mr. fancy pants rides again

Sweetaften23 has got to be one of the most inspiring ukulele players I’ve seen in a long time!

Hiatus posts

Well it’s really sad, I know, but I have been taking a lengthy hiatus from social ukeing (of the face-to-face kind) so that I can finish a big research/writing project, which has its deadline in December. In the meantime, I get posts like the one below from ukulele heaven — in this case, Jeff’s Humble Baritonics video summary of Burning Uke 2010:

See more of Jeff’s uke obsession at Humble Uker Ramblings. I recently bought a strumstick, so occasionally I do take strumming and ukulele breaks — how else to preserve my sanity?

Have also had some time to think about my own personal approach to learning how to play the uke and other stringed instruments, and noticing that 1) I get easily bored with the “same old uke” songs played in the local (yet much appreciated) ukulele clubs; 2) It’s not that I don’t like old songs, it’s just that I’m curious about all the old/new music being re-discovered, as well as the wealth of new alt. music showing up in itunes and on podcasts; 3) I’m an improvisor at heart, not a play-by-the-notation kinda person…. So these quirks of personality are all things that I’m processing during my hiatus…

the humble uker

Really one of the best blogs for everything uke (great links to videos, tutorials, songs, history) belongs to Humble Uker Ramblings.

waiting in vain

OK, look. I was waiting for the right time to transfer over all my files from my old blog, because I don’t want to lose the historical stuff. But let’s face it, I’m just not going to find the time right now. In the meantime, I keep coming across new stuff that I want to add. So I will add the old stuff in whenever I can. For now (and this is so appropriate), here’s a video of a group called WhateverSessions out of San Jose, playing Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain.” I love their harmonies:

changeover

Please be patient as I transfer files from my old music blog to this new wordpress blog; it should take about 3 days. On wordpress I’ll be able to more easily upload videos and graphics.

If this is your first visit, please click on “Intro to this blog” at the top right-hand side of the page.

Jean,