What fun! Many thanks to Napaloha for hosting a delightful evening on the 25th. We had lots of new songs, met some new friends, and enjoyed overall merriment. We also decided to get together, again this Wednesday, November 11. We know a number of you are unable to make on Sunday evenings and we miss you. We’re hoping that an additional gathering on Wednesday evening will bring you back. Hope to see you there: Napaloha, November 11, 6 pm. After that, our next flea fest will be Sunday, November 29.
We did a couple of new songs and a few oldies but goodies. “Moon Glow (b),” which is in our song files, seems to be a perennial favorite, so please be sure to print it out and bring it with you next time. We also did “White Sandy Beach”a la IZ which you will also find in the song files and in the list to the right.
Here are a couple of tutorials by Jody Kamisoto you might enjoy. The first shows you the bare ‘ukulele basics and leads you into ”White Sandy Beach,” which you can try to strum along with in the second video:
(If you want to cut to the chase and play along with IZ, you can scroll down to the bottom of this post.)
One of the other new songs we enjoyed at the last flea fest was “Maui Hawaiian Sup’pa Man,” also from IZ’s Facing Future album. It, too, has been added to our song files and the list at the right so you can download it. Thank you , Earl, for bringing that one to us. Incidentally, if you print out our copy of “Maui HAwaiian Sup’pa Man” from the song files, you’ll also get the legend of Maui (courtesy of www. haupala.org). It’ll help you understand the lyrics immeasurably. To learn even more about Maui and how he snared the sun, you should visit Sacred-Texts.com. There’s a lot of great Hawaiian stories there if you poke around a bit.
Terry also keeps bringing in great songs. Last month he brought us “Tennessee Waltz” and “The Good Ship Lollypop.” I’ll get those posted ASAP.
And now for a word from our sponsor: As you all start planning your next trip to Hawai’i, don’t forget to check out the link to the right for Hawaiian Airlines. It’ll give you an automatic 5% discount on their lowest published fare, plus you’ll help us build “miles” in the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival’s account to help bring over more great artists from Hawai’i, such as Aldrinne Guerrero, Brittni Paiva, and Derick Sebastian for nest year. Speaking of the festival, save the date: September 10, 11, 12. We’re moving it up a month in 2010 and adding workshops on Sunday. More to come…..
I also hope you’ll check out Kani Ka Pila, my own on-line store full of all kinds of goodies for the ‘ukulele players in your life. By doing some of your holiday shopping at Kani Ka Pila, you’ll help keep this web log alive. You’ll find everything from the Kani Ka Pila Klip to ‘ukuleles, Jumpin’ Jim songbooks, tuners, hand exercisers, and Taylor’s DaKine Line ‘ukulele strings. So please, take a peek.
OK. Hula is coming to NapAloha. Some of you may have already had the very distinct privilege of taking a workshop from Debbie Haumea Aynaga at the ‘ukulele festival, or you may have had an opportunity meet her and her ‘ohana at NapAloha during the October Cheers event. In any case, she’s coming back to the Napa Valey teach hula on Sunday November 15 at NapAloha from 10am to 12pm. Hope to see you there, this is a very special opportunity, indeed.
And, finally, this just in from KALA, who will be hosting free ‘ukulele lessons and a concert to raise money for the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma on December 3:
Petaluma-based Kala Brand Music Co. will host an evening of free ukulele lessons on December 3, led by performers extraordinaire, the Ukalaliens, followed by a concert from which proceeds will be donated to the Phoenix Theater. Kala encourages beginners of all ages to join in and will make ukuleles available to attendees that don’t have their own.
It all begins at the Phoenix at 7:00pm with a free ukulele workshop followed by a concert scheduled to begin at 8:15. A donation of $10 for those 16 and older is suggested for entrance to the concert which will benefit the Phoenix Theater and its afterschool programs for the youth of Petaluma.
The Ukalaliens (aka Quality Folk) is composed of Kate Power and Steve Einhorn. Kate and Steve have shared the stage with folk luminaries such as Peter Seeger and have performed on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion”. They play guitar, banjo and ukulele and have a knack for engaging audiences and harmonizing with every community they visit. As an added bonus, our good friends, the Petalukes, will also be there to share a few tunes, as well.
For more information about Kala and the Ukalalians please visit: www.kalaukulele.com and www.qualityfolk.com or call Kala Brand Music at 707 775 4073. Those wanting to carpool can leave a comment here.
And that’s it for now. To take yu out, here’s Iz and “White Sandy Beach,” one more time. Grab your uke and sing along….it’s almost as good as being there…then hit the Hawaiian Airlines link above and book your flight.
If you missed the 2009 Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival, I’m sorry. It was an amazing 3 days. We’ll be posting videos, photos, and reports on the festival website as they come in. There are lots of folks to thank, but I want to take this particular opportunity to thank fellow flea jumpers: Eva, Patrick, Jeanne, Lois, and Diana for their very welcome and able assistance
MusicGuyMic on the Promenade
throughout the day; to Taylor, Ariel, Erich, Kathy, and Elaine Herrick for gracing us all with their talent on the Promenade Stage at Beringer Vineyards; to Rob and Sue for bringing their beautiful ‘ukuleles, hand-crafted right here in the Napa Valley, to Judd for hosting us Saturday night at Judd’s Hill; to John and Julie for hosting the luau Saturday night at Flora Springs; and to Steve for making that amazing event in the caves at Miner Family Vineyards happen on Sunday morning. Warm thanks also go to our friends from over the hill at the Petalukes: Clarice, Karen and Curtiss. We’re a great team. Let’s do it again.
Speaking of doing it again: Don’t forget our monthly flea jumper gathering at 6:00 pm, Sunday, October 25 at Napaloha, 1428 Main Street, in St. Helena. Diana has generously offered the store as a permanent gathering place for our monthly flea fests, so unless you hear otherwise, that’s where we’ll meet the last Sunday of the month. Bring pupus, as usual, but let’s also bring a beverage to share. Since it does require some reconfiguring of the store to make room for us, it would be nice if Diana had a rough headcount, so please let us know if you’re coming by responding to the survey.
Looking for the perfect ‘ukulele? I will be bringing a few beautiful ‘ukuleles from Ohana and offering them at ridiculous prices so you can start your Christmas shopping early. If there’s a particular one you want to see, please let me know, and I’ll bring it along if it’s one of the ones that I have available. And, as you know, Diana does carry the flea and other ‘ukulele accessories from Kani Ka Pila.
If you had the opportunity to witness the antics of Ralph Shaw in person at the festival, you already know what a funny fellow he is. Here’s an excerpt from his latest newsletter, in which he describes how to make great wine:
Sometimes bad things happen to good ukuleles. Irreparable accidents are, fortunately, not common but always heartbreaking when they do occur. This summer a friend of mine was playing ukulele at a beach campfire singalong. Everyone sat on logs. Taking a break from playing he carefully laid his uke behind the log on which he was sitting. When someone piled more wood on the fire everyone got too hot and the log was rolled back…Crunch!!!
Now you might think that was the end of his ukulele – but no. I have been able to supply him with this recipe for delicious** Ukulele Wine.
This Recipe makes 1 Imperial Gallon of Ukulele Wine
You will need:
1 ukulele (crushed)
1 gallon of boiling water
6 cups of sugar (organic raw sugar eg. Sucanat will add more flavor and body than ordinary white sugar)
1 cup of prunes
1 Campden tablet (crushed) (optional – this is a preservative but is also what puts sulphites in your wine. If you’re not using this do make sure everything is scrupulously sanitized.)
1¼ tsp wine yeast
Remove strings and all plastic and metal parts; tuners, frets, plastic nut/bridge etc. from your ukulele. Rinse the ukulele well and crush as finely as possible. Remember, the smaller you make the pieces of your ukulele, the more flavor it will impart.
In a large food grade bucket combine the crushed ukulele fragments and boiling water. Cover with porous lid and soak for 24 hours. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth (or clean pantyhose will do for this) into a large cooking pot. Bring to boil and remove from heat.
Return the heated liquid to the fermenting bucket (this is called your primary) and stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT the yeast.
Allow to cool until lukewarm then sprinkle wine yeast on top or prepare yeast as per instructions on the package. Cover fermenter with a porous cover to protect from fruit flies and to allow carbon dioxide to escape. You can use the other, left-over leg of your panty hose for this.
Allow to ferment for at least 14 days. Stir daily making sure to always sanitize your spoon.
Siphon wine off the sediment into a glass secondary. Attach airlock. When fermentation is complete (Specific Gravity = 1.000 about 3 weeks. Use a hydrometer to measure this) siphon off sediment into a clean secondary. Top up with cooled pre-boiled water. Attach airlock. Siphon off sediment again in 2 months to aid clearing and top up with cooled pre-boiled water again if necessary. Let stand until clear.
At long last, after the 6 to 12 month clearing period, you get to bottle your wine. To do so sterilize all your bottles and tools. Siphon wine into bottles allowing about an inch of air space between the surface of your wine and the bottom of a fully inserted cork.
Store the filled bottles on their sides to keep corks moist, ideally in a cool dark place.
That’s it – you’ve just crafted your first gallon of delicious *** Ukulele Wine! (aka Plink Plonk)
* ukulele wine probably should not be consumed internally. Non-organic glues and varnishes may be enough to render this drink poisonous and yukky. Keep this in mind for the future. Next time you buy a ukulele, do insist that it be made from all organic, edible materials. I’m sure most ukulele builders will be more than happy to help you with your request.
** like I said before. You probably shouldn’t drink this stuff. I won’t take any responsibility for the after effects .
*** again. This stuff could be toxic and you may be better off using it for putting a deep and lustrous shine on your wooden furniture and antique leather items****
****Please note that ukulele wine may be damaging to products made of wood and/or leather.
PS. If anybody actually goes ahead and makes this, please let me know how it turns out.
Next Week: I’ll tell you how to deep-fry your old ukulele strings to make a delicious and “ocean-wise” alternative to calamari.
To be on the receiving end of Ralph’s wit and humor on a regular basis, you can visit his newsletter sign-up page, where you can subscribe and also see the archive of previous newsletters. (I believe he also shares some useful information about playing the ukulele as well.)
That’s it for now. Now that the festival is behind us for a bit, I hope to get back to regular posts and content. See you Sunday.
Don’t forget we’re getting together this Wednesday at 6:00 pm at NapAloha in St. Helena for a little kanikapila and rehearsal. I hope those of you who haven’t been able to join us for our Sunday evening flea fests will be able to come to this one. We’ll also be working on a couple of songs for the festival. Erich has suggested we work on “Hanalei Moon” (in F) as presented on the Berkeley Uke Group’s website. It is now posted on our Song Files page, as well. Please print it out and add it to your book. By the way, Mike DaSilva has added some great songs to that site, so if you haven’t visited it lately, you should.
Speaking of which, their regular Wednesday class (6:30 – 8:30) will be replaced this Wednesday (September 16) with a workshop by Jim DeVille, the genius behind the “Play ‘Ukulele by Ear” DVD. The cost for the workshop is $20, You can learn more about Jim by visiting his website, well worth the visit as he has lots of great tips for ‘ukulele players there. The workshop will be held at DaSilva Ukulele Company (2547 8th Street, #28, Berkeley, CA), another place well worth visiting.
You’ve probably heard by now that Aldrinne Guerrero, of Ukulele Underground fame will be joining us at the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival. Aldrinne and the other folks at Ukulele Underground have done an amazing job of pulling ‘ukulele players together from all over the world and have created an invaluable online resource–including songs, tutorials, tips, and tons more–that is absolutely free. That’s where I found this little Luau Song Booklet created by graphic designer Stacey George that she created for a luau-themed BBQ she was attending. If you print it on letterhead-sized paper, in landscape orientation, and can print on both sides, it folds up into a sweet little booklet. It’s very, very nice.
And, as summer winds down, here’s a little something to keep you in the mood (and another great source of online tutorials, to boot):
Creator Michael Lynch has also posted the .pdf files for his great collection of songs on Media Fire. That should keep you busy for awhile!
Thanks everyone who came to the fleafest at NapAloha on the 30th. And special thanks to Steve and Diana for hosting us (again, and from here on!), Erich for offering to be our fearless leader, and Sean for making us sound good. Among other things we chose the songs we’d like to perform at the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival, October 10, and worked on various arrangements. Here’s what we came up with:
Moonglow (b)
Five Foot Two (in C)
Hanalei Moon (in F)
Jamaica Farewell
Ukulele Lady
My Little Wine Rack
They’re all in the Flea Jumpers Songbook (if you’ve been keeping it up-to-date) and most of them are posted here under Song Files. We will be rehearsing at NapAloha on Wednesdays at 6pm on September 16, 23, 30, and October 7. Erich will be back with us at our next FleaFest on September 27. Anyone is welcome to come and play and practice with us on Wednesdays, whether or not you actually want to perform at the festival. Since our slot on the stage is only 15 minute (including getting on and off the stage) we may need to cut one or two songs. Any other issues we can deal with on Wednesday. Hope to see you then.
Festival Registration Now Open!
Registration for the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival is now open and we have some nifty give-aways to encourage you to register early, including a weekly drawing for great prizes you can enjoy during your visit here. The Workshop descriptions have also been posted. There seems to be some confusion about all this. Basically you only need to register if you are attending any of the paid events (Judd’s Hill Hula Party, Flora Springs Lu’au, MinerFamily Sunday School, or the ‘Ukulele Film Fest) or if you want to take any of the workshops. If you just want to come out and listen to the music or visit the vendors or just come taste wine, there is no need to register. However, all of the usual tasting and tour fees at Beringer Vineyards will apply.
We will post the actual workshop schedule as we iron out a few more of the details.
New Contest!
I hope some of you are inspired to enter this one! We are looking for a 30- to 60-second “commercial” that would encourage people to pack up their ‘ukuleles and walk, ride, run, swim, or fly to the Napa Valley for the 2nd annual Wine Country Ukulele Festival. Originality and humor (in good taste) rank very highly. Clever parodies of popular and well-known songs get extra points, as does the subtle (or not-so-subtle) inclusion of MusicGuyMic who is donating the prize. Entries will be judged on originality, comments from viewers (even if the viewer is your mother), and the number of views. You can enter as many times as you like. The winner will receive a Kala KA-ST tenor ‘ukulele with a hard shell case.
The Kala KA-ST has a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides, giving this ‘ukulele a rich sound, great volume and tone. It also has die cast tuners, a nice binding, high gloss finish and GHS strings (though Mike will probably trick-it-out a little more.)
It’s up to you to upload your commercial to You-Tube, then send us the link (you can leave it as a comment here on the festival website) so we know where to look for it. Assuming it passes the first test (meaning, essentially, that it is suitable for all ages) we will then upload it to the Wine Country Uke Fest channel on You-Tube and try to help you promote it, both here and there. The deadline for posting is September 25 and the winner will be announced October 10, at the festival. (You need not be present to win.) But, the sooner you get it done, the more opportunites you have to get it viewed.
So give it your best shot, and good luck. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Coming Up!
Poke, spam, hula, music, prizes, drink specials, and general merriment– Island Style……what more can you ask for? It’s all happening this Saturday, September 12, at the Hukilau in San Francisco, 5 Masonic Avenue (SW corner of Masonic and Geary. This sounds like fun! It’s the 8th annual Sam Choy Poke Festival“All you culinary, top chef poke masters–this is your chance to test out the next great Poke recipe http://poke.dahukilau.com/ and if you have what it takes, we’ll send you to Hawai’i! And, if you are more on the receiving end, go ahead and sign-up for da Spam Musubi Eating Contest and see if you can dethrone da King. Email us at spam@dahukilau – with your name, contact info, and why Spam is like manna from da gods! For those with the necessary intestinal fortitude, we have great prizes as well.”
The following week-end is jam packed. For starters, on Friday, September 18, the Napa Valley Opera House is sponsoring Hawaiian Tropical Nights, featuring Kumu Hula Kawika Alfiche & Halau O’ Keikiali’i, Grammy-Award winning Hawaiian Slack Key Musician Cyril Pahinui, and Napa’s own Manaleo (with Sean Allen). What a great way to visit the Hawaiian Islands in the midst of harvest!
Then, the following Saturday, September 19, is the Napa Valley Aloha Festival, from 10 am to 6 pm at the Napa Valley Expo, put on by the Manaleo Hawaiian Cultural Foundation. This is a free family event, they only ask that you bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Napa Valley Food Bank. There’s lots of incredible entertainment lined up, including Cyril Pahanui, Faith Ako, and our very own Sean Allen (in Manaleo).
Guest artist Cyril Pahanui will also be teaching two slack key guitar workshops on Sunday, September 20, at the Embassy Suites (1075 California Blvd) in Napa. The first workshop is from 11am-2pm and the second is from 3pm-6pm. The cost is $60 per person. For more information, call (707) 363-1999 or email:slackkeyworkshop@prodigy.net.
And the Eugene UKEtoberFest 2009 is open for biz. I went last year and had a ball (I took the train). I also came home with a fabulous raffle prize, a brand spanking new little soprano from Spruce House ($30 worth of raffle tickets…not a bad investment). And, as I recall, there was lots of beer! This year’s festival will once again take place on the lovely University of Oregon campus, October 16-17, 2009. Victoria Vox, will be there as will the Canote Brothers, Boulder Acoustic Society, Moe Dixon, a bunch of wonderful local folks, and the amazing king of the ukulele, Ralph Shaw. Tickets are available online. You can also order a T-Shirt featuring the “Ukulele Fertility Pumpkin” logo designed by cartoonist Andy Singer. If you are comin’ in from “outta” town, Brook and Keith recommend you take a look at the accomodations page on their website. The Secret Garden B&B, the University Inn, and the Eugene Hostel all have agreed to make special deals for UKEtoberFesters (festers?). They provide lodging for all budgets from swanky to modest.
This is just a very quick announcement to let you know that registration is now open for the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival. There are lots of nifty perks for getting your registration in early, so don’t procrastinate!
I’m also looking for people who are interested in volunteering on any of the days of the festival (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) or who might willing to “host” one or more of our performers from out of town. (Don’t worry, they’re all nice people!) Let me know if you’re interested in either of these exciting opportunities.
That’s it for now. We had a great preliminary rehearsal at NapAloha last Sunday and I’ll post more information on that next time.
Flea Fest Sunday night, (August 30) at NapAloha in St. Helena at 6:00 pm. Among other things, we’ll be deciding if we want to do a couple of numbers at the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival, and if so, which ones. If you have a song you’d like us to consider, by all means bring it and about 12 extra copies. And don’t forget the pupus.
Hope you’re all enjoying these last days of summer vacation! Taylor and I just got back from another amazing week up in the Mendocino Woodlands at Lark Camp, where the music never sleeps. I took three ‘ukulele classes every day, hula, swing dance, swing singing, and attempted to learn how to play the mandolin I bought in a weak moment 30+ years ago in Italy. I also took a couple of tango lessons (that’s right) and enjoyed ”‘Ukulele Happy Hour” just about every evening before dinner. I’m not exactly sure what Taylor was up to, but he did take two slack key guitar classes a day, earned enough money to buy a new guitar, performed during the ho’ike, and put a lot of miles on his mountain bike. I didn’t get to see him, but I heard reports that he was also one of the major sources of entertainment on the shuttle bus. Rebecca’s “Midnight Bolero” in Camp One was fantastic and got a standing ovation. That was followed by an extremely entertaining bus ride back to Camp Two, where we stay, in which everyone on the bus started hammering out “Bolero” on one instrument or another, which segued into the theme from “Star Trek,” which somehow ended up as the theme from the “Addams Family!” I just can’t say enough about how much fun this camp is….you’re going to have to experience it for yourself.
‘Ukulele classes at Lark Camp are taught by Mark Nelson (“Fun with your ‘Ukulele”), Kevin Brown (contemporary Hawaiian songs), and Robyn Kneubuhl (Queen of the Diminished and Walking up the Neck). If you were at the Wine Country ’Ukulele Festival last year you probably had a chance to see Robyn and Mark perform at the lu’au. (Robyn also teaches hula and writes music…she’s just amazing.) Robyn has a band back on Maui with long-time friend Ginger Johnson; they are The Hula Honeys. Their first CD, Life Just Got Sweeter is one of my all-time favorites. At Lark Camp Robyn taught us how to play the title song (written by her and Ginger) the way she plays it. (You know all those chords on the chord chart you never thought you’d need to learn….well, guess what!) For some reason, I don’t quite sound like Robyn…..but I’m working on it. She also taught us “Hana by the Bay,” another beautiful, original composition from the Honeys’ newly released CD, Girl Talk. You can download either CD at their store, or download it from the link to the right. It’s money well-spent.
Flea Fest!
Enough of that. We need to start planning for our next Flea Fest. Diana has generously offered us a permanent home at NapAloha. However, if anyone would like to offer an alternative, please let me know right away. Our next Flea Fest is scheduled for Sunday, August 30. If I don’t hear from anyone, we’ll go ahead and meet at NapAloha, 1428 Main Street, in St. Helena, at 6pm. Erich Sylvester will be joining us again and we’ll be picking what songs we want to play for our 15 seconds of fame on the stage at the festival. Those who want to be part of the performance troupe can also agree on a good night to meet to practice before our next Flea Fest (September 27) when Erich will come back again to help fine tune us. This is totally voluntary and no one should not come to either Flea Jumpers or the weekly practice sessions because they have stage fright or aren’t planning on going to the festival. We want you all there. We should also think about a “uniform.” In fact, maybe we could see what Diana has in the way of shirts that we can all agree upon.
New Affiliate
You may have noticed the new Hawaiian Airlines link on the right. That’s because Hawaiian Airlines has joined the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival as an affiliate. What this means is that anytime you link to Hawaiian Airlines through this link to book a flight, you will receive an additional 5% discount off the lowest webfare for transpacific flights between now and June 30 of 2010!
At the same time, you will be helping the festival accrue points with Hawaiian Airlines so that we’ll be able to bring over more of your favorite Hawaiian artists for future festivals. And (this is the best part) if you are a member of HawaiianMiles, you will also accrue points in your own account! It’s a win-win and we are extremely grateful to Hawaiian Airlines for this opportunity.
These days I fly on Hawaiian Airlines whenever I go to Hawai’i, which can be 4 times a year. Among other things, I love their schedule, which gets you from San Francisco, Oakland, or Sacramento to Oahu by late morning–in time to catch a few waves at Kuhio and stop by Leonard’s Bakery for hot malasadas stuffed with dobash before checking in at the house, unpacking, and trotting out to the beach for a quick swim before dinner. Coming home, Hawaiian Airlines has a drive-up check-in stand at the Honolulu Airport so you can drive right up in your rental car, unload your bags and check-in on the spot, return your rental car, and get the shuttle bus back to the airport without humping your bags all over the place. And, if you have the Hawaiian Airlines credit card, you can lump the miles from everyone in your family into one account and rack up the miles for fee travel even quicker.
As much as I love my work, not all those trips I make to Hawai’i each year are for “pleasure” and I don’t always get to “hit the beach.” Among other things, I publish and sell a card game called Go Fish! Hawai’i which is played like the regular Go Fish, except that instead of asking for aces or kings, you have to ask for the fish by their Hawaiian name: “Do you have any humuhumu-nukunuku-apua’a?” It’s turned out to be more popular than I ever dreamed possible with both kids and adults.
But, enough about me. Look who went to see Jake Shimabukuro at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival this summer! That’s Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, who must have taken some time off from their ever-popular St. Helena restaurant, Terra. Hiro has been getting around this year. Here’s a few shots of him enjoying Aloha Music Camp last February, which leads me to some great news! After a brief hiatus, Aloha Music Camp will be up and running again next summer at their new home in Keahou on the Big Island. This really is a life changing experience so, if you’re interested in going, be sure to book early, as this camp has always sold out in the past.
Party! Party!
Clarice Stasz, one of the masterminds of the Petalukes in Petaluma, has invited me to the lu’au they’re putting on, Saturday, August 29 at 6 pm at the Petaluma Moose Club (300 English Street, Petaluma). Would anyone like to go with me? It’s a fundraiser to sponsor Ralph Shaw’s performance at the California Veteran’s Home during the ‘ukulele festival. I can fire up the mini-van and make stops all along Highway 29 between St. Helena and Napa to pick people up. It sounds like it’s going to be loads of fun and it’s only $12 (kids are $6)! It would be great if we could support these folks as they’re raising funds to sponsor Ralph Shaw’s performance for the vets at the California Veteran’s Home in Yountville during the ‘ukulele festival. They’re also trying to get some ‘ukulele programs established for the kids over on their side of the hill. So, if you want to go with me and you have my email address, just send me a note. Otherwise, respond in the comments below and I’ll take it from there. Here’s a little something to get you in the mood:
Speaking of ‘ukulele programs for kids, the Calistoga Boys and Girls Club has just taken delivery of a dozen soprano ‘ukuleles from Ohana to kick start their’ ukulele program. If all goes according to plan, the Wildcat Flea Band, will be onstage during the festival. They’ve also got a private workshop lined up with Brittni Paiva. If there are any other teachers out there who’d like to get something similar going for their students, please let me know. We can help make that happen. (This is the second youth group in the Bay Area that we have been able to help with their ‘ukulele program.)
Also, if any of you would like to schedule a private (or small group) lesson with either Brittni Paiva or Derrick Sebastian during the festival, please let me know right away. They’re both excellent teachers and the available time slots will probably disappear very quickly once they’re announced to the general public (especialy the ones during the “lunch break.” The cost is $30 for a half-hour session. Let me know.
Support Local Theater
Burning Uke!
Those wild and whacky folks from Santa Cruz are at it again. Burning Uke VII, a huge camp-out and ‘ukulele party at Big Sur, has been scheduled for September 17, 18, 19, and 20 at Plaskett Creek State Park, at the Southern end of Big Sur. The cost is $35 per person, whichincludes camping fees for Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights. (Check out is noon, Sunday.) To reserve your spot, you need to email Marty Carlsonsydmarty@sbcglobal.net or call him at (831) 440-9382. Please read the following before calling or emailing.
Your $35 includes:
One, two, or three night(s) camping at one of the three group campsites. (The cost of an individual site, if you choose to get one, is NOT included and must be paid in addition to the $35.)
Lots of new play a-long songs and ukulele (and maybe Hula) workshops.
Friday & Saturday night dinners (Thursday dinner you will be on your own, but they will fire up a gas grill for all to use.) Paper plates, utensils and napkins for dinners, gas grill and/or charcoal And maybe a few exciting surprises!
Friday’s dinner will be chicken and pork sausages with buns & condiments provided Saturday dinner will be burgers, again with buns & condiments provided Desserts and side dishes will be “potluck” both nights and everyone brings a dish to share depending on their last name:
Friday nightSaturday night
A-I = Side Dishes A-I = Desserts
H-P = Appetizers H-P = Side Dishes
R-Z = Desserts R-Z = Appetizers
(If you prefer to bring something that does not fall into these categories, by all means just bring it, but please do bring something for each dinner you will attend.)
And please don’t forget to bring a serving utensil if one is needed for your dishesand don’t forget your uke and any other acoustical instruments you might have.
You are on your own for all breakfasts and lunches.
As far as camping goes, small RV’s are OK but there are no hook ups. Small travel trailers or campers can park at the group area. But, if your RV is a biggie, you may have to get your own individual site. Some individual campsites at Plaskett Creek are ”first come, first serve.”
Here’s what else you should bring:About your dogs and any other critters: state campground law is that dogs must be leashed at all times. However, we will be camping in close quarters in a group area and would rather that you leave your critters at home (except the ones you plan to BBQ). If you must bring your dog, it must be well behaved and non-dangerous (no incessant barkers or biters) or we may have to ask you to take him home if it is bothering others.
Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz Songbooks 1 & 2
(There will also be songbooks for sale)
Other music you would like to share – make 80 or more copies
Your own chair for the play-a-longs and hanging out
>>>> Music stands <<<<
Headlights or clip-on reading lights for after-dark playing
Extra batteries
NO Coleman lanterns for the Play-a-Longs – Please… they’re too bright
Warm clothing (it can be cool!) including gloves?
Rain gear
Sunscreen
Your own drinks and food except as shown above
Surfboards & Boogie Boards
and obviously your own camping equipment / stoves / tents / sleeping bags etc.
I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll go yet, but I could easily be persuaded if I had a travelling companion. Let me know.
Quick reminder: Flea Jumpers will be gathering at the new NapAloha Store at 1428 Main Street, St. Helena, at 6pm, Sunday, July 26. Steve and Diana will be digging up some wine from their personal cellar, but we need to bring the pupus and other beverages. If you haven’t visited NapAloha already, you’re in for a treat: in addition to very cool, colorful clothes, she’s selling ‘ukuleles AND raffle tickets for a koa concert Ohana ‘ukulele, on behalf of the festival. We had a ball celebrating Cheers at NapAloha a couple of Friday’s ago (great poke, Steve!) and Diana will be making the store available for other ‘ukulele and Flea Jumper events (including, maybe, hula!) in the future Anyway, be sure to bring any new songs you might be working on and about 12 copies. If you have a music stand, please bring that as well. I have one extra Flea Jumper Songbook if anyone wants to buy it ($14).
I understand you all worked on a “new” song in my absence: Bye Bye Birdie. If you missed the meeting, you can download it from the Song Files. I’ve also added a different version of MoonGlow…such a great song…it’s one of the ones James Hill uses in his “Swing, ‘Ukulele, Swing” workshops. Remember, the Song Files page only has a few of the songs (mostly the new ones) from the Flea Jumper Songbook.
Speaking of James Hill, (nice segue, eh?) don’t forget that you will be able to take one or two workshops from him AND hear him play at the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival. If you haven’t already subscribed to that weblog, you should do so now. (Click here.) Registration has not opened yet but we are accepting vendor applications for the part of the festival taking place at Beringer Vineyards, Saturday October 10. And, we’re still looking for sponsors; if you know of anyone or have any ideas, please let me know. We’re particularly looking for individuals, groups, or organizations that would be willing to underwrite concerts and workshops for public school kids and/or the Boys and Girls club. Our good friends from Petaluma, the Petalukes, have already signed on to sponsor a performance by Ralph Shaw for the vets at the California Veteran’s Home in Yountville. To raise funds for this they’re all busy planning a lu’au to be held at the Moose, Saturday August 29.
It’s a busy week for ukesters. We’ve got the Santa Cruz ‘Ukulele Club meeting with Bob Brozman this Thursday, and the first of Bob’s ‘ukulele workshops starting this Saturday. We’ve got FleaFest on Sunday, PLUS…
You can go to the audition and still make it back to NapAloha in St. Helena in time for Flea Jumpers! Click here for more information.
And, this just in from Ross Randrup at Verdant Motors in Sebastopol:
Ledward Kaapana (also known as “Led”) is one of the most respected slack key guitarists in the world, and he plays a mean ‘ukulele. He will have you laughing before he plucks a single string, crying with his tender rendition of Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’, then on the edge of your seat with his antics and guitar tricks ala Uncle Fred Punahoa. His mastery of stringed instruments–`ukulele, autoharp, and especially slack key guitar–and his extraordinary baritone and leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) voices, have made him a musical legend. His easy-going style and kolohe (rascal) charm, have created a loyal corps of “Led Heads” from Brussels to his birthplace on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here’s your chance to become a “Led Hed,” too. Here’s a little sample of what’s in store:
And then, head on down to the Presidio in San Francisco for the 15th Annual San Francisco Aloha Festival, August 1 & 2, for two full days of Hawaiian Food, Art, Music, and Dance. The festival is free, but there’s a $7.00 fee to park at the Presidio.
I’d be there in a heartbeat, but it’s the same time as Lark Camp, where (wonder of wonders) registration is still open! This will be our third year there! Can’t wait! I plan on figuring out how to join Rebecca King’s “Bolero” group with my ‘ukulele and dancing ’til dawn! If you’re looking for something to do in August, I highly recommend it!
And, on the chance you’re planning a trip to the Reno area any time soon, you might want to schedule it around an opportunity to join Doug Reynolds and company at 88 Cups in Minden.
That’s it for now, except that it’s time to start thinking about what you all want to perform at the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival. (“Comments” would be a good place to get a dialogue going about this.) I’ve left a 10 – 15 minute tme slot open for us to razzle and dazzle ‘em. So, pull out your favorite songs and PRACTICE so we can end up sounding as good as this guy:
And don’t forget to order your Jake Shimabukuro tickets for his October 21 concert at the San Francisco Jazz Festival.
FIRST AND FOREMOST: Please everyone, take a moment and send your thoughts and/or prayers out to Keoki Kahumoku and his family who are going through some very difficult times right now. Just take a moment, close your eyes, and wish him and his ‘ohana well.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15 – Tiki Dinner at Hiro Sone’s Ame Restaurant in San Francisco, located at the corner of Third Street and Mission, (within the St. Regis Hotel). Yum! Take a look at the Menu. All for $55 with beverage pairings! That’s well worth a road trip on down to the city. Let me know if you want to carpool. In case you don’t already know, fellow Flea Jumper Hiro Sone, along with his wife Lissa Doumani, also owns the very highly-regarded Terra Restauranton Railroad Avenue in St. Helena, open for dinner only, Wednesday through Monday. And I’ve heard, via the TransPacific grapevine, Hiro plays a mean slack key guitar…perhaps we’ll get him to play “Free Bird” for us one of these days.
SATURDAY, JULY 18 – ‘Ukulele Lounge at Kathy Quain’s place in Oakland. Not really a public event, but she did give the OK to forward the information. If anyone wants to ride down with me, let me know…. Or let me know if you want to go on your own and need the address. Kathy is a good friend of mine from Aloha Music Camp and came up for our Flea Jumper gathering at Miner Family Vineyards last December. (Remember “Baby, It’s Cold Outside?”) She also introduced us to Elaine Herrick, our favorite bassist. I’ve not been to one of Kathy’s ‘Ukulele Lounges before so I don’t know what to expect, but I do know Kathy and it should be fun……We can arrive any time after 4pm and need to bring a potluck item and a song to share, a music stand if you have one, and, of course, your ‘ukulele.
SUNDAY, JULY 19 – James Hill at DaSilva ‘Ukulele. Sunday, July 19, 2009, from 3 to 5pm. If you’ve never played swing and jazz before, this is your chance! James will be teaching his intermediate-level workshop “Swing, Ukulele Swing!” at Mike DaSilva’s Studio Regardless of prior experience, you’ll be swinging your first tune in five minutes. Your ‘ukulele will thank you and your strumming will never be the same again. $25 (cash or check only) for 2 hours with James Hill? What a deal! Plus, it’s always fun to see what Mike has cooking in his shop. DaSilva ‘Ukulele is at 2547 Eighth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. Here’s a little teaser, one of my favorite songs by James Hill (though I’ve never seen him do it “live.” Watching him turn his ‘ukulele into a percussion instrument is worth every second:
And yes, you can try this at home. Dominator has transcribed the tab for James’ version of One Note Samba. For more of Dominator’s wonderful transcriptions, be sure to visit his weblog. And while you are there, don’t forget to show your support for all the wonderful work Dominator does on our behalf by buying one of his “Got Tabs?” T-shirts.
MONDAY, JULY 20 – Tickets go on sale for Jake Shimabukuro at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, October 21, 2009. If you haven’t seen Jake perform live, you really must. And don’t forget to “drag” a non-believer along with you! If Jake can’t dispell the ‘ukulele legacy of Tiny Tim, nobody can.
THURSDAY, JULY 23 – Bob Brozman at the Santa Cruz Ukulele Club. Bring your ukes for the play-a-longs then play-a-long with Bob. What fun! Food, friends, drinks, and music start at 6pm. And the “meeting” (ha!) starts at 7pm. Bocci’s Cellar Restaurant, 140 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz, CA. These meetings are totally fun! In fact, you can make a very long weekend of it:
SATURDAY, JULY 25 – Bob Brozman’s Ukulele Workshop is back! This will be the first in a series of four ‘ukulele workshops given by the very talented Bob Brozman at his spacious studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains this summer. There are four sessions to choose from: July 25, July26, August 1, or August 2; from 2 – 5pm with an optional advanced lesson from 6 – 7pm. Taylor and I went to one of these last spring and it was wonderful! Bob is an extremely knowledgeable and generous instructor and host. And there will be a private showing of ‘ukuleles by Mike DaSilva and National Resontaor Guitars! Check out Bob’s website for more information on this and his upcoming guitar workshops, as well.
SUNDAY, JULY 26 – FLEA FEST! Diana Perez at NapAloha has invited us back for our monthly Flea Fest at 1428 Main Street (next to Lyman Park) in St. Helena. Diana and hubby, Steve, are digging into their wine cellar for the occasion, but it’s up to us to bring non-alcoholic beverages and pupus to share. Also be sure to bring a small folding chair, if you have one, and a music stand. Festivities begin at 6pm. If you’ve got a new song, please bring it and about 12 copies. (Remember, it’s not too soon to start practicing for the Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival.) It’s so great for Diana to give us something approximating a “home” for our sorted activities. Let’s be sure to thank her by sending lots of business her way.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9,10,11 – Wine Country ‘Ukulele Festival. Save the date and be sure to subscribe to the festival weblog so you can keep up with the all the latest developments. More enteratiners, instructors, and sponsors are jumping on board weekly. It’s going to be a great party!
This one’s for Paula!
A few meetings back we were all struggling with the introduction to ”Ukulele Lady.” Well here’s Kermit doing a pretty darn good job. Hey, if a frog can do it, we can do it. So watch carefully, play along, and be ready to knock ‘em dead at the next Flea Fest.
And, if you haven’t done so already, now would be a perfect time. Close your eyes and send Keoki Kahumoku your love and best wishes.
I hear you all had a great time at Judd’s last Sunday. It should’ve given you a good opportunity to practice for TONIGHT!
Just a reminder, it’s the Grand Opening of the NapAloha store, 1428 Main Street in St. Helena, on the north end of town, next to Lyman Park. Taylor will be busking with his ‘ukulele out on the sidewalk in front, but we get to play inside. Hope you can come….I don’t want to do it alone! Be sure to bring your FleaJumper Songbook and a music stand if you have one. I plan on getting there around 5:30, but the CHEERS! Event (involving all “downtown” merchants) starts at 6:00. Even if you don’t want to “perform” in public, please come and help support our good friend, Diana and your fellow Flea Jumpers!
OK. Hula is coming to NapAloha. Some of you may have already had the very distinct privilege of taking a workshop from Debbie Haumea Aynaga at the ‘ukulele festival, or you may have had an opportunity meet her and her ‘ohana at NapAloha during the October Cheers event. In any case, she’s coming back to the Napa Valey teach hula on Sunday November 15 at NapAloha from 10am to 12pm. Hope to see you there, this is a very special opportunity, indeed.
But, enough about me. Look who went to see Jake Shimabukuro at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival this summer! That’s Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani, who must have taken some time off from their ever-popular St. Helena restaurant, 
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