Its almost 3 years since I set up the original ukulele songs platform. One of the main aims was to challenge the stereotypical image the public has about the ukulele. Most people I know who were not ukulele fans regard the ukulele as a comedy gimmick and not a real musical instrument. This image is not helped by the endless covers that appear online and at uke events. I appreciate its personal taste but I really don’t want to hear endless quirky versions of Bowie and Cure songs all inevitably described as “awesome”
Far better in my view are original pieces that provoke and stimulate new ways of thinking and feeling. I realised that many in what I call “uke world” are more interested in the social meet up aspect than creating music. That’s fine, but not to my personal taste. Its as if the uke becomes little more than a prop and what follows is very predictable. OUS now has over 150 artists on the main performer page of this site and these artists showcase what is possible beyond the stereotype for the instrument.
There’s a massively missed opportunity in my opinion and I’ve given up trying to sponsor stages at uke festivals (I sponsored a stage at GNUF a few years ago) where there’s often a tiny set time that often frustrates both artists and the public. All my polling on social media platforms clearly shows that artists and the public prefer a minimum of 30 minutes and that gives an opportunity for a more dynamic and varied set.
Smart artists like James Hill have included other instruments alongside the ukulele. When I spent some time in Nashville with Van Fletcher Jake Shimabokuro’s manager he was kind enough to play me some preview tracks of Jake’s “The Greatest Day” album and again the ukulele was wonderfully placed along other instruments.
Many of the ideas I had originally for OUS, I have now incorporated into Music for the Head and Heart where there is a much more diverse range of artists from all music genres. This means transcending the niche of any one approach. My hope is that the ukulele community with follow James Hill’s lead and start to explore new options. Yes the comedic duos can be fun, but I’d love to see more original smart melodic work out there.
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