James Hill - Assam/Like a Bird

I posted ukuleletim, Tim Keogh playing James Hill's Assam/like a Bird earlier today, and now I've found James Hill playing himself, accompanied by Anne Davison on cello and his own foot taps - you have to watch this video, believe me! Of course, it's simply gorgeous! A blend of clawhammer and campanella style - Tim Keough says that James wrote the second part of this medley in tribute to John King. I've posted here before about John King and campanella style uke. Check out the tag-cloud at the foot of the page.... and as for me, I'm delighted to be booked into one of James's workshops at Ukulele Festival of Great Britain in June. I can't wait for that...

And if you want Tim's tab, go to ukulelesecrets blog...

Meanwhile, enjoy James Hill - Assam/Like a Bird

Ukuleletim is back! More clawhammer delights

Tim Keough, ukuleletim is another of my ukulele favourites and I've posted his stuff here before. He plays beautiful campanella -style uke and clawhammer. I'd been thinking that I hadn't seen any new videos for a while, when up popped a couple - this one just today - it's Assam/Like a Bird, a James Hill cover - revisited. Take a look, that real badass clawhammer ukulele tripping along is enough to cheer away any blues and winter grumps this morning! Tim writes that he has tabbed "Like a Bird" and has had James Hill's permission to share it - It's there now on Tim's ukulelesecrets website.

Meanwhile, enjoy.... Assam/Like a Bird, a James Hill cover - revisited

Jesse James on clawhammer uke - banjolele and wooden uke!

I adore listening to clawhammer style, be it banjo or ukulele, and I've posted a few videos on here of accomplished clawhammer players like Aaron Keim, Tim Keough and Ken Middleton. I know I'm unlikely ever to crack that skill, not least because it's so tricky that I just daren't go there at the moment, I've far too many other ukulele skills to hone. But I do love that clawhammer sound.

Here's a fine player from Aussie-land, who goes by the UU Forum pseudonym Bland Mango Patterson - and he has kindly allowed me to share a video he has just made, comparing the tune Jesse James played clawhammer style on banjo-uke, and on wooden uke. It's quite a delight.... which clawhammer do you prefer, banjo-uke or wooden? Have a listen and see if you can decide.... I can't. They both sound wonderful.



That's a fine player there - and he plays Formby style too, oh yes!

Thanks, Bland Mango. Must find out his real name..... :D

(Psst - it's Jason!)

Thanks for dropping in, folks.

Basic clawhammer ukulele secrets - Tim Keough

After watching yesterday's video post of Tim playing "Ain't No Grave" clawhammer uke, if you're anything like me, you'll be wanting to know just how that playing style is achieved... well, it just so happens that Tim has made an excellent tuition video on beginning clawhammer, and here it is.



Tim (ukuleletim) has a great website, "ukulelesecrets"

He writes -

"The idea is to learn how to play well in a short period of time. Like a badass.

I share secrets that make you sound good.

You still have to practice… but it will take years off your learning curve."

That sounds good to me!

Ain't No Grave, gospel clawhammer ukulele - Tim Keough

If this isn't real badass ukulele clawhammer, well I don't know what is....please enjoy the playing of ukuleletim, Tim Keough


More on Tim Keough and on clawhammer uke later... I promise!

Roly Poly and Wildwood Flower, ukulele duet

So, folks, something to cheer and energise, this Monday morning - Tim Keough (ukuleletim) and Jim Beasley having a blast... you can almost see the smoke coming off those strings! This just has to lighten the heart...

"Wildwood Flower" is probably my favourite bluegrass piece and you'll hear a great version tucked in the middle of Roly Poly - a new one on me. Look out for the clawhammer passage....



Tim says "An old Bob Wills favorite paired with a popular old time American song arranged for ukulele duet. Jim Beasley on right, Tim Keough on left. We have a little too much fun in one part so I just spliced to the end to spare discomfort to audience and player."

Tim's website is ukulelesecrets.org where Tim tells "how to play ukulele like a badass" and has lots of articles on playing campanella style.

Yee-ha!

Now down to some serious Monday Morning stuff....

I'LL FLY AWAY - Ken Middleton and friend....

I'll Fly Away - traditional spiritual



Ken and Lorenzo in the garden of the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy, last weekend;
there for the huge ukulele festival in Caldogno.

Simply gorgeous. As Eugeneukulele commented - "guess it helps when you have two superb musicians, a gorgeous setting and one of the best spirituals ever written. Yes."

My sentiments entirely.....

Ken playing clawhammer, if I'm not much mistaken....

Cripple Creek- Clawhammer Ukulele - Aaron Keim

Here's Aaron Keim playing clawhammer style on a Mya-Moe uke - clawhammer is a percussive way of playing fingerstyle originating from banjo playing in the Appalachians. Back in the 60's, Pete Seeger used it to great effect with the long neck 5 string banjo, which he invented.

I love this - had to share..... hope you like it too....

WORRIED MAN BLUES - Ken Middleton plays Clawhammer Ukulele

Here's one of my Ukulele Heroes, Ken Middleton, with his new video of Worried Man Blues on an Ohana ukulele. He's playing clawhammer style, a percussive way of playing fingerstyle originating from banjo playing in the Appalachians. Back in the 60's, Pete Seeger used it to great effect with the long neck 5 string banjo, which he invented. There are plenty of clawhammer banjo videos on Youtube - but here Ken shows the versatility of the wonderful ukulele once again!

Look here at ezfolk.com for more on clawhammer ukulele, with some tips.