Ukulelezaza and his Ludwig banjo-uke - "Twilight Shuffle"

I posted yesterday about Peter Moss, ace ukulele and banjo-uke player - whose playing history began with the George Formby Society but didn't end there - he plays all sorts - well, Remco Houtman-Jannsen (AKA Ukulelezaza) is another such player, another one of my favourites, whom I've featured on here many times. Like Peter, Remco only plays instrumentals.

Here's his latest video, "Twilight Shuffle", once more showing that delightful ditties can be played on a banjo-uke! I love that Ludwig. If you haven't got several thousand to spare, dollars, pounds, it makes no difference, don't waste your time looking for one - they're uke-gold....

And you'll see at the end of the video that Remco has a new tab book out - "The Glory of Love", complete with a new DVD. AND he writes about Ludwigs in there... yes, I've got mine! Silly question....! Get yours here and I'll talk more about that later... meanwhile enjoy.......

Before you do, I must say that the videos I enjoy the most are the ones that are simply produced - just the uke and the player, self-recorded, where it's just like someone sitting down and playing just for you. So here you are, it's Ukulelezaza, playing JUST for you!



Beautiful! Such a pretty ditty! And have you noticed how Remco lets you see exactly what he's playing on the fret-board? Superb! Thanks for dropping in.... see you next time!

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

"Cherry Blossoms" - Original Instrumental for the Ukulele by Ukulelemike, Mike Lynch

A sunny spring morning, blue skies, cherry blossom - what a lovely day to enjoy this gorgeous video of ukulelemike Mike Lynch's own original ukulele instrumental, "Cherry Blossoms", arranged and performed by him. He's playing his Oscar Schmidt solid mahogany tenor. Cherry Blossoms is actually only one of three pieces of a trilogy that he calls The Dreamscape Trilogy. The other two pieces are called Paris Nocturne and River of Dreams.



You can find the tabs for the whole trilogy as well as many others in Mike's SOLO INSTRUMENTALS FOR THE UKULELE Vol.1. for sale on his website.

I have just bought this "e"book, which comes in pdf form, and I'm looking forward to tackling Cherry Blossoms. I've had a quick look, and the pieces vary in difficulty; some look easier to satisfy the novice finger-picker like me, and they do get harder - so there's plenty to keep you going. I'll have more to say about them when I've got "stuck in".... meanwhile do look on Mike's homepage for more information about them.

Thank you Mike for more inspirational music!

Wildwood Flower - a ukulele improvisation by Ken Middleton

I have a passion for the wildwood, the ancient woodlands and forests that have so very nearly disappeared from our "green and pleasant land." My last post featured a photo I took last year of an ancient oak tree in Sherwood Forest. What a beautiful place, mystical beyond belief, with ancient oaks that were living hundreds of years ago.

It has nothing to do with the traditional American bluegrass tune "Wildwood Flower", of course - but it does make a link! So I think I can get away with it! I first heard Wildwood Flower as a banjo piece... that was when I was saving for a 5 string banjo, before I got pole-axed by the banjolele and bought my 20's Slingerland instead. I was thrilled when I came across Ken Middleton's ukulele version. Bluegrass on a ukulele? YES! Give me more.....!

Ken Middleton is another of my Ukulele Heroes. He's a great ambassador for the Ukulele, and frequently pops up on the UU Forum to give help and guidance. And he's also almost a local man, which has to be good! I love his version of "Wildwood Flower" and I've been working hard to learn it from the tab - almost there! Although I have to say, my attempt is not quite as you hear Ken on the above video! Some way to go I think, but I love playing it and most of it is there in the muscle memory now - my first bluegrass piece! But it won't be my last!

On Ken and finger-picking, read an interesting interview with him here...

His webpage, with free tabs to download, is here.

Thanks, Ken!