Ukulele Open Mic and other dates...

Ok... So I have been messing around trying to get a date for the next Ukulele Open Mic and not getting anywhere with it. Well the star man Mr Tony S. has stepped up and is organising an Open Mic on Monday 1st December at the Constitutional Club 7:30pm. We would like as many people getting up as possible, so get practicing! To get you in the mood here is a video of myself and Tony playing 'Paul's Dance', we will be performing this and other cracking songs on the evening.

Beards and hats are optional, ukuleles are not!

Nipper with Bosko and Honey

So my part in the ukulele safari is up. We played and sang '54-46 Was My Number' by Toots and the Maytals. Bosko and Honey were wonderful company and amazing performers and I feel most honored to have been part of their incredible journey.

BSY
Nipper

Swingin' Ukulele Safari

After Bosko and Honey's visit to Taunton I felt inspired to make a ukulele and melodica version of Bert Kaempfert's 'Swinging Safari'.

The recording features my first attempt at playing upright bass, which is great fun. I used a number of ukuleles including, a regal baritone, a no name baritone, a Martin style 0, a Kepasa Hollywood Concert, a National Steel and a John Grey Banjo Uke.

After making the song the Little Nippers and I decided to make a video to accompany the song. In it I play Nipper and the Little Nippers play Bosko and Honey. The whole thing was filmed by Moogly Moo. We have sent it to Bosko and Honey to say thank you for their visit to Taunton.

To download a high quality stereo mp3 of 'Swingin' Ukulele Safari' Click here,
Download 'Swingin Ukulele Safari'
(Right Click and Save as...)

Here is the video we made...

BSY
Nipper

Ukulele Diary Dates and Links

I have been somewhat busy with numerous projects, so here is a catch up post including all the TUSC Diary dates.

Monday 5th May - Pete Howlett to visit club, talk about making ukes and play a little blues.

Monday 19th May - 'Mighty Uke' Film maker Tony Coleman to visit and film the club.

Sunday 25th May - Ukulele workshop, 'Beginners and Beyond' 2:00pm in the skittle alley.

Saturday 28th June - TUSC to play in Bishop's Hull Field for the 'Bell Celebrations' (Time TBA)

Saturday 12th July - Branscombe Beer Festival (Free beer and burgers for performers)

Monday 14th July - 'Art for Life' Gig @ Musgrove Park Hospital

For those new members, the gigs are open for all TUSC members and work better with as many people as possible. Please get those dates in your diaries.

Ukulele Workshop - 'Beginners and Beyond' - The workshop is open to members of all abilities and will be flexible to cover beginners strumming and chords through to some more advanced techniques. It is also a great opportunity for new players to get involved and learn their first strums. There will be no charge, just turn up. If you are new to TUSC please drop me an email and let me know if you intend to attend.

Videos of the 'Ukulele Revolution' - Just in case you missed the videos of the 'Ukulele Revolution' with Steven Sproat they are all on our You Tube Channel.

Here is a great one;



The Night Owls Website


The Night Owls have a new website and Blog. You can hear our Demo recordings HERE. Or if you have My Space become our friend, The Night Owls on My Space.

BSY
Nipper

New TUSC Ukulele Song Book

Here is the new TUSC ukulele song book. The list is again made up from suggestions and old favourites

1. Shine On Harvest Moon
2. Ain’t She Sweet
3. My Blue Heaven
4. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
5. Minnie The Moocher
6. Don’t Fence Me In
7. In The Mood
8. Big Rock Candy Mountain
9. That’s Amore
10. Singing the blues
11. Banana Boat Song
12. She’s Not There –The Turtles
13. Lady Madonna – The Beatles
    
14. All Right Now – Free
15. Misstra Know-It-All - Stevie Wonder
16. My Girls Pussy - R Crumb And His Cheap Suit Serenaders
17. Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
    
18. Geno - Dexy’s Midnight Runners
    
19. Don’t You Want Me Baby - Human League
    
20. Galaxy Song - Eric Idle
21. Take On Me – A-Ha
    

To download a pdf copy of TUSC Book 5
Click Here

When making up the book I was thrilled by the great ukulele versions of 'Ain't She Sweet' so here are a couple to wet your whistle.

Paul and George

The Winin' Boys

BSY
Nipper

Ukulele Revolution with Steven Sproat

TUSC is proud to Present Ukulele Revolution with the UK's finest ukulele performer Steven Sproat.

Steven first played ukulele at the age of 10 when his father gave him a John Grey banjo uke. He has since gone on to become one of the most respected ukulele performers in the UK. He has supported the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and played at many venues both large and small. Last year he took the New York Ukulele festival by storm, dazzling the international audience with his strumming firework display. His new CD 'Acer Glade' is out now, along with a series of excellent ukulele tutor books available.

www.stevensproat.com

The show will be at The Constitutional Club, Bishop's Hull, Taunton on Friday 14th March.

It will also feature retro ukulele band 'The Night Owls', Uke super group 'Tony and Tom' and of course the world famous 'Ukulele Eddie'.

The show is free for club members and any guests wishing to attend should email Nipper.

I thought you may like to see Steven in action so first up here is his video for 'Alone Again' taken from his new album 'Acer Glade'.

And here is Steven performing at TUSC last year.

BSY
Nipper

Ukulele on CNN

A couple of weeks ago Sasha Herriman from CNN came down to Taunton to film the children at my school and later the same day visited TUSC. Here is the news report that went out on CNN.

It was great fun playing for the cameras and both children and adults had a wonderful time. Sasha is also a singer of some note, look out for her in the Concert for George DVD, she is in the Ravi Shankar Choir; I think we may have even persuaded her to take up the ukulele!

BSY
Nipper

Ukulele Weekend

Last weekend was a big one for TUSC with two gigs and an after party at Steve and Allison's house. It all began at Bishop's Hull Church with a village concert. I put on a small display of ukuleles and we ran through all our TUSC favourites. We also included our version of 'Spider Pig' from the Simpson's film. I videoed the gig and so here are a few of the songs.

'King of the Swingers'

'Ukulele Lady', 'Israelites', 'That's Alright Mama', 'Spider Pig'

On Sunday we played the River Festival in French Weir Park. We were joined on stage by children from local schools, who played their ukuleles and sang with us. It was a wonderful gig and every one had a great time.

We rounded off the weeked with a barrel of Cotleigh 25 and some more strumming at Steve and Allison's house. The end to a perfect ukulele weekend.

BSY
Nipper

Ukulele Gig in Wellington

Last Friday evening TUSC played for an OAP dinner club in Wellington. Steve's daughter made some short video clips, which I have spliced together. The video quality is not great but it is interesting to see and hear what we are like. Also I just had to post the two ladies dancing to 'Sweet Georgia Brown', they were marvelous.

Needless to say we ended the evening with a few beers in the Constitutional Club.

BSY
Nipper

Complete Ukulele Songbook

The complete TUSC book 4 is here! The book is a collection of songs requested by club members and so contains a very eclectic mix of songs. Some will work well in the club setting and others may not. Here is the contents of the completed book, with the artist who's version we have used, for reference.

1. Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
2. That’s All Right Mama – Elvis
3. Dizzy - Tommy Roe
4. Moonlight Swim - Elvis Presley
5. Two Princes - Spin Doctors
6. Dancing Queen – Abba
7. Shine - Take That
8. It’s Not Unusual - Tom Jones
9. Beautiful - Christina Aguilera
10. Two Steps Behind - Def Leppard
11. Venus – Bananarama
12. It's Getting Better - Mama Cass
13. Puff the Magic Dragon - Peter, Paul and Mary
14. Only You - Vince Clarke
15. Amarillo - Tony Christie
16. Jackson- Johnny Cash
17. Roly Poly - Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys
18. Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
19. I Will Follow Him - Little Peggy March / Sister Act
20. I’ve Just Seen A Face- The Beatles
21. Every Day - Buddy Holly
22. Stayin’ Alive - The Bee Gees
23. Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
24. The Wonder Of You - Elvis Presley
25. I Don’t Feel Like Dancing - Scissor Sisters
26. Breakdown - Jack Johnson
27. Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
28. Something Stupid - Frank Sinatra
29. Smile - Lily Allen
30. Reach - S Club 7
31. Do Re Mi - Julie Andrews
32. The Weight - The Band
33. You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff

Some of the keys have been changed for ease of playing on ukulele.

I choose the last two songs and so thought I would share the videos with you. First off 'The Weight', but not performed by the Band, in this case the video is of Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show.

And now The Band version in this case they are joined by the Staples singers.


Here is Jimmy Cliff singing 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' with Jools Holland in 2003. Look out of Rico on the trombone.

I will shortly be updating the TUSC website with this book and a few other bits and pieces but in the meantime;

Click here to download Complete TUSC book 4

BSY
Nipper

New TUSC Member

This morning I received an email from Jim D'Ville, from the band Caravan Gogh. He is a marvelous ukulele player and teacher from Portland Oregon. He has been researching his ancestry and discovered his great, great... great Grandfather was born in Broadway, Somerset in 1616. I of course immediately offered Jim honorary membership of TUSC and he graciously accepted. As well as performing and teaching Jim also runs the 'Columbia River Gorge Ukulele Association'

You can find out more about Jim in this profile of him on 'Art Beat'.

Hear Caravan Gogh playing 'The Feline Fur Coat Ball'

BSY
Nipper

First Songs in TUSC book 4

Moo and I are hard at work gathering together lots of songs and suggestions from TUSC members for the new song book. As way of a little preview here are the first three songs.

I thought it might be fun to post 'You Tubes' of the songs so you can have a listen to the songs. You can even play along to the ones in the same key.

'Banana Pancakes' (Song book version is in the same key)



That's All Right Mama (Song book version is in the same key)

'Dizzy' (In a different key, but gives you an idea of the feel we are after)

CLICK HERE to download pdf of the Book 4 preview

A couple of videos to kick things off

Well here I go......... it's a ukulele blog........ the diary of a ukulele revolutionary....... and news for TUSC members.

I have loved the ukulele since I was a child and got my first one when I was 15 or 16 years old. It was that toothy northern chap that did it and my first songs involved lamp posts and window cleaning. Somehow over the years I have forgotten how to play them, age has it's blessings. Anyway the revolution really started when my first child was born and I found myself playing uke instead of the, rather too noisy for a baby, Martin 000 guitar. At the same time I heard George Harrison's version of 'Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' and the UOGB on radio 4. I resolved to get a better ukulele and a little internet surfing led me to buy a Mahalo U30 (for the child) and a Samick concert for myself. The Samick, whilst playing in tune, turned out to be a little on the 'dead' side, but the U30 was really great and costing just £10 inspired me to start teaching children to play the ukulele.

The revolutionary road has been long and winding, podcasting, collaborations with uke players from around the world, UAS, ukulele clubs and so many new friends. I hope some of the twists and turns will emerge in future posts. Check out my links to see and hear some of my exploits.

And so for the first time online, here is a BBC news report from earlier in the year featuring the children from my school. Remember the key to ukulele revolution is never mention the 'F' word when speaking to the media.

And here is how Sky News covered the same story.....they of course mentioned the 'F' word too.

BSY
Nipper