Blue Valentine

I'm trying to get out and see this movie, but life has a way of getting in the way...

You always hurt the ones you love...

Big Muffin Serious Band - pdf music

 

http://www.muffin.net.nz/muffin/Printable_Ukulele_Music.html 

Great Site with links to a lot of pdf sheet music. 

Xtranormal: Just to See if I Could

Well, I thought this might be an interesting way to teach kids how their written dialog might sound when spoken. But, I got suckered into it, and had to make one myself. The only problem comes when you want the xtranormal characters to say odd words like ukulele. I had to play around with the spelling and finally found that "yewkah laylee" sounded pretty good when the electronic voices reproduced the sounds. This is not really all that interesting a video unless you are a kid in my Cal-Mum Uke Club. If you happen to make a xtranormal ukulele video please share it with me - I would love to see it.

This is called: I Need a Ukulele

Neil Armstrong the Ukulele Player

Without the amazing photographs by journalist Don Blair, the world may never have known that a ukulele was present at the moment these brave men, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin returned to Earth. As a kid growing up in the mid-70s I was part of the generation that had the beauty and fun of the ukulele stolen from us. Had I known of these pictures, I would have had a much different feeling about the little instrument. I am happy to be able to play and enjoy my ukulele today, but I'm a bit saddened to think of the fun I could have had as a kid pretending to be an astronaut with a uke.

Panic

Well the new year has come and I find that I'm still in a bit of a panic trying to get New York State curriculum covered while also having time to work with students on their ukulele skills. My skills have fallen by the wayside as the year has progressed and that is a shame.
So, anyway, the song de jure is Hey Soul Sister. It's the kind of song you either love or hate - thank goodness I love this tune or i would be in a bad way. Here are a couple of my students having a go at recording this during their lunch break:

In Between Days

I remember spending nights out dancing to this song - black sport coat, black jeans, and penny loafers. Those times are not anywhere as near as good as life today. Now the song tells me to cherish the moments with my family and children...
In Between Days by The Cure cover:

Lullaby for my daughter.

Hanging Out With Jim D'Ville

Link to Jim D'Ville's website

Jim stopped by the Rochester area last week and I was able to spend some time just listening to him talk about his passion for ukulele and the water; they seem to go together so naturally. I think Jim would agree they both bring a sense of calm and serenity. I listened to him talk about the fish he had made from driftwood and then saw his video that made it all so much clearer; and below you can witness Jim D'Ville's other artistic abilities.

Link to Jim's art.



As Jim's visit to our ukulele club at Cal-Mum got closer and closer I was filled with trepidation about my lack of real playing skills on the ukulele. I have to admit to being rather star-struck when meeting Jim for the first time. I don't have many music heroes in my life; I guess I'm most impressed by someone like Jim who can play a thoughtful melody that makes me feel… something. His playing caries with it the passion that he has for the ukulele, paralleled by his ability to nurture and encourage others to do and feel the same.

I was able hear how Jim came to compose and his "Columbia Galop"  tune in the video below. I was also able to watch him play it about four times while he was here. I can't seem to get this fantastic sound out of my head. Getting it into my hands is a bit harder.



One memorable moment from Jim's workshop at Bernunzio Uptown Music in Rochester was his advice for us to forget all the other failed musical attempts we may have made in our lives. His advice was to stop listening to negative voice in our head and to start listening to the music. He went on to show us all how much we could do if we just became aware of the connectiveness of music.

Photo of Jim from his website playukulelebyear.blogspot.com

Jim ended his stay in the Rochester, N.Y. area by giving the Cal-Mum Ukulele Club a few lessons on how to just strum and enjoy music. He held the attention of more than forty fifth-graders during that hour, which is no small feat. We all walked away better for having the opportunity to meet him and play along.

From my family, the kids in the uke club, and me,
Thank you Jim D'ville.

The Hole Thing

Tom came into school today and shared his experience touring the
Kamaka factory with Fred Kamaka. His tenor uke is beautiful and sounds
wonderful.
He didn't forget his uke buddy. He gave me a genuine Kamaka koa sound
hole disc! My own cool-little piece of Hawaii.