The Ukes of Summer

If you’re a musician, or wish you were, you can’t help but notice the resurgence of interest in ukuleles: they’re everywhere. While ukes, as they are affectionately referred to, have been around a long time, until recently they have been relegated to the children’s section of the music store, wedged in between the kazoos and ocarinas. But all that has changed. Many stores now dedicate entire sections to the humble uke. They don’t sit around for long either. Music stores can’t keep them in stock. Once again ukuleles, with their legions of devoted players, are in demand. So, what’s the big deal? Let’s take a look at the instrument, its history and a few notable players. In the end, you may decide that this summer, it’s time for you to join them.

The ukulele got its start in the 1880s when Portuguese emigrants from Madeira moved to the Hawaiian Islands. With them came a great love of music and—a small, four-string fretted instrument known as the machete. The diminutive instrument entranced the Hawaiians. Such was the impression the machete made that, after several incarnations, the ukulele evolved. The rest is history.

The first great wave of American popularity for the uke came in the late teens through the 1920s, when no self-respecting flapper or college boy would be caught without a uke. The uke’s popularity was such that musical publishers clamored for more sheet music to feed the craze. Composers, of varying abilities, answered the call. The result? A deluge of new songs [many featuring indifferent melodies and banal lyrics] flooded the market in such quantities that they are still commonly encountered in antique stores. In spite of this, the era also produced a great number of songs that are enjoyed by ukulele players to this day. For a time, all was well. But as the Roaring Twenties waned, the mania wore off. Finally, the Great Depression seemed to seal the uke’s fate. As the depression deepened, the uke faded from the scene. But it would be back….

The last time the uke was hot was in the 1950s when Arthur Godfrey broadcast his hugely popular variety show. Each week, Godfrey provided his audience with a ukulele lesson. The result—millions of ukuleles were purchased by would-be virtuosi. Before the craze died out, everyone from the Beatles to Elvis had used them. Though the uke’s popularity never matched that of the 1920s, it was a harbinger of things to come.  It looked like the uke just wouldn’t die. But by the 1960s, the electric guitar had captured the fickle public’s imagination. Once again, the ukulele faded from the scene; this time ushered out by the falsetto strains of Tiny Tim.

After that, the ukulele was ancient history as far as the mainland was concerned. Of course, it still maintained its popularity in Hawaii. And there matters stood until a few years ago, when a number of players [most notably Jake Shimabukuro] introduced a new generation to the ukulele’s charms. As more players took up the uke, enthusiasm built. But this time, thanks to the Internet, the craze was not to be restricted to the United States—it became a global phenomena.

Despite the instruments resurrection, there are still people who look down at the ukulele as a toy, unsuited for serious musical endeavors. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the six-string guitar is justly popular, it’s not the only instrument capable of making music. The ukulele is a versatile instrument in its own right, capable of handling a multitude of genres from classical to jazz, country and bluegrass.

To get some idea of the ukulele’s versatility, we need only examine the work of a few stellar players. In the classical realm, the late John King should be your first stop. King, who taught classical guitar, pioneered the campanella [“little bells”] style of playing in which—ideally—no string is struck twice in succession. This results in the strings vibrating simultaneously while creating an exquisite, bell-like tone, hence the name. King primarily played soprano ukuleles with the reentrant tuning in which the g string is one octave above the other strings. This gives the soprano ukulele its characteristic tone. During the Baroque period, guitars were also tuned in this fashion. Realizing this, King adapted the music of that era for ukulele, resulting in some of the most memorable performances of all time. Try the campanella style if you dare, but be warned: it’s unbelievably difficult, especially if you have to write the arrangement yourself.

Jazz is another genre that has benefited from the uke’s renewed popularity. Of course, this is nothing new. Noted jazz bassist Lyle Ritz [also a uke player] released two albums of jazz ukulele way back in the 60s. Today, among a plethora of outstanding players, the Canadian James Hill stands out for his virtuoso playing. Although it’s not jazz, his rendition of Flight of the Bumble Bee is unbelievable. Once you hear it, you’ll never doubt the uke’s potential again.

So, how can you join the ukulele renaissance this summer? While acquiring a ukulele is not a problem, deciding which one to get is another question. Prices range from $30 to $30,000. The good news is, because of the low string tension on ukuleles, and the consequent lack of bracing required for the bridge and soundboard, even modestly priced ukuleles can be quite serviceable—and a lot of fun too. So, cost should not be an issue for most people. Beyond financial concerns, prospective players are faced with choosing from four basic sizes of ukuleles: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone [in ascending order].  In addition some luthiers make their own sizes, such as the sopranino: smaller even than the soprano. So, let’s take a look and see what might be right for you.

The soprano, smallest of the four standard sizes, is what most people think of when they hear the word ukulele. Its strings are normally tuned gcea, as in: “My dog has fleas.” With its compact size [about 20” long] and twelve to fifteen frets, it not only provides that characteristic ukulele sound, but it’s ideal for camping and travel. That’s the beauty of the uke; you can always find room for it. Try wedging your cello in the back of your Volkswagen with the camping gear sometime and you’ll see what I mean. In most people’s minds, the soprano is the ukulele.

Next up in size, the concert ukulele normally comes with a somewhat larger body and an extended fret board that increases the chromatic possibilities of the instrument. And so, rather than the 12-15 usable frets available to most soprano players, the concert uke will enable them to play up to the 20th fret or so. While this sounds great in theory, and is frequently useful, it comes at a cost. As you increase the length of an instrument’s fret board [and its strings] the frets become farther apart. This results in the player having to spread his or her fingers out further in order to make a chord. Increased string length also results in increased string tension; you have to press down on the strings harder. For persons with short fingers, this may be a consideration. Before purchasing, it’s best to try different sizes and types of ukes to find what’s right for you.

Larger still are the tenor ukuleles that, because of their greatly expanded fret board, are excellent for jazz and other genres that may place a premium on chromatic range. For individuals with large hands, the wider spacing of tenors might come as a welcome relief, after attempting to maneuver their fingers within the confines of a soprano fret board.  On the other hand, if you gave up trying to play the guitar because you couldn’t reach the chords, you might not like the tenor uke either. For those players that do enjoy the tenor, several custom luthiers make arch top tenor jazz ukuleles that cost thousands of dollars and involve extensive waiting periods. For impatient [and impecunious] types like myself, makers such as Kala offer an electro-acoustic arch top that, for a few hundred dollars, sounds great and is ready to ship. You can plug it straight into your computer to record too.

The baritone ukulele is the largest of the traditional sizes. So large, in fact, that it resembles a parlor guitar. That’s appropriate because, in essence, it’s exactly that—a tenor guitar with nylon strings. The baritone ukulele also has a very guitar-like tone due to the tuning of its strings: dgbe. If that sounds familiar, it should. That is the same tuning as the “top” four strings of the six-string guitar. So, the baritone is tuned differently than the other ukes and, although the same chord patterns are used, they do not correspond to the same chords as played on the smaller ukes. When playing the baritone, the player is essentially using what guitarists refer to as “inside” chord forms that are frequently used in jazz. For these reasons, guitar players may find the transition to baritone ukulele particularly easy.

Beyond mere size, there are other considerations the prospective ukulele player need consider. Part of the fascination surrounding ukuleles comes from the diversity of forms they take. In addition to normal ukuleles, some are constructed as resonators, like slide guitars used by blues players. Banjo ukuleles, or banjoleles, are offered as well and have the characteristic twang of their larger brethren. At least one company is now making the ukulele equivalent of a bass for those with low-frequency aspirations.

Between the various price ranges, sizes, and types, aspiring ukulele players have a lot to consider when choosing their first instrument. Consideration should be given to the type of music one wishes to play. While the arch top is great for jazz, it won’t do so well for bluegrass. Likewise, the banjo ukulele may not be your top pick for playing Bach. It all depends on what you want to do. In the beginning, it’s best to try out every uke you encounter. You’re sure to find something you like.

After gaining some experience, you’ll realize that ukuleles are not toys. Rather, they are highly versatile instruments capable of creating sublime music. With a uke in hand, you’re ready to tackle everything from folk songs around the campfire to classical music in a chamber orchestra. And their small size ensures they’ll always be with you. This summer, pack a uke on your next outing—you won’t want to put it down.

Idaho Drivers: A Cautionary Tale

[First Published in The Basic Alternative Newspaper, June 2013]

How many times have you narrowly averted disaster at the hands of some clueless driver while on the road? It happens all the time—bad driving is pandemic. While we might speculate on the causes, it’s more interesting to consider the results, and the people who cause them. So, who are these people, and where do they come from? The answers may surprise you.

When I moved to Idaho, I was warned to watch out for bad drivers: Idaho is the worst! People always complain about the terrible drivers in their own state, nothing new there. So, I paid no attention. I mean, how bad could they be? Turns out, Idaho drivers aren’t that hot. In a country full of underperforming drivers, why should we be different? As in other fields of human endeavor, not all drivers are created equally. Some of us are just awful. Then there are the truly bad drivers….

Of course, anyone can make a mistake—and most have. Once, during a rainstorm, I pulled out of a town in Oregon headed north. Visibility wasn’t too bad; I could almost see the end of my hood. Traffic was light, the smart drivers having elected to call it a day. Not me, I had a schedule to keep. And so I found myself northbound on the highway… and confused. The few southbound vehicles I met seemed to veer dangerously close to me while laying on the horn. Oregon drivers are weird that way. I verified my headlights were working. Hard to say what their problem was. Maybe they’d been in Oregon so long the humidity had caused their synapses to get mushy. Water on the brain, it happens.

Anyway, I continued on for another half mile or so when I detected a set of headlights dead ahead and closing. As I mentally prepared for a collision, my thoughts were a swirl of four-letter words. Oregon drivers are the worst! At the last possible moment, the other vehicle swerved to his right and disappeared into the void. Man, I thought. That was close… These guys could really use some driver’s ed. Visibility was still so poor all I had been able to make out were headlights. Call it extrasensory perception—or maybe the sort of insight that only comes from being a highly experienced driver. Whatever; I knew something wasn’t right.

Slowing, I pulled over to assess the situation. By this time, visibility had increased dramatically—maybe twenty feet. Rolling down my window for a better view, I discovered I had been traveling northbound in the southbound lane. Fortunately, the weather was so poor no one else had ventured past. Slightly embarrassed, and with a newfound empathy for Oregon drivers, I made a quick U-turn and nonchalantly retraced my path—this time in the proper direction. So it can happen to anybody.

Some drivers do have a tough time telling their left from their right. The other day I watched a driver in a pickup truck turn on to a side street, where he blithely proceeded with the solid yellow line to the right of his vehicle. It was a sunny day, so he couldn’t even use my weather alibi. To be fair, he was headed for Wal-Mart. And since they always place their entrances on the left, he might have just been trying to get into the spirit of the thing.

Sometimes it isn’t left and right that’s the problem, but backward and forward. During my stint at a police department, I once took a complaint from an outraged woman who claimed to have been rear ended on the highway. After twenty minutes of attempting to interview her while scribbling diagrams on the accident form, I determined that she really had been struck from behind—while backing up on the highway. I tried to explain that she had been in the wrong, but she wasn’t buying it. Finally, in an exasperated voice, she said: If the other car didn’t rear end me, what do you call it? Good question. Pausing, I replied: Well… I guess you front ended them. Who says that police aren’t helpful?

When I first mentioned to a friend that I was writing this article, his response was reflexive: Utah drivers are the worst! No doubt that opinion is shared by a lot of people in Idaho. Anyone who has had the misfortune to drive between Ogden and Salt Lake City would have to agree. Because many people move to Idaho from Utah, it might help explain our driving deficit. Of course, if you ask someone from Utah about this, they’ll deny everything and blame it on them durn Californicators and their bad driving.

It is possible Californians are unprepared for the wide-open spaces out this way. After all, how much trouble can they get into back in the Golden State where most of their day is spent stuck in traffic? Nothing beats watching some yuppie impatiently racing the engine of his German sports car while contemplating ten miles of traffic backed up ahead of him. So, when turned loose with generous speed limits and uncluttered freeways, some Californians tend to run amuck—who can blame them? Despite this, it’s doubtful if they are the only ones creating problems.

So, Idanistas blame Utahans, who in turn probably blame it on some liberal, non-driving conspiracy spearheaded by the United Nations.  Lest we feel too sorry for the scapegoats from California, it should be noted that they—in turn—attribute all the poor driving in their state to an influx of non-driving Asian immigrants. It’s a vicious circle of ineptitude.

Speaking of vicious circles, who’s the genius that decided to use traffic roundabouts in Idaho? Seriously, if you’ve ever seen the traffic lights go out at a four-way stop, you know what I mean. It’s painful to watch; particularly when someone runs into you because they couldn’t figure out whose turn it was to go. Despite this, engineers tasked with keeping traffic moving efficiently have opted to inject a bit of old-world charm into the system. That’s great. We can all sit around and play bocce ball while waiting for the tow trucks to arrive.

When using roundabouts, it’s best to watch out for them good ol’ boys in pickups swerving randomly between the inner and outer lanes. Like electrons in an unstable orbit, they occasionally shoot out, only to skid to a halt in a cloud of dust—sideways—in the back of a parking lot. If we’re going to have roundabouts in Idaho, the public should be warned of the dangers. The least DOT could do is put up signs notifying motorists that a demolition derby is in progress. No sense candy-coating it.

As bad as some drivers are, you’d think they wouldn’t try to complicate matters further. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009 [the last year for which statistics are available] distracted drivers accounted for 20% of the injuries resulting from vehicular mishaps. Eating, texting, phoning: the sky’s the limit. Sometimes, one distraction just isn’t challenging enough for these juggernauts.  My all-time favorite was a guy I watched maneuvering through rush hour while reading a newspaper, drinking a cup of coffee, and watching the news on a flat screen. As he finished each section of the paper, he’d throw it out the window—dispose of properly! As an afterthought, he’d occasionally glance up at the road ahead. Strictly pro forma, you understand.

Distracted driving is nothing new. My uncle Ray; a traveling salesman who looked like a movie star, used to drive his convertible while steering with his knees as he combed his hair in the rear-view mirror. Once his coiffure was perfected, he’d favor his passengers with an evil grin before once again grabbing the wheel.

The problem with bad drivers is that normally, you can’t spot them until they’re double parked on the hood of your car. Not too many people want to admit to poor driving. But there are exceptions. Take my friend Stephanie for instance. Stephanie, as we’ll call her, freely admits to some issues in the driving department. “Oh yeah, I’m the worst!” she says. When asked about what she does to earn this distinction, she pauses… “When I catch a yellow light, I always speed up to get through it… Is that bad?” Well, I think, that all depends on whether I’m at the intersection with her or not. Of course, being a bad driver doesn’t preclude one from complaining about other drivers. “I can’t stand it when people don’t use their turn signals,” Stephanie says—she has her limits.

Not everyone is as honest as Stephanie. In many accidents, the drivers are barely out of their cars before the guilty party commences making excuses. These take many forms and range from the ingenious to the idiotic: weather, mechanical failure, my dog did it —even an unfavorable astrological sign might work in a pinch. Sports fans, adhering to the “best defense is a good offense” paradigm, will immediately blame the other driver. This happened to me when a speeder blew through a four-way stop and T-boned my car. As she explained to the cop, it was clearly my fault. I didn’t have my lights on, so she couldn’t see me. Squinting up into the bright noonday sun, I vowed to be more careful in the future.

So, who is to blame for poor driving in Idaho? Is our problem foreign or domestic? Enquiring minds want to know. Naturally, the bean counters in the audience demand hard numbers.  According to the 2009 NHTSA statistics, the national fatality rate was 1.1 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles. Meanwhile, the busy bees down in Utah had a rate of 0.9. Likewise, those city slickers from California came in under the national average at 1.0. As to Idaho… well, we scored a 1.5. Tied with Alaska, only seven states scored worse than us—with Montana having the distinction of being the most dangerous state for drivers with 2.0 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles.

Given these figures, I guess in the future we should be more circumspect in our criticism of out-of-state drivers. After all, safe driving is everyone’s responsibility. In the meantime, don’t let your guard down just because the car tailgating you has Idaho plates. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s almost time for the monster truck rally to begin down at the local roundabout….

           

BREAKING NEWS: As this story went to press, confidential sources within the automotive industry confirmed that all vehicles manufactured in the United States—even those intended for use in Idaho and Utah—really do come equipped with turn signals. Next time, why don’t you try using them?