Lately I’ve been shopping for a ukulele. I love the way they sound. There’s just something about their pluckiness that appeals to my ear. Also they’re so portable. A friend of mine keeps one in his car. Anytime he gets stuck in a traffic jam he grabs his uke and strums his troubles away.
All that said, I’ve never seen anyone really tear it up on the ukulele until I came upon this Roy Smeck video. Damn! The man could play. And what showmanship. Seriously. Jimi Hendrix might have played a stratocaster with his teeth but check out what Smeck does with this ukulele on this 4 string version “Tiger Rag.”
I went looking for a ukelele solo that I saw online a while back that just rocked. I didn’t find it, but I’m pretty sure it was Jake Shimabukuro. I did come across these great rockin’ ukelele links:
nirvana by a ukelele band
uke til you puke
I’ve heard alot of audio of Roy Smeck on banjo and ukulele, but have never seen him. That was amazing and makes me want to burn my uke. By the way, Charles, I’d love to put together a ukulele band for an occasional function. It looks like a hoot.
Ukulele band! Hot damn. I’m in!
Syd Straw with uke. Very good stuff.