No. 19, Winter 2017

In a rare interview, living legend Ledward Kaapana talks about playing ukulele and his new album Jus Press Volume 2. Vancouver, British Columbia has a thriving ukulele scene and Daphne Roubini of Ruby’s Ukes is a big reason why. This issue’s special focus looks at how people are preparing for The Future of Ukulele—by exciting the next generation of players in schools and by making sure that koa wood is around for generations to come. Jim Beloff visits the ukulele’s ancestral home, Ukulise channels sisterly love into YouTube stardom, plus Aaron Keim explains thumbpicks, flatpicks, and fingerpicks might offer your playing a lot, and a ukulele that embodies the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.

Lessons

• Jim D’Ville’s gives you a key to know where the song is going next.
• Daniel Ward shows how to play tremolo, a standard classical guitar skill that works great on the ukulele and will impress everyone.
• Fred Sokolow’s lesson on blues fingerpicking will take you from beginner to advanced intermediate.

Learn to Play

• ‘Glass Ball Slack Key’ Ledward Kaapana’s playful show-stopper
• ‘Deep Ellum Blues’ for beginners to advanced intermediate
• ‘Maui Girl’ Learn to play Frank Ferera’s groundbreaking 1922 ukulele recording