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image courtesy of koratmember at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Well - I did warn you that I'd be blogging a right pot-pourri, didn't I? Never more so than when we're talking ukuleles. Don't worry, I'll not be waxing lyrical about George Formby. No, no blog on ukes could ever be complete without a mention of that intrepid octet - the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. They've been on the go for over 30 years. We've seen them live a couple of times; their concerts are usually sold out almost as soon as the tickets go on sale. How to describe them? Professional musicians? Comedians? Philosophers? May it's best to let them tell you:
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a group of all-singing, all-strumming Ukulele players, using instruments bought with loose change, which believes that all genres of music are available for reinterpretation, as long as they are played on the Ukulele.
And what reinterpretation! Anything and everything: from Kate Bush to Handel, David Bowie to George Formby (Cossack style!), Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg to the Shadows and much, much more. Here they are in full flood in a miscellany of hits called Fly Me Off the Handel.
They sound interesting; glad you got to see them a few times. I didn't realize how popular ukuleles were but hubby who used to teach guitar said that there were several students taking lessons at the store where he taught. I find them a fascinating instrument myself.
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