Uke

I'm taking ukulele lessons. Have I told you this?

Last Christmas I gave Fingers lessons, and she gave me a uke (sort of a "Gift of the Magi" thing, as neither of us knew what the other had planned...) Anywho, we were so excited not only did we upgrade our ukes to profesh-ish models (mines a slightly different colour), but Poo decided to get in on the action, and the three of us started up with the beginner group from String Along Ukulele last February.

First off, it has to be said ukulele (pronounced 'ook-oo-lele') lessons are hysterical. We are easily the youngest in the group by about 20-years. Add to this the lessons take place in the recreation room of an old folks home, and you have the makings for a good night. Except, of course, every third lesson which is our jam night. Yes, I said it. That's right. Our jam night. Every third Tuesday about 50 ukulele players gather in the back room of a pub to eat, drink, play, and sing along to classic tunes like:

Ain't She Sweet
Sway
Jamaica Farewell

What's that? You don't recognize these smash hits? That's because no one reading this blog was born before 1920, whereas most of our classmates were...

I literally can't stop smiling on jam nights because the entire thing is so surreal. My classmates come with bags full of kazoos, maracas, spoons, and harmonicas to play on those special songs that require accompaniment. Some nights there's a banjo, others a bassist. I've recently noticed that some come with pint glass holders on their music stands (I asked the grey haired lady next to me where you get one and she whispered "in the drummers section of the music store, dear.") Inevitable after ever song someone says "they don't make songs like that anymore..." or "Oh, that one's my favorite!"

Jam nights have become so popular they stopped allowing spectators into the room because they were crowding out the players. I mean, seriously, think about... If you knew there was a secret room full of ukuleles in your neighborhood rocking out to the theme song from the Flinstones and Blue Moon wouldn't you want to sit in? It's like slipping through Platform 9 3/4 into another world. A totally ridiculous world, albeit, but in the best possible sense.

Anywho, lessons have started up again, and in honour of our second year I bought myself a bad-ass strap and tuner and have been practicing my favorite tunes. My goal is to one day make the switch to the banjolele and then eventually into my real banjo, but I'm working my way up to that. For my birthday, Fingers, Poo and I are going to a ukulele concert at the Legion--seriously, I can't make this up--with Ralph Shaw, whom were told is legendary in the uke world. He wears a bow tie. I'm hoping to get him to sign my uke... Either that or my chest. But although we share the same music stand accoutrement, I don't think the Ralph Shaw's of the world share much else with the Rick Allen's...

I'll have my Sharpie marker at the ready, just in case!

*wink*