Artist "Mini"view

James Hill -Bio

James Hill began his musical studies in 1983 when, at the age of three, he started Suzuki violin lessons at the Langley Community Music School in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. At nine years of age, James became acquainted with the `ukulele, the instrument used by the Langley School District to teach core music at the elementary level. By the end of Grade 5 James found himself elevated into Canada’s premier `ukulele group, the Langley Ukulele Ensemble (LUE) under the direction of Peter Luongo. He was an active member of the Ensemble from 1991-2003 and was a featured soloist on seven Langley Ukulele Ensemble CD releases.

After performing and touring extensively with the LUE for twelve years, James launched his solo career in April 2002 with the release of 'Playing it like it isn't...', a highly acclaimed collection of arrangements that demonstrate the versatility and appeal of the `ukulele. The album immediately piqued the interest of many including Stuart McLean, host of CBC Radio's 'Vinyl Cafe'. Arrangements were quickly made for James and Mark Luongo (bass) to join Mr. McLean in Calgary, Alberta as part of a Canadian tour. Since then, James, now firmly established as the finest `ukulele player in Canada, has performed as an `ukulele soloist in Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle, Waikiki, Southern California, Santa Cruz, Daytona Beach, San Antonio and Tokyo. He has shared billing with the world's foremost `ukulele players including Herb Ohta (Ohta-San), Bill Tapia, Byron Yasui, John King, Herb Ohta Jr., Jake Shimabukuro, Ian Whitcomb, Kelly Boy DeLima, Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, Iwao Yamaguchi and Yuki Yamauchi.

In Canada, James has been featured on many CBC National Radio programmes including Jurgen Gothe's 'DiscDrive', Bill Richardson's 'Richardson's Roundup', Sheryl MacKay's 'North By Northwest' and Jeff Collins' 'Homestretch'. He has also appeared on various TV programmes including MTV 'Select', 'Urban Rush', 'The Big Breakfast' and 'Studio 4 with Fanny Keifer'.

Now 23, James graduated in 2003 from the School of Music at the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a Bachelor of Music degree. His tasteful blend of virtuosic energy and musical sensitivity has earned him a reputation as one of the world's most exciting `ukulele virtuosos.

The Interview (October 2004)

(UkuleleResources) As a musician who where your early influences?

(James Hill) I grew up listening to a lot of classical 'standards' you know, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. But in my teens I really got into funk, blues and electronic music. James Brown, Eric Clapton, Parliament Funkadelic, Daft Punk - a whole range of stuff. Nowadays, I just enjoy music that's convincingly played - no matter what the style.

(UR) Do you see any commercial potential in music performed with ukulele as the featured, up-front instrument?

(JH) I see some potential, yes, but it's not my goal to see `ukulele become the 'fad' that it's been in the past. I think the uke has been there and done that (at least three times in the past 100 years, in fact). The way I see it, the new wave is as much about the simple joy of making music with an `ukulele as it is about pushing the boundaries of the instrument. If it stays a little underground, that's just fine with me.

(UR) Can you talk about your current performing setup and some of the problems you might encounter when performing in larger venues using a ukulele? I know traveling with a ukulele is a lot easier than my guitar.

(JH) Sure. My setup is very, very simple and portable. My main uke, custom made by Derek Shimizu of Hawai`i's GString Ukulele Co., is equipped with a Fishman 'Blender' pickup system that gives me the versatility I need to tweak the sound in a large venue. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any interest in having the uke sound like anything but a uke, it's just that every PA system is different and will accent different frequencies. The Fishman-outfitted GString custom lets me plug into a big house PA system and still have the instrument sound like a nylon string `ukulele. All that being said, my favourite show (sound-wise) in the past year was the solo show I did at the Atherton Performing Arts Studio in Hawai`i - great acoustics, a sold-out audience of 75 and no PA whatsoever. That was cool.

(UR) Your latest CD includes a good mix of original compositions. When listening to your compositions I could hear them sounding beautiful with a large orchestra. What plans do you have for future recording projects?

(JH) I'd love to do that at some point, especially with pieces like "Fantasy for `Ukulele", "Flight of the Flea" and "On the Other Hand" that really lend themselves to orchestration. I think it's just a matter of time before something like that comes together.

(UR) How do you feel the internet adds to promoting and presenting your music? I for one have gotten a lot of value from it for my UkuleleResources.com and JazzGuitarResources.com web sites and my personal site. Also, allows one to interact with lots of great musicians around the world.

(JH) No doubt, the internet has changed the way that musicians and artists are able to distribute their work. Of course, nothing replaces the energy of a live performance or the immediacy of a face-to-face lesson but the web has helped the `ukulele community to expand very quickly in the last five years or so, which is great.

(UR) You just recently graduated from college. What was your major and how did the other musicians in college first react to the ukulele?

(JH) Yes, I graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2003 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Everyone was really supportive of my `ukulele interest - it even brought out 'closet' `ukulele fans on the faculty. When I graduated, I was asked to play a selection (on uke) at the baccalaureate concert - I had to follow a Rachmaninoff piano concerto! That's pressure.

(UR) What are your future goals with music and the ukulele?

(JH) I'll keep playing the `ukulele as long as I keep discovering and learning about different ways to approach the instrument. That's really what I'm addicted to - uncovering the secrets of this little four-stringed dynamo. There's still so much to do so I don't see an end in sight.

(UR) I've found that exploring jazz on the ukulele has made me a better jazz guitarist. The limit of four strings all of a sudden doesn't become a limit but a benefit. How has the ukulele helped you with any other instruments you might play?

(JH) Honestly, now that I've graduated from University I don't really play any other instruments much - pretty much 100% uke! But I have found that exploring jazz, as you say, on the uke is particularly helpful (even if you're not a hardcore jazz player - which I'm not) because it forces you to fit everything into four voices. Music becomes an exercise in what to leave out - just as it should. The uke really imposes a certain elegance which can be refreshing no matter what your primary instrument might be.

(UR) When adapting a song or composition to ukulele what are some of the challenges and how do you deal with them?

(JH) Well, there are 'great tunes' and then there are 'great tunes for the `ukulele'. I look for a piece that falls well on the fretboard - one that can be played in an idiomatic way. I try not to get myself into situations where I have to really bend over backwards to make the tune work. I guess the main thing is to find a little gesture or phrase that the uke is able to bring out in a unique way. That gives the arrangement some purpose and character. Also, I like to build one or two little 'nuggets' into the arrangement for my own enjoyment - a couple of little tricks that I always look forward to playing and that keep me excited about performing the tune.

(UR) Then I let the everyone ask their self a question or two you've always wanted to be asked.

(JH) I've always wanted someone to ask me: "if two wrongs don't make a right, then what does?" to which I would smartly reply "three lefts."

For more information on James Hill visit: www.UkuleleJames.com

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