Ukulele Is The New Black

Today’s guests were suggested by one of my patrons, Maja Zweck. Nicole and Aaron Keim are trained musicians who play ukulele as the duo “The Quiet American”, and luthier Aaron also makes beautiful handcrafted ukuleles at Beansprout Musical Instruments, at their home in Hood River, Oregon. After I recorded this interview another listener, Paul Gissing, also suggested I talk to Aaron – so chances are you should all enjoy it!

Some show-related links below:

• Jumpin’ Jim’s Ukulele Songbooks
• Boulder Acoustic Society
• Denver Ukefest
• Heidi Litke
• Mya-moe ukuleles
• Dan Sawyer
• Marmalade Creations
• Dame Judi Dench’s rude embroidery
• James Hill

Songs played on the show:

• Greasy Coat (Traditional)
• Cold Frosty Morn (Traditional)
• Carved into my Heart (Nicole and Aaron Keim)

Go to the Ukulele Is The New Black YouTube channel for a playlist to hear these songs as well as other content relating to the episode

For more information about Aaron and Nicole, and to buy their books and CDs, go to QuietAmericanMusic.com, and check out Aaron’s ukuleles at thebeansprout.com. And of course there’s also a whole lot of content on Aaron’s YouTube channel.

Ukulele is the New Black is produced by me, Meredith Harper. I wrote the theme tune and I performed it with Janine Chandler, Jim Croft, Jasmine Fellows, Paul Marsh, Sandra Shaw and Chris Williams. Seb Carraro does the graphic design.

Thanks to my $10 and over Patreon supporters for helping me to make this podcast:

• Ukulele Legend: Linda Dodwell
• Ukulele Champions: Debbie Hoad, Maja Zweck & Christopher Boatwright

The music played in this episode is licenced under a Podcasts (Featured Music) agreement with APRA AMCOS.

I’ve talked to ukulele players all over the world but it’s nice to talk to someone local again from Canberra where I live. Originally from Taiwan, Kim Yang moved here around 10 years ago where she discovered the joy of music and, of course, ukulele. Kim is now a full-time musician and songwriter who is about to release her new EP, Brave. We had a chat a few weeks ago about her musical journey.

Some show-related links below:

• artsACT
• Eden bushfires 2019

Songs played on the show:

• Wake me Up (Kim Yang)
• The Bath Song (Kim Yang)

Go to the Ukulele Is the New Black YouTube channel for a playlist to hear these songs as well as other content relating to the episode

For more information about Kim, go to kimyangmusic.com where you will also be able to buy her new EP on 10th September.

Also don’t forget to send me suggestions for people you would like me to interview on the show, before it’s too late!

Ukulele is the New Black is produced by me, Meredith Harper. I wrote the theme tune and I performed it with Janine Chandler, Jim Croft, Jasmine Fellows, Paul Marsh, Sandra Shaw and Chris Williams. Seb Carraro does the graphic design.

Thanks to my $10 and over Patreon supporters for helping me to make this podcast:

• Ukulele Legend: Linda Dodwell
• Ukulele Champions: Debbie Hoad, Maja Zweck & Christopher Boatwright

The music played in this episode is licenced under a Podcasts (Featured Music) agreement with APRA AMCOS

In this episode I talk to Barbara Taylor, a dynamic ukulele player and organiser from Busselton in Western Australia. Barbara has been on my list since previous guest Kevin Chennell mentioned her, and I’m so glad I finally caught up with her, because she is a delight.

Oh and Barbara mentions my cat curtains, which were pretty hard to miss when I talked to her over Zoom. If you want to see them, here’s a picture. They are wonderfully tacky and you won’t be disappointed!

Some show-related links below:

• Samantha Muir
• Sam Brown
• The Fabulous Ukulele Club
• U3A - University of the Third Age
• Busselton Ukulele Strummers
• Uke Club Margaret River
• Esplanade Hotel Busselton
• Ukulele Russ
• Curtin University
• Kamaka Ukulele
• Cordoba Ukuleles
• J. Morgan Ukuleles
• Anu Grace
• Wise Ukulele
• 1927
• Strings Attached
• Kanakapila
• Busselton Fringe
• Busselton Jetty

Songs played on the show:

• My Own Kind of Hat (Merle Haggard, Red Lane – 1979)
• Waterloo Road (Michael Anthony Deighan, Michael Wilshaw – 1968)

Go to the Ukulele Is The New Black YouTube channel for a playlist to hear these songs as well as other content relating to the episode

Ukulele is the New Black is produced by me, Meredith Harper. I wrote the theme tune and I performed it with Janine Chandler, Jim Croft, Jasmine Fellows, Paul Marsh, Sandra Shaw and Chris Williams. Seb Carraro does the graphic design.

Thanks to my $10 and over Patreon supporters for helping me to make this podcast:

• Ukulele Legend: Linda Dodwell
• Ukulele Champions: Debbie Hoad, Maja Zweck & Christopher Boatwright

The music played in this episode is licenced under a Podcasts (Featured Music) agreement with APRA AMCOS.

Sam Brown is a professional musician best known as a singer, having sung backing vocals for bands such as Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Spandau Ballet, as well as having a successful solo career including the international hit single “Stop!”, which is still one of my favourite songs. When Sam lost her singing voice in 2007 she started teaching ukulele, and now runs 7 ukulele groups in the UK. We have a great chat about her discovery of the ukulele and she also plays a couple of songs on a ukulele with a very impressive provenance.

For more information about Sam, and to buy her albums go to misssambrown.com, and to find out more about her many ukulele clubs go to thefabulousukuleleclub.co.uk.

Some show-related links below:

• Joe Brown
• Vicki Brown
• Barbara Taylor (Busselton Ukulele Strummers)
• LOCUM
• Czech Ukulele Festival
• Kamaka Ukulele
• Martin Ukuleles

Songs played on the show:

• Makin' Whoopee (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn - 1928)
• You Don’t Mess Around with Jim (Jim Croce, 1972)

Go to the Ukulele Is The New Black YouTube channel for a playlist to hear these songs as well as other content relating to the episode

Ukulele is the New Black is produced by Meredith Harper, who also wrote the theme tune. The theme tune was performed by Meredith Harper, Jasmine Fellows, Geoff Skellams, Jim Croft, Chris Williams, Paul Marsh and Sandra Shaw. Seb Carraro does the graphic design.

If you enjoy this podcast please give it a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser or wherever you listen to your podcasts - and tell your friends!

Thanks to my $10 and over Patreon supporters for helping me to make this podcast:

• Ukulele Legend: Linda Dodwell
• Ukulele Champions: Debbie Hoad, Maja Zweck & Christopher Boatwright

The music played in this episode is licenced under a Podcasts (Featured Music) agreement with APRA AMCOS.

Believe it or not, today’s episode was recorded on a cruise in March 2020. I had a chat to ukulele players M Sieiro Garcia and Colin Taylor on the island of Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas on the last day of the Joco Cruise. It’s funny to listen back to it now, knowing that the next day we were well and truly back in the real world and the realities of a pandemic. Because this was recorded on the beach, there’s a fair bit of background noise – but just close your eyes and imagine you’re sitting on the beach with a pina colada, and enjoy!

Some show-related links below:

• Joco Cruise
• Molly Lewis
• John Hodgman
• Travis McElroy
• Jean Grae
• Klingons
• Star Trek Deep Space Nine (DS9)
• Star Trek Discovery
• Marc Okrand
• Mary Chieffo

Songs played on the show:

• La Vie en Rose (Edith Piaf, Louiguy & Marguerite Monnot – 1947)

Go to the Ukulele Is The New Black YouTube channel for a playlist to hear this song as well as other clips relating to the episode.

Ukulele is the New Black is produced by Meredith Harper, who also wrote the theme tune. The theme tune was performed by Meredith Harper, Jasmine Fellows, Geoff Skellams, Jim Croft, Chris Williams, Paul Marsh and Sandra Shaw. Seb Carraro does the graphic design.

Thanks to my $10 and over Patreon supporters for helping me to make this podcast:

• Ukulele Champion: Debbie Hoad
• Ukulele Legend: Linda Dodwell

The music played in this episode is licenced under a Podcasts (Featured Music) agreement with APRA AMCOS.