As I have been exploring what can be done on the ukulele, I have become more and more enamored with the sound of jazz chords on the ukulele. Listening to Lyle Ritz’ remarkable recordings with just ukulele and bass have inspired me. This is an arrangement of my own devising of a song that I have loved for a very long time.
Please excuse the synthesized drum and bass, they are the best I can do. For now…
Here is an audio only mp3 for you to listen to or download:
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I head an old NPR interview with Lyle Ritz about his album “No Frills” where he recorded several jazz standards in Garage Band over synthesized bass lines he entered himself. It was so clean, approachable, and free of pretension that it inspired me to fire up Garage Band and record this song I have been playing with for a while now.
“Love Is a Song” from: Walt Disney’s Bambi:
Words by: Larry Morey Music by: Frank Churchill Ukulele: Kala Curly Mango Soprano (Christmas present) Drum loop: Garage Band Bass: Recorded in Garage Band using a midi keyboard
Audio only mp3:
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On New Years Day my brother, Nate, and I spent the day relaxing with my girlfriend, Chelsea, and her room mate Joel. It was a lovely day and in the evening we decided to record a song. We decided to record (and film) The Beach Boys’ song “In My Room” by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher. We were quite lucky to find a transcription of the voice parts here.
The results:
Also available as a free mp3:
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Inspired on my previous experimentation with parallel fifth harmonies, and my new ukulele (more on that soon), my dad and I recorded this version of Mary Had a Little Lamb where I sang and played the same song a fifth above. He was playing his guitar and singing in the key of C, and I was playing my ukulele and and singing in the key of G.
As of this week, Chelsea and I have been going out for three years and after countless barbershop tags, covers and miniature songs I have finally been able to write her an honest-to-goodness song song. I’ll admit it’s cheesy and trite and doesn’t properly rhyme, but it’s a song. A real song. Finally.
For Chelsea, after three years: “Driving”
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Alice n’ The Irving Street Kidz are back with another hit single. This time it’s ‘Colors of The Wind’ from the major motion picture Pocahontas. We believe that our rendition is a vast improvement on the original.
Vocals – Alison
Ukulele, chimes, backup vocals, egg shaker – Jordan
Epic Howl – Noah
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Tonight my friend and fellow baritone Josh Beld came over and naturally, things eventually devolved to multitracking babershop tags. After attempting three different tags, only the first and simplest ended up being suitable for sharing. This was Josh’s first attempt at multitrack recording and he is already better than me. Hopefully this will be the first of many.
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South:
Baritone and Lead: Jordan Eldredge
Bass and Tenor: Josh Beld
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I have recently observed, on Youtube, a very interesting method of turning any barbershop tag into a jazzy eight part tag: simply double each part a perfect fifth higher. Or, said another way, have a second quartet simultaneously sing the same tag a fifth above.
Despite everything I was taught in college, I have been curious to try this myself. However, due to sound bleed-through from my upstairs neighbors, I can’t really record in my apartment these days. So I multitracked this one tonight in my car on my Zoom H4. Although I am sure I looked quite suspicious, I think it was worth it.
You can hear the original four part arrangement here.
I present to you “In Dixie Land Where I Was Born” from David Wright’s collection: Classic Tags for Men’s Voices in parallel fifths:
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For my parents 30th wedding anniversary on Tuesday I recorded them a little audio drama featuring characters and musical excerpts from the hilarious musical Forever Plaid.
Congratulations:
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As well as turning 28, last month my brother graduated from UCSD with is PhD(!) in mathematics. So, as a combined gift, I got the family and Chelsea together to record a math themed song for him. We recorded “That’s Mathematics” by Tom Lehrer.
Happy birthday and congratulation Nathaniel. You are the best source of pride and inspiration a little brother cold ask for.
Tom Lehrer’s “That’s Mathematics” for Nathaniel:
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As of this week, 
. Although I am sure I looked quite suspicious, I think it was worth it.
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