Stories

Review: Jake Takes a New Direction on ‘Nashville Sessions’

Jake Shimabukuro Nashville Sessions (JS Records) Of course, like everyone else Jake Shimabukuro has relied on acoustic tones and high-fidelity recordings for prior studio albums, like the orchestral accompaniment of 2012’s Grand Ukulele or the sparse solo ukulele work on 2007’s…

Fun at the Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival

By Craig Chee The 2nd annual Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival was a fun-filled celebration of the ukulele, held at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, in Torrance, California, September 24. There were many more events this year including uke workshops,…

Advertisement

Roy Smeck Ukulele Magazine God of Uke Wizard of Strings Vita Uke Marcy Marxer

Gods of Uke: Roy Smeck Gives a Lesson to Remember

From the Fall 2014 issue of Ukulele | BY MARCY MARXER A visionary player on the ukulele, guitar, tenor banjo, and lap-steel guitar, the vaudeville performer Roy Smeck certainly earned his nickname “Wizard of the Strings.” Born in Reading, Pennsylvania…

New Eddy Finn Cigar Box Uke

There’s a long tradition of upcycling old cigar boxes into musical instruments. Over the decades, many homegrown builders have taken to making ukuleles, guitars, or just about anything else for strings with these lovely leftovers. While this is mostly been…

Bell and Shrine Ukulele Great Ukes Rare Collectible Instrument Lyon & Healy Sandor

Great Ukes: Lyon & Healy’s Unusual Bell and Shrine Ukes

From the Fall 2016 issue of Ukulele | STORY AND PHOTOS BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY When you think of ukuleles made on the American mainland during the “uke crazed” 1920s, brands such as Martin and Gibson are likely the first to…

Advertisement

Letter from Cairns Ukulele Festival

By Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel Just as there are many different styles of ukuleles (and styles of playing them), ukulele festivals also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Every great uke fest includes a mix of workshops…