Uke can be mine

July 15, 2009 4:31 PM

Help me find contemporary 20s & 30s hot jazz music that incorporates ukulele music.

I've been recently turned on to The Sweet Hollywaiians and am looking for bands that play a similar style of music.

I am aware of R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Serenaders. Them and the Hollywaiians incorporate some Hawaiian music into their sound. Pandora doesn't bring much of anything up when I search there. Also, and I could be mistaken, but it also sounds like Gypsy jazz also in their sound. Who else sounds like this? Thanks.

posted by cazoo to media & arts (7 comments total)

I wholeheartedly recommend Brooklyn's The Moonlighters... you should find more than a few of their tracks to enjoy.
posted by departure lounge at 5:11 PM on July 15 [1 favorite]

Do you know about UkeToob? If not, that might be a good resource.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:40 PM on July 15

You specifically want modern stuff? Or will original 20s music do? If the latter, seek out King Bennie Nawahi - Hawaiian String Virtuoso. More info here.
posted by Beautiful Screaming Lady at 5:52 PM on July 15

It's not in every song, but check out the Asylum Street Spankers' early records. I'd also try the White Ghost Shivers and Shorty Long, which have had some personnel crossover with the Spankers that includes uke players. And I'm pretty sure there's some uke somewhere on the Katzenjammer album I got after seeing them at SXSW.
posted by immlass at 7:56 PM on July 15

Check out Casey McGill and his Blue 4 Trio, based out of Seattle. I got to play with him about 18 months ago and fell in love with the uke after listening to him play it.
posted by snowymorninblues at 8:35 AM on July 16

All hail the King, Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards - it's estimated that he sold 74 million records during his career, not to mention the fact that he was the voice of Disney's Jiminy Cricket.
Here's a bio page along with some great music files at the bottom.
posted by DandyRandy at 12:08 PM on July 16

Thank you for the suggestions. I should have added that I was looking for a contemporary band I could see live.
posted by cazoo at 2:58 PM on July 16