By Greg Olwell On our soundtrack for the Fourth of July is this rendition of “America the Beautiful” by Jake Shimabukuro. Competing with Jake’s sensitive playing here is the location: Garden of the Gods a National Natural Landmark in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Stars and Stripes Forever | Music by John Philip Sousa, Arranged by Marcy Marxer Enjoy this arrangement of “Stars and Stripes Forever,” which was inspired by Jesse Kalima. Thank you to Jesse Kalima Jr. for his time and generosity of information as well…
From the Summer 2017 issue of Ukulele | BY UKULENNY San Francisco, land of rumbling cable cars, sourdough bread bowls, and Tony Bennett’s voice ringing in the night sky after a Giant’s baseball game at AT&T Park. It may not…
By Greg Olwell On the 20th anniversary of his death on June 26, 1997, we are thinking of the legendary Iz Kamakawiwo’ole. In this official video for “White Sandy Beach of Hawaii” off his 1993 album Facing Future, Bruddah Iz performs his rendition on…
Advertisement
By Jim D’Ville // Photos by James Millar and Linda Grist D’Ville As an American who has never been to Scotland, arriving at the Ukulele Festival of Scotland was like entering a magical, musical ukulele utopia. This year’s festival took place…
By Greg Olwell “After I lost my hearing, I gave up,” said Mandy Harvey, as she stood in front of the judges of a popular television talent show to introduce her song “Try,” adding, “But I want to do more…
From the Summer 2017 issue of Ukulele | BY TOM WALSH The most carefully examined ukulele in the world is on display in the Martin Guitar Museum and Visitor Center in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Known as the “Konter” ukulele, this unassuming…
Advertisement
By Jim D’Ville /// Photos by Stewart Dean, imagovitae.org Just 100 miles north of the cacophony that is New York City, lie the tranquil Catskills Mountains, home to the Ashokan Ukulele Festival. Now in its fifth year, the festival is held…
Text by Jim D’Ville ¦ Photos by Roberta Piazza Gordon You talk about your oh, how happy campers! The 7th annual West Coast Ukulele Retreat was held on the beautiful Monterey peninsula at the historic Asilomar State Beach and Conference Center in Pacific…