AJ Leonard concert - 12 July and other news

Contents

Scroll down for the details.
1. AJ Leonard Concert - 12 July
2. UUU - this Saturday
3. CWA Ukestra gig - 23 July
4. Ukestral Voices Video is out!
5. Price Rise from July 1
6. Next Beginners Workshop
7. Some gorgeous unsolicited praise about the power of the uke
8. New Video by The Do Riders
9. Thanks to the men's gig participants
10. Ukulele Jamboree - Barrington Tops - early November.

1. AJ Leonard Concert - 12 July

We are delighted to have Australia’s premier and most congenial ukulele player, AJ Leonard and partner, cellist Jenny Rowlands as they narrate and accompany their new Theme Concert; “In A Little Hula Heaven” a wonderful tale of the Ukulele with amazing old images gathered over the years. Book here.

The concert will also feature 3 songs from each of:

• The public performing debut of the Paterson Pluckestra (Monday nights at the Paterson Tavern). One person from a more Newcastle-based ukestra went once, never to return, saying - "they're all professionals!" I wouldn't go that far, but they are pretty damn good! Have a listen here. 

• Ukestral Voices - the Friday ukechoir with Jane. Their video was released yesterday. It's wonderful (click here!) 

• The Ukastle Ukestra (Hawaiian version). The concert is days before most of the 2013 Hawaiian contingent leave. Come farewell them and wish them luck! More information on the Hawaii Ukulele Festival is here. In years past you have also been able to listen to it livestreaming online.

2. UUU

This weekend is the first UUU session. We meet at the Wickham Croatian Club this Saturday morning at 11:30am. Click here to find out about the UUU? Some people are debating the first U. What does it mean?  - 'Ultimate'? 'Uber'? Uninhibited?  You decide.

Please feel free to join us - there are, however, some participation criteria. And it will be an evolving idea.

3. CWA Ukestra Gig - 23 July

Hi Ukestrans
I have been asked to put a Ukestra group together for an upcoming CWA gig.  Along with a dozen or so other ukestrans available on the day, we would like to invite a further 8 or 10 more, as space is limited, to join us for this performance. Brief details are:
DATE: Tuesday 23 July, 2013
VENUE: Belmont Senior Citizens’ Hall
PERFORMANCE TIME: 11:00am to 12 noon
UKESTRA LEADER - Danielle will be the Musical Coordinator for this gig and will also be providing and organising the operation of the PA.
REHEARSAL - Danielle will be running a Rehearsal on Saturday 22 June at the Croatian Club Board Room, immediately after the Uber Ukastle Ukestra practice, about 1:10pm.
SET LIST (not in order, Danielle will advise order and final leads at rehearsal)

• Price Tag – vocal lead tba
• Bring Me Sunshine – Martin, vocal lead
• Pokarekare Ana
• My Island Home – Kiri, vocal lead
• Sloop John B
• All I Want Is You
• The Middle – Susan G, vocal lead
• Trains & Boats & Planes – tba
• Sway
• Better Be Home Soon – Christine, vocal lead
• My Girl – tba
• Under The Milky Way – Lindsay, vocal lead
• Don’t Sing Aloha When I Go
• All I have to Do Is Dream
• I Can See Clearly Now

We are being paid $300 for this gig of which Danielle will receive $150 and the balance of $150 will be deposited into the Newcastle Ukulele Community Folk Club Account.

If you would like to, and are able to be part of this gig would you please let me know by return email in the next few days please? I will then send you the final details for this gig during the weekend.
Ukestrally yours
Martin Bond : )
email: martbond (at) ozemail.com.au (replace (at) with an '@')
Mob: 0419 985 254

4. Ukestral Voices Video is out!!

We were privileged a few weeks ago to host Benoit and Gaelle. They are a young French couple who have a small production outfit called Groovy Banana. Jane and Mark met them very briefly at Hanoi airport. They had a ukulele in their backpack so of course we spoke to them. Then, some weeks later, they lobbed up on a front door step, with a swag of talent and cameras and lenses in tow. This is one of the outcomes.



Ain't that just fabulous!!! Well done to all the guys who participated in this.

This is us, and them ... Groovy Bananas indeed!

We wait with bated breath for the release of the video that we filmed at Newcastle Baths and at the Thursday night ukestra. That will be a real hoot (we did Price Tag).

5. Price rise - from July 1, 2013

Speaking of Price Tags. In early 2012 we introduced prepays (and we had to start paying GST). Since then we have not had a price rise. The world spins, and costs continue to rise (I can't believe the price of petrol this week), so, from July 1, we are basically raising everything by 50c. If you already have a prepay Uketen, then that of course remains until you use it (but they expire one year after purchase).

So the new prices (from July 1st) for ukestra sessions are:

City Prepay Uketen: $120 (for ten sessions at a city ukestra that expires a year after purchase). Some people use this to work out private arrangements (friends sharing a uketen, even some husbands and wives have been known to!).
City Casual: $14.50 per session

City Second in a week: $8 (yes, that's more than 50c, but so be it).
Regional Prepay Uketen: $140 (This applies to Cessnock, Tomaree and Paterson where the numbers are much smaller than city ukestras)
Regional Prepay Casual: $15.50

6. Beginners Workshop - this Saturday 22nd - 1:30-3:30pm

If you have friends / relatives who you think might benefit from some uke / music joy, then please do refer them on. Details at our website. If you are wondering what benefits they might get, read the beautiful email we got just today from a regular.

7. Unsolicited Praise (names changed to protect the innocent)

Dear Mark and Jane,
Just wanted to add a personal thank you for all you've done for me - and now for my big brother Godfrey (Moscomen). He started with Danielle in March and is really enjoying the uke. We're so grateful to her for encouraging him. So picture last Saturday, here at Stratford, my 73 year old brother and me playing the uke together. The first time in our whole lives we've ever done such a thing. Godfrey has never learnt a musical instrument before and not shown any inclination to do so. I was thrilled when we played "Four Strong Winds" and "Sloop John B". As Godfrey said, our darling Mother would be so happy looking down on us. So, again thank you for all you are doing for so many people. You touch us in ways you could not possibly have imagined. With much love and gratitude, Myrtle.xx

8. Do Riders video

The Do Riders also benefited from the visit of Groovy Banana. This was the quick live video done on the Legge's verandah, in the pouring rain. Utterly delightful.

9. Men's gig

I just want to thank the gents who joined me for the performance at the Ethnic Communities Council during Men's Health Week. We had a very blokey time. It was fun. Thanks dudes....Mark.

We did get a thanks email from Mark Toohey (the organiser). It said....

On behalf of the Interagency Co-ordinating Committee and the ECC I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the generous contribution you and your guys made to making our event a wonderful day for all who participated. You were by far the most popular part of the day and so many people commented how uplifted they felt by the performance. Please find attached a token of our appreciation.

Kind regards
Mark

About the uplifting bit - we knew that. And the attached token? A lovely e-certificate of thanks. 

10. Ukulele JAMboree - 8-10 November - Barrington Tops

We are proud to announce the Ukulele JAMboree to be held on the weekend of 8-10 of November at "Riverwood Downs" on the edge of the beautiful Barrington Tops World Heritage Area.

The Ukulele JAMboree is a weekend of ukulele jamming. There are no "acts", just a whole bunch of ukulele players from all over the world who want to play together. There will be a blackboard stage for those who want to get up and do their thing.

The venue is "Riverwood Downs" - a beautiful farm that kangaroos and platypus call home. Accommodation is pet friendly and ranges from unpowered camp sites to luxury cabins. All about 3 hours drive North of Sydney.

Bookings can be made through Riverwood Downs. Tel: 1800809 772

The event is FREE apart from accommodation, so come along and join in the fun.

PS If you feel that this ok appropriate please distribute to your mailing list.

For further information:
Check out our facebook page: Ukulele JAMboree
See our website: www.bluemugs.com.au/ukulelejamboree
Contact Dean Newbold: 0425 242 959.