Thanks to “Carzand” from the Yirmumah forums for linking me to this–

This music is unusual for Japan. The singer and songwriter is Japanese. Her name is Ayano Tsuji. What makes her unusual is the instrument she’s playing. It’s a ukulele. We’d wager that Ayano Tsuji is the first Japanese ukelele player you’ve heard in a while. Let’s listen some more. Here’s Robert Rand and today’s global hit.

Ayano Tsuji says it all began in high school, about ten years ago. She desperately wanted to play the folk guitar but her hands were too small. She couldn’t wrap her fingers around the guitar’s neck. So out of necessity — she downsized: she picked up a ukulele…found that her hands could handle the instrument perfectly…loved the sweet, melancholy sound…and has been playing it ever since.

READ FULL ARTICLE

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So, a little explanation on today’s strip. I sat down to write a comic, and instead, I reached for the uke. I was thinking about the “Drew” character and how I’m not him. And how pieces of him, ARE me. How there’s this fire somewhere in his belly that just drives him, with maybe a dash of paranoia and an ounce fear, though he’d never show it….. and so I wrote a song for Drew…. see below strip for mp3s…. Plus, I wanted to be able to say “punch someone in the face” in a ukulele song. It felt appropriate.

I recorded the song for CLub members, because I was afraid to sing crappily in public. You can hear my version in the club section, because I’m still stage frought. Is frought a word? It would be the present tense of “fright”??? beats me. —- Then our good friend and reader, Eri, decided she’d take a crack at vocals, and I think she did a much better version, and she has fancier recording doodads than me, so the file size is really small too… Listen to it in all it’s glory. Give the girl some props!

- DREW’S SONG MP3 LINK

…

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I wanted to share this song I play when friends or acquantices of mine pass away. I usually play it in private when no one else is around, because, well, I sing terribly. In light of Sunday being September 11th, and all the tragic losses from Hurricane Katrina, I’ve been playing it a lot lately.

The original version of this song from the 40’s, the lyrics are much different. See here. I discovered the song, only after Ukulele Eck, (Joel Eckhaus), sang it at a radio station and I caught some MP3s online—- The version presented here, is only what I tabbed out myself, who knows, it’s probably not even right, but it plays fine to me and it’s a simplified pattern for just playing along. — To help, I put up a mpg video clip of me playing this, WARNING again, I sing terribly but here you go:

http://yirmumah.net/video/ukulele.html

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The first two uke club comics were down for a spell– the link had changed. They’re back up and ready to roll for folks who missed it.

Sorry about that!

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One of the most interesting uke players I’ve come across in a while is Ukulele Lloyd. He’s featured in the new episode of Midnight Ukulele Disco– see him playing “Angels gave me roofies” in quicktime movie format

Another video I saw once, he looked exactly like Jimmy Falon. Odd.

Rock on, Ukulele Lloyd. Rock on.

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Been a good while since I posted an actual uke comic– enjoy!

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Jeff Solomon, a NY-area singer/songwriter who plays the piano and baritone ukulele when performing live, admires pop from afar. A quick glance at his musical background may not lead one to label him a pop kinda guy; he started on classical piano at age four like a good immigrant’s son (his parents are Romanian but
they had him in the States) and then studied the saxophone from grade school thru college, where he became an honors student in classical composition at Cornell under the guidance of recent Pulitzer Prize winner Steven Stucky. But he’s been working on his genre-hopping pop songs the whole time, even though the first five CDs he ever bought were Dixieland recordings and his two greatest idols are free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman and the fiery, young James Carter (both saxophonists). In fact, one of the songs chosen for his new record was written when he was just fifteen, way before he’d ever heard of Ben Folds, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Ben Kweller, Rufus Wainwright, Joe Jackson, or any of the other fine folks that he’s now finding himself compared to.

After spending a few post-college years working the coffeehouse circles and logging experiences as a session keyboardist/saxophonist/arranger, Jeff took a few months off to make “Around the Square,” his first independently released collection of songs. It is Jeff’s first collaboration with up-and-coming producer Andrew Felluss, a talented engineer who has worked extensively with vanguard producers such as Phil Ramone, Frank Filipetti and the Neptunes. Andrew’s engineering credits include projects with Paul Simon, DMX, Peter Cincotti, Mary J. Blige, and Ray Charles’s recent Grammy winner, “Genius Loves Company.”

Jeff, who is also a co-founder of the award-winning comedy group Elephant Larry, has performed at NY venues such as CBGB’s Gallery, Pianos and Luna Lounge for a steadily growing number of devoted fans. And he’d love for you to check out his new CD. - http://www.jeffsolomonmusic.com

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Jack Johnson loves the ukulele. He once performed with Ed Vedder on SOON FORGET, one of my favorites. So it was no surprise to find UKE in some of his lyrics–

“But just maybe, hala ka ukulele
Mama made a baby
I really don’t mind the practice
Because you’re my little lady
Lady, lady love me
Because I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains ”

Find it in the song, Banana Pancakes, by Jack Johnson.

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from their site: “Bixby is the first band to utilize an ukulele within the context of mainstream acoustic rock-and-roll. Accompanied by a comprehensive band backbone (guitar, bass, drums, and piano/organ), a rich 3-part harmony, and one of the most versatile lead singers in years, if you don’t already know who Bixby is– you will soon.”

You can listen to four or five complete songs on their main page. Really neat ukulele picking throughout. Nice sound. BIXBY MUSIC

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Sven from Denmark writes to us:

“I’m (currently) living in Denmark and since I started playing the
ukulele, people always say “Oh, it’s like in that song ‘Flying’,
that’s world famous”. Well, I never heard of it, but it’s already 10
years old and a cute little song. I’ve found it as a free download
from their website. A very nice demo version, with a solo on
wineglasses! — LINK to SONG.”

Thanks for the tip Sven! Also, I’d like to point out he has some nice, album looking photos of him and his own uke on his site. Check it out here.

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