Mighty Uke: The Amazing Comeback of a Musical Underdog | |
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Directed by | Tony Coleman |
Written by | Margaret Meagher |
Distributed by | Tiny Goat Films, Inc. |
Release date |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Mighty Uke: The Amazing Comeback of a Musical Underdog (released 2010) is a documentary film about the ukulele. It combines graphics, photographs, interviews and performance footage to tell the story of the ukulele and its recent resurgence in popularity.
Mighty Uke follows the history of the ukulele's popularity from its earliest days in the court of Hawaiian King David Kalākaua through the ‘lost’ years, then its first revival on early radio and the stages of vaudeville; then through several decades in the shadows again as jazz flourished until the days of early television and revival again with stars such as Arthur Godfrey. It again fell out of popularity as rock dominated popular music, but in the 21st Century is experiencing its third revival. In addition to the musical capacities of the small instrument, the film investigates the social aspects of the ukulele.
Mighty Uke opens with Jake Shimabukuro talking about his journey with the ukulele and then describes the current revival, in which young musicians, middle aged amateurs and school kids alike are all turning to the uke. It tracks the revival around the world, through Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Canada and the US, where ukulele groups 2000-strong meet in parks, thousands gather for ukefests and children play their first music on the ukulele.
One segment features the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, a school program that began in the 1970s. [1] [2]
Among the stories is one about the "Ukuleles for Peace", an initiative to teach the ukulele to Arab and Israeli children together. As film critic Leonard Maltin says, "When you see Arab and Israeli children singing and playing a tune called "Ukuleles for Peace" I dare you not to smile." [3]
The documentary covers many important people in the ukulele world.
The DVD release includes a large number of shorts gathered during filming. Brief interviews and demonstrations give additional insight into the history and the social aspects of the ukulele as well as its musical abilities.
Sponsored in part by Kala Brand Music Co., the film continues to travel around the world for showings. Showings are often prefaced with the local ukulele groups and performers and followed up with open strums for those that bring their instruments with them. One feature is often a drawing for a Mighty Uke ukulele. [4]
In May 2011, ukulele fans in the Lansing, Michigan area wanted to get together and view the film. Ben Hassenger, a local musician and one of the founders of the Lansing Area Ukulele Group (L.A.U.G.H.) made arrangements with Tony Coleman to come and show the film. At the same time he set up an impromptu ukulele festival in conjunction with the showing and Music is the Foundation, a non-profit to raise money to help out a number of local music programs. [7] A meeting of L.A.U.G.H. started the day followed by open mike performances including some featured performers and several showings of the film. The initial meeting launched an annual event, as well as being credited with the establishment of several new ukulele groups, including the Motor City Ukes. [8]
Mighty Uke Day II was held May 5, 2012 and added an appearance on Lansing Community College's Grand River Radio Diner on WLNZ 89.7 FM, a main stage concert with Gerald Ross, The Fabulous Heftones and Lil' Rev and a number of workshops. Nearby Elderly Instruments, one of the event sponsors, had a large display of vintage and unique ukuleles of all types in their shop. [9]
Mighty Uke Day III in 2013 built on the success of the prior years. In addition to the open mike and previous activities, it featured a main stage with several dozen performers, numerous ukulele workshops and concerts on both Friday and Saturday night. Friday night included opening acts of Susan Picking and The Springtails with main act Danielle Ate the Sandwich. The Saturday concert had opening acts of Ryan Rodriquez, Mitch Chang, and Strangers in the Night, followed by main act James Hill with Anne Janelle. [10]
Mighty Uke Day IV was held May 9 & 10, 2014 in Old Town Lansing. The headline act Saturday night was Sarah Maisel and Craig Chee. Friday night featured an all Michigan line up including Magdalena Fossum, The Fabulous Heftones, Gerald Ross, Strangers in the Night and The Springtails. [11]
Mighty Uke Day V, commonly referred to as 'MUD' continues to expand both in time and area. MUD5 was held May 8, 9 and 10, 2015 and included workshops in three different venues, group strums, concerts on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. Festivities began on Friday with a strum on the Michigan State Capital steps. Friday's concert was headlined by Stuart Fuchs and the opening acts included Gerald Ross, Susan Picking and Andy Wilson. Saturday's concert featured Victoria Vox with opening acts of high school musician Kendall Cassella, Ukulele Dwight (Joel Mabus) and the duo Saldaje. Also featured was a 13-foot ukulele built by Larry Stump and actually played by Stuart Fuchs during his concert. [12]
In 2015 Mighty Uke Day spun off a Mini Mighty Uke Day with a Fall gathering that featured Victor & Penny providing workshops and a concert.
Mighty Uke Day VI took place on May 13–15, 2016. MUD6 it featured concerts, workshops, group strums, open mics, featured performers, children's activities, informal opportunities to jam, and much more. Evening performers include; Kalei Gamiao, Victor and Penny, Marlowe, Megan Dooley, Ryan Rodriguez, and The Ukulele Kings. Sponsorship from Lansing Community College provided for an auditorium for the concerts Friday and Saturday night.
Mini Mighty Uke Day in 2016 featured Andy Andrews hosting three workshops and a concert that evening.
Mighty Uke Day VII - Friday concert was Women of the Great Uke State, featuring Olivia Millerschin, Marlow and Julianna Wilson. Daniel Ward and Heidi Swedberg presented workshops and were the headliners at the Saturday night concert with opening act The Ukulele Kings.
The ukulele, also called a uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings.
Jake Shimabukuro is a ukulele virtuoso and composer from Hawaii known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro has written numerous original compositions, including the entire soundtracks to two Japanese films, Hula Girls (2007) and Sideways (2009), the Japanese remake of the same name.
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (UOGB) is a British musical ensemble founded in 1985 by George Hinchliffe and Kitty Lux. The orchestra features ukuleles of various sizes and registers from soprano to bass. The UOGB is best known for performing musically faithful but often tongue-in-cheek covers of popular songs and musical pieces from a wide variety of music genres taken "from the rich pageant of western music". The songs are often performed with a reinterpretation, sometimes with a complete genre twist, or well known songs from multiple genres are seamlessly woven together. Songs are introduced with light hearted deadpan humour, and juxtaposition is a feature of their act, the members of the orchestra wear semi-formal evening dress and sit behind music stands, in a parody of a classical ensemble.
The National Folk Festival (NFF) is a longstanding, Australian family friendly celebration of all aspects of folk music and culture. It is held every year at Easter in the national capital, Canberra.
The Langley Ukulele Ensemble is a ukulele ensemble from Langley, British Columbia in Canada. The ensemble is internationally renowned and considered to be one of the top ukulele performing ensembles in the world. They were prominently featured in the 2008 award-winning document film, Mighty Uke. The group is composed of 20 musicians, aged twelve to eighteen years, who perform 50-80 concerts a year. The group was originated in 1981 by Peter Loungo using the J. Chalmers Doane's musical program in the 1970s that reached over 50,000 students across Canada and the United States. They have performed in Canada, Florida, Texas, California, Nevada, the Pacific Northwest, Japan and Hawaii. The ensemble was named Langley's Entertainer of the Year for 2005, and Musical Director Peter Luongo was named Langley's Leader of the Year for that same year.
Del Rey is an American blues singer and guitarist. Rey specializes in blues and jazz from 1900 to 1950. She developed a Women in American Music concert/lecture series to provide an historical and cultural look at the contribution of women to music in the early 20th century. She is recognized for her syncopated style of guitar and intricate finger picking.
The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival is held annually in mid-July to commemorate the life and music of Woody Guthrie. The festival is held on the weekend closest to July 14 - the date of Guthrie's birth - in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma. Daytime main stage performances are held indoors at the Brick Street Cafe and the Crystal Theatre. Evening main stage performances are held outdoors at the Pastures of Plenty. The festival is planned and implemented annually by the Woody Guthrie Coalition, a non-profit corporation, whose goal is simply to ensure Guthrie's musical legacy. The event is made possible in part from a grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council. Mary Jo Guthrie Edgmon, Woody Guthrie's younger sister, is the festival's perennial guest of honor.
William Tapia, known as "Uncle Bill" and "Tappy", was an American musician, born to Portuguese parents. At age 8, Tapia was already a professional musician, playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" for World War I troops in Hawaii.
Located in the northern end of Lansing, Michigan, Old Town overlooks the Grand River and a winding bike trail. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the North Lansing Historic Commercial District, the district was established in the mid-19th century.
Victoria Davitt, better known by stage name Victoria Vox, is a singer, songwriter and musician specialising in the ukulele. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Vox now resides in Costa Mesa, California when not on tour.
Lil Rev, was born 1968 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a musician best known for his Yiddish music, and is also a renowned ukulele and harmonica player.
Gerald Ross is a musician specializing in American Roots Music – Swing, Early Jazz, Western Swing, Hawaiian, Ragtime and Blues. Playing the guitar, lap steel guitar and ukulele he has performed throughout the USA and Europe and has recorded seven solo CDs. Ross currently tours as a solo act performing and teaching ukulele and steel guitar at festivals and music camps.
James Hill is a Canadian classically trained musician who has focused on the ukulele, both as his primary instrument and as a method of music instruction for school children. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia.
Jim Beloff is an American musician. He is a leading proponent of the ukulele. After working in the music industry in Los Angeles, he discovered the ukulele and became an advocate of the instrument. He established Flea Market Music, publisher of the Jumpin' Jim's ukulele songbook series. Beloff's songbooks and instructional books, DVDs and promotion and marketing of his family's Fluke and Flea ukuleles have contributed to the popularity of the instrument. He is also a singer-songwriter and has recorded several solo CDs as well as two with his wife, Liz.
Roy Sakuma is a ukulele teacher, credited for sparking new generations of ukulele players and virtuosos like Jake Shimabukuro who got his start as a young student at Roy Sakuma Studios. Sakuma launched what is considered to be the first major ukulele festival in 1971, an annual event in Honolulu that continued for 52 years.
Anne Janelle is a classically trained Canadian musician who has focused on the cello.
The Annual Ukulele Festival was held each July in Hawaii from 1971 to 2022. It was founded in 1971 by Roy Sakuma with the support of the Waikiki Department of Parks. The event drew large crowds to listen to free concerts by both amateur and top ukulele musicians.
Flea Market Music is an American company which publishes and sells ukulele-related books and music.
James Patrick Baron, also known as Tiki King, is an artist, musician, and luthier. He was an artist in the tiki revival scene of the early 1990s. As a luthier he created the pineapple cutaway double octave ukulele and has designed ukuleles for celebrities such as Greg Hawkes and Bette Midler. He released three solo ukulele CDs as well as one with his lounge band Tiki King and the Idol Pleasures. He currently plays bass drum and ukulele in Tribal Celtic band the Wicked Tinkers who have released a total of nine albums.