Teachers

In a tragic turn of events, the ukulele world and the Portland Uke Fest have lost two ukulele teachers, John King and John Kavanagh. Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones.

Brook Adams

Brook Adams, ukulele and guitar player, singer and composer lives with
his family in Eugene Oregon. Performing since the late 1970's, Brook has
played at festivals including Seattle Bumbershoot, Northwest Folklife,
Oregon Country Fair, Salem Art Fair. He has also performed in France,
Canada, Mexico and Guatemala.

As well as writing his own tunes, Brook covers songs from the Sex
Pistols to Sinatra. His collection of novelty songs, tv themes, modern
pop and swing-era classics is a musical cartoon of the 20th century. His
latest show is "Abbey Road On Ukulele", where he performs the entire
classic Beatles album with only his voice and a ukulele. Find more at
www.brookadams.com

UkeFest Workshops: Swingin' 60's, Super Simple Songs

Jere and Greg Canote

Jere and Greg Canote from Seattle, WA, are as renowned for their affable attitudes and humor as they are for their music. Greg on fiddle, and Jere on guitar, and both on banjo ukes, perform zany concerts, play for dances, lead songs, and promote a good time! The twin brothers started singing soon after they were born and haven't closed their mouths since. They spent their early years in California's Sacramento Valley, inventing songs with their father at the piano and tagging along with their parents' folk and square dance group. They honed their skills performing in many bands and discovered old-time music in the mid 1970s. In 1978 they attended the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, WA, and eventually became frequent teachers there. After touring the country with dance caller and singer Sandy Bradley for four years, they returned to the Northwest for a thirteen year stint on Seattle's National Public Radio show, "Sandy Bradley's Potluck," as Sandy's affable side-kicks. The rigors of finding new material for a weekly radio show kept the twins on their toes, mining and performing gems of American music of the past as well as writing new songs in those styles.

Jere and Greg regularly provide workshops on ragtime music and ukulele.
www.canote.com

UkeFest Workshops: Strum Fun for Everyone, Party Uke

James Clem

James has been a musician for over thirty years and has a wide knowledge of American Roots music from the 1920s and ‘30s Jazz, Pop and Blues to Western Swing, and ‘50s and ‘60s Rock.

He started playing Blues slide guitar when given an old National resonator guitar as a teenager and met many of the original Delta Blues artists that played the Ash Grove Club in Los Angeles where he grew up. Soon he started his own Blues band and in the ‘70s joined Chicago Bluesman Chick Willis’ band playing blues dives nationwide.

In the ‘80s James had a Rockabilly group in Los Angeles and then lived in London, England playing with the ‘50s Rock/Swing band, Real Rock Drive. He returned to LA and fronted his own Blues group Tobacco Road before switching back to the music that originally inspired him… solo acoustic Delta Blues. James plays and sings a mixture of ragtime, slide and Lonnie Johnson style blues. The ukulele has become an ever-larger part of his act and his uke playing leans more towards ‘20s and ‘30s jazz-pop and western swing rather than blues. John Fogerty has called him “a great guitar player. I’m a fan!”

James recently completed a live guitar and uke DVD and is recording a new CD to be released this summer. He lives in Portland OR.
www.jamesclem.com

Ukefest Workshops: Go, Cat, Go! Le Jazz, Blues Hot.

Nova Karina Devonie -- Camp Instrumentalist -- Accordion

Nova Karina Devonie, who once caused Garrison Keillor to blush and become tongue-tied as he attempted to pronounce her name, hails originally from Vancouver BC. This vile temptress of the accordion has been delighting audiences with her sensitive (and sometimes humorous) playing, sonorous singing style, and sideways fashion sense since the early 1980's.  Nova moved to Seattle to join swingabilly cowgirl band "Ranch Romance," and stayed to make it her home after that band ended their touring days. She now performs with several bands including "Miles and Karina," "The Buckaroosters," "The Rolling Blackouts," and "fasten with pins." 

Besides gigging, Nova teaches private piano accordion lessons, and has been on staff as instrumentalist and instigator for several years at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop. She looks forward to hanging out in the fabulous ukulele milieu. www.milesandkarina.com

Francis Doo

Francis Kanaeaupuni Doo is originally from Kailua, Hawai`i. He has been living in Oregon for the last 24 years, and playing the ukulele for over forty years. Francis has been able to share his culture with many people through his weekly gigs in Portland. A hula dancer and now a teacher of the hula, he has also been able to share that aspect of his life with others.

UkeFest Workshops: Hula 101

Jim D’Ville

Jim D’Ville has spent the last 18 years figuring out how music works, and the best way to convey that information to the adult learner. He is the co-author, with banjo legend and music theory maven Bill Keith, of The Natural Way To Music; An Organic Approach to Understanding & Playing Music, which Happy Traum of Homespun Tapes says “...brings the principals of music into clear focus for learning musicians.”

In the last few years Jim has turned his attention to teaching by ear, and has developed a number of techniques that teach people how to play music rather than memorize it, and then play it back. Jim teaches workshops and private lessons in Portland, Oregon and is a member of the Portland quartet Caravan Gogh. www.caravangogh.com

UkeFest Workshops: Play Ukulele By Ear

Joel Eckhaus

Joel Eckhaus (aka Ukulele Eck) is a “native” New Yawker, and now lives in far off and exotic South Portland, Maine. He studied uke and tenor banjo for two years with Roy Smeck, Vaudeville’s Wizard of the Strings. He performs solo and with his group, Ukulele Eck and the Fabulous Lacklusters. Joel is also a luthier. He owns and operates “Earnest Uncommon Musical Instruments” and builds acoustic and electric ukuleles, mandolins and tenor guitars. www.earnestinstruments.com/

UkeFest Workshops: Chord Melody a la Smeck, Chord Melody

Piper Heisig

Piper Heisig, from San Luis Obispo, California, is a musician, singer, songwriter, teacher and producer. A professional musician since 1977 and teacher since 1987, she can be heard singing and playing bass or percussion in a number of bands, on the Central Coast. Among the styles she has played through the years are, Swing, Western Swing, Old Time, Country, Bluegrass, Traditional Jazz, Blues, Rock and Roll, Paraguayan and Persian. She has recorded over 20 albums and her name has appeared on many band rosters including, "Old Mother Logo", "Lone Star", "Those Darn Accordions" and "Cats & Jammers". Piper is the music director for hula halau "Na Mele 'O Ke Kai" in Morro Bay, California. She is currently studying hula and the cello and is a certified Fashion Therapist. (Photo by Sally Mingo.)

UkeFest Workshops: Unobtrusive Percussion, Na Mele ‘O Hawai’i (Hawai’ian Songs)

James Hill

The `ukulele is hotter than ever, embraced worldwide by a crop of young musicians eager to push the instrument into uncharted territory. Leading the charge is Canada's James Hill. With the recent release of his third solo album, A Flying Leap, this "imaginative and versatile" 25-year-old virtuoso continues to "tear up the uke" (AcousticGuitar.net). Seven of the album's ten tracks are genre-bending originals ranging in style from the bluegrass-tinged 'Song for Cheri' to the jazzy 'Fleas My Dog Has' to the remarkable 'One Small Suite for `Ukulele,' an ambitious work in three movements written for `ukulele and string quartet.

During his teenage years he honed his skills as a key member of the renowned Langley Ukulele Ensemble under the direction of Peter Luongo. After touring for twelve years with the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, James embarked on a solo career in 2002. In performance, James is energetic and captivating, mixing colourful anecdotes with a versatile repertoire that stretches from Schubert to the Beatles and beyond. He is heard frequently on CBC and NPR National radio, and has shared billing with the world's foremost `ukulele players including Herb Ohta (Ohta-San), John King, Lyle Ritz and Benny Chong. www.ukulelejames.com/

UkeFest Workshops: Ukulele Big Band!, On the Fly: Improv Essentials for Everyone

KingniK

From the Oregon side of the river comes a zany duo sounding like nobody you’ve ever heard (a feat most artists strive for). KingniK, often referred to as the “Sonny and Cher of the ukulele set”, certainly borrows from many, but steals from no one. This duo of Curtis “King” Chamberlain and Nikki “Ukulele Jones”- take the ukulele, saw, washboard and kazoo to new levels while performing a slew of standards like Over the Rainbow and Down By the Riverside. With colorful attire, these roaming bandoliers play familiar popular music covering the complete 20th century. KingniK brings fun to the show and leaves everyone smiling and singing an old familiar tune or two. Their eclectic style, talent and amusement will delight everyone, from small children to senior citizens (0-106!). Click on their page at www.myspace.com/ukulelejones and hear some of their music samples. Dance or sing along to their impressive collection of standards.

UkeFest Workshops: MicroFest Only -- UKAZOO – Multi-tasking with the ukulele

Casey MacGill

Casey MacGill recently celebrated 50 years of owning a ukulele, receiving his first (a Kamaka) in Honolulu, Christmas, '57.  Casey has played the uke as accompaniment to folk music, early 60's, jug band and blues, late 60's, and music of the 20's-40's from the early 70's to the present.  MacGill played the uke with a group on the infamous Gong Show in 1977, in the movie Frances, and opened the broadway show, Swing, doing a solo turn with his Kamaka lili'u.  He can be heard several nights a week with his group The Blue 4 Trio in Seattle, and enjoys the opportunity to share his playing style and musical knowledge with fellow uke-ists.

www.myspace.com/caseymacgillmusic
www.blue4trio.com

UkeFest Workshops: My Three Strums (to the theme of My Three Sons), The Uke in Tin Pan Alley

Maggie Matoba

Maggie Matoba is the co-founder and coordinator of Mele Ohana of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, a Hawaiian music players group, and Iron Mango Orchestra, a ukulele ensemble that performs traditional and contemporary Hawaiian songs, and is a band member of Hana Hou, a five member group that also plays traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music with ukulele, slack key guitar, bass, and steel guitar. She is also an ukulele instructor specializing in Hawaiian-style techniques and is a student of hula with Pekelo Day's Halau Hula O Na Pua O Hawaii Nei.

UkeFest Workshops: Hawaiian Style Ukulele, Slack Key Style Ukulele

Lil' Rev

Voted the best folksinger in Wisconsin in 2004 (WAMI), Lil' Rev specializes in Blues, Rags, Folk, Old Time Country and Original instrumental music for the Ukulele. He is author of The Hal Leonard Ukulele Method Book #1 & DVD, as well as his popular recordings The Fountain of Uke Volumes #1 & #2.

Lil' Rev tours nationally teaching and performing on Ukulele, Mandolin, Harmonica, Guitar and Banjo.

Lil' Rev is endorsed by Tony Graziano Ukuleles (Baritone) of Santa Cruz, CA &
Kerry Char Ukuleles (Concert) of Portland, OR

His website is www.lilrev.com

UkeFest Workshops: Hot Licks for Ukulele, Novelty Songs Workshop, MicroFest Only -- Beginning Blues for Baritone

Del Rey

Del Rey started playing classical guitar when she was four. As a teenager, she met bluesman Sam Chatmon who inspired her to become a blues queen. Her guitar playing combines country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie through the sensibility of an autodidact trailor-park esthete. Her live show is full of complex guitar grooves and sly humor.

Del Rey plays concerts world wide and also presents a concert/lecture on women musicians called Women in American Music. She collaborates and tours frequently with Austin guitarist Steve James and she plays ukulele with The Yes Yes Boys. Since 2004 she has been collaborating with Maria Mulduar on tributes to Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Johnny Cash, and she is featured on Ms. Muldaur's latest cd Sweet Lovin' Old Soul. Del Rey also writes about music for various publications, including Acoustic Guitar.

Del Rey has recorded three solo albums, an album with the Yes Yes Boys and two albums with Steve James, and two with Del Rey and the Blues Gators. www.hobemianrecords.com/

UkeFest Workshops: Fingerstyle Raggedy Blues, Jugless Ukulele Jugband

Lyle Ritz

Lyle Ritz is known throughout the world as one of the original "masters" of the 'Ukulele. Also a professional bass player, Lyle has performed and recorded with the 'ukulele for over 40 years. That's Ritz playing bass on the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," on the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," and on Herb Alpert's "Taste of Honey." In 25 years as an LA studio musician, Ritz recorded with everyone from Sinatra to Sonny & Cher, from Ray Charles to the Chipmunks But after 5,000 studio sessions and hundreds of hits, it is a pair of jazz 'ukulele albums Ritz recorded in the late '50s that may be his most enduring legacy. These albums, are "How About Uke?" and "Fiftieth State Jazz." In Hawai'i, Ritz's innovative 'ukulele riffs inspired a generation of players with names like Peter Moon, Moe Keale and Roy Sakuma. His proficiency at 'ukulele jazz chords is now legendary in all of the music industry.

Lyle Ritz was inducted to the Ukulele Hall of Fame at a ceremony at the Portland Ukulele Festival in June 2007, and inducted to the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville TN in November 2007.

UkeFest Workshops: Open Studio with Lyle Ritz

Gerald Ross

Gerald played with the Lost World String Band from 1979 - 2001. He has delighted audiences with his guitar, steel guitar and ukulele performances locally and nationally since 1970. His ukulele recordings include Ukulele Moonlight and Shadows (2007), and Ukulele Stomp (2005). Other recordings include Hawaiian Steel Guitar Tracks (2002), and Romance & Adventure (2000).

Gerald has performed in concert with Bonnie Raitt, Arlo Guthrie, Doc Watson, Johnny Gimble, Riders In The Sky, Brownie McGhee and many other nationally known artists. Gerald is the winner of the 1993 WEMU Jazz Competition (solo artist category). His radio work includes appearances on National Public Radio’s ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ with Garrison Keillor.

UkeFest Workshops: Introduction to Swing Ukulele, Advanced Swing Ukulele, Introduction to Hawaiian/Western Swing Lap Steel Guitar

Ralph Shaw

He hails from Yorkshire, England, but these days Ralph Shaw, the "King of the Ukulele," resides in Canada where he is a nationally known figure. As well as his many appearances on National CBC Radio and Television, Ralph is very well known in his community of Vancouver as a performer of the songs of the 1920s, 30s and 40s which he does with a joy and skill that is rarely heard. He sometimes busks at the Granville Island Market and he runs the Vancouver Ukulele Circle (now in its 4th year).

Whether he's re-creating George Formby, Fred Astaire, The Inkspots or Tiny Tim, Ralph brings the past to life and laughter to the present. Ralph's Tuition Video: The Complete Ukulele Course (on VHS and DVD) has been touted as one of the best ukulele courses ever made.

Ralph recently completed a teaching video for children entitled: The Children's Ukulele Course which stars members of his kids ukulele class! www.RalphShaw.ca

UkeFest Workshops: Ukulele Performers Class, The Life and Music of George Formby, Ukulele Song Shop, MicroFest Only -- Getting to Know Your Baritone Buddy

Victoria Vox

Victoria Vox made her big debut at six years old, singing “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” in her babysitter’s garage in Algoma, WI.  After twenty-some years of experience and having continued her higher education at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Vox decided to take to the road full-time, sharing her infectious songs and smile from Los Angeles to London.

When Vox was given a ukulele in 2003, she immediately began writing songs on the toy-like instrument, proving that, in fact, it was no toy. In February of 2006, Vox released “Victoria Vox and Her Jumping Flea” to rave reviews.  On her first Hawaiian tour in support of the album, Vox was offered sponsorship by KoAloha Ukuleles out of Honolulu.  “Jumping Flea” has been featured on NPR’s “To the Best of Our Knowledge”; the song “America” was used on A&E’s “Random 1” and in the indie film “Lost in Woonsocket and Westbound”; and “My Darlin’ Beau” was awarded runner-up in the International Acoustic Music Awards.  She was also included in Relix Magazine's list of artists to watch.

Vox is known for her do-it-yourself style, and has released six albums and  one songbook, and always leaves room in the trunk for Victoria Vox t-shirts, panties, and key-chains.

Please visit www.victoriavox.com for more information.

UkeFest Workshops: Music and Lyrics, It's Mine Now!

Matt Weiner -- Camp Instrumentalist - Bassist

Matt Weiner can be spotted in Seattle almost nightly playing bass and singing with drummer Mike Daugherty in Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio, as well as with Del Rey, Barton Carroll, Miles & Karina, and many others. He has performed and/or recorded with The Hot Club of Cowtown, The Asylum Street Spankers, Holotradband, Danny Barnes, Willy Mason, Matt Munisteri, Butch Thompson, Hal Smith, Jon-Erik Kellso and Rani Arbo. Recently, he made his musical theatre debut playing the role of Joe B. Mauldin in the 5th Avenue Theatre's production of "Buddy", the Buddy Holly Story. "At The Ukeshack" is Matt and Del Rey's first record of Ukulele and Bass duets.