Hi to all you wonderful uke players who attended my Blues Uke workshop at the Cygnet Folk Festival . Here are the workshop notes:
Song link for “Troubles in the Kitchen” https://soundcloud.com/chris-okunbor/troubles-in-the-kitchen-chris-o-john-laurence
Some artists to listen to:
Lewis “Rabbit” Muse – blues uke player (born 1908)
“Jailhouse Blues”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX-sTK-O9Ew
Del Ray Contemporary (uke)…Del has a whole load of great blues/jazz uke tutorials
“The Dancehall Shuffle”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKBUE7PHx2
or listen to a Charlie Poole classic, that’s very similar to the above, written by Sterling & Tilzner in 1906. I’ve added my uke to Brian’s original guitar track on this song…not strictly blues, more jug band…but who’s splitting hairs!! “It’s moving day”
https://soundcloud.com/mountain-songs/its-moving-day-rocky-mountain
Daddy Stovepipe – Carl is a Belgian guitar and uke player who has some great blues uke video tutorials on You Tube.
https://youtu.be/EnfQ48rYIAM
Phil Doleman from the U.K. has some great tutorial videos up on YouTube, for all level players.
https://youtu.be/QHmOjSbzvhw
A sample of old acoustic blues artists who have songs that will work really well on uke:
Papa Charlie McCoy – blues mandolin player (born 1909)
“That lonesome train took my baby away”
https://youtu.be/WjK5HIV0r2g?si=kbLtVcwGFjDwUbT_
Yank Rachell – blues guitar & mandolin player (born approx..1910)
*known as a master of the blues mandolin
“ Tappin that thing”
https://youtu.be/eQONgN-as4s
Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe McCoy 1930’s (guitar and mandolin)
“She wouldn’t give me none”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=coZZ_pqnhvY
Papa Charlie Jackson 1920’s (played banjo)
“Mumsy Mumsy Blues”
https://youtu.be/EJTD3q9K5Bc
Tampa Red often sings songs to a rolling piano….and its easy to play many of his songs on uke:
“Delta Woman Blues”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNMGPWyjyVs
