Learning Ukulele with Curt

Blues Ukulele: Players

Blues is a at the heart of Rock, Fold, R&B, Jazz and many forms of American music. Every ukulele player should be able to play a bit of a basic blues.

Here are some master on ukulele of the Blues.

Lil Rev

LilRev

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Listing Info

from the Lil Rev web site

( from Lil' Rev's site ) I was born and bred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with dual passions for music and education. I opted for the pragmatic route and earned a Bachelors Degree in Community Education from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. After college, I split my time as an educator between teaching music to grade schoolers at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, and as an adjunct music historian and lecturer at The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

His heroes include: Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Sonny Terry, Cicso Houston and Leadbelly.

I was born and bred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with dual passions for music and education. I opted for the pragmatic route and earned a Bachelors Degree in Community Education from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. After college, I split my time as an educator between teaching music to grade schoolers at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, and as an adjunct music historian and lecturer at The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve courted the creative muse, which compels me to write and perform the music I love. After many years of performing across a wide spectrum of midwestern venues, I left my grade school and college teaching jobs behind to pursue my musical dreams full-time. Since then, I’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, visited every state in the Union (except Alaska and Hawaii), wrote almost a dozen instructional books, recorded over a dozen albums and taught thousands of students ukulele and harmonica.

Twenty-plus years in, that was the best choice I ever made.

Growing up in the shadows of American Motors, Briggs & Stratton, and A.O. Smith, the sights and sounds of Milwaukee’s industrial powerhouse in flux were an inspiration for my music, infusing it with strong esteem for the common man. It’s probably no surprise that my heroes include Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Sonny Terry, Cicso Houston and Leadbelly.

More information available on the Lil Rev's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

Del Rey

DelRey

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Listing Info

from the Del Rey web site

I started playing guitar when I was four. At the age of thirteen I was introduced to the world of traditional acoustic music, when a friend and I stumbled into a concert at Folk Arts Rare Records in San Diego. About 20 people were sitting on the floor under the record bins listening to a kid named Tom Waits play his original songs.

Rey is one of the greatest modern players of the metal-bodied resonator guitar.Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Lou Curtiss, proprietor of Folk Arts and artistic director of the San Diego Folk Festival suggested I quit wasting my time playing 'Stairway to Heaven' and listen to some Memphis Minnie. He put me on stage with Sam Chatmon when I was fourteen, and introduced me to Lydia Mendoza and Howard Armstrong. Lou gave me recordings that still influence everything I do on solo acoustic guitar. I soaked up country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie. It was a musical education hanging around the record shop.

Thirty years later, I became fascinated with the ukulele. I try to play the same kind of complicated rhythmic blues and ragtime on four strings as on six. I expect a lot out of the little instrument.

More information available on the Del Rey's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

Manitoba Hal

ManitobaHal

Links

Listing Info

from the Manitoba Hal web site

Manitoba Hal is a unique performer, accomplished guitarist, songwriter and ukulele player. Using a combination of looping technology and other effects he creates a one-man-band performance that is truly one-of-a-kind. His takes on traditional blues songs are fresh and inventive and audiences everywhere are entertained by his stage banter and witty observations.

<div class="quote_box"> &ldquo;Manitoba Hal Brolund is a bluesman of the traditional variety...Come the Ruination captures Hal&rsquo;s spirit as he fingerpicks his way through 10 acoustic blues tracks here. Highlights include the jaunty Keep on Singing and Whiskey Blues, which features Brolund serving up some searing slide work.&rdquo; - Uptown </div>

More information available on the Manitoba Hal's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

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