tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16689895438001355892024-03-28T22:29:49.145-05:00Fountain of Uke BlogUkulele: Behind The Scenes
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-13298300371806726212022-01-21T15:26:00.006-06:002022-01-21T15:39:06.625-06:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzlHgLDFPNbjj0f_LwOkO2h9N-VHK24PZq_3twjTP-Q1JzRec4y29PaA7EBoOn6cAF01attBMHEky3LvMYPZ4CuhydkNAZjow3o89QteeWcjdrv1QQpjckY-lCmzsX1D1URaQyDdy_NCyoJU2YKYNpPNsz-zTnTX1gEiP_PWhA-UCjr5b92_vWX2IN=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzlHgLDFPNbjj0f_LwOkO2h9N-VHK24PZq_3twjTP-Q1JzRec4y29PaA7EBoOn6cAF01attBMHEky3LvMYPZ4CuhydkNAZjow3o89QteeWcjdrv1QQpjckY-lCmzsX1D1URaQyDdy_NCyoJU2YKYNpPNsz-zTnTX1gEiP_PWhA-UCjr5b92_vWX2IN=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span>Lil Rev @ Sam Ash in Clearwater, FL </span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <b>I'll See You In Citrus Blossom Time</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> {Florida Blog Post #1}</span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;">For as many years as i can remember, i've been making a sojourn to Florida in the winter.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the early days, there weren't many ukulele clubs to stop and teach at and there certainly</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">wasn't any covid to worry about. Tampa Bay Ukulele Society was the first club i visited way</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">back when, thanks in part to Steve Boisen and Jay Nunes warm welcome. I played shows</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">at the Tarpoon Springs Cultural Arts Center, Temples, Coffee Shops, Ty Olapai's Fort Lauderdale group</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and a few retirement homes. The goal then as now, has been to escape from WI during the coldest,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">darkest months and amp up our vitamin D levels, returning in the spring, as the robins </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">began to sing. Over the years, we've made alot of close friends and even</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">have family living there now. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Planning a tour in normal times is hard work. There's gigs to book, p.r. to stay on top of,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">logistics and lodging, healthy food procurement {i'm dairy free and gluten free...can you say</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">pull over!}, plotting gas and mileage, route, hotels, lodging with friends, start times, arrival</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">times, merchandise packing, unpacking, selling, teaching material to send off, instruments</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">to manage, keeping track of everything you bring to a show. Protecting the family from the</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">vagaries and hazards of the road and weather....etc...etc. Anotherwards, its a lot of work!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Since we are in the midst of a pandemic, its a whole nother ballgame. Many of my peers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and some noteable pros are cancelling their tours, Adele just cancelled her Vegas residency!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have been home for 2 years now. With every precaution in mind and each venue well</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">thought out we decided it was time to go. Nobody knows what the awaits us, but we feel</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">that we don't have the luxury of sitting our den any longer and must go out and be a part of</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">the world. For better or for worse! Do you know that line? We have great faith and we're</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">hoping for the best! Now excuse me while i go pack my luggage, stage all my gear by</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">front door and oh yeah! go vaccum and clean the mini-van out!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">See You Soon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lil Rev</div><div style="text-align: center;">www.lilrev.com</div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-76235853310537611162021-12-01T11:45:00.002-06:002021-12-02T12:44:36.436-06:00An Interview with Ukulele Hunt's Al Wood<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Interview & Spotlight On Uke Hunt W/Al Wood </span> </p><p style="text-align: left;"> The following post is part feature and part interview, that I did with Al Wood of the Ukulele Blog: <i><b>Uke Hunt</b></i>.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I have been a huge fan of Al's work with the blog for years now and feel that his effort to shine a spotlight on the ukulele, is worthy of any and all accolades, that one could muster. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Al's work transcribing intros, solos, riffs, songs, posting uke news, and highlighting noteworthy you tube videos, makes his blog a real one-stop shop for both the aspiring ukulele student, as well as the real players, who want to brush up on an old riff or perhaps find out what's up and coming in the Uke world.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In addition to his work running the blog, Al has written a number of instructional e-books which are all available on his site <a href="http://UkuleleHunt.com ">http://UkuleleHunt.com</a> as well as the print book: <i><b>Ukulele For Dummies.</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">In an era when it's become very hard to maintain a physical print magazine, <a href="http://UkuleleHunt.com ">http://UkuleleHunt.com</a> offers us all a glimpse of what a great blog can and should be. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Ukulele Songstress Victoria Vox agrees with me when she recently said: "Apart from Al having the best ukulele site name ever, he's been around sharing his love of ukulele and promoting artists for as long as I can remember. The website is really a great resource for all things ukulele...and one could get lost for hours, or days!" </p><p style="text-align: left;">Fellow Ukulele Crooner Danielle Ate The Sandwich adds: "Its always an honor to be mentioned on Uke Hunt, Al has mucho personal style and has some of the most interesting cover song choices on his You Tube channel." </p><p style="text-align: left;">At the end of the day...those of us who ply our trade writing songs and hoping for a little recognition along the way, its guys like Al who's life work, helps others to discover something beautiful and for this we are grateful! </p><p style="text-align: left;">So let's find out how Uke Hunt first got started...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Al says: "I started the blog in May of 2007 in the spirit of "Be The change you want to see in the world." He goes on to say "there wasn't much ukulele information online at the time and that he kinda got swept along when things were just starting to build steam." </p><p style="text-align: left;">Prior to the blog, Al was doing a lot of guitar tabs for the <i>Ultimate Guitar </i>site and said that "it was natural to move into doing ukulele tabs, which in turn, led to creating my own site." (Folks reading this blog post today, should note, that the ukulele world was only just developing online back in 2007 and it's a very different landscape out there today. )Wood says, "At the time, there were only a couple of people doing tabs like Dominator and Pascal Fricke. Once I started my own site, it quickly grew into one of the bigger ukulele resources on the net." </p><p style="text-align: left;">In a nice tip of the hat, Dominic Pieranunzio of Dominator Tabs, told me that Al was a really good player and that his work was "very accurate." Its always nice to get accolades from your peers and Dom like Al was one of the first people to put tabs up on the internet making him somewhat of a trailblazer like Al. </p><p style="text-align: left;">( Dom's tabs can be found here now: <a href="https://liveukulele.com/tabs/dominator/">https://liveukulele.com/tabs/dominator/</a> )</p><p style="text-align: left;">Ukulele Guru Craig Chee points out "early in my career, I received many emails from fans who found me via Uke Hunt. Chee says, "I'll forever be grateful to Al for all of the energy he put into helping to connect the international ukulele community." </p><p><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vNSEocvDGqM" width="320" youtube-src-id="vNSEocvDGqM"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Al Wood of The Blog <b>Uke Hunt</b> Doing <i>Rhapsody in Blue</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wood says "the frenzy has waned since those earlier days, as much of the internet has been gobbled up by social media sites trying to maximize profits and realizing there's a lot of money to be squeezed out of the ukulele." "In the early days, the online ukulele world was small enough that you could keep track of it. I knew or at least knew of, most of the people involved in it. But the number of ukulele players online now is impossible to keep track of." Wood says his biggest motivation is "wanting to help people achieve a goal in their ability to play a certain tune and feel proud of themselves." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>I asked Al about his process of transcribing tunes and arranging songs...</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's Al's Response: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"The process varying wildly from song to song. But usually starts with listening to a song, picking out the chords, and melody and getting a general sense of how I'm gonna approach the song."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"The two main tools I use are Guitar Pro and The Capo App."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"The Capo App lets you slow down the music and change the key. Which I find invaluable when you're trying to arrange on Uke." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Its a fun puzzle reducing a whole song down to the point where it can be played on a ukulele and with the re-entrant string, there are so many options for any particular line that it never gets dull to me." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7ZDuoX3cVTnaEyovRTkCR_BB3dxetVxHdqd-o6SKz35yxGMecGWjFGpSgsMliepznLrryEXnedQegDGd9KJfzJrzsE_mdt3_YtspsZQ-8yFDiuMwmR4xDKbJI0vqkIRTsxRj5HqIUfE/s2048/Uke+Hunt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7ZDuoX3cVTnaEyovRTkCR_BB3dxetVxHdqd-o6SKz35yxGMecGWjFGpSgsMliepznLrryEXnedQegDGd9KJfzJrzsE_mdt3_YtspsZQ-8yFDiuMwmR4xDKbJI0vqkIRTsxRj5HqIUfE/s320/Uke+Hunt.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fountain of Uke:</b> Do you have any favorite songwriters? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Al:</b> "On the songwriter side of things, Zoe Bestel (http://zoebestel.co.uk), her last album Transience was beautiful. She collaborated with Tobias Elof." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fountain of Uke:</b> After writing the book: <i>Ukulele For Dummies, </i>what has the response been and are you thinking of doing any other hard copy or e-books? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Al</b>: "<i>Ukulele For Dummies </i>was such a huge undertaking I felt spent afterwards. There wasn't a whole lot I felt I'd left uncovered after that. The one thing I'd like to write is a book on arranging for the ukulele. But I have a hard time conceiving how I'd go about structuring that." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhwIW-E9S-hJ8wO8sBFpsfyw-TVzBsi4oEoqWHAlPsXIi6YLuEgDx12fwOZR3yeiBPY8V1T_3qToafE2tL1wgXb8PTLQspeF2VMUTdYygzmaV3ZSGrnd1IUFvGJ6YWwRmV4zA0-_TFCU/s2048/Uke+Dum.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhwIW-E9S-hJ8wO8sBFpsfyw-TVzBsi4oEoqWHAlPsXIi6YLuEgDx12fwOZR3yeiBPY8V1T_3qToafE2tL1wgXb8PTLQspeF2VMUTdYygzmaV3ZSGrnd1IUFvGJ6YWwRmV4zA0-_TFCU/s320/Uke+Dum.JPG" width="243" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fountain of Uke</b>: What's your desert island Uke and album? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Al</b>: "Definitely a Fluke for the ukulele. You'd need something sturdy and plastic to survive and the shape would make for a good paddle if you attempted to raft your way out. As for the album: Kanye West's <i>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. </i>I never get tired of that album. I think it's a masterpiece. Its also got heavy involvement from Bon Iver. I think those two are the greatest musicians of the 21st century so far." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fountain of Uke:</b> Of All of the ditties that you've tabbed out, which one has become an ear worm that won't go away and why do you like to play it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Al: </b>Craig Robertson's<i> <b>Staten Island Slide</b></i>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU2PWjL5tVQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU2PWjL5tVQ</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"It's my go to tune for warming up. Its the perfect ukulele tune. It uses so many of the tricks that work well on the ukulele and evokes the jazz age uke boom so well." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Fountain of Uke:</b> Any advice for the beginning ukulele player? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Al: "</b>Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent. If you make a mistake, you're often likely to make the same mistake again the next time you play. But if you can plant the muscle memory for playing something in your head by playing things slowly and without mistakes, you can gradually increase the tempo and play it cleanly." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fountain of Uke wishes to thank Al for his time and for all of the incredible ukulele mojo that he's put out for all of us to enjoy and mull. We believe Al deserves a lot more credit for his contribution to the ukulele world online and thus this blog post. If you agree, please share this post and let your ukulele friends know about Al's work and URL. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you'd like to support Al's work going forward he has a Patreon account at: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/ukulelehunt">http://www.patreon.com/ukulelehunt</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's an encore of Al Wood doing a Kanye West Cover called: <i>All of The Lights/Violent Crimes </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T9j9A-2GBjY" width="320" youtube-src-id="T9j9A-2GBjY"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We hope you enjoyed this feature/interview! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Musically, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lil Rev </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">www.lilrev.com </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-18133354958524479692021-11-16T19:43:00.001-06:002021-11-16T19:43:28.819-06:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Join Lil Rev For New Year's Eve 12/31</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Y-GchlNG_h7yBbkta_Sux1-zEg9CgSIB03HO7IeTNhI3BJeYW7bLV_gVfMtbo5_v2dosSgw30lloVQIUTbJtEgVQGvTNf_m7nRS7wmygvlhztPoO43B3rF4a_wRMC57wc9MIyVRIj_Q/s1024/NewYearsEveConcert2021_Twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="1024" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Y-GchlNG_h7yBbkta_Sux1-zEg9CgSIB03HO7IeTNhI3BJeYW7bLV_gVfMtbo5_v2dosSgw30lloVQIUTbJtEgVQGvTNf_m7nRS7wmygvlhztPoO43B3rF4a_wRMC57wc9MIyVRIj_Q/s320/NewYearsEveConcert2021_Twitter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lil Rev will be presenting a special virtual New Years Eve show on Zoom. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Door Prizes including 2 pieces of original Art Work that depict Lil Rev in earlier era's of his musical career as well as CDs, and his big announcement for student of the year award. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lil Rev will perform on ukulele, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, guitar, mandolin, tenor and banjo. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Special Guest: TBA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Register: $20.00<a href=" www.lilrev.com/calendar"> www.lilrev.com/calendar</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hope to see you! </div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-84017046449594627972021-11-01T21:02:00.000-05:002021-11-01T21:02:24.374-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Howdy Friends,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm really excited To announce my winter schedule of classes for Mead Library of Sheboygan, WI.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been partnering with Mead for many years and when the pandemic began, all of my in-person classes moved online to their FB Live Stream. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For awhile I was doing Monday and Thursday nights, then it moved to Monday night only once a week. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">These days I am doing three days in a row, usually about the middle of each month. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Every month I offer a variety of classes that cover technique, repertoire, style, and more! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I realize that many of you may not be on FB. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Often the classes are uploaded to You Tube, so you can search and find some of them there if you cannot make the "Live" sessions. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The classes are free, though I do solicit for tips via the virtual tip jar on the homepage of my website <a href="http://www.lilrev.com">www.lilrev.com</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The classes all begin at 6:30pm CT and go from 45 minutes to 1 hour in length.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Typically, I average 25-50 students from all over the world. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you can join us one of these night! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Musically, </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Lil Rev</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW03TlIrNUqtZBXzMAUYLcnrowL-JfkxkkHNz67YnlPDMTIQE9jh3viA_ngF3QOOZ5Wvf7f0DJFQwo9bj8ghKmK7K4vHAZfsrkoDZ-56doJTbbO1-TmpUgI9z7iG1-dpHcrB5IgzH9zJA/s1650/Mead+Winter+2021+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW03TlIrNUqtZBXzMAUYLcnrowL-JfkxkkHNz67YnlPDMTIQE9jh3viA_ngF3QOOZ5Wvf7f0DJFQwo9bj8ghKmK7K4vHAZfsrkoDZ-56doJTbbO1-TmpUgI9z7iG1-dpHcrB5IgzH9zJA/s320/Mead+Winter+2021+.png" width="247" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-6396608595090694742021-06-07T13:25:00.001-05:002021-06-07T13:25:26.617-05:00Summer Virtual Uke Classes W/Lil Rev @ Mead Library <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveK4osOB6NJs4V_Q_9tLcqJEPR4Hnv9L9xgRdqm7PNaEFPFKmJeow3A8V2pLVnDESdsC5Ptsn50nbd-PooHstg6tBiBqvGLC8V5tu4M3vsmN_xGT50fiNhdh7xnkf5lzURgF6H3ezpG4/s1650/summer+mead+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveK4osOB6NJs4V_Q_9tLcqJEPR4Hnv9L9xgRdqm7PNaEFPFKmJeow3A8V2pLVnDESdsC5Ptsn50nbd-PooHstg6tBiBqvGLC8V5tu4M3vsmN_xGT50fiNhdh7xnkf5lzURgF6H3ezpG4/s320/summer+mead+.png" /></a></div><br />Howdy Ukulele Pals, <p></p><p><span><span>I'm looking forward to a great summer of learning and study with my ukulele students from all over the world! </span></span></p><p>We meet most mondays at 6:30pm CT on Mead Library's Facebook Live Stream {Sheboygan, WI}.</p><p>Lil Rev teaches multi-level style. Meaning, everything he teaches is geared towards a variety learning levels. </p><p>The classes are free and open to the public. </p><p>Tips are most appreciated via lilrev's virtual tip jar at: <a href="www.lilrev.com ">www.lilrev.com </a></p><p>Each week we present a different subject relating to the ukulele including: Tunes, Techniques, Traditions, History, and occasionally a special guest. </p><p>We are offering a worldclass schedule of uke classes! </p><p>Hope you'll join us! </p><p>Thanks,</p><p>Lil Rev</p><p>www.lilrev.com </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvZWnRCdso2FiW2zfBt6Tk6j153kK1IGi4vhfei61A_UKGiBIWH0TUGLovZZUte_xORWQiLYGmqZGAxSKxCgRzSxANAIvpVDGORTI19AB6zntl96vpw3enxsdM8bjc0YmVCQZchz5MXQ/s2048/Las+Cruces+Teaching+Shot+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvZWnRCdso2FiW2zfBt6Tk6j153kK1IGi4vhfei61A_UKGiBIWH0TUGLovZZUte_xORWQiLYGmqZGAxSKxCgRzSxANAIvpVDGORTI19AB6zntl96vpw3enxsdM8bjc0YmVCQZchz5MXQ/s320/Las+Cruces+Teaching+Shot+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span> Lil Rev @ Las Cruces Uke Fest </span><br /></p><p><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Photo Credit: Craig Chee </span><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-58631722552521612102021-01-04T12:51:00.009-06:002021-01-08T14:08:03.308-06:00Ukulele For All Book Review <p><b>Educational Book Review By: Lil Rev</b></p><p><b><u>Ukulele For All </u></b>-<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Beginning Method For Group of Individual Study </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrFVuG8iFBGHyUEBKRS1YD0kdJY1cjWuUzAU1tUssbxTfA9KKS3HHiK-xdvaLQ9MhiNxJfr8RGnuU1kFtMl96sScwXZsgfhznoKullFD-chsKQEhKBMVYyd8kjShvREhxKpuusOqG1-0/s1661/Uke+For+All+Image.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1661" data-original-width="1242" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrFVuG8iFBGHyUEBKRS1YD0kdJY1cjWuUzAU1tUssbxTfA9KKS3HHiK-xdvaLQ9MhiNxJfr8RGnuU1kFtMl96sScwXZsgfhznoKullFD-chsKQEhKBMVYyd8kjShvREhxKpuusOqG1-0/s320/Uke+For+All+Image.jpeg" /></a></div><p><i>Ukulele for All, </i>is a 57 page method book written by Jenny Peters and her sister Rebecca Bogart. </p><p>The book was published by Kjos Music Company {KJOS} in 2017, to meet the growing demand for curriculum, that is classroom friendly for kids of all ages. </p><p>What makes this book so special is that author Jenny Peters has been a general music and orchestra teacher in the public schools for many years and her sister Rebecca is a classically trained pianist with a wealth of music theory and performance in her background. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZte3nClXvSP-X3r-o3voB4KOSFBRW3VqxKLaJvCdVQp5Ymj6_2VqzEQOq3sWmoAR851igr6EIbGyly6C_zKQ-BXEW1ov1dPd8-S2eYH0IFzLL2uRvTIzn0Ma4cAE_0YY4zlnPpRMiGFA/s422/J.+Peters+Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZte3nClXvSP-X3r-o3voB4KOSFBRW3VqxKLaJvCdVQp5Ymj6_2VqzEQOq3sWmoAR851igr6EIbGyly6C_zKQ-BXEW1ov1dPd8-S2eYH0IFzLL2uRvTIzn0Ma4cAE_0YY4zlnPpRMiGFA/s320/J.+Peters+Review.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Jenny leads local ukulele classes for groups and kids in the Chicago area and their many song books like: <i><b>21 Songs in 6 Days, Easy Songs, and 21 Easy Songs For Christmas</b> </i>are all Amazon favorites. </p><p>Because there are so many ukulele books on the market, its important to note that these kind of credentials serve to remind us that the authors have a real connection to the ukulele and are intimately involved in community music education. </p><p>The book teaches, tuning, instrument identification, practice tips, basic strumming, and melody playing in both tab and standard music notation.</p><p>I particularly like that the authors included finger number positions so that the student knows what finger he or she should use to fret a given note. </p><p>Especially important in this age of visuals, is an interactive video supplement to the book, so you can follow with video to firm up the songs. </p><p>As an author of many ukulele books and as someone who teaches ukulele to private students for over 30 years, I have learned that its always best to have both tab and standard notation. </p><p>If you really want to encourage music reading, you can always cover up the tab line, but the reality is, most kids today are going online to learn the songs they want to learn via chords and lead sheets. This book supplements that inevitable process by teaching ukulele pedagogy so that student can then use this as a springboard into whatever most interests them musically. I say this because there are a number of method books on the market that do not include tab and unsuspecting online purchasers need to be aware of this when looking for a good book. </p><p>Another great feature of this book is the wealth of world music, i.e. songs that are derived from a wide variety of cultural traditions including Germany, Israel, America, Mexico, Korea, Scotland, France, and Morocco. </p><p>The book is nicely rounded out with blues studies, holiday songs and fingerpicking. </p><p>As a former grade school music teacher myself and former college music history lecturer, I give this book an A grade. It's a nice starting point for teaching ukulele privately or in the classroom. </p><p>This book could then be supplemented with any of the authors easy strum books like: <b>21 Songs in 6 Days</b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/21-Songs-Days-Ukulele-Beginning/dp/1502760274/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jenny+Peters&qid=1609784516&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/21-Songs-Days-Ukulele-Beginning/dp/1502760274/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Jenny+Peters&qid=1609784516&sr=8-1</a></p><p>Check out author Jenny Peters in acton playing this cool tune from the book called:<b><i> Lonely Blues</i></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yGm65Dy72GE" width="320" youtube-src-id="yGm65Dy72GE"></iframe></div><br /><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGm65Dy72GE<p></p><p>The Book can be purchased at www.kjos.com or Amazon: </p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/KG1S-Ukulele-Student-Jenny-Peters/dp/0849774004/ref=sr_1_3?crid=26Z5BBBP3YP7H&dchild=1&keywords=ukulele+for+all+book&qid=1609785967&sprefix=Ukulele+For+All+%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-3">https://www.amazon.com/KG1S-Ukulele-Student-Jenny-Peters/dp/0849774004/ref=sr_1_3?crid=26Z5BBBP3YP7H&dchild=1&keywords=ukulele+for+all+book&qid=1609785967&sprefix=Ukulele+For+All+%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-3</a></p><p>Reviewed by-Lil Rev 1/4/21 </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-70270168650983845412020-12-24T14:04:00.007-06:002020-12-25T13:15:19.650-06:00Slide Ukulele & Online Learning <p><b>{Preview:</b> This is a double-post about both online learning during the pandemic and Slide Ukulele!}</p><p>The pandemic brought about a flurry of interest in online studies. </p><p>If you were a ukulele teacher, with an established online curriculum, already up and running pre-covid it was cause to holler hallelujah! </p><p>If you weren't, like me, then you'd better come up with some cool classes and quick! {I'll let you be the judge}. In fact, 2020 will go down as the year I created more content than any other year in my 30 year career as a ukulele player, entertainer and instructor. {Thus my <b>Intro To</b> <b>Slide Ukulele Class </b>on 12/8 via Mead Library FB Live}</p><p>Most of my time, I've spent creating physical books, and touring the ukulele superhighway teaching in-person workshops at ukulele clubs and festivals all over North America. So the Covid crisis felt not only like a sucker punch {which I can take} but ultimately, many of us got caught with our pants down, not having an online school, course, or package to market, as folks began looking for places to study while quarantining. So we all jumped on FB live! Then Zoom. </p><p>The reality is, I love to teach! In fact, I live to teach, so these things really matter to me alongside the fact that I happen to make my living from teaching. </p><p>As for an online Lil Rev Ukulele School, that is about to become a reality in 2021. Stay tuned! </p><p></p><p>Back to the story...</p><p>Everyone realized that this would be a great time to build their skills while laying low and staying close to home. If ever you wanted to learn finger-style ukulele, improvisation, chord melody, basic skills, strumming or any other facet of study, one things for sure....2020 was the year to do it.</p><p>Pros have to keep on upping the ante as well! I chose to woodshed on slide ukulele! </p><p>As an instructor and performer, I've always loved slide guitar. I grew up listening to Duane Allman, John Hammond Jr, Blind Willie Johnson, Bukkah White, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, Bob Brozman, Fred McDowell and many others.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZMr_JcW1qAs" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZMr_JcW1qAs"></iframe></div><p>Locally, I've spent the better part of 30 years backing some of the best slide players in WI while on harmonica. See pic below of me with my longtime music pal and friend John Nicholson. John and I co-wrote the book: <i>Fiddle Tunes for Ukulele. J</i>ohn is one of my favorite living slide players and his slide influence has really inspired and informed my harp playing and now my own efforts to build a repertoire of slide tunes on the ukulele. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE27_Xn3SPy68AADSS1IDhCjKVwCT2RjWg6lyM4jOqxxMMsR-uGkzMq7yISxjALQsCptzzRIJ_8CenfTf1DbHcfnyrtkP2ZJ_Bz_QJcM750eZzL8qCK-DVipyh-yyFqVyz8GY6_sr3LdQ/s2048/Lil+Rev+and+John+Nicholson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1489" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE27_Xn3SPy68AADSS1IDhCjKVwCT2RjWg6lyM4jOqxxMMsR-uGkzMq7yISxjALQsCptzzRIJ_8CenfTf1DbHcfnyrtkP2ZJ_Bz_QJcM750eZzL8qCK-DVipyh-yyFqVyz8GY6_sr3LdQ/s320/Lil+Rev+and+John+Nicholson.jpg" /></a></div><p>So you see, it was only a matter of time before I decided to start playing slide on the ukulele. </p><p>Quarantining means more time to watch videos, experiment and work up tunes. </p><p>The person most responsible for my forays into Slide playing, is my wife Jenna, who bought me a National Steel Bodied Ukulele for my birthday this year. Once that happened, I was all over! </p><p><b>What I'm Doing With The Slide: </b></p><p>Mostly, I'm arranging pre-war blues stuff, but I'm also playing a lot of bluegrass and old time, with slide as a <u>small</u> added ingredient, or just enough slide to spice it up and make it interesting in a way that the ukulele world isn't likely to of heard all that much. I find that the slide can be used as a condiment would. Not to overpower a tune, but to help dress up the taste a tad. The difference in my approach is this...If I am playing blues, the slide leads the way, if I am playing old time or bluegrass I'm using the slide as an ornament in small doses. For example, there's a big difference between how I use the slide on, <i>The Sky Is</i> <i>Crying</i> by Elmore James, and how I use the slide on <i>Columbus Stockade </i>or <i>Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms. </i>All of this of course, is really evolving fast for me as I'm spending alot of time working on slide styles on the ukulele and am having a blast doing it! </p><p>My favorite players are <i>Paul Rishell, Fred McDowell, Jerry Douglas </i>{dobro} <i>Blind Lemon's Jack Knife</i> Slide, <i>Blind Willie Davis</i> Gospel Blues, All of the preaching Bluesman who used slide, <i>Elmore James,</i> <i>Hound Dog Taylor, Lil Ed, Muddy Waters,</i> <i>Howling Wolf, Charlie Patton,</i> local music pal <i>Peter Roller</i> {who plays dobro and lap steel on most of my records, and too many others to list! </p><p>Here's a cool 8 bar blues called <b><i>Crow Jane Blues</i></b> that's a good example of how I'm using the slide on the baritone ukulele. {I plan to record a national steel piece soon!}</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5l9hfUHhX4E" width="320" youtube-src-id="5l9hfUHhX4E"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I digress, as an aside, another thing I'm really digging is playing, clawhammer on the ukulele, usually I do this on the soprano, but lately I've been doing it on the baritone or my new Beansprout Banjo Baritone. Here's a cool example of me doing an old fiddle tune called:<i><b> Old Molly Hare</b></i>: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEsWqyPSFaI" width="320" youtube-src-id="kEsWqyPSFaI"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Published Resources For Slide Ukulele Studies: </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At present, there isn't alot of instruction on slide ukulele; if you scour <b><i>You Tube </i></b>you'll find some, but not a whole lot relating to good bluesy ukulele slide. <i>Fred Sokolow's Slide and Slack Key Book</i> published by Hal Leonard, is a good starting point. The last 3 pages of <i>Dave Rubin's</i><i>,</i> <i>Hal Leonard Blues Ukulele Method Book </i>is dedicated to slide ukulele, but more as a footnote and not a feature. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Suffice it to say, someday, I aim to produce an in-depth primer on slide ukulele that digs in really deep. Right now, I'm earning my slide stamps! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Teaching Slide</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For those who'd like to see what I'm doing with the slide, here's a virtual class I did on December 8th 2020 for Mead Library in Sheboygan. I taught this as an <i>Intro To Slide Ukulele</i>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/meadpl/videos/410028770186463">Slide Class 2020</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My pal<i> Michael August,</i> attended the class, and says my class on slide ukulele inspired him...I'm not buying it! I think its the other way around...Mike is tearing it up on the slide ukulele, and I cannot wait to jam with him when this pandemic is over! He's sounding really nice on the slide ukulele! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's Michael's take on a tune I taught in my intro to slide class: Elmore James' <i>The Sky is Crying.</i> In my class, my goal was to teach absolute beginners how to find the I, IV, V chords and how to slide into the chords using, 8th note and triplet phrasings; as well as proper slide intonation. Michael took it to the next level with his use of fills, 12th & 14th fret slide embellishments, 7th chord exaggerations, fretted turnarounds, runs and much more! Thus, I give Michael an <b>A+</b> grade on his own rendition! Mike's advice to those, wanting to learn to play slide, is to focus on "learning how to mute and putting the right amount pressure on the strings while fretting with the slide." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/338sya_rI04" width="320" youtube-src-id="338sya_rI04"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's Mr. August doing Howling Wolf's <b><i>Little Red Rooster</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T7h5hZ-IYkg" width="320" youtube-src-id="T7h5hZ-IYkg"></iframe></div><br />Great Job Michael! Keep it up and Please Post More! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Tunings</b>: I've been using <b>C tuning</b> alot on the soprano, which is GCEG. That means you only have to re-tune one string! In addition to C tuning, I've been using <b>G tuning</b> {GBDG}. Dig, there are many tunings, like D tuning, F tuning, Bb tuning, and a slew of others are a worth exploring to get to the keys you want to play in. You can also use tune to C for example and then put a capo on the 2nd fret and you're now in D or at the 4th fret, you'd be in E. I advocate having a couple Ukes and keep em in different tunings so you are more amp to learn the scales, positions, and chord shapes that are necessary to master those tunings. Remember, the bar or slide shapes are always gonna be the same in terms of I, IV, V and other open tuned chord positions. If you know how to transpose, then the shapes remain the same, while the keys change. For example in C tuning, the IV chord F, is bar {or slide} on the 5th fret. In G tuning the IV chord is C, and that's also bar or slide on the 5th fret and so on, as you change tunings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Same thing for the V chord, in C tuning, the V chord is G which is bar or slide on the 7th fret. In G tuning, the V chord is D, which is bar or slide on the 7th fret. Point being, you only have to remember the fret number and how to transpose the chord names and you can easily change tunings without having to relearn I, IV, V chord shape names. That goes for the II chord and others in the circle of 5th's wheelhouse. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When using the <b>Baritone </b>to play slide, the options, for guitar inspired slide tunings open up exponentially.. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The two tunings I've been using on the baritone are CFAC or DGBD as well as a Banjo Inspired C minor tuning: CGCEb which I use on alot of cool modal Appalachian stuff and my Jewish and Yiddish Repertoire. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are some of the M<u><b>ain Tunings</b></u> I use on the <b>Baritone Ukulele:</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open D tuning: DF#AD</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open G Tuning: DGBD</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open Gm Minor Tuning: DGBbD</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open A Tuning: EAC#E</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open E: EG#BE</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open C: CGCE</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Open Em: EGBE</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Strings as they relate to slide playing on the Ukulele: </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The big conundrum that you'll run into when you start on your slide journey, is that nylon strings and slide don't really work well together. Wound strings are the way to go! The closer you can get to playing wound/steel/bronze strings is where you need to be. Why? Metals produce slide tone and nylon sucks butt! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The problem with wound is that they fray and sometimes at the most undesirable times, like on stage! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For Concert and Tenor Uke, Shoot for a wound G and C and then nylon on the E and A. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For Baritone, go for a wound D and G string coupled with two nylon strings on the B and E strings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> <span> </span></span>I like <b>Aquila Brand Strings </b><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.aquilausa.com">https://www.aquilausa.com </a> for my concert and tenor ukuleles. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For baritone, I use wound <b>Guadalupe Brand Strings</b>:<a href="http://thegcs.co/shop"> http://thegcs.co/shop </a> <u>S</u>uper cool little family run business in L.A. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Slides</b>: My favorite slides are from <b>Rocky Mountain Slide Company</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://rockymountainslides.com">https://rockymountainslides.com</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They will customize a slide to fit your finger! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bottom line, stay tuned folks, I'm woodshedding slide like madman in 2021 and when this damn pandemic is over, I'm gonna blow the roof off the joint with the some smokey slide, kosher BBQ! </div><br /><p><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>To Close, Dig This Deep Cut: <b><i>Son House's Death Letter Blues: </i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NdgrQoZHnNY" width="320" youtube-src-id="NdgrQoZHnNY"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's to more slide on the Ukulele ! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lil Rev </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lilrev.com">www.lilrev.com</a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-3553190399146913282020-12-24T12:53:00.008-06:002020-12-24T12:59:20.865-06:002020 Fades Into 2021<p> Howdy Friends, </p><p>As Christmas is upon us and I am looking back on the last 10 months of 2020, I am both humbled and toasted all at once! </p><p>Humbled because of all of the support I have received from my students, fans, friends and family during what has been a very challenging year. Toasted, because of the sheer number of classes and private lessons that I did this year! Content creation this year was off the charts! </p><p>Making ones living as a troubadour, has never been about mining music's monetary goldmine, but rather the love of craft and connection with ones students and fans. But who amongst the legion of professional musicians that I know, was actually ready for what happened around the 2nd week of March 2020? </p><p>The gig economy crashed and while we all jumped onto FB live, it was fine for a month or two, before it became a mess o' madness. </p><p>When Corona hit I lost a years salary in under 8 weeks, via cancelled gigs, classes, festivals, concerts, as well as royalties from book sales that crashed when brick and mortar music stores closed shop, curtailed hours or patrons put off in-store shopping trips. </p><p>They say that when one door closes another opens...</p><p>Much to my surprise, Brass Bell Music of Milwaukee agreed to host a once a month class on their FB page and Mead Library of Sheboygan agreed to have me on Mondays.</p><p>To supplement these classes I took on a dozen private students and created a Zoom Webinar schedule for more in-depth, theme based classes like my Uke n The Blues Series {1920's, 30's and 50's} </p><p>Here's a sample of what's to come {plus 6 more on my website!} You can register for these via www.lilrev.com Zoom links are sent out 3 to 4 days prior to the class. Most classes are $35.00 unless its a two part class. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAAog62P53yPGHyA-lmIQZanZQQYzCFJCWNg_AXU_rxAfnci-debUUg6930nIRjGEggIUe6kJ7QWkq2yRKG_mLwKc6c77dbgnnafC183KWrwhace7Cgn5sPIUsVO9NwOTdr0FWmTpit4/s1081/WinterWebinarCalendar_Instagram.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAAog62P53yPGHyA-lmIQZanZQQYzCFJCWNg_AXU_rxAfnci-debUUg6930nIRjGEggIUe6kJ7QWkq2yRKG_mLwKc6c77dbgnnafC183KWrwhace7Cgn5sPIUsVO9NwOTdr0FWmTpit4/s320/WinterWebinarCalendar_Instagram.png" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Now, back to Mead Library....</p><p>Pre-Corona, you could find me leading regular ukulele courses at the library as well as one off performances and our monthly ukulele club meeting. </p><p>Mead has been a huge supporter of community education, makers space classes and my local music escapades. I am most grateful to them. A finer library, you won't find in all of the America's! </p><p>So after 10 busy months of teaching ukulele, Mead has recently agreed to continue my Monday 6:30pm CT Virtual Ukulele Classes Streaming Live on their FB page thru 2021 {or until its safe to return to the in-person classes at the library.} </p><p>Here's the schedule for January 2021. The classes are free, though tips are appreciated. Music is posted for each class on The Sheboygan Ukulele Club Google Drive, which you can access on the home page of my website: <a href="www.lilrev.com ">www.lilrev.com </a> {scroll down and look for the brown tab that says Sheboygan Uke Club, click on it and look for the name and or date of class}. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5xuL_jtaUZCVdsQCgxur7e9IJBMNP4g5Ox3RtVBqY3WjPlb0b23Zty6HQO7-vhm6yp8ciGFiBSHIhKnCZby1XOKiOo0nlDyJcLiZhhyphenhyphengcSPGrMkDr0rZW3nQ-tEppZ37CoMPlg6L-LY/s2048/lil+rev+digital+poster+January.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5xuL_jtaUZCVdsQCgxur7e9IJBMNP4g5Ox3RtVBqY3WjPlb0b23Zty6HQO7-vhm6yp8ciGFiBSHIhKnCZby1XOKiOo0nlDyJcLiZhhyphenhyphengcSPGrMkDr0rZW3nQ-tEppZ37CoMPlg6L-LY/s320/lil+rev+digital+poster+January.png" /></a></div>I love you like a ukulele!<br /><p>I hope to see you online in 2021! </p><p>Lil Rev</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-48152777275625919062020-07-06T18:29:00.000-05:002020-07-06T18:29:05.816-05:0012 Essential Strums Virtual Class w/ Lil Rev <div>
<u><b>12 Essential Strums Class w/Lil Rev: </b></u></div>
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<u>Sponsored</u> by The Tampa Bay Ukulele Society </div>
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Learn to strum an authentic strum for each style that you encounter at club meetings and jams! </div>
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Announcing a virtual Class w/ Uke Master Lil Rev this Friday July 10th 7pm Eastern Time <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/613182655977171/">https://www.facebook.com/events/613182655977171/</a>. <div>
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Music for the class is available on the TBUS site. https://www.facebook.com/groups/tampabayukes/ </div>
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www.lilrev.com </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-77250922305874738202019-11-14T05:40:00.001-06:002019-11-14T05:55:32.226-06:00Lil Rev's 2020 Florida WinterUke Tour <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcP4CQNaOwuxmJJQt5fxrAvlCrdNhRPJ8s5MhXc7uRLiAsTvUCXh_F126oGZtWArLg-YWa-4oQ54ogm60h4h0N2uyjiIC47i5C8N1rsgUh6Psqgs8IoRNav9O7wskYiARpelQ955jZ6o/s1600/20171015-0061+1+copy+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcP4CQNaOwuxmJJQt5fxrAvlCrdNhRPJ8s5MhXc7uRLiAsTvUCXh_F126oGZtWArLg-YWa-4oQ54ogm60h4h0N2uyjiIC47i5C8N1rsgUh6Psqgs8IoRNav9O7wskYiARpelQ955jZ6o/s200/20171015-0061+1+copy+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Lil Rev announces "killer" Florida Uke Tour 2020<br />
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Lil Rev will be touring Florida in late January and into February 2020<br />
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Classes and Concert info @ www.lilrev.com<br />
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-Lil Rev will make a stop at the Brown County Uke Fest in Nashville, IN<br />
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1/25/2020 <a href="https://browncountyukefest.com/">https://browncountyukefest.com/</a><br />
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1/28/2020 Citrus Park, FL {Class and concert}<br />
1/31/2020 The Rhythm Inlet, Nokomis, FL<br />
<a href="http://rhythminlet.com/">http://rhythminlet.com/</a><br />
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2/1/2020 World Ukulele Day <a href="http://worldukeday.com/">http://worldukeday.com/ </a> Dunedin, FL<br />
2/3/2020 Valencia Lakes Heritage Club {concert} <a href="http://jhcvlw.org/">http://jhcvlw.org/</a><br />
2/4/2020 Penny Lane Music Emporium -Intro to Harmonica Class<br />
2/6/2020 Penny Lane Music Emporium- Triplets Made Easy Class<br />
<a href="https://pennylaneemporium.com/">https://pennylaneemporium.com/</a><br />
2/8/2020 Florida State Fair <a href="http://www.floridastatefair.com/">www.floridastatefair.com/ </a> Ukeapolooza<br />
2/12/2020 Boynton Uke Society - Workshop<br />
2/13/2020 Boynton Uke Society - Concert <br />
<a href="https://boyntondelrayukesociety.wordpress.com/">https://boyntondelrayukesociety.wordpress.com/</a><br />
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2/15/2020 TBA ....and more shows being added.<br />
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Lil Rev's FL tour will offer a variety of ukulele and harmonica classes<br />
as well as a host of concerts on uke, harmonica, tenor guitar, banjo, dulcimer and<br />
more. check his website. <a href="http://www.lilrev.com/">www.lilrev.com </a> for more details.<br />
-Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-146684488994429722017-04-28T12:47:00.001-05:002019-11-14T05:08:47.304-06:00Ben Carr's New CD: A River's View of Sunrise <div>
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<b>On Meeting Ben Carr...</b></div>
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When i first met Ben Carr a few years back, i was immediately impressed</div>
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with his style and humble demeanor. He had just finished a really cool set of </div>
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instrumentals that ran the gamut from down-home fiddle tune-esq, to finger picking </div>
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bluesy stuff as well as highly percussive-alternate tuned, groove based jams.</div>
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It was obvious to me that Ben had a very wide range of influences and the </div>
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sincerity of his approach came off as very authentic at time when 10,000 guitar </div>
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inspired posers are plying their trade on the ukulele. </div>
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<b>A Wee Bit About This Lad...</b></div>
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Ben grew up in the farm-laden, Philadelphia suburbs</div>
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blowing an alto-sax, which was soon supplanted by<br />
bongos and a full drum set.<br />
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After stints in numerous east coast bands and a foray<br />
into full-time music hood a la New Orleans, Ben<br />
finally relocated to Southern Vermont where he currently resides with his family.</div>
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As a certified graduate of James Hill's Ukulele Initiative, </div>
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Ben is presently a full time ukulele instructor, recording</div>
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artist and performer. His commitment and love of music</div>
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finds him teaching both privately and in schools. </div>
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To learn more about Ben Carr visit: <a href="http://www.bencarrmusic.com/">www.bencarrmusic.com </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECNojjCdkMNonKor_pfBbt4AvAVbHJDZ8xqmZWW6JSsUwECKYyF2GLG2TsG27SH4-IjegC30ADhEGEE86ykDiHisHc7ZcnVlsp-VCP7XFesmji6rv1phZpKmYCjghHAA7DwyrepwzEbQ/s1600/BenCarr-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECNojjCdkMNonKor_pfBbt4AvAVbHJDZ8xqmZWW6JSsUwECKYyF2GLG2TsG27SH4-IjegC30ADhEGEE86ykDiHisHc7ZcnVlsp-VCP7XFesmji6rv1phZpKmYCjghHAA7DwyrepwzEbQ/s200/BenCarr-50.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>Let me digress for a moment here....</b></div>
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As Ben and i talked and got to know each<br />
other a bit, i thought he'd be a great artist to<br />
bring to Wisconsin for our Ukulele festival,<br />
so he sent me home with some of his music<br />
and that's when it really dawned on me that<br />
more folks in the ukulele stratosphere need<br />
to hear Ben Carr.</div>
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<br />
<br />
If the ukulele world is going to grow, prosper, inspire our youth and morph into a sustainable community, ukulele camps, festivals and clubs need to do more to inspire the next class of teachers and performers...and i count Ben amongst the best and brightest of this next class of players. My mission as director of the Milwaukee Ukulele Festival (now The Great Lakes Ukulele Festival) has always been to showcase as much "emerging talent" as we could get away with presenting and so i aim to make good on my word and bring Ben to WI.<br />
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<div>
<b>A River's View of Sunrise CD Review:</b></div>
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I would describe Ben's new record as imaginative, and filled with all the emotion</div>
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of one's natural surroundings. This record is obviously inspired by Ben's natural </div>
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world via his rural Vermont home. It has a deep sense of humanity, and the sheer variety </div>
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of 10 tracks takes the listener on a rollicking ride of joy, self contemplation, and quiet </div>
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determination. Ultimately... its a breath of fresh air! </div>
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His style shines thru on this record, as Ben combines fluid finger picking,</div>
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harmonically vibrant themes, layered with chordal flourishes and ample single string</div>
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lead style playing. I couldn't help but wonder if Ben had spent any time listening to</div>
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the likes of guitar gods like John Fahey, Preston Reed or Micheal Hedges, as there's a</div>
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real maturity to his arrangements both rhythmically and melodically.</div>
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The CD opens with the tune <i>Leap Frog, </i>a super-uplifting,</div>
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toe-tapping fiddle tune inspired creation which Ben says started </div>
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on the guitar and morphed into a tour de force picking piece </div>
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a la the looper, used to great effect. <i>Song For Teeny </i>with gentle hints of broadway</div>
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reads like classic Carr again combining a nice mix of chordal and single string</div>
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arranging.<br />
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Hinting at Ben's ukulele roots and appreciation for tradition,</div>
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<i>Galope</i> is an old Manuel Cabral composition that Ben says</div>
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John King pointed him to. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(<b>All ukulele players would do well</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>to read, listen to and study the legacy of John King, whom i regard</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>as one of the greatest finger style/ Campanella players to ever walk </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;">the earth.) </span><br />
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The records title track #4, is a <i>River's View of Sunrise, </i></div>
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an open A tuned piece, combines classic picking, delay, reverb infused </div>
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pattern playingand Ben's signature use of harmonics. Sultry, sweet and superbly crafted </div>
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music, proudly wearing the banner of Made in Vermont! </div>
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<i>Nate and Leah's Song </i>is a heartfelt ode Ben wrote to accompany a </div>
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requested Wedding March at a friends wedding. Other highlights include the playful</div>
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<i>Sugar Shack </i>a strum/picked tune with vocals and kazoo, as well as the delicately</div>
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picked Johannes Brahms classic <i>Wiegenlied.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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All in all, this is a fine collection for Ben's first full length, all-uke-album debut into<br />
the ukulele world. I look forward to watching this fella grow and evolve as he carries<br />
his songbag far and wide. To purchase this record visit<br />
Ben's site at: <a href="http://bencarrmusic.com/shop/">http://bencarrmusic.com/shop/</a> </div>
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Ben's Own Equipment Notes For The Record:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.09000015258789px;"><b>Effects used:</b></span></div>
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My pedal board set up for this album was a Boss compression/sustain, TC Electronics distortion, </div>
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TC Electronics delay, Boss loop station. Then through an ART Tube Preamp.</div>
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Aside from the DI each uke was also captured with two different Blue Microphones. </div>
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One was a Bluebird and unfortunately I don't recall the second. This second mic was also used for </div>
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voice and kazoo.</div>
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<b>Style notes:</b></div>
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Two tracks are in open A tuning - the title song and Leap Frog. The others were in C6 tuning, </div>
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some with low G. My style on this album truly blends and blurs the lines with fingerpicking, looping, </div>
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harmonic tapping, jazzy strumming, and beatboxing. To further confuse it I throw in a kazoo and vocal tune. </div>
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<b><u>Where to find Benn Carr online</u>:</b></div>
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<b>Videos:</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.09000015258789px;">Here's a newer version of an old song. </span></div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/Mbh3qS4FYdk">https://youtu.be/Mbh3qS4FYdk</a></div>
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Here's a duo version of<b> A Song For Teeny</b> from a live show.</div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/5vo_dEX_MiM">https://youtu.be/5vo_dEX_MiM</a></div>
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<b style="font-family: tahoma, geneva, sans-serif;">URLS: </b></div>
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<a href="http://www.bencarrmusic.com/">http://www.bencarrmusic.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ben-Carr-Music/193971753970214">http://www.facebook.com/pages/<wbr></wbr>Ben-Carr-Music/193971753970214</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/rasbmusic%C2%A0">http://www.reverbnation.com/rasbmusic </a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87O7d8G5GtGaDSDzgTHzxVJmiSGM0ITepJwKZLtM-vFcPd7QpAkDumWpZ8AjAHBBfhht3n3E4ZUy0Md-Lb9nl_zYs36rMZ6L246VXKGGNs_E7IlubLsV70T9RqQV0R-veByJ9OnDN-pU/s1600/IMG_0127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87O7d8G5GtGaDSDzgTHzxVJmiSGM0ITepJwKZLtM-vFcPd7QpAkDumWpZ8AjAHBBfhht3n3E4ZUy0Md-Lb9nl_zYs36rMZ6L246VXKGGNs_E7IlubLsV70T9RqQV0R-veByJ9OnDN-pU/s200/IMG_0127.JPG" title="Ben Carr's 5th Album Release " width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b> Ben Carr's 2016 Release</b><br />
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</tbody></table>
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<b><br /></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-65516460116575094322017-03-08T16:30:00.002-06:002017-03-08T16:33:31.677-06:00The 50 Best Songs of Hawaii Lets just be honest here. <br />
<br />
All too often, mainlanders who've taken up the<br />
ukulele have little working knowledge of Hawaiian musical traditions.<br />
<br />
I know this is a blanket statement and some of you might balk at just a generalization.<br />
<br />
But....in my 20 years of riding the ukulele wave, traversing America's highways<br />
and byways, upwards of 40,000 miles a year<br />
<br />
Here's what i conclude....<br />
<br />
There are many on the mainland who regularly visit Hawaii,<br />
and many who are from Hawaii, as well as some who simply love Hawaiian music<br />
and in doing their homework, have gone much deeper then Jake, Ohta and Iz.<br />
<br />
But the sad reality is that unless you're a member of the Santa Cruz Ukulele or<br />
some coastal area that attracts touring Hawaiian artists, chances are you're<br />
scratching your head wondering where to begin, whence seeking out Hawaiian<br />
music in all its breadth and glory.<br />
<br />
That's why i am sharing this link to a fabulous list of 50 of the greatest Hawaiian songs<br />
of all time.<br />
<br />
Here's an awesome reference from Honolulu Magazine, to help you get started.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/June-2007/50-Greatest-Songs-of-Hawai-8217i/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc">http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/June-2007/50-Greatest-Songs-of-Hawai-8217i/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc</a><br />
<br />
I would urge you to read the article, but do your homework along the way.<br />
That is, if you are unfamiliar with any of the songs mentioned, go to You Tube<br />
and see if you can find some nice versions these.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-64895267529661545562017-02-27T14:35:00.001-06:002017-02-27T16:45:43.331-06:00Jake's Pedal Set UpIf any of you have ever wondered how Jake gets that amazing wall of sound out of<br />
a single ukulele, the following video posted on<a href="http://www.reverb.com/"> REVERB.COM</a> will be quite insightful.<br />
<br />
The typical player will almost always have a reverb pedal and a delay, those two are a must.<br />
<br />
However.....<br />
Jake elaborates on his addition of a Tube Dreamer, Octave Pedal, Volume Pedal and<br />
Looping effects.<br />
<br />
His set-up no doubt is the result of 100's if not 1000's of hours of experimentation with<br />
electronic pedals, in his quest for the perfect tone / sound. The most inventive players<br />
all seem to have this obsessive drive in common when it comes to trying out<br />
the greatest and latest gear.<br />
<br />
Like his guitar playing contemporaries, the use of pedals helps him create a sonic<br />
palette that is quite diverse in its range of dynamics from great big rich chords on the<br />
octave pedal to volume manipulation on his Hilton Volume Pedal....there's a wide<br />
variety of effects being used in his on stage shows to great success, especially<br />
given the limitations of a small acoustic instrument with nylon strings and the ever<br />
lurcking menace of feedback that can be inherent when plugging in<br />
ukuleles.<br />
<br />
I've personally built a style of early blues, ragtime, folk and old time<br />
string-band based repertoire on resonators where good microphones and<br />
their placement in relationship to your fretboard and sound hole are supreme.<br />
But when i perform in my blues quartet for my Jews N Blues Show i<br />
do plug in and have spent alot of time trying to figure out how to get a good<br />
blues tube sound out of my wood bodied ukuleles. But this is a whole different<br />
beast so we'll save it for another post.<br />
<br />
Never the less, it interests me, to know what one of the most visible ukulele pros is<br />
using to get the sound he gets.<br />
<br />
There's no substitute for good technique and Jakes sound is based as much on<br />
his agility, expertise, rhythmic pizzaz, wide variety of strums, picking patterns,<br />
single string lead style, chordal melody playing and inventive arranging as<br />
it is on effects pedals.<br />
<br />
Bottom line....the effects pedals are the icing on the cake!<br />
<br />
<b>Check out this very informal and intimate patter on his pedal effects...</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiotIXpi1M"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbiotIXpi1M</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
America's Hardest Working Uke Star- Jake Shimabukuro<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://stanfordartsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/jake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://stanfordartsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/jake.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Here's a link to Jakes Site</b>: <a href="http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/">http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/ </a><br />
<br />
<b>Hear some of Jakes Newest Record Streaming on Amazon:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Sessions-Jake-Shimabukuro/dp/B01JO9LT02/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488227679&sr=8-2&keywords=jake+shimabukuro">https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Sessions-Jake-Shimabukuro/dp/B01JO9LT02/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488227679&sr=8-2&keywords=jake+shimabukuro</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoyed this blog post,<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Lil Rev (C)(P) Fountain of Uke </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>2-27-17</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>www.lilrev.com </b></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-73872929252694565672017-02-22T10:45:00.001-06:002017-02-22T12:41:02.806-06:00Dan Scanlan's New "Cool Hand" Soprano UkeI've known Dan Scanlan for almost 20 years now....<br />
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I have had the pleasure of working alongside him in Nova Scotia at the Ceilidh,</div>
<div>
as well as at countless festivals across the U.S. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In a sea of posers, I have long championed Dan as the "real deal," and he's why...</div>
<div>
his heart is so undeniably rooted in all things ukulele and he's paid his toll after decades </div>
<div>
of championing the ukulele (and long before it was cool).</div>
<div>
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He is unassuming, down to earth, salt of the earth, a consummate ukulele historian, </div>
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and a strong player with a unique style all his own. </div>
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Its these things and more, that keep me interested in what my pal Dan is up to ukulele-wise.</div>
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Recently, he has begun promoting a new line of ukulele's with his signature "Cool Hand Uke" model. </div>
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What follows is a short interview with him. </div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">1-<b>Tell us about your ukulele responsibilities these days</b>? What are you involved with in terms of clubs, festivals, teaching, etc.</span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">I continue to direct and teach Cool Hand Uke’s Strum Bums Ukulele Extravaganza Rescue and Relief Band. We have met weekly since 1999 and perform publicly 60 to 90 gigs each year—assisted living, convalescent and retirement homes, schools, county fairs and various community fund-raisers. We received a standing ovation at the New York Ukulele Festival, served as the “house band” at the Santa Cruz CA Festival, and have performed at the Honolulu International Ukulele Festival twice. </i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">My 75-lesson ukulele course Play Uke Now at </i><a class="" href="http://udemy.com/" style="color: #ef692a; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">udemy.com</i></span></a><i class=""> has more than 1600 students from 67 countries. Three iBooks on the ukulele, including ukulele history, are on Apple’s iTunes.</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">For the past ten years I have toured from California to Nova Scotia and back giving workshops and performances bi-annually. This year would have been a tour year but the anchor gig where I emcee, the Liverpool Nova Scotia International Ukulele Ceilidh, is not hosting American players this year due to the current exchange rate and the unpredictable border situation.</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">I am currently developing a two-set, one-man show of primarily original tunes on ukulele, rajão, braguinha, baritone, harmonica and baglama to take on the road later this year.</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">2-<b>What's so endearing about the ukulele to you after all these years?</b></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">The friendliness of the ukulele continues to give me the strength to express my political, social and justice concerns without alienating those who don’t share my stunning insight. As a tool to access my heart, spleen and neurotransmitters it has elevated my highs and softened the hard bumps in my life. The ukulele is multi-cultural both in the annals of history and in the current day. The ukulele is the cynosure of the most effective peace movement on the planet today. What’s not to hold dear?</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">3-<b>What's a quote-able Dan Scanlan saying as it pertains to the ukulele .....impart some wisdom</b></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Quote from my website:</span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">WHY UKULELE?</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">The ukulele can be</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cradled like a baby,</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">Sing like a bird and</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is small enough to</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">Emanate large and</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Absorb and expand</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">The subtle emotion</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The player Feels.</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">It's here now</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>And there then.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3rQdWbkwDDlElhyphenhyphenwvCpNYXvyuitl2N4wSYGhbfHODe4-zTFu6-OJEBJIInD2zvBrDkL2wqVHovRhLy8jF6W3mb49aitIeOK73fqxTsyoD15KZvyHVFTUKRCIQoAf8y2zoWsEE6CoodU/s1600/DAN+WITH+CHU.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3rQdWbkwDDlElhyphenhyphenwvCpNYXvyuitl2N4wSYGhbfHODe4-zTFu6-OJEBJIInD2zvBrDkL2wqVHovRhLy8jF6W3mb49aitIeOK73fqxTsyoD15KZvyHVFTUKRCIQoAf8y2zoWsEE6CoodU/s320/DAN+WITH+CHU.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The final quote from The Mighty Uke Movie trailer:</div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">There’s a lot of music in the ukulele—a lot of music!</i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">4- <b>Why Cool Hand Ukulele Soprano Ukuleles</b>? How Much? Where to Get em' ? Why would someone want one of these over the slew of other instruments now available? </span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">I’ve dreamed of offering a signature ukulele for decades. Many of the early players gave their names to ukuleles—Wendall Hall, Roy Smeck, Bobby Henshaw, May Singhi Breen, Arthur Godfrey. It is a thread of ukulele culture. As a one time radio host I shared that experience, too, with Hall, Breen and Godfrey. Being able to offer my own ukulele was akin to offering my own songs, performances, lessons and recordings. And any uke I offered would have to be the original ukulele, now called a soprano, sound good, be sturdy, play well and be beautiful. At one time I fantasized making ukuleles, but that thought vanished when I found this one. </i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">After investigating 100s of ukuleles I came across one that had it all—beautiful, great sustain and volume, comfortable playability, exceptional intonation. In short a true ukulele I could be proud to give my name. I had hoped to be able to offer my ukulele for under $200, but shipping costs and refinements made that impossible. I am however happy to be able to offer it for $320, substantially less than other ukuleles in its class. They are available at my website </i><a class="" href="http://www.coolhanduke.com/" style="color: #ef692a; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">www.coolhanduke.com</i></span></a><i class="">, and at several music stores, including Wonderwall Emporium in Chicago Heights IL. </i></span></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class="">The Cool Hand Uke is precision crafted on state of the art computer controlled machinery of spruce, rosewood and mahagony. The spruce top is strengthened by fanned “flying arch” braces that straddle the bridge plate, allowing the majority of the top to reverberate stronger and longer. Rather than a large sound hole in the center that is often muffled by the player’s hand, a smaller hole and pearlescent rosette is located at the top of the small bout. A larger hole is located on the upper side of the large bout so the player can hear clearly. Fret location dots on the top and sides of the rosewood fretboard help the player identify where to play. The tuners enclose smooth action gears for easy tuning. The nut and saddle are bone, and the top is bound in rosewood and shell. Aquila strings are used. I play and verify the integrity of each instrument before it is shipped. I commissioned 40 of them. Each is numbered on the back of the peghead (I play Number 1 every day). Although I own many high-end ukuleles, this is the one that has become my favorite and that responds best to my styles of playing, whether heavy percussion or soft tickling.</i></span></div>
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<i> </i></div>
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<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i class=""> Dan Scanlan's New Cool Hand Uke Soprano Model </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CNfGeqE2dDTYXsAnohOa1suOmdJGh85wL9WVAlF_IbEKSW8mUS4YV4BBwcAH0mclR6VFg1Fim3nDF26oJMcZYDL4UUIGe0vPA-tuIvCnZruYkHmw5iaDeXVOIJBhTnLUry0ag_Nt3rU/s1600/IMG_1475+%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CNfGeqE2dDTYXsAnohOa1suOmdJGh85wL9WVAlF_IbEKSW8mUS4YV4BBwcAH0mclR6VFg1Fim3nDF26oJMcZYDL4UUIGe0vPA-tuIvCnZruYkHmw5iaDeXVOIJBhTnLUry0ag_Nt3rU/s320/IMG_1475+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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{Please Note: this is not a paid ad for this instrument, it is merely a flag to let folks know that this product is out and on the market. Lil Rev has not played one of these instruments and its merits are based on the opinion of Dan Scanlan}</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-58801773012582610552017-02-09T18:48:00.001-06:002017-02-09T18:48:08.538-06:00Teaching @ Elderly Instruments in MarchAfter a long hiatus, I'll be heading back to Michigan to teach a few classes<br />
at Elderly Instruments (<a href="https://www.elderly.com/">https://www.elderly.com </a>) in Lansing.<br />
<br />
It was way back in the mid-90's that Elderly took a big chance on a little known<br />
record called <i><b>Uke Town,</b> </i>which was my first real attempt to feature a mess'o<br />
ukulele on wax.<br />
<br />
Thanks in part to long time employees at Elderly like Chris Rietz,<br />
Brian Hefferan, Stan Werbin, Libby and a few others, the store began to play my<br />
CD in store alot, which led to new fans, gigs and a very appreciate musician...Lil Rev!<br />
<br />
In 1996, that same year, they also featured my <i><b>Uke Town</b></i> <a href="https://www.lilrev.com/cd-uke-town">https://www.lilrev.com/cd-uke-town</a><br />
as a "HOT PLATTER, in their mail order catalogue, which also boosted sales and encourage<br />
me to make a full length, "all" ukulele record (the fountain of uke series).<br />
<br />
I've always felt a huge debt of gratitude to Elderly and their dedicated staff<br />
for recognizing that the ukulele was coming back (way ahead of the national curve)<br />
and that they deemed me worthy enough to stock my recordings on their showroom floor and<br />
in their catalogue was something i'll always be grateful for. It really helped get<br />
the word out about what i was doing with regards to the ukulele.<br />
<br />
Elderly started in the 1970's as just a small operation and thru alot of hard work,<br />
owner Stan Werbin and a very dedicated crew have put Lansing, MI on the map<br />
for like-minded acoustics music lovers, traditional players, local students<br />
and an international customer base that looks forward to receiving the elderly catalog<br />
even more so in this digital era, whence it really does feel good to hold something real<br />
in your hands!<br />
<br />
Musicians and music lovers the world over love visiting Elderly, and who wouldn't?<br />
Guitars galor, banjo's, mandolins, ukuleles, books, records, and all the accouterments<br />
one might consider as a picker are available at Elderly. <br />
<br />
Thank you Stan, Chris, Brian, Libby and so many others at Elderly!<br />
<br />
I will be teaching 2 workshops on Saturday March 4th-<br />
<br />
11am-12:30pm- <b>The Blues & Boogie of Leadbelly For Ukulele. (open to all levels)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://www.elderly.com/the-blues-boogie-of-leadbely-a-ukulele-workshop-with-lil-rev-saturday-march-4-2017-11-am-12-30-pm.htm">https://www.elderly.com/the-blues-boogie-of-leadbely-a-ukulele-workshop-with-lil-rev-saturday-march-4-2017-11-am-12-30-pm.htm</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
3pm-4:30pm- <b>Learn 6 Triplet Strokes on the Ukulele. (open to all levels) </b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.elderly.com/calendar/revtrips/">https://www.elderly.com/calendar/revtrips/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
If you're a local ukulele player and you can't make the elderly classes in March, i'll be back in the area in June at the<b> Midwest Ukulele Camp (June 23rd-25th) </b>teaching with a world class cast of Ukulele & Harmonica players for a full weekend of jamming, workshops, vendors, and more. <a href="http://www.midwestukecamp.com/">http://www.midwestukecamp.com</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gAVh_ZV5W2E_cKb92HhIQB7MqDjQy16nRTfDX7IqDQk_cadKU01gjtv_ahxpP3FL54RlXkyGThkiZp854F4fPYX4VaukVdyYryDYTYjn9BLaL6sRpN14yBAurhF1hS22XCaB1jxi5KE/s1600/IMG_5296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gAVh_ZV5W2E_cKb92HhIQB7MqDjQy16nRTfDX7IqDQk_cadKU01gjtv_ahxpP3FL54RlXkyGThkiZp854F4fPYX4VaukVdyYryDYTYjn9BLaL6sRpN14yBAurhF1hS22XCaB1jxi5KE/s320/IMG_5296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;">My Good Pal, Ukulele Guru and longtime Elderly Employee Brian Hefferan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZDQ_J2HcV18/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZDQ_J2HcV18?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Brian and I doing St. James Infirmary Blues </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-15835914534605076982016-07-07T00:33:00.003-05:002016-07-07T00:33:38.882-05:00Lil Rev's 2016 CD release: Claw & Hammer Liner Notes<b>Notes On The Making of My New Claw & Hammer CD</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>The Idea:</b></div>
<div>
In the early winter months of 2016, after an nearly unbearable 2015, i decided i'd focus my </div>
<div>
mind on something positive whilst my daughter and i whiled away the cold, </div>
<div>
dark winter months that proceded Carol's passing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To that end, i determined that a new recording project might be </div>
<div>
just the ticket! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Having endured a treacherous year of illness, depression, and </div>
<div>
near death myself (stung by a black wasp and went into Anaphylaxis shock), </div>
<div>
i needed this project to be light, fun and easy. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Given this, I pulled out a list of tunes i'd been compiling over the last couple of years; </div>
<div>
mostly early country, folk and pre-bluegrass type stuff that i aimed to record </div>
<div>
with a claw-hammer bent to them. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>About My Claw-Hammer Roots: </b><br />
<br />
My love of banjo playing was mostly inspired by backing up my longtime<br />
music pal John Nicholson of Frogwater. John is an incredible player and<br />
over the years i grew to love old time banjo mostly thru backing him up.<br />
<br />
I was asked to teach a folk instruments class for educators and music majors<br />
at The University of WI-Milwaukee many years ago and it was during this time<br />
that i taught myself the claw-hammer banjo.<br />
<br />
The late Gail Heil of Spring Grove, MN was also a huge help along the way, when<br />
one summer day she took the time to teach me the actual claw-hammer stroke.<br />
<br />
I practiced it for about 4 weeks before i really started getting comfortable with it.<br />
<br />
Over the years i came to love banjo music and listened intently to: Doc Boggs, Stephen Wade,<br />
Hobart Smith, Uncle Dave, Grandpa Jones, Riley Baugus, Walt Kokenen, Steve Rosen,<br />
Jim Eyman, Cathy Fink, Howard Bursen, Peter Thornquist, Ken Perlman, Clarence Ashley,<br />
and 100's of others, all of whom informed and inspired me.<br />
<br />
As the years wore on, i discovered that i enjoyed playing the claw-hammer stroke alot more on the ukulele than i did on the actual banjo and a repertoire of tunes began to take shape.<br />
<br />
<b>About The Album: </b><br />
<br />
I recorded the record in Milwaukee, WI at Surround in Sound Studios under the steady hand of Jonathan Leubner (where i've done many a project).<br />
<br />
The Musicians i included are some of the best around!<br />
<br />
<b>Session #1</b> was a solo session. I recorded:<br />
Old No. 7 and original instrumental piece<br />
Epiphany in Gm another solo instrumental piece also...<br />
Ragged But Right, Skillet Good N Greasy, <br />
<br />
<b>Session #2:</b> Was an incredible experience, once again i leaned hard on<br />
a few of my favorite harmony singers: Jim Eannelli, Robin Pluer, John & Mike Sieger<br />
and Peter Roller (to overdub) a handful of tunes including: No Mo' Cane On The Brazos,<br />
Gonna See The King, Green Grows The Laurel and<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Session #3:</b><br />
Bob Bovee and Lynn Chirps Smith came in for a session of old time fiddle tunes<br />
and these two guys have both been my hero's for years. They know old time music<br />
and together we recorded: Cotton Eyed Joe, Possum On A Rail, Dandy Lusk and<br />
Spider Bit The Baby with Bob on guitar and mouth harp and Chirps on Fiddle.<br />
I was going for an old time string-band sound and decided for my part to employ<br />
the banjo-ukulele which was rhythmically the driving force behind many great string<br />
bands in the 20's and 30's including The Fiddling Powers Family, Al Hopkin's Buckle<br />
Busters and Da Costa Wolz's Southern Broadcasters.<br />
<br />
The Last Session (#4) included local guitar hero Jason Klagstad whose 6 string ukulele work<br />
brought new life to the old Hank Garland tune: Sugar Foot Rag.<br />
<br />
John Nicholson played rhythm ukulele on this session (as well the Angeline The Baker Duet) and Guy Fiorentini added upright bass on a bevy of tunes from Sugar Foot Rag and Snow Drop to Walking Boss.<br />
<br />
Also in the mix was my dear old pals Will Branch (Guitar) and Dave Fox (Fiddle) who came in to record Liza Jane an old fiddle tune i'd learned from Dave and Jim Eyman's playing on an old cassette tape.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>About The Tunes: </b><br />
<br />
Cotton Eyed Joe- I learned this from Kenny Hall. I play a gold-tone banjo ukulele on this.<br />
Epiphany in Gm- I wrote this in Tampa, FL in 2014.<br />
Gonna See The King- Learned this from an old Washington Phillips Record.<br />
Keep My Skillet Good N Greasy-An Uncle Dave Macon Tune.<br />
Old No. 7- I wrote this after a Krav Maga Class. No. 7 is one of 7 defensive elbow strikes.<br />
Possum On A Rail-I was turned onto this tune by John Nicholson, whom i credit with inspiring me<br />
to learn many great fiddle tunes.<br />
Morning Blues- Another Uncle Dave Macon Tune<br />
Old Joe Clark-A Stringband Standard...is there anyone who hasn't heard this tune?<br />
Don't Say Goodbye: Blue Sky Boys Tune i have always loved.<br />
Angeline The Baker: Stephen Foster Classic piece<br />
Walking Boss- Clarence Ashley was my source<br />
Spider Bit The Baby-Dave Para and Cathy Barton were my source for this Kenny Baker Tune<br />
Portland County Jail- Art Thieme was my source for this Carl Sandburg American Songbag Tune<br />
Green Grows The Laurel-Don Edwards was my source for this beautiful old broken hearted love song<br />
Snow Drop-Sam and Kirk McGhee was the roots, Ken Middleton and Cathy Fink were the catalysts<br />
Dick Norman- Loman Cansler of Folkways records collected tons of great tunes in Missouri<br />
Fiddling Dave's Liza Jane-Dave Fox was my source<br />
Ragged But Right- Riley Puckett was my source for this Tin Pan Alley-Esq tune<br />
Dandy Lusk- Spencer and Raines are two of my favorite young fogies and they were my source for this cool 1 chord tune.<br />
Ain't No More Cane- I have always loved this one, to be found in the Lomax collection: Folk Songs of North America.<br />
Sugar foot Rag-Hank Garland is the only source for this!<br />
Ginny's Gone Away; The hidden track i learned from Joe Hickerson, former head of The Library of Congress Folk Archive<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-74696657029695735852016-07-06T09:35:00.001-05:002016-07-06T09:35:06.609-05:00Sugar Babe Blues in Wall, SD<br /><br />
This summer i am traveling with my daughter Mariela Rose and my<br /><br />
girlfriend Jenna Lynn on a summer tour of the west coast.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
We are stopping in: WA, OR, CA to teach and perform ukulele.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
The route west will take us thru Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming,<br /><br />
Montana and finally Washington. This western experience is at the heart<br /><br />
of what i love about being on the road....big open sky, horses, cattle,<br /><br />
rusted cars, broken fences, tiny ma and pop cafes, black coffee, bonding<br /><br />
time with family and friends, and lots of jamming and practicing time<br /><br />
as we traverse from town to town.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
While in Wall, South Dakota the following video was shot:<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Morning Coffee, Just Picking some tunes, rehearsing for my tour.<br /><br />
There's a whole slew of tunes i never perform on stage, just things i like<br /><br />
to play when i am at home on the porch. That's what i was doing<br /><br />
playing Sugar Babe, when Jenna turned on the video and caught me<br /><br />
rocking out.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
I first heard this played by Mance Lipscomb of Texas, via an old Arhoolie<br /><br />
record.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Lots of old time banjo players seemed to love this song and i speculate<br /><br />
it was a standard piece that was shared by alot of different folks around<br /><br />
the country from the 1930's thru ?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
I am no stickler for perfection, i am guessing and i could sing and pick this<br /><br />
tune much better if i recorded it over and over again like most folks do prior to posting<br /><br />
a video.. but this was just a magic moment caught in the morning<br /><br />
while i wasn't in need of anything that even remotely resembled perfection...<br /><br />
these are the moments when we are plugged into that intangible something<br /><br />
and the heart knows only now...when our senses are wide open and free will<br /><br />
courses thru our blood. Ah! The magic of the road. Enjoy Sugar Babe.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d8O3xxdjGhE" width="459"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-20009249586886545842016-04-18T09:07:00.002-05:002016-04-19T10:45:58.406-05:00The Triumphant Return of Lil Rev To The Festival Circuit <br />
Hello Dear Friends,<br />
<br />
This weekend marked a turning point for me as i headed out to teach and perform<br />
at The Traverse City Ukulele Festival in Michigan.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://mightyukefesttraversecity.com/">https://mightyukefesttraversecity.com</a><br />
<br />
2015 was the lowest point in my life...as my family and I suffered with the loss of<br />
our dear Carol to lung cancer.<br />
<br />
We fought valiantly for 10 months and tried everything.<br />
In the end, carol decided home hospice was the best option, so....<br />
<br />
I cancelled the vast majority of my work (and it was a stellar year for bookings) and<br />
it was only thru the good grace of my fans, family and local community that we kept<br />
afloat all those months. God Bless all of you....Thank you! Thank you for all your<br />
help. We will always be grateful to you.<br />
<br />
While my 2016 show will recount some of these painful moments....mostly my daughter<br />
and I will celebrate life as we always have. For we must go on, pick up the pieces of a<br />
shattered life and begin to make it whole once again.<br />
<br />
I am especially proud of my daughter Mariela, she has been defiant in keeping her mom's<br />
memory burning brightly in our home each day. She has weathered a terrible turn<br />
that no kid should have to live thru and somehow, with grace and strength come<br />
out on the other side resolute in her conviction that momma is now in a better place.<br />
This kid is tough, she is a deep souled little trouper whose love and affection knows<br />
no end. She has been my inspiration thru this dark, forbidding period in our life.<br />
She looks to me each day for guidance, but someday when she is grown i will remind<br />
her how she got up each morning and found the strength to go to school even as<br />
her mom was gasping for each breath and starving to get calories in her.<br />
<br />
Grief is the oddest of bedfellows and i did more than my share of sleeping with it.<br />
<br />
In the end, i decided that my dear Carol was right..." love is the highest vibration"<br />
<br />
I had, had enough crying, mourning, and being depressed. It was time, for my daughter's<br />
sake and my own health's sake to pull it together and start breathing in the nectar of life<br />
once again.<br />
<br />
For me, this means a full palate of play with my daughter, Hapkido, Skateboarding, gigs,<br />
work on a new ukulele album and getting my waylaid lilrev.com biz rolling again.<br />
<br />
To honor Carol we have planned a summer tour of the west coast titled: Scatter The<br />
Ashes Tour. Carol expressed to me a few days before she passed, that "those were the<br />
happiest days of her life, when all three of us where on the road together and Mariela was<br />
but a wee beansprout and we'd make our south by southwest...west coast run each<br />
winter for 3 months. We made alot of friends, saw some beautiful country and had<br />
alot of great times together. So to honor her wishes, Mariela, Jenna Lynn and I will embark<br />
on a whirlwind 6 week tour of WA, OR and CA before returning home.<br />
<br />
Both prior to the summer tour and after, this year is shaping up nicely.<br />
<br />
I am booked at the following ukulele festivals and Music Camps this year....and man am i looking forward to getting back out on the road....so i intend to be there!<br />
<br />
<b>Traverse City Ukulele Festival-</b>April 16th in MI<br />
<br />
<b>Wheatland Traditional Arts Weekend </b>-May 27th, 28th and 29th Remus, MI<br />
<br />
<b>Great MN Ukulele Gathering</b> - June 3rd, 4th and 5th<br />
<a href="http://www.bluegrassfun.com/2015-great-minnesota-uke-gathering.html">http://www.bluegrassfun.com/2015-great-minnesota-uke-gathering.html </a><br />
<br />
<b>Midwest Ukulele Camp- </b>June 24th, 25th and 26th<br />
<a href="http://www.midwestukecamp.com/">http://www.midwestukecamp.com</a> Olivette, MI<br />
<br />
<b>Scatter The Ashes Summer Tour </b>of The West Coast - July 8th thru August 4th<br />
see: <a href="http://www.lilrev.com/">www.lilrev.com </a><br />
<br />
<b>Strathmore Ukulele & Guitar Summit-</b> August 13th thru the 17th<br />
<a href="https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/uke-summit-16">https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/uke-summit-16</a><br />
North Bethesda, MD<br />
<br />
<b>Midwest Ukulele Festival</b>-August 20th and 21st Woodburn, IN<br />
<br />
<b>Milwaukee Ukulele Festival</b>- Saturday October 1st -Milwaukee, WI<br />
<br />
<br />
Uke-Fully,<br />
<br />
Lil Rev<br />
www.lilrev.com<br />
<br />
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silly faces circa 2015 </div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-8797354183998270012015-03-25T09:30:00.002-05:002015-03-25T09:58:03.349-05:002015 California Uke Nation Tour Dear West Coast Ukulele Friends,<br />
<br />
This July 2015...<br />
<br />
I will be embarking on my annual California Ukulele Nation Tour.<br />
<br />
While the length of the tour and its stops may vary from year to year...I rarely miss a beat<br />
when it comes to touring CA. <br />
<br />
CA has more ukulele clubs and music stores per capita, than almost any<br />
other state in the union and for that reason, i always manage to find plenty<br />
of receptive eyes and ears for me to ply my ukulele trade.<br />
<br />
Over the years, i have made so many wonderful friends in this great state that<br />
i really relish the opportunity to see all my musical pals as i traverse the state.<br />
<br />
As an author, educator and entertainer, touring, teaching and performing<br />
are at the top of my list when it comes to making a living doing what i love.<br />
<br />
Thus, my annual California Tour.<br />
<br />
This year i am touring in support of my new ukulele instructional book titled:<br />
<b>Fiddle Tunes for Ukulele. <a href="http://halleonard.com/">http://halleonard.com</a> (</b>co-authored with J. Nicholson)<br />
<b><br /></b>
I also have a new double CD of Mouth Organ music titled: <b>Harmonica Americana</b><br />
that i will be promoting at my shows and integrating into my ukulele concerts as well.<br />
<br />
I will present a wide array of different workshops and these will vary depending on<br />
the venue, club, or store that books me.<br />
<br />
Here are the tour stops for this years California Trip:<br />
<br />
<b>July 24th & 25th</b>- Island Bazaar 7pm, Huntington Beach, CA<br />
<b>July 26th- </b>The Coffee Gallery Backstage-7pm Alta Dena, CA<br />
<b>July 27th-</b> The SLO Art Center- 6pm San Luis Obispo, CA<br />
<b>July 28th-</b>Fun Strummers Group-6pm- Modesto, CA<br />
<b>July 29th</b>- Cool Hand Uke's House Concert-7pm Grass Valley, CA<br />
<b>July 30th & 31st</b>- The Strum Shop 7pm Sacramento, CA<br />
<b>Aug. 1st-</b> Gryphon Stringed Instruments Shop (two workshops) 1pm on... Palo Alto, CA<br />
<b>Aug. 2nd</b>... Homeward Bound, Milwaukee, WI<br />
<br />
If any of you have questions about my tour, please feel free to contact me at: lilrev@lilrev.com<br />
<br />
I look forward to seeing you in July!<br />
<br />
Musically,<br />
<br />
Lil Rev<br />
<a href="http://www.lilrev.com/">www.lilrev.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(C) Colin Coleman 2014</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-25300782373232753362014-10-01T22:30:00.001-05:002015-03-25T09:56:13.383-05:002015 Uke CampsHey friends<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2015 is shaping up to be a stellar year </div>
<div>
with a slew of great teaching opportunities.<br />
<br />
Things are just about to get rolling...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you are looking to catch me out on the road at a ukulele festival near you, please </div>
<div>
consider one of the following 11 events: </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Reno Uke Fest</b>-May 1st and 2nd</div>
<div>
<b>Denver Uke Fest</b>-May 15th & 16th </div>
<div>
<b>Memphis Acoustic Guitar Festival</b>-June 5th<br />
<b>Folkcraft Workshop-</b> June 26th (IN)<br />
<b>California Uke Tour-</b>July 24th thru Aug. 1st</div>
<div>
<b>Midwest Uke Fest-</b>August 14th & 15th<br />
<b>New Jersey Uke Fest</b>-August 28th, 29th and 30th<br />
<b>Funky Frets Uke Fest-</b> October 2nd and 3rd </div>
<div>
<b>Port Townsend Uke Fest-</b>October 15th, 6th, 17th, 18th<br />
N<b>ova Scotia, Canada</b>-October 23rd, 24th </div>
<div>
<b>Milwaukee Uke Fest</b>-November 21st </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stay tuned!</div>
<div>
More to come</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lil Rev </div>
<div>
www.lilrev.com<br />
<br />
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<b> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by: Colin Coleman (C) 2014 </span></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-37869306512301841732014-09-23T11:29:00.003-05:002014-09-23T11:29:38.403-05:00Getaway Weekend in NJLil Rev is heading to NJ for The Folk Projects <b>GETAWAY WEEKEND</b><br />Oct. 10th thru the 12th. <br /><br />Here's some info:<br /><br />
The Folk Project Acoustic Getaway is three exciting days of music for<br />
players and listeners; October 10-12, 2014 in North Jersey. It features blues<br />
phenom Toby Walker, international roots and jazz quartet The Jammin’ Divas,<br />
folk super group The No Fuss & Feathers Roadshow, uke master and raconteur<br />
Li’l Rev, flat picking and songwriting star Jim Hurst, Folk Project favorite<br />
Chris Bukata & Friends, and folk rockers with style and joy The Yankee Caravan. <br /><br />This friendly weekend community of performers and guests share<br />
3 concerts, nearly 50 workshops and activities, jamming, song swaps,<br />
and more. Food, lodging, concerts and all activities are included in one<br />
low price. Indoor workshops and concerts make it weatherproof.<br />
<br />
<br />
For details visit: <br />
<a href="http://www.folkproject.org./">www.folkproject.org.</a><br />
<br />
We hope to see you there! <br />
<br /> <br /> <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-84428750373627141842014-09-13T06:47:00.001-05:002014-09-13T06:47:57.090-05:00Lil Rev in Michigan this Week<div>Hello Friends,</div><div><br></div>This weekend I am working in Lansing, MI at the much beloved grand-daddy of all music stores, Elderly Instruments.<div><br></div><div>Teaching three ukulele workshops and a performance in old town Saturday night the 13th.</div><div><br></div><div>While in Lansing...</div><div>I'm Looking forward to hanging with my pals Lynn and Brian of the fabulous heftone's </div><div><br></div><div>Brian and I have a grand tradition of playing lots of Uke and then making a video to share on You Tube.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday the 14th I will be teaching and performing at the Ludington Arts Center. Afternoon Uke workshop and </div><div>Evening concert.</div><div><br></div><div>Monday morning I'll rise early and board </div><div>The S.S. Badger (Ferry) which will shuttle me across the Great Lake Michigan and back to WI.</div><div><br></div><div>I always enjoy the ride and like the time to read and reflect on my travels. </div><div><br></div><div>Ah! Life on the road or should I say, water! </div><div><br></div><div>Lil Rev </div><div>www.lilrev.com</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-32892058615120139452014-09-03T13:10:00.000-05:002014-09-03T13:23:37.993-05:00New! Fiddle Tunes for Ukulele Book Coming Soon! Hello Friends,<br />
<br />
I have some really exciting news!<br />
<br />
After a many years of hard work and 100's of hours arranging, John Nicholson<br />
(Milwaukee, WI Based Ukulele Superhero!) and I are eagerly anticipating the release<br />
of a our new book titled: <b>Fiddle Tunes for Ukulele </b>(Hal Leonard)<b> </b><br />
<br />
The book will be <b>48</b> pages in length and contain well over <b>40 </b>instrumental arrangements<br />
of both known and uncommon fiddle tunes. We've included historic photos of the<br />
famous and some long since, forgotten fiddlers whom inspired this music, as well<br />
as arrangements in the campanella, finger-style, single-string lead style, chordal, and<br />
claw-hammer approaches.<br />
<br />
This book will meet the approval of both the beginning student of old time music as well<br />
as the seasoned picker, looking for a real challenge.<br />
<br />
There tunes are derived from an array of different old time dance traditions including:<br />
Marches, Polkas, Reels, Jigs, Waltzes, Novelty, Rags, Schottische, Breakdowns, and more!<br />
<br />
We'd like to think of this book as one of the most comprehensive collections<br />
of fiddle tunes arranged for ukulele currently on the market. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>A Bit About My Co-Author: </b><br />
<br />
While John Nicholson isn't widely known on the international ukulele scene, i suspect it<br />
won't be long before he is.<br />
<br />
He is a great musician, finger-picker, strumming maniac and all around stellar musician<br />
equally adept on Guitar, Banjo, Tiple, Mandolin, Jaw Harp, and Ukulele. <br />
<br />
John and i met in Milwaukee back in the early 90's, back in our early busking, bar-room<br />
free-wheeling days.<br />
<br />
John started playing Ukulele just about the same time i did. Back then, the ukulele<br />
was very uncool! Never the less, we both loved the sweet, sultry and happy<br />
sound of dem 4 strings and quickly set about performing: Hokum, Blues, Jug Band,<br />
Tin Pan Alley and Fiddle Tunes on the ukulele.<br />
<br />
John is especially adept at the banjo-uke and tiple. Matter of fact, if you own any of my<br />
recordings, chances are you'll hear John on many of them including Uke Town, Fountain of<br />
Uke Vol. 1 and That Old Madness to name a few. <br />
<br />
John has taught at the prestigious Milwaukee Irish Festival Summer School, University of WI-Milwaukee Adult Ed, Wheatland Traditional Music Camp, Ear Full of Fiddle and many<br />
other places. His instrumental prowess is unbounded and his genuine enthusiasm for the material<br />
in this book shines thru. Thus, i am proud that this book (my first to co-author), was lovingly<br />
co-written with John Nicholson. I think you'll soon agree.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> John Nicholson Circa 2013- Courtesy of The Lil Rev Archive </span><br />
<br />
John is also the author of a number of ukulele books thru Hal Leonard including:<br />
Play Ukulele Today DVD, Play Ukulele Today Book 2, and Classical Tunes for<br />
Ukulele. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>When Will The Book Be Out?</b><br />
<br />
The word from the publisher at present is that it will hit the streets in late fall.<br />
<br />
Here is a link to Hal Leonard for follow up: <a href="http://www.halleonard.com/">http://www.halleonard.com/</a><br />
<br />
Here is a link to John & Susan Nicholson's Band page:<a href="http://www.frogwater.us/index.asp"> http://www.frogwater.us/index.asp</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lastly, here is a cool little interview that i did with Uke Maestro <b>Jim D'Ville of Three Questions </b>Fame<br />
<br />
<b>Fiddle Tunes For Ukulele: 3 Questions W/ Jim D' Ville </b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BO0hBriei8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BO0hBriei8</a><br />
<br />
<b> Lil Rev and John Nicholson</b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (C) Deone Jahnke</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-78557038865072640012014-07-23T08:18:00.001-05:002014-07-23T08:18:05.157-05:00The Albuquerque Ukekopelli Festival<br />
As many of you know, i have often toured NM on my Winter<br />
Uke Tours.<br />
<br />
Over the years i have performed for Chabad of Santa Fe, Yoga related<br />
events, The JCC of Albuquerque, and numerous music stores and workshops<br />
for regional ukulele clubs.<br />
<br />
Thus, I have always had a fascination with the High Desert and NM.<br />
<br />
So...<br />
<br />
I am thrilled to let all my fans know in the High Desert Region of NM, AZ,<br />
CO, TX that i will be teaching and performing at The African American Arts<br />
Center, as part of a weekend festival also featuring Heidi Swedberg and Daniel<br />
Ward. <br />
<br />
This is the first year out and i am eager to see how this great little festival will<br />
blossom! The event will showcase numerous workshops, vendors, raffle,<br />
concerts and more!<br />
<br />
Here is the link to their homepage: <a href="http://abqukefest.com/">http://abqukefest.com/ </a><br />
<br />
The event is being sponsored by a number of fine ukulele company's including Ohana,<br />
Kala and <b>Mya-Moe</b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Which is what I will be playing while i am there)</span><a href="http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/"> http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Whether you live in the area, or perhaps you are looking for an opportunity to travel,<br />
i hope you'll consider attending this fine event. Don't meet me there! Beat me there!<br />
<br />
Lil Rev<br />
<a href="http://www.lilrev.com/">www.lilrev.com </a><br />
<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668989543800135589.post-48941160458900329782014-07-01T06:06:00.004-05:002014-10-02T09:13:40.465-05:00The Art of Tuning The Ukulele Part #1This is an article about <u>Tuning The Ukulele</u> To <b>D6, C6 and Bb Major 6th </b><br>
<br>
As the ukulele revival moves forward, I have long felt that a basic review of some of the standard ukulele tunings would benefit many of my readers.<br>
<br>
While history notes that the Portuguese often tuned their instruments in C tuning. by the mid-1920's D tuning had become the standard and my own sheet music collection, supports this claim with published pieces dating back as early as 1917.<br>
<br>
Most scores of the day, in D tuning would include the tuning notes and chord diagrams, placed above their respective lyrics, for the general public's self-accompaniment.<br>
<br>
Advertising for the sheet music industry, makes it clear that ukuleles were not only big business but also a primary vehicle for the masses to strum along with the hit parade.<br>
<br>
My pal Dan Scanlan has a nice posting about the Ukulele's Evolution and its related tunings circa 2004, which might be a nice supplement to this blog post.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.coolhanduke.com/history.html">http://www.coolhanduke.com/history.html </a><br>
<br>
Dan cites May Singhi Breen as one of the main proponents to popularize D Tuning and this is the first i have heard of this claim. I want to know more! I am not sure i would credit<br>
her entirely. But none-the-less, she was in fact a very important link in the first wave<br>
ukulele revival. <br>
<br>
Thus, in the early days of the ukulele's rise towards popularity, it was primarily tuned: <b>A-D-F#-B,</b> otherwise known as <b>The D Major 6th tuning.</b> In other words, when you strum the strings open, it rings out as a D Major 6th Chord.<br>
<br>
For those of you used to<b> </b>using<b> C Tuning</b> (<b>G-C-E-A</b>), what this means, is that <u>every chord shape you know, goes up one whole step from C to D. </u><br>
<br>
Thus your <b>C</b> chord shape becomes a <b>D</b>, <b>F</b> becomes a <b>G</b>, <b>G</b> becomes an <b>A </b>and so on, and so on.<br>
<br>
This tuning really
sparkles on the soprano and concert size ukuleles and was the primary
catalyst for strumming in the heyday of the Hawaiian, Vaudeville and
Broadway Era.<br>
<br>
Today, many players like James Hill, Aaron Keim, Bob Brozman (the late), Del Rey and many others regularly use the D tuning and prefer its "brighter sound" to that of C tuning. Things really seem to pop when you play them in D tuning, especially if you are used to C tuning.<br>
<br>
A good way to ease into D Tuning, if you aren't already used to it, is to keep one of your ukuleles in C and one in D. That way you can mess around with both and not feel bound by the act of having to re-tune all the time. (Is there anyone who doesn't own more than one ukulele? Duh!) <div><br></div><div>Remember, some night find it easier </div><div>To simply apply a capo. which helps </div><div>You change the key without having to retune.</div><div><br></div><div> So, if you are in C tuning and you capo at the 2nd fret and you play a C chord, it is now D. G is A and F is G. Etc, Etc</div><div>
<br>
On a personal note, players like myself, John Nicholson, The Canotes, Aaron Keim,<br>
Ken Middleton and many other traditional players prefer the D Tuning when<br>
playing fiddle tunes on the ukulele. Since most fiddlers prefer to play in D, G and A,<br>
you'll want to maximize use of the open strings and positions which D tuning can offer.<br>
<br>
For Fiddle Tunes in the key of G, i might use C Tuning so i can access the high G string and play claw-hammer off the G chord shapes. So you see, there is a method to this<br>
madness and every good player, learns to utilize many different tunings, so they have<br>
them at their disposal when arranging a new piece of music. Trial and error is the<br>
best teacher for this sort of thing and exploration breeds innovation, as you come<br>
to see what works and what doesn't with this regard. <br>
<br>
The Ukulele Hall of Fame offers this free public domain chart of the D
Tuning chord<br>
forms and you'll also find the C tuned chord link as well,
both available for download. <br>
<br>
As a reference, you might find it helpful to follow this link to see a nice <b>D Tuning Chord Chart: </b><br>
<b><a href="http://www.ukulele.org/?Downloads"> http://www.ukulele.org/?Downloads </a> </b><br>
<br>
Other links for <b>D Tuned Chord Charts</b> include:<br>
<b>Ukulele Boogaloo's</b>: <a href="http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/chords/chords-ADFB.html">http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/chords/chords-ADFB.html</a><br>
<b>Ukulele-Arts</b>: <a href="http://www.ukulele-arts.com/die-ukulele/chord-tables/?lang=en">http://www.ukulele-arts.com/die-ukulele/chord-tables/?lang=en</a><br>
<b>UkuChords.com:</b> <a href="http://ukuchords.com/ukulele-chord-charts/">http://ukuchords.com/ukulele-chord-charts/ </a><br>
<br>
<b>Chord Creation Software</b>: <a href="http://www.chordwizard.com/gold.aspx">http://www.chordwizard.com/gold.aspx</a><br>
<br>
Lastly, i highly recommend that all of you smart phone users, download a Ukulele Chord<br>
Finder App for your smart phone. It makes things really handy and convenient when you<br>
are on the go and need to look up a chord shape on the fly.<br>
<br>
Here are a few you can check out:<br>
<br>
<b>Chord Apps:</b> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uchord-ukulele-chord-finder/id564189732?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uchord-ukulele-chord-finder/id564189732?mt=8</a><br>
<b>Ukulele Companion</b>: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ukulele-companion/id447292169?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ukulele-companion/id447292169?mt=8</a><br>
<b>Uke Master</b>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojYMoCI1KmM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojYMoCI1KmM</a><br>
<br>
<br>
The Canadians tune their ukuleles to D Tuning and it is a part of their national grade<br>
school curriculum for music education. This has its roots in Chalmer's Doane, whose<br>
own legacy is rooted in the influence of Roy Smeck and the romantic influence of<br>
vaudeville ukulele style and tunings, most of which gravitated towards D tuning.<br>
<br>
Today, my mainland compatriots are locked into C tuning, my books and most of the<br>
ukulele histeria is printed in C tuning and since about the 1950's it has come to<br>
proliferate amongst American and U.K players.<br>
<br>
C Tuning offers a sweet, lilting sound, not quite as bright or brash as D<br>
Tuning, and this too has its pluses and minuses.<br>
<br>
C Tuning, allows the strings to relax a bit and as a result of the minimal string tension,<br>
strumming is mellow and easy on the fingers. C Tuning supports the voice well and makes<br>
for a good home key to support the voice.<br>
<br>
C tuning is: <b>G-C-E-A</b><br>
<br>
Another Tuning that i like to use is called: Bb or Bb Major 6th tuning, which is:<b> F-Bb-D-G </b><br>
<br>
I love this tuning, as a performer i might want to utilize various chords positions and their<br>
related keys to better suit my voice in an arrangement. By having a C, D and Bb tuned<br>
ukulele handy, i can make those kind of choices as to which chord shapes compliment my arrangement and voice the best.<br>
<br>
If you are happy strumming in C, no need to change, but you might have fun messing<br>
around with some of these. Instrumentalists would do well to explore the possibilities<br>
that these tunings offer when arranging highly melodic pieces.<br>
<br>
<b>Bonus Tuning:</b> For those of you wanting to explore either fiddle tunes or slide on<br>
the ukulele, you might consider simply trying <b>G-C-E-G.</b> Its great for playing glass or<br>
ceramic slide with the ukulele's nylon strings or for coaxing a banjo friendly tuning out<br>
of the ukulele when playing claw-hammer ukulele. <br>
<br>
I hope your dog has fleas!<br>
<br>
Lil Rev<br>
www.lilrev.com <br>
<br>
PS: If you are totally new to tuning the ukulele, here are a couple of helpful sites & videos:<br>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_925387218"><br></a>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_925387218">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-uWfTmAQf4</a><br>
<a href="http://ukutuner.com/">http://ukutuner.com/</a><br>
<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Tune-a-Ukulele">http://www.wikihow.com/Tune-a-Ukulele</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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<b> Why Tune 6 strings, when you can tune just 4? </b><br>
<b></b> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1