Sunday, September 30, 2018

Some of our members attended the Prairie Jamboree Ukulele Festival hosted by the Ukulele Club of Winnipeg at the Viscount Gort September 28-30th.

Heather, Lorna, Lana, Louise, Zenith, Thelma and Verna took part in a number of workshops featuring instruction from two-time Grammy Award Winners Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer from Washington D.C., edUkecator Kevin Carroll from Austin, Texas, Ukester Brown from Apple Valley, Minnesota, and KateFerris and Fred Casey from Gimli, Manitoba.

The event began Friday evening with the opening ceremonies, an open mic and a jam circle. After fantastic workshops on a wide variety of ukulele playing topics throughout the day on Saturday, attendees and the public were invited to a gala concert on Saturday at the beautiful and acoustically outstanding Crescent Fort Rouge church. Performances by the guest instructors, the Prairie Aloha group and the Brandon Ukulele Club were followed by another fun ukulele jam circle back at the Viscount Gort. 

Heather, Zenith, David Remiger aka Ukester Brown, Lana, Lorna and Louise.

On Sunday morning participants were invited to take part in a Hallelujah Hootenanny where Ukester Brown led those assembled in some rousing gospel tunes, explaining some of the background on the tunes along the way.  

While some guests stayed for the Ukulele Club of Winnipeg's twice monthly Strum & Suds at the Viscount Gort, Heather was pleased to drive David Remiger out to Carman to meet some of our members at Syl's for lunch.

Since it was cold out we took our Syl's food to the school where we ate in the library (don't tell the librarian!). We then moved to the music room where David showed us warm up stretches to help prevent pain while playing ukulele and gave us a very enlightening workshop on playing moveable chords.

Attending the ukulele festival and our Carman visit with Ukester Brown was an informative and fun experience. I was pleased to drive David back to the airport where he jetted off back to his wife in Minnesota. David said they both may make a visit out to Manitoba - perhaps to take in our Boyne River Ukulele Picnic and Strum - now that Ukester knows where to find Carman.  

It sounds like a second Prairie Jamboree Ukulele Festival is planned for 2020 so stay tuned for more information.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Judy, Ang, Lynn, Lana, Heather, Cathie, Linda, Louise, Lorna, Zenith, Thelma, June and Barry attended.

We played: Silver Wings, Moon River (picking pattern of 1, 2, 3, 4, 2 as per version on drive), Only You in C, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Cryin’ Time, Cotton Fields, You Belong to Me, Wait So Long (from Lynn, Lana will make a new sheet with bigger font in a key easier to sing), Michael Row your Boat, Puff the Magic Dragon, We are Going to be Friends, Don’t Be Cruel, Down on the Corner, Early Morning in G, Four Strong Winds, Saskatoon Moon, I love How You Love Me, Goodnight Irene, Go Lassie Go, Hard Times in C, Amazing Grace, Home I'll Be (with picking), Grow Old with Me, Flowers on the Wall, Let Me Be there in C, and our signature set-ending song.

Heather, Cathie, Linda, Barry, June, and Lynn have committed so far to playing at the MCC annual meeting in Elm Creek on November 14th. UPDATE: Marge and Thelma will also be joining us :) We will be playing for 15 minutes after supper and have been invited for the supper just before.  Supper is at 6 p.m. at the church in Elm Creek. We will play from 6:45 until 7:00 p.m. So far we are considering: Uncloudy Day, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, I’ll Fly Away, 50 Miles of Elbow Room, I Can’t Even Walk and Amazing Grace. Please check that your versions match those on the drive so we are playing the same version in the same key. If you have a chance before next Wednesday try playing all of the songs, timing them and seeing which key you prefer if there is more than one version of a particular song posted on the drive. We likely only need five songs but it won’t hurt to have an extra in case we need an encore J

I have re-sent the discount code for the new Ukulele Club of Winnipeg song book. These will be distributed at the Prairie Ukulele Jamboree this weekend. I will be there Friday night until Sunday morning and a few other members will be there Saturday as well. Although your invoice will say $20, when I tried it a couple of days ago, I was only charged $15 on my online bank statement. Please let me know if you ordered a copy and I will try and pick up any ordered from our club and bring them back Sunday. If you order later than Oct. 1 the code will apparently no longer apply and you will have to pick up your book likely at one of the twice monthly Sunday UCW strums at the Viscount Gort.

-         Heather

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

We welcomed Ang Grenier to the group.  A guitar player who has turned to a better option, she was strumming and fingerpicking without losing a beat.  Also present: Marge, Judy, Lorna, Lynn, Louise, Lana, Zenith and Cathie.

We sang lots of old favourites and Marge's new addition-- "Doo Ron" Ron and Lana's contribution "Home I'll Be", a beautiful Cape Breton song by Rita MacNeil.

- Lana

Another soon to be new member, Kathy sent regrets for last night as, like me, she couldn't make it at the last minute. Hope to see you all next week :)

- Heather

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2018

Strummers and singers were; Linda, Lana, Zen, Louise, Lynne, Lorna, Marge, Barry, June, and Thelma.


Tunes chosen were: Walk Away, We Are Going to be Friends, Where Have all the Flowers Gone, Daydream Believer, Jambalaya, Can’t Take my Eyes off of You, I’ll See You in my Dreams, Lakes of Ponchatrain, Moon River, Saskatoon Moon, Sloop John B., Wild Flowers, Working man, Cotton Fields, Blowing in the Wind, Down on the Corner, Don’t be Cruel, Suitcase in my Hand, Ukulele Lady, Uncloudy Day, The Cuckoo, Let me be there, Log Driver's Waltz, I Can’t Even Walk, Rock’n Roll Beat, I’ve Got Rhythm, Silver Wings, 50 Miles of Elbow Room, and our signature set ending song.

Lynn had celebrated a special birthday on the 3rd so we sang for him.


We also were thinking of Judy as she celebrated yesterday.

- Thelma

Sounds like you played some great songs including one of my favourites, The Log Driver's Waltz. :) Just a reminder to give Lana any songs from when Marsh visited to her to scan. The Mass Appeal Ukulele event is this Thursday evening at St. Vital Park. That is also the day of the open house and awards day at out school so I will be unable to attend but hopefully someone can. Tickets to the Prairie Ukulele Jamboree the weekend of Sept. 28-30th have sold out. But, remember even if you can't attend, Ukester Brown will be meeting us at Syl's at about 12:30 on Sunday, Sept. 30th. Bring your ukulele!

- Heather

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Zenith, Judy, Lynn, Thelma, Verna, Cathie, Marge, Louise and Barry met at the gallery.  These nine folks strummed and sang 29 songs on the 29th!  According to Barry, such a serendipitous number association deserves a drink! 

Songs chosen were:  Rain and Snow, Rox in the Box, 500 Miles, Michael Row the Boat Ashore, Blowin’ in the Wind, Angeline the Baker, Annie’s Song, Moon River (special strum pattern), Fannin Street, Silhouettes, This World is Not My Home, I Can’t Even Walk, This Land is Your Land (version in the key of D has been added to the drive and blog), Take Me Home Country Roads, Breakin’ Up is Hard To Do, Bad Moon Rising, Grandpa Was a Carpenter, Workin Man, Wagon Wheel, Don’t Be Cruel, Union Maid, The Saskatoon Moon, We’ll Sing in the Sunshine, Someday You’ll Want Me to Want You, Let Me Be There, Daydream Believer, Go Lassie Go, Fifty Miles of Elbow Room, and our signature set ending song.  

It was good to have Lynn among us again after his holiday time and Heather, we hope you are well soon!  

Till next time, Verna

Not sure who has signed up for the Prairie Ukulele Jamboree at the end of September but Lana and I have just confirmed with organizer Tim Hogue and guest player/instructor Ukester Brown that he will be coming out to Carman on Sunday, September 30th for a short tour and stop at Syl's for ice cream. I'll be driving him and hope that everyone can come to meet us sometime between 1:15 and 2:00. It won't be a lot of time but bring a ukulele maybe just in case. More details as we have them but please keep that date and time open if you can. 

- Heather

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Judy, Linda. Cathie, Louise, Zenith, Thelma, Verna, Heather, Barry and Lorna met to sing and play at the gallery.

Our selections were: Sing a Song (Louise brought this from the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival), Angeline the Baker, Bad Moon Rising, Blowin' in the Wind, Blue Moon (Ukulele Wednesday Book version), Breaking up is Hard to Do (from Jim's Ukulele Song Book, now on blog and drive), Down on the Corner in G, Daydream Believer (from Brandon Ukulele Group, now on blog and drive, take out Am and don't do the G7 at the end), Early Morning Rain (whoever would like to should work on the timing of this and then teach the
rest of us), Orphan Girl ( two verses only and repeat last line), Blue Skies (now on blog and drive), Don't be Cruel, Rain and Snow, Puff the Magic Dragon (from Vancouver Circle Book), Fannin' Street (attempted without Lynn), Rox in the Box, Let Me Be There (now on blog and drive), Farewell to Nova Scotia. Lie Down Beside Me (no D second time through), Moon River (from drive Cynthia Lin version), Ukulele Lady in G, By the Light of the Silvery Moon (slow and then fast), You Belong to Me, and out signature set ending song.

Louise and Lorna reported that they had a good time at the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival. Those of us who will be attending are looking forward to working with Ukester Brown again at the Prairie Ukulele Jamboree in Winnipeg the last weekend of September.

Remember on Saturday, August 25 to play music on your porch. :)

See you next Wednesday!

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Lori, Tom, Verna, Thelma, Marge, Linda, Zenith, Lorna, and Heather met in Marge and Dale's lovely backyard to sing and strum.

We played: Daydream Believer,  Amazing Grace, Saskatoon Moon, Walking after Midnight, Orphan Girl, Cryin' Time, After the Goldrush, Down on the Corner, 500 Miles, Blowin' in the Wind, Workin' Man, Dirty Old Town, Tonight you Belong to Me, Sea of Love, Four Strong Winds, Go Lassie Go, I'll Fly Away, Leavin' on a Jet Plane, Let Me be There, Me and Bobby McGee, Take Me Home Country Roads, Manitoba, Wagon Wheel, Hard Times, Harvest Moon, and our signature set ending song.

Some of our members went to the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival in Two Harbours, Minnesota. There are videos of some of the sing alongs posted on our Boyne River Ukulele Group Facebook Page and you can download the sing and play along songs here

I have emailed members the songs and other details for the Mass Appeal ukulele concert. It will be on Thursday, Sept.13th at St. Vital Park by the duck pond. Rehearsal will be between 6-7pm, and the performance will start at 7:30. There will be lights.

We will meet at the gallery this Wednesday.

I look forward to hearing more about our members' adventures at the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival. I saw a lot of video and photos online and it looked like fun :)

Also, don't forget Saturday, August 25th is Play Music on the Porch Day.