Humble Baritonics

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Derm TV || Finger Cracks Explained

Ever get a crack in a fingertip? I got one on my strumming thumb and found this video interesting.

Ann Mayo Muir || Her Website

I had joined in on the Ukulele Social Club site and started a DoGBonE baritone ukulele club. There really hadn't been much socializing with other bari ukulele players there. But I just had two people join in and now there's a total of 5 people in that group. I did get a chance to chat with Ross Crow from the Brisbane, Australia area. His band name is the Brisbane Ukulele Musicians Society or BUMS.

Also while doodling about I went to Ann Mayo Muir's page and found that she has a website, http://annmayomuir.com/ and there's a music page where you can hear some quality recordings of her music. If you explore the Ukulele Social Club Site you can see Ann's (3) video lessons.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Mugambisuke || Everyone's Talking at Me (Cover)

A journey in Germany with Dirk... (That's not Germany... it's Indiana and I think it was a journey to the Ukulele World Congress)

Jonathan Mann || Deep Biscue (Song #1122)

Following Jonathan Mann the Song-A-Day-Mann is a real treat for me. He's altogether different. A totally creative force in action and he frequently uses his butchered-bari as his creative tool. Have you ever seen the huge hole that that big orange uke has in the upper bought?

So this is song #1122. That's a whole lot of work. Some of his songs, as he well recognizes, are awful. This one is very good. Who am I to judge -- really? I just thought the lyrics were more cohesive. He puts himself to the test by asking for song themes (from YT followers) and he just gets to work. I thought song #1122 was rocking along and then it just stopped. Well how can you do it all in a day?

I went to a workshop at someone's house across the bay in San Carlos, California today. There was a big contingent of Bluegrass ukulele fans from the Silicon Valley Ukulele Club. I think there were about 25 of us in the large living room. I was one of the last to arrive and I ended up sitting on a piano bench next to another guy with a Lanikai baritone ukulele seated in a chair next to me. (3 bari players in a group of 25 = 12% but not statistically significant.)

The class was called Jamming 101 and Sid Lewis has been giving this lesson to musicians all over. I enjoyed his style and anecdotes on how to start jamming groups and how to recognize "jam busters." I think that's all I'll share for now but will follow up with a post specially on the class.

Vince Tuzzi || Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian (Ukulele Club of Santa and Santa Cruz)

Here's Vince in his summer regalia singing a John Prine classic tune. Joining Vince are other beloved musicians from the Santa Cruz area: Patti Maxine on lap steel, Matt Bohn on bass and OUR good ol' friend Rhan Wilson (red shirt) playing the baritone ukulele.