and RayLamontagne’s “Sarah” Ibecame quite keen on the ideaof bringing ukulele to my tunes.

David Ashman photo

uke and gave it some nicespace with reverb and delay.

Q: How many ukuleles do younow own and what are they?

A: Well, if possession is ninetenths of the law, then I willinclude the ukulele we pulleddown from Bryan’s wall just overa year ago because I still haveit (although he shares custody).It's a Cordoba 25CK ConcertUkulele.

At the risk of sounding pathetic, Iwill include the aforementionedtoy with palm trees and Hawaiiwritten on it, so that I can say Iown two. I'd love to expand mycollection.

Q: You wrote the soundtrack for"Barnstorming", how did thatcome about?

A: First let me tell you that I reallywanted the job. I was hopingsomeone would hire me to writefor an inspiring project thatwould allow me to use both mycomposing and songwritingskills. Most of the work I wasgetting at the time was writingmusic beds for political ads.Producers would ask for “neutralmusic.” What an oxymoron. Ialways thought music wasanything but neutral andcreating music without passionwas quite difficult.

Barnstorming was the kind offeel-good story- full ofinspiration, passion, andwholesome crunchy goodness-that an earth-loving girl like mecraved.

Years earlier I had written music

for Bryan Reichhardt and I wason his short list that includedunique recording artist SufjanStevens, who turned out to beunavailable. Reichhardt¹spartner on the film, PaulGlenshaw, also knew somemusicians he wanted toconsider.

In an effort to get to the top ofthe list, I sat down with a guitarin front of my TV and 2 hours ofraw footage of the Barnstormingpilots and the dairy farmingfamily, and started writing. Thefirst thing I wrote was “Fireflies”,(the one song in the film)inspired by precious footage oftow headed kids exuberantlysearching their field for fireflies.

Then I wrote a second piece onthe guitar (later to be titled “TheFlight of the Farmer”) whilewatching footage of the familypreparing for the fly-in andgetting plane rides from thepilots. I played it on my babyTaylor and recorded it with onemicrophone. I uploaded thetwo rough tracks for theproducers; they felt the materialcaptured the sentiment of thefilm and, much to my delight,gave me the job. So began acollaboration, and atremendous labor of love.

The two filmmakers wanted a bitof a raw, homegrown feel thatwould combine both traditionaland modern musical ideas-much like the film which isabout bygone traditionsrevived in modern day. Theyasked for an uncommonpairing of instruments toemulate the unlikely friendshipbetween farmer and pilot.

It was this Barnstormingdocumentary project thatsealed the deal. In the fall of2008 I was at the home officeof the film's producer & director,Bryan Reichhardt and had juststarted writing music for the film.I said to him, “I'm thinking ofgetting a ukulele.” He pulledone down off his wall and said,“why don't you use this one?” Ihad thought it was hangingthere as a decoration. It turnedout to be quite a niceinstrument, and the one I usedfor Barnstorming.

That is when my love affair withukulele began. I immediately,and gleefully (really), studieduke chords charts and startedplucking out pieces for the film.It was an easy transition givenmy thirty years of finger pickingthe guitar. I loved how the ukesounded both by itself andthe texture it added to the otherinstruments. Ukulele has such agreat vibe and so does the storyof the salt-of-the-earth peoplein the film.

The filmmakers likened the mainpilot in Barnstorming, AndrewKing, to Peter Pan, because he’sliving his fantasy life in child-likefashion- flying old airplanes,eating ice cream, and enjoyinglife spontaneously.

And so I chose the ukulele asthe primary instrument torepresent the pilots. There¹s aplayful, joyful, lightheartedquality to the uke that made itthe perfect pairing. And it alsoworked nicely for flight scenes. Ifinger-picked, arpeggio style,while the planes were in the air.When mixing, we softened the

The filmmakers also wanted themusic to be created while thefilm was still being edited,thinking that the music mightinspire the film, just as the filmwas inspiring the music. Suchwas the case with “Fireflies”. Thefootage of the Dirksen childrenchasing fireflies at dusk mighthave been used as a singleshot in a montage of the theirlife on the farm. Yet once thefootage was combined with thesong, it was clear to the directorthat the scene carried moremeaning and was worthy ofmore screen time.

Incidentally, the director editedone of the last scenes to that2nd demo piece I had giventhem (“Flight of the Farmer”).Since I had not recorded to aclick it would have been difficultto recreate it with the sameprecise nuances so the directorinsisted on using it as is (with oneedit). I had come up with 3parts but basically improvisedfor more than 4 minutes. Myperformance was full ofimperfections and the recordingsonically inferior so as aperfectionist I had to really bitemy lip.

Q: Who did the mix on thesoundtrack and who "produced"it?

A: Kevin Gutierriz mixed it, asuper guy and a great engineerin northern Virginia whose mixingcredits include songs fromMadonna, Seal and the Twilightsoundtrack. I recorded all tracksexcept drums and percussion inmy home studio. I alsoproduced and arranged themusic, with input, of course,

from Bryan and Paul.

I just realized that, ironically,there are more people involvedin the production of the musicthan the film. With the fouradditional musicians I hired, theother recording engineer, themixing and the mastering(masterfully done by Bill Wolf)guys that is eight people total.Incredibly four of us, primarily,made the film. Bryan Reichhardt& Paul Glenshaw produced it.Bryan directed it and he and hisnephew Mark Betancourt did allthe shooting. Bryan also editedthe film. As the creator of themusic, I count as the fourthteam member. A fifth persondid do some post-production,however. It is pretty amazing,and it really is an incredible filmthat just makes your heart swellwith warm fuzzies. And I say thisas a completely unbiased critic.;-)

Q: How many tracks haveukulele in them?

A: Eleven out of fourteen. A fewtracks are only ukulele or ukewith upright bass and/or guitar.Uke is also on the tracks withfuller instrumentation.

Q: You've been sellingdownloadable content online.Where can the readers buy yourmusic?

A: Why, how kind of you to ask.And I don¹t mind telling yourfine readers that you canpurchase the Barnstormingsoundtrack and my two CDs (alloriginal songs) from my website:

www.suzannebrindamour.com

This is where I prefer buyers gobecause I get to keep all the“jing”. However, you can alsofind my CDs on cdbaby.comand digitally from a number ofon-line outlets including iTunes.You can also purchase both theBarnstorming movie and thesoundtrack at a reduced“combo” price on theBarnstorming website:

http://www.barnstormingmovie

You can also see the film's trailerthere and on youtube.

If interested, I recommendgetting the actual CD ofBarnstorming (in anenvironmentally friendly eco-wallet!) because it has severalstunning photographs of thefarm and planes artfully shot byco-producer Paul Glenshaw.

Q: Have you thought aboutdoing a ukulele album?

A: I have thought about it. Istarted recording seven songslast March for my third singer-songwriter CD before I startedplaying the ukulele. Now I havea number of uke songs in theworks and plan to put them onthis CD. I also plan to add it tothe other tracks where fittingand I¹m very excited aboutthat. So this album will not, ofcourse, be dedicated to theuke but it is a pleasant thoughtfor the future.

Q: What festivals and events doyou play?

A: I have played annual festivalssuch as the Washington FolkFestival (Glen Echo Park) and

The National Cherry BlossomFestival and various showcasesand venues in the DC area.

Q: You have played a diversityof places, even done somebusking, what do you like best?

A: I like playing for massiveamounts of cold hard cash thebest. But seriously, one of themost gratifying venues is theNational Cherry BlossomFestival. There you are with thetidal basin behind you,surrounded by lovelyblossoming cherry trees, grandole Jefferson before you andthousands of people listeningfrom the memorial steps. It's asurreal experience. Honestly, it’snot the venue that makes theshow for me, it’s the audience.Give me an appreciative,attentive crowd and thatfeedback loop that literallymakes me a better performer.That’s what I love the most andthat can happen anywhere.

Q: Is there a tour scheduled?

A: We are now in the process ofsetting up a tour we're calling“Barnstorming Live!” The idea isthat in conjunction with airingson PBS this spring and summerwe'll travel around the country toaviation museums and airshowsor wherever they'll have us,giving folks a chance to see thefilm, meet the filmmakers, thepilots with their antique planes,and hear music performed bythe composer of the film. I'llperform with my fabulousupright bass player, John Previti,drummer, Bill Kirk and possiblyanother player to help cover thevarious instruments used in the

film. I'll also perform songs frompast and upcoming CDs.

Q: Do you have any futuremusical goals?

A: I have many. My mostimmediate goal is to be sent toHawaii to sit on the beachunder a palm tree and refinemy ukulele skills. What betterplace to imbibe the spirit ofukulele!

Well, beyond that I do haveseveral musical goals. TheBarnstorming project has beenone of the most joyful, gratifyingthings I have even done and Icertainly hope to write moremusic for films and television.

Another goal is to be able todevote more time to writing andrecording a lot more songs. I'vewritten a few humorous songsalso and I'd like to bring morecomedy into my act and myrecordings.

I especially hope to continuewith a video travelogue seriesthat Barnstorming director BryanReichhardt and I are co-producing called “Troubadour”.

As the host, I travel with a guitar(or ukulele now that I play) slungacross my back, to town andsettings around the country andthe globe to explore themusical soul of eachdestination. We visit grand andunusual venues, find localmusical talent, experience theculture and discover if I can“buy it for a song.” (I¹ll write a sillysong on the spot to getsomething for free, such as anice cream cone.)

Our trailer is on youtube andhere:

http://www.troubadour.us.com

A few locations that we¹ve shotare in post-production and we'llbe able to continue shooting ifwe get funding. I have othergoals but I suppose this isenough for now.

I'm honored to be included withsuch other great players in yourmagazine and want to thankyou for indulging me. I’mgrateful to those of you reading;it's quite gratifying to share whatI feel most passionate about-music, glorious emotive music!

—–––––––––––––––––––-

Thanks, Suzanne, for contactingme and sharing the movie,“Barnstorming”, the soundtrack,and your part in it. Thanks, too,for agreeing to the interview.

I loved the movie, the music,and getting to know you.

Photo TipsThe number of ukulele festivalsand events is growing and clubsare putting up websites all overthe planet. So, I thought that asa photographer I could offer afew tips for the performers andclubs that would like to have awebsite of put together a presskit for bookings.

Keep in mind that lighting is yourmost important concern. Forperformer shots, I use abackdrop and studio lighting,but you don't necessarily haveto do that. Your shots couldeasily be taken in a naturalsetting with trees or against awall that is not covered withdistracts that pull the viewer'seyes away from the subject.

If you plan to make a websiteusing images from a digitalcamera, more mega-pixelcount is not better if the imagesare full of digital noise. In thatrespect, six to ten mega-pixelsfrom a digital SLR would bebetter than a twelve-mega-pixelpocket-sized point and shoot.

Be sure to resample yourimages to a web-friendly size. Inthis multi-column layout, manyof our pictures are 450 pixelshigh. That makes a good single-column image that looks niceenough in the PDF file, yet printsclearly should you want toarchive printed issues.

Remember, you need greatlighting. For backgrounds, thesimpler the better. Prepare a siteahead of time if you can. Makesure you tell the story and don'thave to do a lot of editing.

W i l d C h i l d E m b r o i d e r y8 1 6 - 8 2 2 - 9 8 2 9

c h u c k 1 5 @ m i n d s p r i n g . c o mh t t p : / / h o m e . m i n d s p r i n g . c o m / ~ c h u c k 1 5 /

C u s t o m o r d e r s f r o m 1 t o 1 0 0 0

The Barnkickers - Steve Boisen and Amanda in ukulele player hats.

Ohana CK-70GWhen I was about twelve yearsof age my father came homewith a vintage Gretsch"Electromatic" arch-top guitar.He handed it to me. That guitarwas beautiful curly maple all theway around. What a beauty.Ever since that day, I have hada weakness for curly mapleinstruments whether they beguitars, ukuleles or violins.

When Ohana sent me theukulele for this review (CK-70G) Icouldn't wait to play it.

Maple ukuleles are typicallylaminated, but don't let that turnyou sour on them. Ohanacombines what a lot of peoplecall "cigar-roll" maple, whichhas wide figuring, and a solidspruce top. Together, this makesfor a durable instrument thatholds tune beautifully in any kindof weather. It is also the loudestukulele I have here.

Ohana added gold-platedgeared tuners that older guitarplayers call "Gibson style",although many makers haveused these vintage knock-offs.The body finish is picture perfectand shines like a million bucks.

This ukulele is trimmed withtortoise-shell binding from theheadstock to the lower bout.The rosewood fretboard looks

luxurious against the sprucesound-board. The frets areperfectly dressed and the neckfeels superb in my hands.

The Ohana logo is faux mother-of-pearl and I'd change that toa dark wooden inlay if it wereme. I'd want people torecognize the Ohana logo froma distance playing this one onstage or at a festival or clubgathering. The present logo getslost in the headstock making itvery hard to read.

The rosette is understated andvery classy. The bridge, too, isthe same basic design foundon the CK-300G we reviewed inissue ten. Strung with Aquilas,this uke sounds sweet whenplayed softly and can drownout every other uke in the roomplayed forcefully.

The fret markers are traditionaldots, nothing fancy, and theyare perfect for this ukulele. Theyare placed at the 3rd, 5th, 7th,10th, and 12th frets. Thisconcert uke has 19 frets in all.

The fit and finish of this CK-70Gare first-rate. The neck shape isvery comfortable in my hands. Ireally love concert scale, that'smy favorite size. The bone nutand saddle give this uke greatsustain, too.

Ohana makes a tenor model,the TK-70G, and concert andtenor with a cut-away with moreinlay for someone wanting morebling.

I fell in love with this ukulele fromthe moment I picked it up. Whata great ukulele. It's beautiful,loud, yet sweet. It feels good inmy hands and, quite frankly, Idon't want to put it down.

Kala KA-SEMWhen it comes to innovationsKala Ukes has not been sittingstill. We have seen a lot of newukuleles over the last year butthe new KA-SEM is a verytraditional ukulele. Aside fromthe geared tuners, this uke lookslike something you would find inCliff Edwards hands.

A lot of purists would love to seethis ukulele with friction tuners. Ihave to say, though, that Kaladid their homework on thisinstrument. Even with the non-traditional geared tuners, thisukulele is very well balanced. Iwas amazed how if felt in myhands.

The ukulele is one of the new“exotic mahogany” series. It hasa rubbed finish that is satin, nothigh-gloss, and the wood grainis beautiful. The body is boundin black and it is a perfectmatch.

The neck is a slender, half-circleand feels really nice in my lefthand. The frets are perfectlydressed and the rosewoodfretboard is nicely scalloped atthe end. The twelve frets are silkysmooth and the edges are veryclean. There are no sharpedges or visible rough spots andthe action is perfect all the wayup the neck. This ukulele playslike butter.

The body is laminatedmahogany with mahoganyneck and headstock. At the topof the headstock is a black Kalalogo. From a distance, youbarely see it. Mike Upton musthave decided to take the subtleapproach with this ukulele andlet the tone do all the talking.

The uke came supplied withAquila strings and with those ithas a very sweet sound. It islouder than I expected and verylight. The bone saddle and neckgive this little gem great sustain.

I am very impressed with thisukulele. From the beauty of thewood to the perfectworkmanship, this is one of thefinest instruments Kala hasproduced. The fit and finish areflawless. If there is one thing I'dchange, it would be to usetuners that had smaller "buttons"than these, but the tuners usedare a great match for thisinstrument in regard to weight.The tuners look too big, but theydon't cause any issues whenplaying. They weigh so little.They have to be the lightestgeared tuners on the market.

Kala supplied us with a reallynice gig bag for this uke and it isthe give-away ukulele for thisissue. Some lucky winner isgonna love this one.

For all you soprano ukulele fansout there, you have to try thisukulele. Kala has a winner here,even with the large tunerbuttons. This is one uke that isbuilt to be played. It would be agreat addition to anyone'scollection.

This is another great instrumentfrom Mike Upton and the Kalateam. I highly recommend it.

Beyond learning basicukulele chords most players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called"jazz chords", these more sophisticated chord voicings find a wide use in allforms of music.

If your goal is to expand your chord vocabulary, "A Guide to Advanced Chordsfor Ukulele is your answer.

http://www.curtsheller.com

A Guide to Ukulele ChordsCurt Sheller's book "A Guide toUkulele Chords", with a forewardby James Hill, is the second ofhis books on ukulele that we arereviewing.

In this book, Curt takes you frombasic to advanced chords forsoprano, concert, tenor, andbaritone ukuleles and alsocovers "C" tuning and "D" tuning.The former is today's "standard"tuning, but in the ukulele'sgolden era, many artists andsongwriters played their ukes in"D" tuning. It still remains popularin Canada.

The book begins with anexplanation of chord structureand then moves right into "C"tuning open chord positions. Itfollows with "D" tuning openchords and then baritone openchord positions.

Movable chords are explainedon page fifteen and from therethey are broken into variouschords like "A" and "B-flat", or"Bb" (which might confusepeople if not for Curt'sexplanation of chord formcharts.

On page twenty Curt moves tosevenths in movable chords,followed by diminished chords.

Next comes rock n' roll chords.

If you can't imagine "powerchords" on a ukulele, check outpages twenty-three and twenty-four.

Jazz chords start on pagetwenty-five. It is here that Curtstarts exploring the theoryinvolved in jazz chords,including major and minortriads, diminished andaugmented triads, and chordbuilding rules.

Advanced jazz chords begin onpage twenty-nine. That will keepyou busy for a while.

On page thirty-seven you will

find chord transposing charts.These are followed by somechord progressions to play whenyou want to practice.

"A Guide to Ukulele Chords" willbe a valuable addition to anyplayer's reference library. If youwant to learn more about musictheory and chord structure, thisbook will challenge you andkeep you busy for quite a while.

Moore Bettah UkesChuck Moore of Moore BettahUkuleles is a master craftsmanand a true artist in every senseof the word.

Chuck began his career as afine and folk artist. In the worldof fine art, Chuck was a potter.In the world of folk art, he was ascrimshander. If you don't knowwhat that is, well, maybe youhave heard of scrimshaw.

Scrimshaw is an art-form wherethe artisan takes a tusk from awalrus, or some other sea orland mammal and carves worksof art using an awl-like tool,called a scribe (also scriingtool). Modern materials usedare synthetics in most casesand fossil mammoth ivory.

It is Chuck's experience as ascrimshander that enabled himto do such beautiful inlay workfor which is ukuleles are known.Many of Chuck's inlays are hisown design and some arecollaborations with the buyer.

Chuck is not just a great artist,he is an interesting fellow andjust how he made his way toHawaii and started buildingukuleles is a story worth telling,and that is what I entend to dohere. If you have not heard ofMoore Bettah Ukes, you'll haveto check out Chuck's website.

Q: How long have you beenbuilding ukuleles?

A: I had been a hobby builderfor about twenty years before Imade it a full time career fiveyears ago.

Q: Your web site tells the story oftravel throughout the SouthPacific islands and finally settlingin Hawaii. Where were you livingoriginally and when did youbegin your travels?

A: I'm originally from NorthernCalifornia where I failedmiserably at being a hippie.Back in the 70s when many ofus were trying to find our way inthe world I got a fortune cookiethat read 'A life time ofadventure awaits you in theSouth Seas". I didn't need anyfurther encouragement thanthat and I started exploringFrench Polynesia. One of myhobbies at the time wascollecting old South pacificliterature so I already had agood head start. I wasconsidering buying a run downbeach bum hotel on an outeratoll in Rangiroa when I won atrip to Hawaii from a localcanoe club raffle. Againthinking this was divineintervention, I booked a trip toMolokai thinking it might giveme a taste of my South Pacific

dream. That trip lasted tenyears.

Q: So, you fell in love withHawaii and settled into a homethere. You were a "potter" and"scrimshander", did you have ashop?

A: A shop has always beenmore important to me than ahouse and I've been involved injust about every art and craftform at some time. Back in the70s, being an artist or craftsmanseemed like a legitimate andviable way to sustain ourlifestyles and a lot of peoplewent in that direction. Since mylate teens (what college?) I hadmade my living primarily as apotter but I've also done woodwork, wood carving andsculpture, painting, stainedglass, leather work, knifemaking, scrimshaw and avariety of other things. I believethat a strong foundation in allthese skills benefit what I'm

doing today.

Q: Do you still do scrimshaw?

A: When I made scrimshaw asmy livelihood, the wholeLahaina scrimshaw thing was infull swing. Everyone was doingscrimshaw and it was in everyshop on Front Street. Thencame the CITES Treaty, limitingor banning the use of manytypes of ivories, and it becameobvious that the scrimshawmarket would soon becomevery limited. I stoppedscrimshanding when I got intobuilding ukes full time. I find thatbuilding ukuleles involves all myenergy and interest and leavesme with little time left to pursueother creative arts. Makingscrimshaw on a full time basisrequires sitting in a chair all dayand staring at an object fromfour inches away under a brightlight. It's very demanding workand it really takes a toll on thebody and eyes. Luckily, thesedays I am still able toincorporate some scrimshawdetails in my inlays when it'sappropriate. I only use ancientfossil mastodon ivory.

Q: When did you build your firstukulele? Is there a story behindit?

A: When I first moved to MolokaiI had much more time than Ihad money. But I had a goodassortment of tools and areputation of being able to fixthings even back then. I soonbecame the recipient of allsorts of odd and broken thingsfrom surf boards to toasters.Some body gave me a basketcase tenor ukulele to do with

what I wanted. I tore it apartand couldn't believe how littlethere was to it and I couldn'timagine that such sweet musiccould come from such a simpleinstrument. Around the sametime, a neighbor dropped off aload of Samoan coconuts,thinking I might find a use forthem. These coconuts arehuge, about the size of afootball, and were apparentlypretty scarce so I wanted to putthem to good use.

I remembered seeing acoconut ukulele at the BishopMuseum in Honolulu and Iimmediately set out to build acocolele. The shells were cut,cleane and thinned to about1/16 in thickness with sprucetops and necks of whateverwood I had around. I handcarved friction tuners from woodor ivory. I made double shelledand even triple shelled ukulelesall fiberglassed together. Theyreally sounded pretty awful but Ikept busy making several dozenof them which I'd give away,burn, or use to trade for fish orlobster. This was in 1985, pre-Internet days and there was littleinformation available to me onan island of 7,000 people. Ididn't have a clue as to what Iwas doing.

Q: How long after that did youdecide to turn it into a luthierbusiness?

A: Some years later I cameacross a battered StewartMcDonald catalog and itrocked my world. The catalogitself had more usefulinformation in it than I had everbeen exposed to up to that

point. I took out a small loanand bought a bunch of stuffthat enabled me to pursuebuilding more seriously. When Ifinally got a computer and hadInternet access that changedeverything. I found out thatpeople were successfullybuilding guitars and ukuleles fulltime and I knew I could too. Forthe next dozen years I built fiveor ten ukuleles a year on aserious hobby level. Five yearsago we moved to the Big Islandand I started with a new shopand all new shop tools in orderto build full time.

The biggest surge in mydevelopment occurred throughthe meeting of Bob Gleason ofPegasus Guitars and Ukuleles. Iwas able to refine my skillsthrough the close observation ofhis work and from hisencouragement. His workcontinues to inspire me. We alsohave a very active ukulelebuilders guild here and wemeet regularly to exchangeideas. It's a good place to be aukulele builder.

Q: Have you tried your hand atguitars?

A: No, there are plenty of guitarbuilders who fill that nichenicely. I find it challengingenough to coax the tonalqualities I'm looking for from atiny ukulele sound box. Thetransition from building guitars toukuleles, and visa-versa, isn'teasy and often isn't successful.There are a lot of shared skillsbut many of the procedures aredifferent. Having said that, Ihave a set of WeisenbornHawaiian steel guitar plans that

tempt me.

Q: Start to finish, how long doesa typical uke take to build?

A: How long does it take to reada book? They're all different. I'vebuilt ukes in as few as twelvehours and as many as eighty.Typically though, it usually takesme anywhere from 40 to 60hours to complete a customuke. Basic constructionconsumes about 25 hours, andinlay and other accoutramentscan easily double that time. Iaim for a mirror glossy finish onmost of my ukuleles so thatinvolves another ten hours.

Q: How long does it take to doa simple inlay? and a complexinlay, like the island girl player orthe wave?

A: The hardest part of the inlayprocess is everything that isrequired before the actualcutting begins. This can includedozens of e-mails and phonecalls with the customer decidingwhat they want, what can bedone, and what best suits theirpersonality. This often goes onfor weeks or months before anydesign is agreed on. Then theresearch begins by combingthe Internet for images or frommy personal image file which Ihave been building for 25years. These are the kind ofthings that wake me up at nightor that consume my thoughtswhile driving or standing in lineat the post office.

I like to have every little detail ofthe ukulele finalized in my mindbefore I cut the first piece ofwood. From there the image

Got Uke?

You can find Kala Ukuleles atwww.ukeladymusic.com

goes into the layout procedurewhere it is first drawn to a verylarge scale, refined andadjusted and then manipulatedin a computer art program toreduce it down to the requiredfinal size. Then the intensiveprocess of cutting and fitting allthe little pieces and the actualinlay begins. So the timeinvolved can be as little as 20minutes for a simple inlay or asmany as 40 hours or more for afull blown custom job involvingheadstock, fret board andsound hole inlays. I charge aflat rate of $50 an hour for inlaywork so you can see how thatcan quickly add up.

Q: How many ukuleles do youbuild in a year?

A: I've averaged a consistentfifty ukes a year for the past fiveyears. That's one uke a weekand leaves me two weeks ayear for yard work. I spend 60 to70 hours a week in my shop. I'mhesitant to call it work becausebuilding ukuleles is probablywhat I'd be doing if I ever hadany time off! I'm having toomuch fun to call this work. If Iweren't on solar power, I'd likelybe up all night as well.

Q: How long is the wait fromorder to delivery?

A: It's not too long. I limit my listto about a dozen custom buildsat a time. This also allows me tofulfill requests from the fewstores I work with. I didn't moveto Hawaii and choose to workfor myself in order to add a lotof stress to my life so I onlyaccept orders that I cancomplete within about six

months. Some time ago itbecame apparent that if I didn'tlimit my orders I could soonhave a wait list I'd have to leaveto my grand children. Sixmonths seems to be the limit inwhich I can remember things(my wife will say it's much less!)and it's usually a time frame thatthe customer feels comfortablewith as well. Keeping such ashort list also gives everyonewho wants one a chance to beon it. Persistence and gifts offood help.

Q: Are there any celebrity ukesplayers with MooreBettah Ukes?

A: Real famous? No, not that I'maware of. Most of my work is inthe hands of semi-professionals,those who do the "tiki circuit"and the like.

Q: Your web site mentions thedwindling supply of HawaiianKoa, with your eco-friendly shopand home, I assume that youalready have a plan forsustainable woods in the future.What are your plans for dealingwith the diminishing supply ofkoa?

A: I think the focus should be onthe responsible use of ourresources. I try to keep mycarbon foot-print to a minimum,with my shop and our homebeing run 100% from solarphotovoltaic energy, collectingour own water and growingmuch of our food. Whiledwindling supplies of koa resultin higher prices, as much as$75 to $100 a board foot, theprice also discourages peoplefrom using it carelessly. So asthe price increases, the use of

koa decreases which is a goodthing. I think the sawyers herethat are cutting and milling koaare also being responsible inthat for the most part they arecutting only diseased, dead ordowned trees and arereplanting when possible.Thankfully, there are other localwoods available that are ofinterest to builders which are notin short supply including mango,milo, kiawe, kamani, silver oak,toon, and even breadfruit.

Q: The body shape of your koiukulele at the top of your gallerypage is really cool. Was that anoriginal design?

A: Original? Everything's beendone before so I doubt it. I'venever seen that particularshape before so it's new to me. Itend to stay with prettytraditional forms for my ukuleles.I designed that one in awhimsical moment.

Q: Did you build your own jigsand forms?

A: I absolutely love the time Ispend designing and buildingnew jigs and fixtures. I enjoy it atleast as much as buildingukuleles and it's a nice changeof pace when I get a chanceto do so. There is always goingto be a faster, better or differentway of doing things and it's partof my job to figure out what thatis. The daily challenge oftweaking these procedures andto make them better is a majorattraction for me in thisbusiness.Up until recently themarket for ready made ukulele-specific forms and jigs was verylimited. That's changing a bit

now since the ukulele is cominginto its own and more luthiersare building ukuleles. Still, I get athrill from designing my ownforms, jigs and tools. My fatherwas a shade tree inventor soI've probably got that genesomewhere.

Q: Do you have any future plansor goals as a luthier that you'dlike to share?

A: Only to continue building thebest ukuleles I can. And maybemake it down to the beach thisyear.

the koi ukulele detail

http://www.wsukes.com

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We Sell Ukulelesexpert setups for your fine

ukuleles and guitars.

350 S. Grant AvenueColumbus, Ohio 43215

Bill Foley, owner and luthier.www.gvmh.com(614) 228-8467

email: [email protected]://www.ukecast.com/mp3/

http://www.ukulelenoir.com/

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Wahooligans - Happy HourThe Wahooligans are aVaudeville-style group ofentertainers. It’s a good thingthat they don’t take themselvesseriously because they’d neverbe able to keep a straight facedoing what they do.

“Happy Hour” is their new CDand here’s the lineup:

1. W-A-H-O-O Radio2. Wah-hoo3. Make Me Wanna Uke4. Nosmo King5. Spanky Uke6. Mister Bumble7. Gherkin Girl8. Bessie Mae Poocho9. Barbara Brown Soap Intro.10. Barbara Brown Soap11. You’re the One12. Fossil Fool13. The Mannerly Minute14. Small Misunderstanding15. Helwig, The Buddha Frau16. Le Grand Fromage17. Fossil Fool Reprise

“W-A-H-O-O” is a quick intro then“Wah-hoo” begins. There is aviolin featured in this numberand all manner of beep, barks,even sounded to me like a fewquacks, clucks and bird chirpsin the mix. The vocals are acombination of smooth singing,shouts and a little Betty Boop.

“Make Me Wanna Uke” soundslike Winchester Cathedral. This isold-school Vaudeville. There issome really nice playing here.

“Nosmo King is a comedyschtick. Throw in a little ethnicflavored accordion and somewell-timed finger-snaps. Thisreminds me of old Gypsy music.

“Spanky Uke” is an ornery song.A little naughty, this song has anolde rag-time feel to it. It’s an“ad” for “Spanky Ukes”. Niceclarinet work.

“Mister Bumble” has a solidmeter. Nice violin and greatstrumming accents. The timingis excellent on this number. Nicelead picking comes in a minuteinto the tune. This track has anDjango flavor to it. I think it’s thebest number on the whole CD.

“Gherkin Girl” follows the vibe ofthe last track, but with vocals.Nice backup harmonies! Thatwas unexpected and reallynice. Again, the clarinet is reallygreat!

“Bessie Mae Poocho” is next.The piano is very nice in thissong. Listen for it, sublime. Themix in this song is wonderful. Thisis smooth. I also love theunstated percussion. Ode to adog. Cold wet nose? Love it.

“Barbara Brown Soap” intro andsong is a faux radio commercialand sounds like something froma vintage radio broadcast.

“You’re the One” reminds me ofthe “leading lady” in the movie“Singing In the Rain” (not DebbieReynolds but the one she singsfor in the “talking picture).

“Fossil Fool” starts with a car thatdoesn’t want to start. Nicevintage vibe on this tune. Onceagain, great harmonies. Followthis number with “The MannerlyMinute”, a bit of comedy. Thisleads into “Small Misunderstand-Ing”

“Helwig, The Buddha Frau” is abit more comedy followed by agin-joint number... “Le GrandFromage”. The transition isseamless.

“Fossil Fool Reprise” wraps upthis collection of VaudevilleVariety numbers. There arecomedy sketches, tunes, songs,and bird noises.

The musicianship is first-rate andthe timing on some of this stuffhad to be hard to get right. Theproduction is really greatthroughout the CD. TheWahooligans managed to bringa vintage flavor to digitaltechnology using a blend ofgood instrumentation and zanyantics to make you laugh. ThisCD was well done.

http://www.ukulelecosmos.com - excitement, music, lively discussion, and a whole lot more...

ALOHA TEXAS!3-Day Festival and Music CampApril 29, 30, and May 1, 2010

Dallas, Texas

Pre-Festival Event on April 27 & 28JAMES HILL - "Train the Teachers Workshop"

Registration InformationFirst 50 to register will be in a drawing to win a uke!

The line-up of talented performers and teachers this year is AMAZING and the theme...

Texas Swing with Aloha!

Performers include the following: James Hill, Gerald Ross, Kimo Hussey, Debbie Porter,Pops Bayless, Mark "Spanky" Gutierez, Ukulele Bartt and Dennis McBride...

along with special guest appearances by The Wahooligans & more!

We are pleased to announce that a portion of proceeds from the Festival will be used to start a"Ukes In The Classroom" program in the North Texas Area! Brought to you

by UkeLadyMusic and Dallas Ukulele Headquarters.

for more information contact: Noel Tardy - [email protected] Mark Levine - Dallas Ukulele Headquarters.

ukulele player and kala present...ukulele player and Kala Ukuleles came together to bringyou this exciting opportunity. One lucky reader will winthis ukulele.

All you have to do is submit your name, an e-mailaddress, and a shipping address so that if you are thewinner, we will be able to ship it to you. You only need tosubmit your information one time and you will be in therunning for all of the Kala Ukulele give-a-ways.

You read about the Kala KA-SEM ukulele in this issue ofukulele player, now, here is your chance to win it. Followthe instructions below...

We will not share your contact information with anyonefor any reason.

note: if you have trouble with the form, e-mail your entryto [email protected] name, shipping address, e-mail address.

http://www.tricornpublications.com/uke_contest.htm

Thanks for reading ukulele playerand thanks to Kala Ukuleles for their support.

http://www.wsukes.com






email: [email protected]

http://www.ukecast.com/mp3/

If you would like to list your club here, submit contact informationat this website:

http://www.tricornpublications.com/uke_player.htmor e-mail me at this address:[email protected] will add you to our list.

USA

Arizona

Scottsdale Strummers, Scottsdale AZ, Contact Pat McInnisweekly daytime meeting, monthly evening meetingemail: [email protected]: azukulele.com

Tucson UkestersTucson, AZMeet weekly - usually on Monday afternoonContact: [email protected]

California

Nuked UkesWe are in Auburn California. Welcoming players from all levels.contact: Loyce [email protected]/loyce'sblog

Ukulele Society of AmericaContact: Richard Douglas(760) 458-6656300 Carlsbad Village Dr.Carlsbad CA, 92008http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukulele_society_of_america

Ukulele Club of Santa Cruzwww.ukuleleclub.com

One of the Largest Ukulele clubs in America! Usually meets every third thursdayat Bocci's celler in Santa Cruz, but check the website, cause it sometimeschanges. Or email [email protected] for club information.

Ukulele Club Listings...

Ukulele Clubs continuedConnecticut

The Ukulele Club of Southern Connecticut and theKookeeUkie Ukulele Band.

We welcome players of all skill levels and offer classesfor those new to the ukulele. Check our web site athttp://www.orgsites.com/ct/uke-club/index.html.Pete [email protected]

Florida

Tampa Bay Ukulele Societywww.meetup.com/tampabayukes

Each meeting will start with a group lesson followed by an informal jam sessionfor players of all levels. Everyone gets a chance to call a few tunes.Kansas (and Western Missouri)

Kansas City Ukestershttp://www.kcuke.com

Kentucky

Kentucky Ukesmeeting the fourth Sunday of every [email protected]

Minnesota

StrumMn ukulele playershttp://strummn.nexo.com/

New Mexico

The High Desert Sand FleasMeet the 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month at theAlbuquerque Press Club [6pm - 9pm]2101 Highland Park Circle, Albuquerque, New Mexico - USAcontact: Stephen Hunt via email: [email protected]://sites.google.com/site/hdsfgcea/

New York

Ukulele Club of Potsdam (New York)meet-up every other Friday at 5PM at Tim's Comic & Game, 6 Main Streetcontact: Tim Connolly [email protected] call: (315) 268-1598.Loaner ukes available. Bring your uke and leave your cares at home!

Ohio

COUP (Central Ohio Ukulele Peeps)[email protected]

OklahomaGreen Country UkesMeeting the needs of ukulele players in the greater Tulsa areacontact via e-mail: [email protected]

South Carolina

Lowcountry Strummers Ukulele ClubCharleston, SC metro area. We meet twice a month. One beginner class andopen Jam each month. All are Welcome.www.lowcountrystrummers.com e-mail [email protected]

Texas

Robert S. [email protected]

Lone Star Ukulele Club (in North Dallas)http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lonestarukuleles

The Dallas Ukulele HeadquartersGo to www.meetup.com and search TheDallas Ukulele Headquarters to join the group. Lots of fun events and jams!

CHUG - Coffee House Ukulele GangFort Worth, Texas

This wild west ukulele gang meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month.Contact Steve for more info. ([email protected])

Vermont

Vermont Ukulele Societyemail: [email protected] on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

Washington

Seattle Ukulele Players Association (SUPA)www.seattleukulele.org/

Ukulele Clubs continued

Ukulele Clubs continuedUKEngland

Ukulele Society of Great Britain43 Finstock Road, London W10 6LUTel: 020 8960 0459Email: [email protected]

Cambridge Ukulele Co-operative [Cuckoo]Meet alternate Sundays 2pm-6pmThe Portland Arms Cambridge CB4 3BAIfIf you're cuckoo about ukes come and join us.http://www.myspace.com/cambridgeukuleleclub

Ukulele Philharmonic Orchestra of SudburyTuesdays evenings from 7.00pmThe Institute, Station Road, Sudbury Suffolk CO10 2SPBeginners Welcome

Uke Wednesday JamEvery Wednesday 7 till closing Downstairs @ The Royal GeorgeCharing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EA, U.K.contact: Quinc email: [email protected]://ukeweds.intodit.com

SCUPA - Second City Ukulele Players Association

We meet weekly on Tuesdays at 7:30pm in the upstairs roomat The New Billesley Pub, Brook Lane, Kings Heath,Birmingham, West Midlands B13 0AB

We accommodate all players beginners to experienced.Call or text Jon 0787 353 1161 or email:[email protected] for more information.Stockton to Darlington Ukulele ExpressMeeting monthly in Darlington, northeast England new members alwayswelcome. contact Simon at [email protected]://ukuleleexpress.blogspot.com

Tune Army Ukulele ClubThe Bay Horse, Front Street, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 4EFMeeting first Monday of the month 7:30 - 9:30http://tunearmy.blogspot.com/

UkeGlos Ukulele ClubMeets Every Mondays every month, 8.00pmThe Exmouth Arms, Bath RdCheltenham, GL53 7LX

Wooden & banjo ukes welcome. All levels of playing ability & song styles. Forfull details visit: www.ukeglos.co.ukhttp://www.ukeglos.co.uk

Ukulele Clubs continuedUkulele Sundays host:Tim Smithiesemail: [email protected] host a Ukulele Jam session on Sunday evenings in Sheffield UK called 'UkuleleSundays' All welcome - 8.30pm onwards. Riverside Cafe Bar.http://www.ukulelesundays.co.uk.

"Brighton ukulele Sundays"Meet first Sunday of the month at the Brunswick Pub in Hove East Sussex UK.Visit Facebook Brighton Ukulele Sundays for more details.

Leicester Ukulele ClubAll welcome, First Monday of the month,Upstairs at Babalas Bar, Queens Road, LeicesterContact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Herts of Uke Ukulele ClubEvery 4th Sunday - 6.30pm onwards.Meet at The Doctors Tonic, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6PR

All Players WelcomeWebsites: http://google.com/site/hertsofuke/email: [email protected]

Luton, UKWe meet once a fortnight at Greenbank Music Village,Greenbank Hal, Cobden Street, Luton, LU2 0NGAnyone interested can give us a call:

Keith 07745 613931Scott 07976 895067Gerry 07785 117029http://sites.google.com/site/ukuleleworkshopinluton/

Ireland

UKULELE [email protected] ukulele club meets on the second saturday ofeach month.Players from all over Ireland. Ukeplayers of all levelswelcome. Ifyou are a visiting uke player please feel free to come along. The meetups areheld at 2, eden park, Dunlaoire, Co. Dublin.

[email protected] Ukuholics are based in the Irish Midlands and meet once a month.Players of any or no ability will fit in nicely!Visit www.ukuholics.webs.com for more info

Ukulele Clubs continuedScotland

Monday UkearistEdinburgh’s very own ukulele gathering. We gather once a fortnight onMondays from 7 to 10(pm!) at Mackenzie School of English near the foot ofLeith Walk

6 John’s Place,EH6 7EPContact: John Hobson, +44 (0)7940 513969, [email protected]://ukearist.co.uk

South Wales

Ukulele Nightsmeet on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month at 8.30pm.The Albion, Glebe Street, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales

Contact: Sarah Thomas: [email protected]: www.ukenights.blogspot.com(for songbooks, directions and more. Beginners very welcome)

Germany

Ukulele Club of [email protected] (home page)www.ukulelenboard.de (message board)Deutscher Ukulelenclubc/o Raimund SperKorneliusstrasse 1D-47441 Moerstel. +49/2841-394837fax + 49/2841-394836www.ukulelenclub.de

Holland

Ukulele Jamboree in Rotterdam - hosted by 'The Uke Box'The night is comprised of a workshop, performances & open mic.To Join the Mailing List send an e-mail to: [email protected]

To read more about this and our other ukulele projects go to:http://www.ukulele-interventie.blogspot.com (Dutch)Visit my personal blog spot and click on 'Ukulele' under "Contents" (English)http://www.shelleyrickey.blogspot.com

Ukulele Clubs continued´Uke & D’Uke’http://ukeandduke.blogspot.com/ (in Dutch)

Note: Shelley has an Etsy store where you can find ukulele related items forsale, check it out: http://www.thejumpingfleamarket.etsy.com

France

Ukulele Club of ParisThursday starting 7:30 PMMeetings are announced on the website King David Ukulele Station at this URL:http://www.ukulele.frFrance Continued...

C.O.U.L.E.Club Olympique de Ukulélé de Lille et des Environshttp://www.COULE.fr

"Stay cool, come and play with the C.O.U.L.E."

VSAleleAssociation des Ukuleliste de Valbonne Sophia Antipolis (Alpes Maritimes)Visit www.vsalele.org for more info

Spain

Club del Ukelele de Madrid (SPAIN)http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131466486122

"Para todos los aficionados al ukelele que viven enMadrid

"For all the ukelele fans living at Madrid"Now preparing their first festival and meeting very soon -stay tuned!

USALone Star Ukulele Festivaldates are 4/30-5/2 in DallasUkeLadyMusic and The Dallas Ukulele Headquarters are organizing the event.more information coming soon.

Hawaii State Society of Washington, DCOct 9-11, 2009.

Herb Ohta, Jr. and Keale are the ukulele players that weare featuring as the ukulele instructors.

UK Ukefest

July 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th 2009Run CottageHollesleySuffolk IP12 3RQmore information available soon onwww.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB2/index.php

London Uke Festival And World Record Smash!!!Calling All Uke players! All ages and abilities, 1000 Uke players in an afternoonof entertainment with bands, food, drink, very special guests and a charitymoney raising World Record attempt!!Devonshire Square, London EC2.contact Quincy at [email protected] June: Noon till 6pm,

France

Paris ukulele FestivalLe 4 juillet 2009 / July 4th 2009 "La Bellevilloise"http://www.myspace.com/[email protected]

Making beautiful music is your passion, helping you do it is ours.

This year edition will happen on July 4th with :Kelli Rae Powell (USA) www.myspace.com/kelliraepowellTim Sweeney (USA) http://www.timsweeney.us/Elvira Bira (Sweden) www.myspace.com/elvirabira

Ukulele Zaza (Belgium) www.myspace.com/ukulelezaza

Marie Darling (France) www.myspace.com/mariedarlingPatti Plinko and her Boy (UK)www.myspace.com/pattiplinkoandherboyLes Ukulélé Boyz (France) www.myspace.com/ukuleleboys47

Vonck and Vlamtouring from Holland to Istanbul - this summer...www.vonck-vlam.euCheck out the Website... that's great entertainment!

WORLD MUSIC DAY at Auburn Preserve Parkfrom Noon to 5pm June 20th. No fee. Join us for fun: For Festival Info contact:NUKED [email protected]

What: Tampa Bay Ukulele Society presents "open mic"at New Harmony Coffee & TeaWhen: August 29, 2009 2:00 PMWhere:New Harmony Coffee & Tea1949 Drew StreetClearwater, FL 33765

Bill Tapia's 102nd Birthday BASHAloha friends,

Held in Los Angeles on December 5th from noon to 4pmStevens Steak House.

There will be a lot of ono food, and ofcourse wonderful entertainment throughout the afternoon.Further information may be obtained at www.billtapia.com.

Essential Links from the World-Wide-WebUkeTalk - http://uketalk.com/links.html"Ukulele Spoken Here" is one phrase that comes to mind. It you want to talkukulele or catch all the news that is news, this is a can't miss website.

Brudda Bu's Ukulele Heavenhttp://www.geocities.com/~ukulele/index.htmlIf you'd like to learn the history of some of ukulele's greatest players, this site isabsolutely essential.

Ukulelia - http://www.ukulelia.com/The World's Greatest Ukulele WebLog" Need I say more?

Ukulele Cosmos - http://www.ukulelecosmos.comOne of the hottest ukulele forums on the web. Don't Miss It!

Ukulele Undergroundhttp://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/index.phpAnother really popular ukulele forum, lots of Hawaiian players and folks from theWest Coast of the Mainland USA.

Flea Market Music - http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/default.aspThis is Jumpin' Jim Beloff's website. He has lots of great resources and anexcellent forum as well. You can buy Flukes and Fleas there, too. Jim also haslots of songbooks, DVDs, and other great stuff there.

UkeLadyMusic - http://www.ukeladymusic.com/Auntie Noel runs a really great shop. Her passion is ukulele and it shows.Contact Us: phone 214-924-0408or email [email protected]

Kiwi UkuleleNew Zealand's Ukulele Companionhttp://www.kiwiukulele.co.nz/

Bounty Musichttp://www.ukes.com/

Bounty Music Maui111 Hana Hwy. #105Kahului, Maui, HI 96732open 9 :00 to 6:00 Monday thru Saturday * Sunday 10:00 to 4:00

Phone: (808) 871-1141Fax: (808) 871-1138






email: [email protected]

http://www.ukecast.com/mp3/

Online Resourceshttp://[email protected]=Website listing:

Home of Tiki King Ukuleles since 1999. lots of neat Ukulele stuff,such as the webs largest Ukulele makers database, Custom HandBuilt Tiki King Ukuleles, and ukulele stuff to see and buy. We haveFlukes and Fleas, Ukulele Art Gallery, Ukulele classes, chordcharts, CD's and more!

Bonsai Garden Orchestraemail: [email protected]: http://www.bgo.nuMySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bonsaigardenorchestra

World Music Festival "glattundverkehrt" on july 22nd .www.glattundverkehrt.at

UkePicsAssorted Ukulele Picture Exposéhttp://www.ukepics.com/

How High The Moon PublishingPublisher of the Jam Book "Play Well with Other"9826 James A. Reed Rd. Kansas City, MO 64134816-965-0183 or 816-728-6936http://www.moonbookstore.com

Uke Farm - http://www.ukefarm.com/home.HTMLUke Farm Radio - http://www.live365.com/stations/ukefarm

GoChordshttp://www.gochords.com"GoChords™ is an easy-to-use writing and playing tool withmoveable chord tablature!"

Live 'UkuleleTabs, lessons, and info for 'ukulele enthusiastshttp://liveukulele.com/

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Documents

ukulele underground

onand ukulele

ukulele isalive

ukulele playerissue

barnstorming t

kala ukes

hopefullythis review

suzanne brindamour spotlightp8