Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 03 Jun 21 - 06:23 PM

Ukulele - a history of Hawaii's national instrument
The Forum    BBC World Service 16 May 2021

Throughout its 130-year-old history, the ukulele has often been underrated – for many, this tiny four stringed instrument is a musical joke, a plastic toy or a cheap airport souvenir, but in fact, some of the world’s greatest musicians have played and admired it, and it has enduring associations with the struggle for Hawaiian independence since its arrival on the islands from Madeira in the late 19th century. The ukulele is also surprisingly versatile and musicians are forever involved in the challenge of expanding its repertoire, from Bach to ukulele concertos to jazz.

Joining Bridget Kendall to find out more about this deceptively humble instrument is
the award-winning musician Brittni Paiva, who’s been described as Hawaii’s pre-eminent ukulele artist; Jim Beloff, the co-founder of Flea Market Music, publishers of some of the first ukulele song books which played a key part in the modern ukulele revival, his forthcoming memoir is UKEtopia: Adventures in the Ukulele World; and Samantha Muir, a classical ukulele musician and composer, who’s doing a PHD at the University of Surrey in the UK to create new works for the classical ukulele repertoire."

Produced by Anne Khazam
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl3

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Jun 21 - 11:01 PM

I would venture to say that the ukulele is at a funny stage in England. Its a bit like the guitar was in the 1950's. There is instruction - but its very bad generally speaking.

The uke has yet to go through the Bert Weedon moment. Weedon, looking back though I would never have realised it at the time, was a teacher of genius - who somehow managed to convey the vastness of the subject simultaneously with the instant gratification of the two and three chord trick.

I've just spent a year doing nothing with the uke, because I just couldn't see a way forward.

Then suddenly the I understood the rhythmic possibilities inherent in that high top string. None of the videos on youtube had pointed this out. And this single revelation has given me a huge vista of possibilities.

Its such a basic point, and I wasn't picking it up.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: vectis
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 12:16 AM

If you drop the top G string an octave it becomes a much better accompanying instrument for tenors, baritones and basses.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 01:13 AM

Surprising subgenre: microtonal ukulele. There are several covers out there on the web of the Turkish mystical folksong by Asik Veysel, "Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim" (I am on a long narrow road". Just takes one little added partial fret to make all the difference.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 02:07 AM

I disagree Vectis. Drop the string - it becomes an inferior guitar or bass guitar.

The high G 0r A is part of what it does - like the drone string on the G banjo.

Only it doesn't drone - what it does is make the up and down stroke two distinct chords that can be deployed in a variety of both fast and slow rhythmic patterns. With the lift offs - - it gives the player access to four chords

That's the essence of the instrument You can get these dazzling counterpoints. Like flamenco. Its a real folk instrument.

As far as I can see - the 'we must take music as a po-faced serious business' crowd have mercifully not twigged yet.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 03:44 AM

if you want to play any instrument well you need to practise, yes acuiring technique is a serious business when acquired it then gives pleasure to listenerswhat does that have to dowith being po faced . if you want to stand smiling and playing an out of tune instrument in a group go ahead but dont expect anyone to listen, if smiling and not being po faced is more important than playing music and giving pleasure through beautiful music then become a stand up comedian

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 05:03 AM

I suppose its all a matter of temperament.

I remember the first time I saw Derek Brimmstone. I loved many of the songs he sang, and the artists who sang them - Dylan, Broonzy, Jackson C. frank, Jeremy Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Reverend Gary Davis, etc.

However I was 18 years old. I thought him telling jokes and tall stories between songs was disrespectful to the material and the serious business of folk music. I wasn't impressed.

Itwas about six years later I was walking through
the streets of Tamworth and I saw a pub with a sign in the window - saying Brimstone was appearing there that very night.

Suddenly I understood that his approach had enabled him to sing great songs for a living - whilst I had been working at a shit job.

Later, when I got to know Brimstone well. I found out that Derek's way of going about his job was very serious and involved a lot of guts and hard work. And compared to the glum bum reading a ballad from an exercise book who regarded himself as the soul of the tradition, I think there was a a greater amount of determined earnestness in Brimmo's approach.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 06:25 AM

Derek practised hard so did martin carthy, that is partly why they were successful. if you dont put in effort at whatever kind of music you are letting yourself down .
i do not remeber any singers reading from exercise books , that is a feature of the uk folk revival that has occurred in the last 20 years. personally i thought Derek was amusing.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 08:43 AM

lets face it - its so long since we had regular folk clubs - I'm beginning to think I imagined them.

However I remember quite a lot of people at some of the folk clubs I went to, reading from books, loose leaf folders and recently they had the words on a tablet - with a little footswitch to turn the virtual page over.

Perhaps they don't do that in Ireland. Perhaps everybody knows the words over there.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 09:55 AM

no i am talking about the uk , and saying reading words at a folk club is a recent thing and involves people doing all sorts of material badly, it was unheard of in 1970.
why do you have to have a go at people who sang trad ballads, many of them practised as derek brimstone or martin carthy did

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 01:30 PM

I'm not sure I am having a go at traddies. I went to one club when a bloke read out the words of Crystal Chandeliers. 1970 is a fair while back. I was quite young then.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 01:42 PM

And compared to the glum bum reading a ballad from an exercise book who regarded himself as the soul of the tradition
that is a go at traddies

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 02:12 PM

Yes - and the playing of it if you are Hawaiian.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 02:55 PM

so WAV, are non Hawaiian allowed to play

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 03:18 PM

well its a sort of tradition in folk clubs. there's nowhere else you get that of toleration of amateurish ness. And fair enough....I suspect we've all been beneficiaries of it at the outset of our performing careers. The trouble is, some people acknowledge no imperative to improve - so they go on for years singing from loose leaf folders - after a bit John Denver gets to sound like the Dubliners, Cyril Tawney sounds like Bert Jansch.

I'd go as far as to say its traditional.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 04:21 PM

Loving our world/our United Nations being multicultural, Sandman, I'd rather, e.g., English play the cittern, Spanish the guitar, Greeks the bouzouki, Italians the mandolin, Russians the balalaika, etc.

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 07 Jun 21 - 06:38 AM

Here I am sittern
As I strum my cittern
Diego's on the the guitar
a bloke from Turin is on the mandolin
And the Irish are having a jar

Subject: RE: Should We Take Ukuleles Seriously?
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jun 21 - 12:33 PM

wav, does that entitle you to play the recorder. i like the idea of the didge only being played in australlia far away in australiais a good tune for it