You might enjoy this - Ukulele CD box set.

mikelz777

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While browsing around Half Price Books' 20% off Memorial Day weekend sale I discovered this ukulele CD box set, picked it up and I'm really enjoying it.

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Various artists - With My Little Ukulele in My Hand

This is a 4-CD set put out by the Proper label. At the store it regularly sells for $17.98 but on sale I got it for $14.38. At less than $4.00 per disc I figured, why not? The four discs are enclosed in individual cardboard sleeves which each listing the song titles and performers. The set also includes a wonderful 48 page booklet chock full of pictures and information on the history of the ukulele. The booklet and the four discs are all contained in a cardboard box which holds everything together. Each disc contains 26 songs for a total of 104 songs. The first disc, entitled Hawaiian Hula contains Hawaiian songs by a variety of artists. On the second disc, all but 8 songs are by Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards. The third disc is entirely by George Formby and the fourth disc is dominated by Jimmie Rogers with a little Roy Smeck and others mixed in. It's a very nice variety of pop music, country and western, jazz and Hawaiian music. The music ranges from 1916 to 1947 so keep that in mind if deciding if this would be the type of thing you might enjoy. The sound quality for such old recordings is very good to excellent. There might be a couple that are a bit rough but it's nothing that should discourage anyone.

Sound samples here:

http://allmusic.com/album/with-my-little-ukulele-in-my-hand-r1341014

More information/reviews here:

http://www.amazon.com/With-My-Little-Ukulele-Hand/dp/B0013FDEDG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337963018&sr=8-1

Again, I'm really enjoying the music presented here and thought I'd share hoping others here might enjoy this as well. It could also be used as a great resource for songs you might want to try and learn.
 
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Everyone here must be more interested in playing than listening. I thought I'd get a comment or two! :) I would be interested in what people thought about the music on this set. Sound samples for every song can be found on the link above. The All Music Guide rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

I'm really enjoying this set. I'm a fan of roots music so this kind of thing is right up my alley. It's nice to hear music I've never heard before and stuff I'm very unlikely or I'm never going to hear anywhere else. This is the kind of music you'd have to look for. Maybe that makes it somewhat of a treasure. It's certainly a lot of fun to listen to. For the most part, the ukulele is featured rather than being front and center but that doesn't make this any less enjoyable. I think there's a lot here which would tickle a ukulele fan's ear. I've already heard several songs I'd like to try and learn.
 
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I was able to borrow this from my local library. I liked the Ukulele Ike ones, wasn't a fan of formby, he's a little rude for my tastes
but thanks for sharing
 
I'm also not a fan of Formby, but for the slightly different reason that I think he's utterly crap. He's an object of ridicule in England, and for good reason in my opinion.

And I've just recalled something I did a few years ago for a Photoshop forum...this could take a while...ah, here it is. I guess you'll either get it or you won't.

gf.jpg
 
My wife picked THIS up in a local shop. It's full of some excellent old Hawaiian music and absolutely stuffed full of Ukulele.

And HERE is the Amazon USA link.
 
I found the Formby disc to be somewhat amusing. I'm guessing his gimmick of suggesting a lyric that will rhyme with what he just sung but then singing something else that was not as racy as what was suggested would probably appeal to a well-oiled pub crowd. I really loved the two Louis Armstrong songs as well as the Lyle Ritz songs that were included on the last disc.
 
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I'm guessing his gimmick of suggesting a lyric that will rhyme with what he just sung but then singing something else that was not as racy as what was suggested would probably appeal to a well-oiled pub crowd.

A technique pioneered in the English music halls during the 19th century and perfected by every sh*t comedian since. If only Chris Rock played Ukulele...
 
A lot of this stuff is kinda corny and probably doesn't stand up well when judged by today's standards. For me, the appeal (beside the ukulele) is that there is a certain romanticism to all of it. It's of a long-gone era of which we'll never experience or, for our older friends, never experience again. When judged within the parameters of its time, this is good stuff.

It's a lot like some CDs I have of swing music and Nazi propaganda during WWII. The music itself is not especially remarkable and some of it is offensive but if you listen to it with eyes/ears turned towards its context and its time and the music becomes interesting and sometimes even humorous. It's remarkable that such an advanced civilized and industrial nation would go to such lengths in their propaganda and expect people to take it seriously. Maybe it's easier for me not having gone through it and having the luxury of examining it as a past event.
 
hello Mike, I agree with you. I have owned this CD set for awhile and love it. It's a wonderful trip back in time and just great to have so many classic recordings and artists in one anthology. It's superb value too at the price.
 
I'm also not a fan of Formby, but for the slightly different reason that I think he's utterly crap. He's an object of ridicule in England, and for good reason in my opinion.

And I've just recalled something I did a few years ago for a Photoshop forum...this could take a while...ah, here it is. I guess you'll either get it or you won't.

gf.jpg
I like Formby. He was very popular in his day and some of his strumming patterns are quite complex. I bought a 10 CD set of his works about two years ago and have listened to them several times since.
 
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