Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Flickr Photo shared by Anna Victrola

?......

Flickr Photo shared by MonkeyWhale Productions

"Alcazar Hotel featuring Katharine Whalen and friends record a cover of "Tomorrow" for the Mark Sandman/Morphine tribute album at Studio M in Durham, NC."

morphine_cover_071709-63

Flickr Photos || Mathias Kom (Antoine's Party)

Skill, energy, fearlessness...

house warming party 2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antoined/2969635879/
Click on any photo to go to more of Antoine's photos

house warming party 2008

house warming party 2008

Jake Wildwood || Antebellum Instruments (Harmony Tenor Guitar)

Now that's a beauty!
Jake chronicles all of his treasures
See more views in the link above.

Rhan Wilson || All In Good Time Music

Rhan Wilson is a friend and music teacher in Santa Cruz. I met him thru the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz and took a group class from him with several other budding enthusiastic musicians. This class he called UkeU and it was all about learning to be a better musician and playing better as a group. It was the best time I had in my musical life (so far) and created some long lasting friendships -- including Rhan's.

He normally videos with his Low G soprano uke in these "All in Good Time" instructional videos but the knowledge is universal. At the bottom of this post I am going to provide a link of Rhan and Stan's performance of "Dust in the Wind." They are the duet that I followed when I was videoed at the April 2011 UCSC Open Mic singing "5 Pounds of Possum" and made the remark "Now that we're done with all of the professional musicians..."



And More

And here's that hard act to follow...

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Flickr Photo Shared by Joe Houghtaling || Daria Grace & Bill Tapia (NYUF 2009)

NYUkeFest2009DSC_3193jh

NYUkeFest2009DSC_3197jh

Bari-Uke Studies using The Essential Guitar Book

I have been studying various ways to make chords using only 3 strings and came across this fine online guide for guitar that has many applications to our stringed instrument. If you're a doggedly detertimined DoGBonE  player you might find this knowledge enticing too.

The Essential Guitar Guide

Using 3 Note Chords

Monday, August 29, 2011

Monkey Wrench Ukuleles || Electric Solid Body Baritone Ukuleles!

So yes, you must know that I am an internet junkie. I have been curious about solid body instruments and Googled around. I came across these Monkey Wrench Ukuleles and sent an e-mail. Apparently this walnut model went to someone in Copenhagen, Denmark but I understand there are more in production right now and I hope to see more pictures of those when they're ready.

Jim Hellar
Monkey Wrench Ukuleles.
www.monkeywrenchmusic.com


Flickr Photo Shared by Jzents || Molly and Sonny Boy Harkin Store Baritone Ukulele

Molly and Sonny Boy Harkin Store Baritone Ukulele
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzents/1427208983/
Does anyone have story to go along with this one?
Or, howabout a video!!!

PHOTO: Nikki Darlin (of Those Darlin's) by Owen Ela

Those Darlins

Flickr Photo Shared by Pipkin of Michelle Blades

Michelle Blades

Comraderie Limited writes... "09/07/2011 (U.S. 7 JUL 2011) Soirée Camaraderie Limited pendant la tournée juillet 2011, de Michelle Blades et Glass Cake à Talence"



I always love to hear and watch Michelle perform because she has this way of putting music together naturally. She's one who can exude music from her bari in a way that my friend, BajanPiedPiper, calls "sweet nothings." Her musicality is a treasure and she gets some simple sweet sounds out of the baritone. There are a few other videos from ComraderieLimited that we'll need to check out.

Otterbeone || Kathryn with the "Lightnin Baritone Vio-Reso-Uke"


I think I just broke a commandment 
after seeing Otterbeone's Vio-Reso-Uke...
Thanks 0B1 for sharing!


Flickr Photo Shared by E300 DSLR

When I'm Cleaning Windows
Sheldon Valleau of the Polyjesters from their 23 stop UK Tour.
E300 DSLR says,
"Trust Me they're a Great Band with Brilliant musicianship, 
Fantastic Harmonies, Great fun and a Stage Presence to die for."

Flickr Photo Shared by John Fujimagari || Sheldon Valleau (Polyjesters)

Sheldon Valleau

Here's a great shot of Sheldon with a custom baritone ukulele.
The polyjesters are a dynamic band from Canada.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Arizona Musicfest Strummers

A pilot music program in which 3rd thru 5th graders are taught music on the baritone ukulele. They chose baritones as a stepping stone to the guitar when they reach the sixth grade. The Musicfest Strummers program is generously sponsored by the John and Joan D'Addario Family foundation.



Slim Symes || Kiwanda Stroll (Instrumental)

This bari sounds like it may be tuned GCEA. Not that I personally really care. I am not a purest and regard the bari as an instrument for creating music in a way that the player feels must comfortable. I do prefer DoGBonE for its deeper tone especially when playing for myself. I came across this video via the Ukulele Social Club that I just joined because Ann Mayo Muir stopped by to leave a comment on her previously posted video and invited us to check out.

I see Ann has a CD available via Folk Legacy (which was started in 1961, a very good year to start!) and it is called "So Goes My Heart"

I like Slim's instrumental performance at the beach...

Mathias Kom & The Burning Hell || I love the things that people make

The Burning Hell puts on quite a show! I found Alistair Wood (Uke Hunt) had this posted today and had to repost on the Bari Blog. The band has so much energy. 

Flickr Photo Shared by Duncan Arsenault

Duncan Arsenault - baritone ukulele
Duncan Arsenault photo when recording at the
Church of Christ in Rochdale, Massachussets
Thanks for sharing Duncan, Jeff / HU / HB

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Flickr Photo Shared by Lavaboy2

 

The baritone ukulele has been used as a gateway to guitar playing. 
Smaller hands are given a chance to develop dexterity. 
What songs will be played by this young man in 40 years?
Thanks to Lavaboy2 for sharing.


Flickr Photo Shared by Marlana || Bari-Uke Fretboard Close-Up

Fretboard

Thanks Marlana for your Bari Perspective.
There is beauty in the simplicity of this instrument.

Flickr Photo Shared by Daniel Lobo || Jon Braman at The Potter's House

Jon Braman @ The Potter's House

Jon Braman with a new bari.
Where is his signature stickered-up model?

Dirk "Mugambis Monkey" || Kaffeevollautomatsklave (Original)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Tom Dailey || Has Anybody Seen My Gal (Arthur Godfrey Vega Bari)

Tom thanks for the classic...

Cool Stuff from Mel Bay Guitar Website (Free)

My friend Lil' Rev has made the fine 101 Ukulele Licks with Hal Leonard Music Books and I have some favorite Mel Bay Music Books as well. So tonight I was browsing the Mel Bay website looking at some of their guitar book titles and came across an article called Turn it Around! by Nick Stoubis. He has a few examples in different keys for blues shuffle turnarounds the could replace the 11th and 12th bars of a 12 bar blues. If you keep a notebook this would be good stuff to file away in your blues section. HB

wiki 12 bar blues

Mathias Kom (The Burning Hell) || Live at Gustaf, Pekarna in Maribor, Slovenia 13 April 2010

I like the clarinet in this performance, it gives a Klezmer sound and although I am not Jewish I have been searching for some Klezmer with a Baritone Ukulele for a while. I just like it.

Mathias Kom & Alison Corbett

Flickr Photo Shared by Kaille

 Mahalo in its natural habitat
Another photo from Kaille, thanks HU


Mats Öljare || Theme of Love (Rosa's Theme)

Mats has just posted several videos of simultaneous baritone ukulele and keyboard. I am surprised at the amount of volume he gets out of the bari using only his left hand but it looks like he has the microphone quite close to the bari-uke. He gets a quality production in all of his videos. He is from Eskilstuna, Sweden which is about two hours West of Stockholm.



Mats Öljare plays a tune from Phantasy Star II, and the ending of Soul Blazer.


Mats site is here and he experiments with various instruments including a fretless painted plastic balalaika. If you are interested in experimental music be sure to check out some of his other videos. He even has a short treatise on the balalaika and plays a nice quality one from 1980's Moscow. I also have a balalaika with nylon ukulele strings and I have tuned it C-E-A unfortunately the neck is not straight and so playing above the 5th fret is problematic.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Emily Baker || Videos 2, 4, 5, 6

VIDEO 2


VIDEO 4


VIDEO 5


VIDEO 6

Emily Baker || Dig

Flickr Photo Shared by the /\ \/\/ /\ of Emily Baker Performance

Here's a nice photo found on Flickr 
Thanks to /\ \/\/ /\ for sharing 
and introducing HB to another
talented Baritone Ukulele player


"Emily Baker performing at Andrew's House Party in Jackson, MS during 
a visit to her  former hometown (07/10/11). 
Emily is joined by Jonathan Sims on drums."

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Flickr Photo Shared by Artist Bill Blair


Woody Wonderland
BILL BLAIR
Baritone Ukulele wall shrine2010
Private Collection
(Click on Photo to see Enlarged)

Bill has painted other instruments. Take a look here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billblair/ 
and here too...

Flickr Photo Shared by Phiredog || Photo of Son playing a Bari

Phiredog let me use this photo here.
It has a great retro feel.

Flickr Photo Shared by Kaille


Kaille has been featured on Humble Baritonics
before and she has a lovely voice.
Nice song by Reverie Sound Review.



Flickr Photo Shared by the Pancake Master


Thanks "Pancake Master" for the use of your photo.

Pancake Master added a note about her friends in the photo...
"Salon Miniscule is a once-every-other-month (or so) variety show in the tenth floor condominium home of my Chicago friends Paul & Rosie V. (that's them in the picture). You might see a puppet show, or hear a guy play saxophone, or watch some short films, or see a PowerPoint presentation, and there's always a rock-paper-scissors tournament and some other fun regular games/activities."

Flickr Photo Shared by The Central Scrutinizer


Here's a simple photo of a ukulele,
baritone ukulele & Okinawan guitar
Thanks THS,
Humble Uker

Flickr Photo Shared by ItsBF || Kamaka Baritone


Kamaka Baritone Ukulele
and there's a factory tour set, here.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Nadine Treble7Notes || Girl With One Eye Florence and the Machine

Nadine gets to me with that lovely voice! Spectacular!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

STRUM STUDY

Justin Townes Earle

STRUM =


STRUM =


STRUM =




Harlem River Blues

Glen Rose & Barb Murphy || At Last

Jazzy Glen playing a DoGBonE baritone ukulele with Barb Murphy from Nakusp, British Columbia, Canada. You can check out more of Glen's videos & Jazzy Ukulele Books at JazzyUkulele and find out more about Barb here.

Flickr Photo Shared by Boof Boy

Thanks Boof Boy for sharing!

EZ Folk Chord Melody || I Wonder Who's kissing Her Now (1909)

I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (Re-intrant 3 Versions)

Brunswick Bari || Sampling (playing Railroad Bill)



Brunswick BU4B

Friday, August 19, 2011

Benny Chong || The Jazziest Bari

Last night at the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz meeting I was talking to another bari-uke player named John. He had a blond Pono long scale baritone ukulele. John told me that he has been playing since 1949 and that he had the same teacher as Bill Tapia. I am going to have to find out more about John and his bari playing. 

He also asked me if I had ever heard of Benny Chong because Benny played a re-entrant DGBE bari. Below is the first video I found of Benny and his skills are quite spectacular. I hadn't ever imagined of many of these chord shapes and hand positions. Now sometimes I have a hard time differentiating between a tenor and the bari but according to various sources he does play a baritone. His playing is s beautiful that it must be posted.



And then there were more. He's an amazing player and hard to stop watching. Here's a ukulele jazz site with some more historical info on Benny, link. Page 2  Page 3  Page 4 (photos)  There's also a short interview article on Live Ukulele about him and the tuning that he uses.





Brilliance: Benny Chong & Byron Yasui duet.



Thursday, August 18, 2011

Corley Darling || Build Me Up Buttercup

Corley is sunshine from North Carolina. Her blog is sunshine too. In these times of financial strife I chose to be unreasonably optomistic and play my bari!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Brianna Price || A Pair of Originals

A Shot in the Dark


Temporary Happiness

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Isaac Arms || Various Videos

I want to hear more of Isaac's playing on the baritone ukulele. Hear's a sampling.



Isaac Arms of the "Withershins" performing at the "Folk Off" in Urbana, Illinois (April 2011)



Ukulele Stu || Chord Hoppin' on the Bari

Monday, August 15, 2011

UkuleleStu || Moonglow in G

Here's a real treat from Stu of UkeUniversity up in Sacramento, California. Those of us from the Berkeley Ukulele Club are quite found of this song that was shared with us by our own Steven Strauss. I have been fortunate enough to have Steven's "chord melody" version of this song which is much like this version. Heck an A13, here and A there, quite close. I wonder if Stu would be willing to share a score for 'DGBE Songs' on this one? No, I wouldn't want to ask because I think that he has generously shown both hands quite clearly and the truly desirous one's will make the effort to finger this one out!

Quite nice Stu!



Bari-Uke, I'm Yours

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Cinderella Lifestyle || Life is a Dance (Original)

Laurie Lee is an artist. Every time I see a new video with her name on it I know I'm in for a new treat. I am not sure how she gets all of this out of her old Harmony...

Great cartoon clips too.

Friday, August 12, 2011

A New Page for DoGBone Tuned Bari-Uke Players

I am going to go thru some of the videos that I have posted on Humble Baritonics and Humble Uker Ramblings to select some songs that I've enjoyed, and to post in the PAGE TAB above called DGBE Songs. I will be using Chordie to find the songs and provide links since it allows me to show the proper chords. Perhaps I'll also find a way to link some of my arrangements via pdf links. 

I have a request for the Friends of Humble Baritonics (This means you!). Please feel free to find and contribute a few of your favorites (of any genre). Use Chordie to get the key you want and show the Bari-Uke chords properly. Then send the link to me at Humbleuker@gmail.com.  [Note: Chordie does allow you to chose some chord inversions.]

Joe Martin (UkuleleBoy100) || There is a Street (Original)

I enjoyed this one about pain and suffering -- and what we overlook. . .

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Zebra Junction || Honey

Zebra Junction || Small H20 Blues

These guys are fun!


YT Notes. . .
"Power duo Zebra Junction playing for a sold out crowd at Red Rocks Ampitheatre! That's over 9000 people! Kicked off the night with two sets of music, art, dance and comedy. The Denver Film Society hosted the event with the film The Big Lebowski! Last Comic Standing winner Josh Blue performed music, comedy and painting. This song - Small H2o Blues, off our album Waterborne - features a couple of drunken percussionists who wandered in from the Denver music scene - James Han and Chris Lawhead. Dancin by The Junkettes (Miss Adrienne of Oracle and Fannie Spankings of Burlesque as it Was). Filmed by www.3hirdeye.com. www.zebrajunction.com. Live art by Eric, Matt Kirk, Laurie Maves - www.ericmatelski.com."

Caribou Bill || Takes Us a Bari-Uke Waltzing

Caribou Bill shares some old-time country waltzes. Of this selection I have only played the Tennessee Waltz with the Berkeley Ukulele Club. I can picture an evening on the porch after a long dusty workday singing songs of love lost. Looks like C'Bill has a new Boulder Creek Bari to cheer him up. 



The Berkeley Ukulele Club has a pdf of a version of the Tennessee Waltz. Yes, it is in GCEA tuning. Either play the chord diagrams and hear it in the key of G or get out your chord book. BUC Tennessee Waltz Also if you scroll down there's a finger picking portion that will be in the key of G on your Bari-Uke.





Alyssa || Grenade (Bruno Mars cover on Bari-Uke)

Ah love, what will you do for love?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Jordan Klein || A Postcard From Italy (Beirut Bari-Uke cover)

UKULELE HUNT || AMY WINEHOUSE TWIDDLY BITS

Alistair Wood, who has broken the book of ukulele superlatives, has transcribed an Amy Winehouse song in this post: My-Winehouse-Back-to-Black-Chords. And the "twiddly bits" portion has caught my eye because of it's use of 3-string chords.

Now he has the following for GCEA:
         Dm     Gm      Bb       A
A      5          5          5        4
E      5          6          6        5
C      5          7          5        4
G      X         X          X        X

On the baritone DoGBonE, these become:
       Am     Dm      Eb        E
E     5          5          5        4
B     5          6          6        5
G     5          7          5        4
D      X         X          X        X

Let this just be food for thought right now. I have been studying partial chords for a while and intend to share my discoveries in 3-string chords soon. The major 1-3-5 and minor 1-3b-5 only require 3-strings to make a "pure" chord.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Glen Rose || New Baritone Ukulele e-books


Glen Rose, whom I've posted several times before, mentioning his scholarly and performance skills has finalized some e-books for the baritone ukulele. I personally feel that any person that wishes to streamline their development into playing Jazz Music played on the baritone ukulele will greatly appreciate Glen's efforts. His JazzyUkulele site has several books for standard (GCEA) and his recent additions for the baritone (DGBE) ukulele. Take a look at his web site, http://jazzyukulele.com/Books.html and scroll down to the recent additions.
  • Jazzy Ukulele Workbook for Baritone Ukulele
  • Up and down the Baritone Ukulele Neck
  • Blues (Jazz Style) for the Baritone Ukulele
[Glen offers discounts for purchasing two or all three of his e-books.]

Please note Glen's books are educational. They teach about Jazz patterns and how Jazz chords may be grouped in frequently regular ways. Glen's goal is to develop a foundation that players will use to develop their skills in recognizing such patterns as you work on other songs found in Fake & Real Jazz books. Glen uses a technique of using blank spaces in lieu of words for portions of the songs. In doing so the book costs to you are kept low.

Tim May || Using Harmonized Scales (The Good Stuff)

For the Bari-Uke Junkie, one of the best parts of playing a bari, in the internet age, is the amount of information that guitar sites have been putting on the internet. I am an avid reader of Flatpick Guitar Magazine because it is a well crafted magazine full of articles that have a broad range. The musical theory usually comes in 2-5 "bite-size" pages of information and the contributors vary. I have seen articles in Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz and Classical.

This article by Tim May is an example of the the quality of FGM's instruction:

Monday, August 8, 2011

Jonathon Mann || Song #947 - Oh, Little Spider

Jonathon, oh Jonathon such a timely song. You are a very kind soul. That's a great video. Last night we had another spider on the ceiling at bedtime. I have just made a LAW about squished spiders based on the females in my family. Here's my LAW...

A squished spider is never truly dead until flushed.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

UKULELE TIM || FOLKSY STRUMMING TECHNIQUE

Here's GCEA tuning again but we're focusing on the strum.

GCEA Ukulele Boogie Tutorial

Yeah, the chords will be different names but I think that we can look beyond the chord names and keep the shapes in mind.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Bari-Uke Photos

I am trying to get Flickr and Google blogger to cooperate. Haven't been successful, Uuugh!

jason_mraz2Lou Armer with Bari AxeBari-Uke GaryJoeGrampsTateCroppedOlivia Quillio in Red Jacket IIIShane McAllister w Bari-Uke
Todd Baio Bari Uke CartoonBU Unkonwn Player with FavillaSir Reginald FarnsworthVintage Baritone Ukulele 1926Bluegrass at UCSC 3Michelle Blades w Kala
GeorgeB3_002jon-bramanNipper_SmallUCSC Rhan WilsonMichelle Blades w BariPat Boone
Jonathan MannSweetWaterBlue Smyrna w Henshaw BariAntebellum Instr vegbar0001mimuke3WagePeaceNYC Nick n HarmonyBari Teacher_waltersmith
Bari-Uke Photos, a set on Flickr.