Jazzukes - Ukulele Fake Book Project / American Song Book

Let's Pretend That There's A Moon - Jazzukes American Song Book

2012-01-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a fun ditty from 1926. "Let's Pretend That There's A Moon" Written by Russ Columbo, Grace Hamilton and Jack Stern. I have never heard this song before starting this one about a week ago. Somehow this one just falls into place (Yaaa Right) it took about 30 takes before i got this one recorded despite practicing the hell out of it. I actually was going to quit on take 29, camera battery near nearly spent, and SD card full. Persistence said "One Last Time" and I got this take.

Now I can have my beer!

Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Jazzukes Covers American Song Book

2011-12-11T16:54:00.001-05:00

This is a cool little jazzy waltz by Al Dubin and Joe Burke from the 1930's made popular by Nat Shilkret (yep i never heard of him either) then by Ruth Etting (i've heard of her). Check out the Etting versions.

i am still trying to identify what this project is. i think that i would like to record a song a week of something that i've never hear before, and that is not played that often and with only a day or two of practice.

well that is the plan for now. let us see how i do.

Sometimes I'm Happy - Jazzukes American Songbook Collection

2011-12-05T21:28:00.001-05:00

OK this is a real fun piece.

You'll Never Know - Jazzukes American Songbook

2011-11-27T16:14:00.001-05:00

Yes I know it has been a long while since I’ve posted a ukulele video. I am sorry.

Truth is that there are many other things in life aside from ukulele (not much but many). Go figure. The recent Thanksgiving holiday has allowed me to polish this song to something that is acceptable.

Well this is a little ditty that I am probably singing about my ukulele.

“You’ll Never Know” is a late 30s WWII era tune by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren that was probably most famously sung in England by Dame Vera Lynn (check out her stuff – although when she sang this she was probably not a Dame).

I apologize for the shortness of this tune. Still working on the interlude (that may come at a later date).

Also I will apologize in advance as there will be no tab for this one. I think i am going to move this blog to concentrate on the American Song Book tunes that happened about the 30s and early 40s. Playing songs that have not had much recent popularity. What are your thoughs.

Blue Trane - UFbP # 15

2011-10-01T14:10:00.000-04:00

blue trane

so it has been a while since i have posted last. been a bit busy on other things.

one of the instruments that i have played is the saxophone. but that was many years ago. i think that the recent set of songs that i have been releasing my inner saxophone.

blue trane (listen to the original 1957 recording on Blue Train) has a real cool intro with John Coltrane as a single sax, then Coltrane is joined by Lee Morgan (Trumpet) and Curtis Fuller (Trombone) for the signature triple horn trio. very cool.

i try to emulate the triple horn trio by playing double strings playing the fifth below the melody note.

i hope you enjoy....

if you want to purchase the arrangement please follow the link and scroll to the bottom of the page http://jazzukes.com/UFbP.html. Click on the paypal button beside the song. a pdf of the arrangement will be sent in a zipped folder with a midi sound file and the guitar pro 6 arrangement file. all my arrangements are $2.00. thank you....

Giant Steps - John Coltrane - UFbP 14 - Documentary of an Arrangement -#3

2011-02-26T15:37:00.004-05:00

OK --- here is another entry. i have the song where i play a note melody, followed by the chord solo that follows the melody and an alternate chord solo. this song is really difficult to get the pieces together as it really moves. without back up instruments it makes it difficult to just vamp on a melodic solo. that is why i've opted to for the alternate chord solo.

ok it is not there yet. close, but this needs more time.

i need to put it on the back burner for a while. learn something new, then unpack it again in about a month. these things take time. the ultimate goal is to make the song mine. know all the movements, all the changes have the melody in my soul. then it will move to the next level. thanks for watching.

Mandolin Adventure

2011-02-13T07:21:00.001-05:00

not that i should forsake my ukuleles. please see my new love....

and follow my development on the http://mandolin-discovery.blogspot.com/

Giant Steps - John Coltrane - UFbP 14 - Documentary of an Arrangement - Entry 2

2011-02-09T13:16:00.000-05:00

Here is my entry for 8-Feb-2011.

the progress on this song has been slower than i would like. this is because it is very challenging. i find with challenging songs you need to put them away, and then come at them fresh. if i don't, and just try to muscle thorough it, the song can become dull or will frustrate me enough so that i abandon it.

so here is the progress - i have the body and the melody down. i am starting to think about the vamp solo. this is not going to be like the Coltrane solo, but something that can be played on ukulele with some chord back-ups. i will not score this as it will stagnate the development of the song. enjoy and keep watching.

Giant Steps - John Coltrane - UFbP 14 - Documentary of an Arrangement

2011-01-08T16:37:00.001-05:00

Giant Steps - UFbP # 14 - Documentary of an Arrangement

ok i usually do not tip my hat to the next song that i will arrange. this is not my usual practice as it is a bit like sticking my neck out. often times i start arranging something and then put it aside because it just is not working. there are about five songs in the queue today that are like that.

well this time, it is a bit different. i have always wanted to play the Coltrane classic "Giant Steps". i have had downloaded the arrangement numerous times. i have attempted to play and arrange it. the time is now, the gauntlet has been tossed, seize the day.... all that jazz...

i am going to do things a bit differently. i am going to give the chronology of the development of my arrangement on this blog. start date is Saturday 8-Jan-2011. i downloaded a jazz chart, did a quick arrangement of the melody line and the standard chords as well as the first iteration of the chord melody using GuitarPro 6 for the arrangement.

the video illustrates the progress to date.

now if you want to attempt the arrangement with me you can e-mail me at jazzukes@verizon.net and i will send you the basic arrangement to date with a midi file for $ 2.00. if you have GuitarPro 6 i will also send the electronic arrangement so that you can make your own electronic edits.

my goal is to have this recorded fully arranged (and in my brain) sometime in February. but i will be recording stages of my progress throughout the development. i am posting this on YT, but it will be unlisted, the only way to access this video is through this blog. the final arrangement will be a listed arrangement. thanks for watching.

www.jazzukes.com

_marko

four - UFbP #13

2011-01-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

OK here is another Miles Davis tune.

i would like to comment on my approach used to create my past arrangement and performance the difference between this one.

Past
in the past i have rushed the video process to a degree to see how fast i could arrange, learn, and play the song. previous tunes would take me about 3 - 4 weeks to complete this process. the performances posted were not the best. i would record the song with 2- 4 takes and then post. the songs were played more or less straight and to the beat. not much feeling in the song. very aggressive

FOUR
this one i have taken more time on the playing, and getting the feeling into the song. in this case i have become so comfortable with the song i can play a bit with the rhythm and bend a few notes. those of you who will get the arrangement, which is based off the Fakebook chart, will notice the difference from as written to as played.   i will be moving to this.

what does it take to get me to this point?
a lot of playing, playing at different positions, singing the song melody and working the harmonies. i estimate that i have played this tune 300 times in the past 3 weeks. it keeps on evolving.

most importantly, when playing and practicing, i do not have the chart (music) in front of me. the music and the melody are internalized. i am playing on feeling only, and i am looking for the happy accident where it comes out right.

Comments
people have asked me for the tab of the solos. well that can never happen as you will never get the feeling into the song, and since i play it differently each time, which do i choose?

here is the other thing, yes am flattered that people want to play my arrangement, but i do not want them to copy me, i want them to be themselves and put their own emotions into the song. i want to hear their interpretation. i want to hear something new. i do not want to here my interpretation again.

please understand that this should be a freeing statement to all those who are trying to emulate what i am playing. your understanding and abilities may be different than mine. you should tap into what you do best (or better than me) and put this into the tune. i tell you that there are a number of (you) very talented people out there that do not recognize their (your) potential and talents because they (you) are trying to do, play, or copy someone else.

when you realize who you are it then becomes music. this is jazz people. play it.

i hope that you see the difference. thanks for watching and your support.

_M

as always e-mail me if you what the basic arrangement $ 2.00 through pay pal.

autumn leaves –UFbP # 12

2010-10-30T21:06:00.001-04:00

ok this one is one that i have done before and it was one of my first video entries (thanks to Jason Tagg) on the internet. i thought that i needed to update the song using my Guitar Pro 6 software as it is more capable than versions in the past, and also because my musical understanding since 2006 has grown.

“autumn leaves” is also one of those classic songs by Johnny Mercer that every jazzer (Beebop, Standard, big band, Country) band or performer needs to cover, and there are many great versions out there. i have 5 versions on my i-pod alone not to mention the arrangements i have on other obsolete media (no 8-tracks that is before my time even though i remember them) .

i cannot tell you how many people e-mail me about this arrangement since Jason created that video on a November night in Somerville, and the positive comments that i have received. this is probably my classic piece, although my performance that night was stiff as my fingers were freezing and i was a bit nervous as i was performing in Ukulele Noir number 6 that night.

it is really funny i can only play this song during Autumn – it has to be well in to September and then i stop playing it in November. so you have most of November to master this one (and i will give you to December 15) and then you will need to put it away.

so i’ve decided to re record this one which is given below. i have added a solo that has only been added in the past couple of years (unfortunately i cannot tab this). i play this close up so those skilled in the art of ukulele can pick off what i am doing. i also have my original and a Jazzukes Demonstrated video (which i had completely forgot that i created). i must apologize for sound quality, i really need to get a new camera (with a way better microphone)

if you want the basic arrangement and exercise basic arrangement can be made available to you for $ 2 through paypal to jazzukes@verizon.net. you will get the tab arrangement, a midi file for timing. or you could just make your arrangement from the chart to the right (i will not be upset).

those who get my arrangement will notice a few things about intertwining the melody notes and the chords in the main body of the song. if you notice i keep the chord form fingered and pick the notes of the melody in that chord shape. this allows for some rhythm chord passes on the off or rest beats. also it allows you to pick some of the other notes in the chord shape to add embellishing notes.

as a further disclaimer to my arrangement, i cannot include everything that i do in this video (note bending, rhythm bending, embellish notes, trills). that would take me forever to put together. i have only included some of these elements.

thank you for your consideration.

The original – Filmed by Jason Tagg – Midnight Ukulele Disco

Autumn Leaves - Jazzukes Demonstrated – this explains some of the piece.

A Night in Tunisia – UFbP Entry 11

2010-09-14T23:07:00.004-04:00

a night in tunisia is one of my new favorites. the song was written be the bebop trumpet virtuoso Dizzy Gillespie. playing this song on ukulele is a bit more comfortable than playing it on trumpet and i do not have to blow out my cheeks.

this is one that has taken me a long time to work out (and I am still working on it). i have written in the most common key (you can find many versions of this on the internet). i initially wrote this for a low G (non-re-entrant tuning) and i had thought i would raise the key later (with Guitar Pro 6) to accommodate the fact that I am playing this on a soprano. but i played it on the soprano and the low A and Bb played on the 4th string an octave higher sounds really pretty cool.

so the arrangement that i am actually playing would be note for note correctly played on a low G instrument. so all you tenor, low G people that have complained about my arrangements not being appropriate for your instrument this is your piece.

the arrangement has all the movements in the original Gillespie piece. i play it slower and more soulful than Gillespie did. i think that i just sounds better. i do not include my solo in the my arrangement, but those skilled in the art of ukulele playing will see what i am doing. there is a hint to look at the end of my arrangement and put elements of this in my solo section.

the tricky part is that triplette on the one beat coming in from the “and” beat from the 4 of the previous measure in the main theme of the song. I am really counting this one. and –trip le ette 2 ~~3 4~~ & 1 &, ~~2, 3, 4~~ & trip le ette ~~2 3 4~~ & 1 …. (bold is a played note – strike throughs are holds or rests). This is real difficult for me to get right.

thank you for your consideration.

This Song Has No Title - UFbP # 10

2010-08-05T20:44:00.014-04:00

"This Song Has No Title" - Entry Number 10

why is this the title to this song. because it may not even be a song.

this is an original that grew out of a couple of inversion exercises that i fiddle or more appropriately ukulele with between real pieces. eventually i started to string the exercises together and then add a few passing notes, to finally come up with a song that There is No Title to.

so what am i doing in this piece? most of my skype students will recognize elements of this song as exercises in inversions and modes within a key.

The introduction and the outro of the piece is in Bb and starts on the I-chord as a Major 7 at the first fret, adds the 2 (or 9) to follow the scale, and then inverts to the BbM7 inversion at the 3^rd fret. I then moves to the II-Chord (usually a m7) Cm7 at the third fret, then adds the 2 (or 9) to this chord (following the scale notes of Bb) then inverts to the Cm7 at 5 fret. This same pattern is repeated for the III-chord of the scale which is a Dm7.

This Dm7 is confusing to me in a cool jazzy way. Dm7 is also F6 spelled differently (they both have the same notes). What is cool about this is Dm7 is a III-chord of the Bb Scale, yet if you call it an F6 it is the V-chord. HOW COOL is that. So a IIIm7 is a V6. This gets to my relational theory of music and chords.

In the second mode of the piece i explore other inversions and how other chords make sense with one another.

Here is my point to all ukulele players out there, and guitarist that may be reading this. Please do not think that the single chord per measure is the only chord you can play in that measure, you can explore with inversions and transitions that add interest and can follow the melody line of the piece.

Once you understand this and you have inversions under your belt, and an understanding of the scales that cover the chords you will be limitless in the interest that you can add to the piece to add interest. Please note that a piano player usually is doing this (although they probably are just following some one else's arrangement). You as a ukulele player can have the same ability with a little understanding of the chords and the overlaying scales.

if you want the basic arrangement and exercise basic arrangement can be made available to you for $ 2 through paypal to jazzukes@verizon.net. you will get the tab arrangement, a slowed midi file for timing.

i thank you in advance for your consideration.

God Bless and keep playing.

next song is coming - an original

2010-08-02T20:42:00.002-04:00

flying to japan

first off let me thank you for following this blog.

noodles noodles noodels

recently my real job as vp marketing and sales for CPS has be taking their toll on me and my ability to contribute to the world musically.

i have been to japan and back. home for a week vacation were i worked. then off to nashville for a conference. my life is too much traveling.

i should not complain too much as my job keeps me in ukuleles and my very lovely wife happy.

also japan has always been fun (and i am full of noodles and raw fish) and nashville should be on every musicians list of destinations to go (although i was not there long enough to say i was there).

the cape house - got vacation?

on vacation at the cape i worked on the issues of the upkeep of a rental vacation beach cottage for my father-in-law. and i must admit a day of work at the cape is better then a day at work.

while at the cape i got see my second most favorite ukulele focused band (melvern taylor is my number one) - 'tripping lily'. i think "tripping lily" would agree that melvern is number one,

tripping lily gave a great free concert to everyone in eastham, i am going to say melvern is on notice as tr could be taking his place (naw i love them both.)

tripping lily in eastham

tripping lily show was absolutely wonderful. it is rare these days that you have a group with excellent musicianship and great song writing skills i strongly suggest you get a copy of their recent cd (on i-tunes) the day everything became nothing, at the very least get download "guilty" or "california" or "little black dress" which is my new favorite.

famous ryman hall nashville tn - lester and earl got their start

on my way back home...

so what have i been working on. it is an original that is based on some inversion practice exercises (all my skype students will recognize it).

i hope to record the final version this coming weekend so please stay tuned. i will have the sheet music for this song if any is so inclined to play a mark occhionero original. i will not divulge the title of the song as it is not so inspired at the writing of this blog. i may never be inspired as much as demetrius or alex.

please keep playing, listening, and watching.

God Bless - stay safe and as dorthy says there is no place like home.

_marko

Mood Indigo UFbP number 9

2010-07-04T08:16:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July.

Ellington's "Mood Indigo" - what is more American than Ellington?

this song is one that i have done before, and i am going to put this out to a challenge, where i will link your renditions to this blog. you can find a version on the arrangement page of my jazzukes website, or you can e-mail me jazzukes@verizon.net for the updated version with corrections (i cannot rightly charge $2 for this arrangement as it is all ready out there).

why is this a do over? well it is because this song would need to be included in any self respecting jazz fake book (i hope that will be the case). also i am strung out at work with a number of items, and i have travel plans that will keep me from this endeavor.

so what will you win for the challenge? all i can offer is satisfaction....

the performance version

the close-up for instruction

I want to point out both the performance version and my close up demo version were "one takes". There are a few mistakes in each of these versions that actually come out ok. Not desired but OK. I could have re-taked the entry, but i think it is instructive to not that you should be confident and just play through it. If you are constantly stopping and restarting a piece because you are looking for perfection you will never play a song completely.

blessings

Out Of Nowhere - UFbP # 8 - Ballad Speed

2010-06-20T08:22:00.001-04:00

ok here is "Out of Nowhere" again with more of a ballad feel, as it really was intended.

as always the basic arrangement can be made available to you for $ 2 through paypal to jazzukes@verizon.net. you will get the tab arrangement, a slowed midi file for timing.

i thank you in advance for your consideration.

"Out Of Nowhere" – UfbP #8

2010-06-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

"Out Of Nowhere" (Music Johnny Green /Words Edward Heyman) – UfbP #8

this is a great tune that i never really knew before. i was spending time with my hal leonard "real jazz standard fake book" doing some sight reading of songs i do not know and this one popped out at me.

since it is a song that is really not in my memory it makes a good example of how i arrange a piece. so i journalled my approach and progress more or less and these are some thoughts that and ideas that i use to arrange a piece.

first learn the song – listen to versions and learn the melody and the off melodies people play. YouTube is a valuable resource for this. My favorite is a compilation from the Jackie Gleason Orchestra which is a more melancholy somber rendition (got it on I-tunes).

Write the piece out with the melody line only and the chord names. I use guitar pro (version 6 now i started with version 2). in the first writing i don't do anything fancy with the arrangement. Just have it on paper so that i can put together the arrangement. I will play the melody then the chords and with an iterative process triangulate to the the arrangement. I try only to do this in my head or on paper, i try not to arrange with the computer.

arranging with the computer can be dangerous since you have a tendency to put in everything that you know into the piece. Often times it is too complex that you cannot play it. you need to play the piece within your capability. the other thing about arranging everything that you know into the pieces is it lacks subtleties that make it a great arrangement.

next i really learn the piece. i try to put it into blocks that i memorize and put these together into the total piece. i put these blocks into musical theory segments (ii-V-1M7, vi-ii-7....) you would get this if you understand musical theory. this helps me wrap my head around the mood and transitions of the piece.

then i learn to play the piece with out the music. i am hoping for happy mistakes that take me to the next level of the arrangement. you see if you have the music in front of you the 'happy mistakes' never happen as you are too concerned about playing what is written. a happy mistake is playing a different chord as passing tone, a chord inversion, a off rhythm, that is not written. In this piece i found the GM7 inversion that i use between the phrasings of the chorus.

i also do a video or two of the piece to see what it looks and sounds like and where i have difficult measures that need fixing. you will know where these places are as you stumble or hesitate. the camera does not lie. for example the beginning phrasing of eight notes i play as closed note (fretted) the E on the 3^rd string and the A on the 2^nd string as it is easier. the ending phrasing of this piece was particular difficult at the melody notes do not follow the basic chording. the solution is the two string picking, and rather than playing the A on the A-string and going to F# on the second string it makes more sense to play all notes on the second string grabbing the A at the 5^th fret. these were happy mistakes that i picked up on though using my video camera.

then i play the song for a week to get it to be mine.iIn reality this is too soon for a piece for me as i need a month or more. but in this project i am trying to keep the blog fresh, doing one or two piece a month.

was great for me as i would have a couple of month or so to prepare about 4 new songs for each show. i would actually prepare six tunes and through out two the day of the show, opting two for pieces that i had played previously and fit my mood of the night. mood has a lot to do with playing a piece, you do not play a piece (or video record) when your mood is opposite to the piece. i will talk about mood a little later (foreshadowing).

so here it is – "Out of Nowhere" A piece by Johnny Green and words by Edward Heyman – from the Paramount Picture "Dude Ranch" with a copyright of 1931.

Up Jumped Spring - UfbP #7

2010-05-31T23:49:00.000-04:00

Up Jumped Spring - UfbP #7

Jazz Waltz? yes there are only a handful that i can really call a jazz waltz. this is the BEST one as far as i am considered. "Up Jumped Spring" was composed by the Trumpet Master Freddie Hubbard ~ 1966 and the first known album that i know of is Backlash. Freddie was of the bee bop school of Jazz and this song is usually played a lot faster than i perform it.

i however like it more slowly, and like to let the chords run out and you will notice that i play a lot of rest stroke chords, during the rests, and on some of the dotted half notes. this adds a bit of rhythm behind the tune, as say the snare drum would be playing behind. also there are some triplet grace notes that i use to add a bit of interest (Hubbard does this triplet thing with the trumpet).

I play this tune twice first on my Catrol Oil ukulele bidon from my friend in France David Rebiere and again on my DaSilva SM 1. i liked both recordings and both sounds; i could not choose so you can have them both. and yes and i am playing it in my favorite place in the world, my Father-in-law's Beach house in Manomet MA (just slightly south of Plymouth MA).

Recording # 1 Rebiere Ukulele Bidon

Recording # 2 DaSilva SM-1

as always the arrangement can be made available to you for $ 2 through paypal to jazzukes@verizon.net. you will get the tab arrangement, a slowed midi file for timing.

i thank you in advance for your consideration.

Body and Soul - UFbP addition #6

2010-05-20T19:12:00.001-04:00

OK "Body and Soul" (music by john green) is a re-arrange of a tune i only chord arranged before.

this is the New Improved version with more of the melody line and in the key of Ebm for A verses and DM and Dm for the B verse.

please discard the arrangement from my www.jazzukes.com website as it is in a different key and it was arranged a while back when I was just getting started on the ukulele. (but if anyone asks for the arrangement of the song - please feel free to give them my old version)

i did most of the arrangement in a hotel in Nürnberg Germany during the PCIM Power Electronics Show (I am a scientist and vp of marketing and sales for CPS Technologies - only to keep my wife happy and me in ukuleles).

you think that i am cheating by re-doing a song that i already know and have played. i thought i was too but i needed to take a break from the learning of a totally new song since i was traveling in Deuchland drinking great beer and having comfort food. BUT since this is a different arrangement, i had to re-learn everything that i though i knew about this song and break the bad timing habits of the past.

so i practiced and practiced, even during the conference. i even got to sing to a couple of junge Damen. remember that ukulele flirting is ok because you keep both hands busy.

on this piece i've decided to play my DaSilva Koa SM-1. this was my first luthier build instrument.

here it is the new and improved "Body and Soul'

Groovy Samba - UFbP - Entry Number 5

2010-04-25T22:33:00.003-04:00

Groovy Samba is a tune that i just recently heard in the past two weeks and had to learn it.

the song was has been attributed to the Brazilian jazz pianist Sérgio Mendes (i have not found the source or a reliable discography to confirm this). i do have a Fakebook manuscript of the song with his name on it.

i have also seen it attributed to "Cannonball Adderley And The Bossa Rio Sextet" of which Sérgio Mendes joins in with them occasionally. whatever.... as to when the song was written, it seems to be in late sixties (the name gives it away).

and this tune has a cool 60 Jazz vibe that reminds me of a weird 60's spy or cop show.

the challenge for this piece were all fast 8th note runs (a progressive pull-off) with a wide scale range. i play the same 8th note melody line measure 6 and 7 in two different places on the neck. this has two purposes in that it allows me to move to these notes rapidly from the up the neck run to the high G, also it is a different tonality and i chord it differently up the neck.

i also comp (comp - short in jazz for accompaniment) a lot of chords in between the melody lines. this serves two purposes, one it makes the song sound a lot more interesting and it helps keep time.

so here it is...Groovy Samba

it is being played on my Kevin Crossett Kepasa Madeira Ukulele.

as always the arrangement can be made available to you for $ 2 through paypal to jazzukes@verizon.net. you will get the tab arrangement (i give both the main melody and close to the version that i've played in the video), a slowed midi file and a slow and close up version of me playing the tune.

you will receive all materials by e-mail in a zipped folder. these folders are approximately 17 Mb, if this bounces back i will post in a place where you can download at your convenience. as i frequently travel, may i am in europe, please allow a day or two for me to respond.

i thank you in advance for your consideration.

if you like the ukulele - please contact kevin through his website by clicking on the logo to the right.

The Slide BeerCanjolele - Just for Fun

2010-04-25T21:12:00.006-04:00

every say to yourself "i got spare parts, strings, beer and power tools?" well this is what happens.

the next entry - a preview

2010-04-24T17:35:00.001-04:00

people ask how i develop an arrangement. i will tell you it is a lot of work, but well worth it. i spend a lot of time listening to other versions. i spend time putting the arrangement together in guitar pro and finally i spend time playing and recording the song. then i reiterate the entire process, to refine the tune. this is one of the best versions of my recording session today on my Kepasa Madeira (Kevin Crossett) - this is an exceptional instrument.

by the way i am keeping the name of the tune secret till i have it all down.

i will say i have a new I have a new energy to put these songs together. i just heard this song for the first time about one week ago. when i heard it i just had to learn it and here it is. it is very challenging with the 8th note runs, and the timing is tricky. it is good to listen to you playing the song to get this right. i estimate i play a song about 100 time before i get the feel of the piece, then it takes another 100 or so to make it mine.

hey the first one to post the name of the song in the comment box will get my arrangement free. just give me an e-mail address.

need more info on the Madeira.... click the pic...

Blue Monk - Installment 4 - Ukulele Fakebook Project

2010-04-18T16:52:00.002-04:00

The next installment to the Ukulele Fakebook Project is the great Bee Bop pianist Thelonius Monk composition called “Blue Monk”. This is a 12 bar blues that is originally written in Bb. This is a song that all the Bee Boppers have done and it is really fun and impressive to play.

I found a version in G that works best for the ukulele; playing the melody line on the A (first) string. There are a lot of nice inversions that chromatically change in this piece. I use these chromatic changes a lot when I arrange songs to give more of a bluesy feel. Once you get the hang of this the song theme is fairly easy to play and memorize as the finger themes are pretty repetitive.

This arrangement is played with the Re-entrant high G 4^th string tuning. I do a few tricks with the finger picking on the high G 4^th string to get the melody on the D7 tag in the 12 bar. I prefer to play this with a standard soprano tuning.

This song is best played on an instrument that has the biggest sustain, as there are a lot of notes you want to hold and let ring out like the single D note in the 9 measure. You will need an instrument with 13 frets or more to play this one. Alternately you can fake it on the wood or the strings. When executed well know one will every know, and those who do will be very impressed.

For this piece I have chosen my 1925 Weymann Brothers mahogany ukulele. This was an instrument that was gifted to me by a very famous ukulele luminary, player and singer who heard me play at one of the Craig Robertson's Ukulele Noir Nights on my KoAloha soprano. Please note that the KoAloha is a great instrument, but the gentlemen said that I needed to be playing a exceptional instrument. The inset photo by Robert Wheeler shows me playing KoAloha, at that early Ukulele Noir.

I love all my instruments and they each have their own sound. When playing and arranging a piece I try them all to see which instrument has the correct personality for the piece. The generous gent would say that this is Ukulele Consciousness. The gent that gifted me the Weymann asked to remain anonymous. Those educated in the world out ukulele know who this generous person is, and this song is my public thank you to him.

Please note the Weymann (pictured) only has 12 frets! (click on the picture to see the full resolution of the image). Weymann Bros. instruments are pretty interesting since the workshop was only a few doors down from the Martin workshop in Nazareth PA. By the way if any one is interested the serial number on the head stock is 40518 Model number 112.

I hope you enjoy this tune. My arrangement is available for $2 through PayPal to jazzukes@verizon.net. You get the arrangement, and some soloing thoughts, a Midi file of the song, this is very helpful to get the timing of the song down, and I will also provide a slowed down close up video of me playing this song,

Guitar Pro 6 - Is out and it is GREAT!

2010-04-17T19:06:00.002-04:00

I just just updated my Guitar Pro to GP6 which is what I use to tab and arrange all my music - WOW.

This new version is so awesome, and much easier to use with some real great features.

What I really like is that it has the Fakebook Font. Now I need to put the first 3 songs in this format. This book is really shaping up.

Please note that this is a tip of the hat to the next song that I am arranging in this project. The arrangement is surprisingly simple to play, but sounds way more complex. I am also going to be including some soloing ideas in this next arrangement.

Should be recorded in the next few days.

Those who are following this blog should consider purchasing a copy of GP6, or upgrading from your current version. If you have GP6, and you getting my arrangements, please let me know and I will send you my raw GP6 file. This will be a real leaning tool.

Stay Tuned!

Jobim's piece Insensatez (How Insensitive) Entry # 3

2010-04-10T17:01:00.020-04:00

The third entry in the Ukulele Fakebook Project Jobim's piece Insensatez (How Insensitive).

I really love this piece. It lends itself to a lot of vamps. I also included a Gm7 peddle tone interlude solo. I include the chords for this to in my arrangement of the song, although not the finger picking arrangement as I do this differently each time.

Also I love playing these Bossa songs on the DaSilva (www.ukemaker.com) Santo as the strings and the body give a nice rhythm to the piece when played hard and a nice sweet clean sound when finger picked.

I've been holding off recoding this song because I knew I would be in Vero Beach FL this week on a family reunion of sorts. This would be the perfect venue to record the song. Sun, Surf and Blue Sky.

BUT.....I must add that I've had the hardest time recording this song. I've been fighting wind (wanted to record at the beach - too windy). I finally relented and recorded at my hotel in between air conditioner cycles, an ice machine, motor cycles, horns, low riders with big stereos, a very noisy hotel manager and such. I just managed to squeak this one in and then - well listen to it at the end.

Again, if you are interested in this arrangement please e-mail me and I will give you the details. I am charging a nominal $ 2 fee through paypal (jazzukes@verizon.net). I include my arrangement, and a close up arrangement of the main body of the song. At the writing of this blog this has not been recorded yet. Please be patient as I will record this in a more cooperative and conducive environment (with in the next week).

Thanks for watching and your consideration.

Next I am going to work (rework) on another beebop classics. It is always nice to re-introduce yourself to an old friend, could never do it on the other instruments that I've played in the past. BUT UKULELE is unlimited in capability. Keep in touch.

Mark Occhionero www.jazzukes.com