TICKETS ARE ON SALE

October 16-17 2009
Canote Brothers, Victoria Vox,
Boulder Acoustic Society, Moe Dixon

I have added some new songs on the AUDIO page and some new chord charts on the UKULELE/CHARTS page.
 

I'm writing from my dorm room at the 2009 Portland Ukulele Festival. As the popularity of the ukulele continues to grow, I see some hopeful signs that the music industry may someday be redefined by real grass-roots music. Among the attendees here are travellers from other states who run their own clubs or festivals back home. These people are working hard to improve their skills and build repertoire on this small instrument. They spend a lot of time and effort doing so. Why do they do it?
 
I think they have discovered that home grown music, just like home grown produce is healthier and more satisfying than anything made by the the big corporations. People sitting around with ukuleles, playing songs of their own choosing is a way cooler thing than sitting in front of a tv watching american idol. Instead of cutting down and excluding, homegrown music encourages and includes people. If your playing isn't up to scratch, you aren't kicked out but given help and guidance to improve your playing. That's the way it should be.
 
This is why I think the rising tide of ukulele players is a good sign. It suggests that people are tiring of being told what they like and are beginning once again to follow their hearts to a better place.
 

I'll be teaching yet another workshop at
Pacific Winds 791 W 8th Av
343-5660 in Eugene
Weds. May 13 at 6:30 pm $15
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A workshop for intermediate and advanced ukulele players. In this workshop we will learn a collection of fun rock and pop songs from the '50s to the '00s! The techniques covered will include some standard chord progressions in various keys, intros, endings and “kool licks”. We will talk a bit about how to figure out the chords of a song by listening to the record. Handouts will provided.
 

I will be teaching two ukulele workshops in Seattle
Saturday, May 9th, 2009 at
Dusty Strings Music Store
E Z Pop: Ukulele for Beginners
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35
and...
Flexi-Chords for Ukulele
1:30 - 3:30 p.m., $35
I hope you can come down!
for more info visit:
http://dustystrings.com/shop/workshops-spring09.shtml#84