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Curt, I really enjoyed your set at The Whiskey--your low key intros, mic persona provided
a cool contrast with your complex uke technique and ingenious arrangements!
- Best wishes, Jared Denhard
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Links
I play a
Ko'olau Ukulele CS Contemporary Series 'Ukulele created by John Kitakis & family. The model I use exclusively for performance is a cedar top, rosewood back and side with a passive pickup. Currently using the 'Alohi Series strings with a low G and plain string three.
Curt Sheller plays an
America Archtop
guitar by master luthier Dale Unger.
Artist Info
(From artist's web site) As an author and publisher I created Curt Sheller Publications in 1998 as a small pubishing company catering to the needs of musicians, guitar players and ukulele players worldwide. Curt Sheller Publications provides for the resources and information to develop as a musician. Curt Sheller has over 40 years of playing experience, 20 plus years of teaching experience and publishing for over 10 years.
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( 1.10.1930 - )
Lyle Recorded No Frills with:
- iBook
- GarageBand
- M-Audio MobilePre
- M-Audio Keystation 49e
- Sony MDRV-900 Stereo Headphones
- Ko’olau custom acoustic-electric tenor ukulele
In the studio with Ray Charles
Links
- Lyle Ritz: 2007 Hall of Fame Inductee
- www.koolauukulele.com/ritz.html
- eFolkMusic
- Bassist Lyle Ritz: Father of Jazz Ukulele
Info
How a Hollywood studio musician became a Hawai'i 'ukulele legend.
Barney Kessel, who at the time was the West Coast A&R for Verve Records heard Lyle play and offered him a recording contract. The result of that was two jazz ukulele albums, "How About Uke" and "50th State Jazz". Unbeknownst to Lyle, these two albums became an integral and significant influence to many of Hawaii's most respected musicians today. (from Roy Sakuma Productions web site copyright 1997-2002 Roy Sakuma Productions, Inc.)
Additional Links:
- NEW Lyle Ritz: No Frills by Nancy Eaton - link
- Ukulele Spotlight - (KPFK 90.7 FM, Lyle Ritz and August 2006 SoCal Ukulele Events, Thursday, 27 July 2006) - link
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Links
Artist Info
Ben Chong taught himself to play the 'ukulele when he was about 11 years old. After nine years or so, he virtually put the 'ukulele away for some thirty-five years. When I met him in 1964, he was the guitarist with the Ali'is, the band that backed up Don Ho. In 2000, I invited him to be one of the four artists in "The Art of Solo 'Ukulele", a concert series that led to a CD and a public TV special. These events revitalized his interest in the 'ukulele, resulting in his album.
Ben Chong plays a baritone size, cutaway Ko'olau 'Ukulele. He has performed in Hawaii and throughout the world with the Don Ho Band for many years, becoming one the classic 'ukulele players of our day.
Additional Links
More information available on artists's web site.
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Analoha
- Anahola 2:59
- In A Little Hula Heaven 2:28
- You Are Beautiful 2:33
- Sophisticated Hula 2:43
- This Nearly Was Mine 2:25
- The Stars And Stripes, Forever
- Ku'u Pua Mae' Ole 2:42
- Grenada 3:26
- Hanohano Hanalei 2:47
- First Of May 3:29
- Comedian's Galop 3:26
- Sleigh Ride 3:36
- Japan Medley 4:46
- Amazing Grace 1:40
- Blue Hawai'i 4:12
- Waikiki 5:01
- Undecided 4:33
- Scherzo 2:17
Links
I know I'm sounding like a music teacher, but my advice is learn music and learn music theory. Because once you learn music theory, you don't need anybody to teach you. You can figure things out for yourself. And the sky's the limit, there's no limit. When you don't have the theory background… Byron Yasui
Listing Info
Byron Yasui has been on the music faculty at the University of Hawai'i in his native Honolulu since 1972, where he teaches music theory, composition, and jazz improvisation. His experiences as a classroom instructor of 'ukulele include workshops at the 'Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum Expositions of 2001, 2002, and 2003 (all on the east coast), the 2004 UkeFestWest in Santa Cruz, California, the 'Ukulele Guild of Hawai'i annual conventions of 2002, 2003, and 2004, countless workshops at the University of Hawai'i Windward Community College since 2002, the Aloha Music Camps of 2004 and 2005 (Moloka'i), and various one day workshops on all of the Hawaiian islands since 2000. Many of these workshops were tied in with his participation as an 'ukulele soloist in concerts at the various venues.
Additional Links:
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Links
Be sure to visit Gerald's web site for sample of his style. Gerald is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, lap steel and ukulele.
Artist Info
What the critics say... Successfully blending the sounds of jazz blues and swing, Gerald Ross has created a guitar style uniquely his own. Whether he is playing jazz standards, popular favorites, delta and urban blues, Tin Pan Alley melodies, New Orleans rhythms or boogie woogie, it's bound to be a delightful surprise to any listener.
When the mood strikes him, he has been known to pick up a mandolin, bass, steel guitar, banjo, harmonica, Cajun accordion and ukulele. A ukulele is not a toy.
Transcriptions of Gerald Ross's songs are available at Dominator's Ukulele TABS:
- Aboriginal Blue
- Easter Parade
- Runaway
Gerald's Recording Process
From Gerald Ross (Flea Market Music - Bulletin Board reply to a posting)
Multi track recording - my technique.
- I use Pro Tools LE for my recording software.
- I generate a bass line for the song using Band In A Box. I dump that bass line to a WAV file. I import this to a single track in Pro Tools. The bass is much nicer to play against that a boring click.
- I record the scratch melody line of the song. I don't care if I make mistakes on this track. This "scratch" track is solely used as a guide for the rhythm guitar.
- I record the rhythm guitar track listening to the bass and scratch melody.
- Once the rhythm guitar is in the can I erase the scratch melody tracks and re-record them.
- Then mix and you are done.
It's hard to say whether the ukulele is making a comeback -- if it will ever again be as popular as it was in the 1920s and '30s. Certainly many musicians in a number of different and sometimes unexpected genres such as rock 'n' roll and pop are taking it up. Not only musicians, either. Warren Buffett, the second richest man in the world, plays one. (I wonder what Bill Gates plays: a piccolo?) top
Links
Artist Info
After playing the guitar for over 40 years, Craig discovered the ukulele, and has not looked
back. Although he enjoys nearly all styles of music, his true passion is creating chord
melody arrangements and finds the ukulele to be a perfect fit. Craig's ukulele idols
include Herb Ohta-San, Benny Chong, and Lyle Ritz. However, his single greatest
influence is the legendary guitar player and arranger, Howard Heitmeyer. Craig had the
good fortune to begin studying with Howard in 1991 and is still working with him on
ukulele arrangements today. Howard makes a rare appearance on this CD, playing,
“Craig’s Waltz” with his trusty Kono classical guitar.
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Artist Info
(from artist's site) Mark "Spanky" Gutierrez was given a ‘ukulele by a friend that owns a local second hand guitar store in the spring of 2002. He had no idea how it would impact his life. It was a no name baritone and the intonation was way off beyond the fifth fret but he couldn’t put it down. Mark kept searching for a tune he couldn’t play on the little instrument but there always seemed to be a way to work it out.
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Artist Info
(Short Bio from Abe's Web Site) - Abraham (or Abe) was born in March 1983 in the U.S. territory of Guam. His father, a U.S. Navy sailor and semi-pro musician, moved the family all over the Pacific Rim eventually settling in Hawaii. It was here that Abraham began playing drums at the age 4. Along with his two older brothers Eric and Glenn (also musicians), they formed a band playing mostly hard rock and heavy metal music. Within a few months, the power trio began showcasing their music at community events and private parties all over Hawaii.
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Links
I listen to a lot of Jazz.Ê I take my piano voicings from Oscar Peterson,Ê I like the style of Wes Montgomery (for my leads - the octaves), i like Charlie Mingus too....
My ukulele arrangements are my own, but the music book I use is The Real Jazz Standards Fake Book (Hal Leonard) C edition, because this has a lot of what they call songs from the "American Songbook".Ê I play the songs in the key that is written in this book.Ê I find that this is almost in my range.
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Artist Info
( from artist's site ) - The humble ukulele has sat on the back burner throughout most of Jazz music's rich history. Paul Hemmings is determined to change that.
With The Paul Hemmings Uketet, the unassuming four-stringed Hawaiian instrument takes its place front and center, alongside bass and drums, in a well-seasoned jazz combo that pushes the boundaries of what has often been considered a mere novelty instrument. Based in New York City, The Uketet (pronounced yook-TET) serves up a savory blend of jazz standards, contemporary classics, and original music, all the while showcasing the instrumental virtues of its key ingredient. From the Hawaiian Islands to the Island of Manhattan, The Uketet combines the warm spirit of Aloha with the vibrancy of New York's world-renowned jazz scene to concoct a tantalizing taste of instrumental ukulele music.
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