GERALD ROSS
One of Gerald Ross’ early claims to fame was a TV commercial he made with a friend in high school for Kazoozie Kazoos that ran everyday for two months on the children’s TV.
Gerald went on to play bass in a rock band during high school, electric guitar with a Western swing band and acoustic guitar with a bluegrass band while in college, finally graduating to "The Lost World String Band" playing guitar, bottleneck National guitar, and Cajun accordion, appearing several times on National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion Show with Garrison Keillor”.
Today, however, Gerald Ross is known more for his work with the ukulele and Hawaiian lap steel guitar and has recorded five solo Swing Style Ukulele CDs. In addition to being an extremely polished performer, Gerald is a prepared, organized, and thoughtful teacher, and such a nice guy! Whew! It's no wonder Gerald Ross has been called an entire music camp and festival in one.
NICO'O
Nico'o was born in the Basque country (France). He grew up with the ocean, surf and music, and listens to many different styles including... Rock, Blues, Jazz, Flamenco, Mariachi, Celtic…. He had been playing guitar for many years until his first trip to Tahiti in 2002 when he discovered the ukulele and it was a "shock"! He was in love from the first second that he heard it. So he started to learn with Tahitian people, and he played every day. For 7 years he only played Tahitian uke and one day he received a gift: An Hawaiian ukulele. It was so technically different but with the same spirit and 6 months later he created a myspace with a little version of Stairway to heaven…. and the dream became reality. In the same year, he participated in the New York Uke Fest, the 40th Ukulele Festival of Oahu and he met all of his idols... James Hill, Bryan Tolentino, Jake Shimabukuro etc....
Nico'o returns after a fantastic performance last year and we are thrilled to welcome him back!
http://www.myspace.com/nicoo40
MANITOBA HAL
Manitoba Hal is a unique performer, accomplished guitarist, songwriter and ukulele player. Using a combination of looping technology and other effects he creates a one-man-band performance that is truly one-of-a-kind. His takes on traditional blues songs are fresh and inventive and audiences everywhere are entertained by his stage banter and witty observations.
Hal began playing ukulele in 1995 after receiving one as a gift from his grandfather. Hal was already an accomplished guitarist and recording touring act and the ukulele provided a missing element to his sound. His blues guitar style transferred easily to ukulele and his unique combination of finger picking and strumming created an instantly accessible sound that compliments his gospel tinged vocal style. Early blues performers such as Son House, Robert Johnson and Taj Mahal are among his influences but he is equally shaped by Colin Linden, Ken Hamm, David Essig, Stephen Fearing, Big Dave Mclean and lesser known folk and roots artists.
Manitoba Hal has two international ukulele endorsements (RISA from Germany and aNueNue from Taiwan), has been featured at the New York Ukulele Festival 2008, Ukulele Ceilidh 2005, 2007, Great Canadian Ukulele Expo 2003, 2004 and the Ukulele Hall of Fame 2001. He has a signature tenor ukulele being introduced at the North American Music Manufacturers convention in Anaheim California in Jan 2011 and is one of a handful of authentic blues performers performing with the ukulele today.
THE RE-ENTRANTS
What can we say about these two guys?
Well, they have become huge friends of the festival, making their presence known throughout the weekend, as well as obviously being hugely entertaining with their great talent.
Whether it‘s Bowie or Britney, Motorhead or Madonna, the Re-entrants somehow manage to get in all the hooks, riffs, solos and vocal harmonies with nothing but two voices and two ukuleles. Their abilities on the instrument belie its cute appearance and music hall associations, and whilst the audience may laugh at two large men with such tiny instruments launching, arms windmilling, into a rock classic, the laughter soon turns to applause and heads shaken in disbelief!
Since first meeting in 2007 they have performed over 200 gigs across the UK at venues such as The Leicester Square Theatre, London; The Acoustic Festival of Great Britain; The 80s Rewind Festival, Henley-on-Thames, The Assembly Rooms, Derby; The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster; The O2 Academy, Liverpool; 53 Degrees, Preston; Manchester Academy; Parr Hall, Warrington and have appeared on TV and BBC Radio 4.
“Their act is so very strong: they transcend the limitations of the ukulele”
George Hinchliffe, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
www.thereentrants.co.uk
WININ BOYS
We are thrilled that Frederic and the "boys" are returning in 2012.
After two quite different performances we know you will love them, whatever they decide to do for us.
You will also see them around the festival, often joining in with other performers, helping to create some of those unqiue moments when collaborations are the order of the day.
UKULOLLO
In the past 2 years Ukulollo has performed at festivals in Italy, Paris, Israel, California, Singapore, Australia and, of course is a great friend of our festival in Great Britain. 2012 promises more.
In may 2011 he published his CD "Completely Unbroken", with 13 original songs. There are many interesting collaborations on the album, like "Love of one" featuring Victoria Vox, "Sky turns red" featuring krabbers, and others.
The first single from the album is Emily, shot in Hollywood and in Italy.
He is the spotlight artist in Ukulele player Magazine Issue 20... "The musicianship is first-rate. Production quality is excellent and the vocals are great. I hope we hear a lot more music like this in the future. Buy it!"
http://www.tricornpublications.com/issue20.pdf
Check out his youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/krenfilm
www.ukulollo.com
GUS & FIN
From sunny Glasgow, we welcome back YouTube phenomenons, Gus and Fin. Follow the links below and see how many times the word ‘awesome’ has been used to comment on their videos (we make it 3,847,603). They’re great singers and players, who turn their creative energy and enviable talent to anything from The Clash and Kenny Rogers to Burt Bacharach and Bo Diddley. Most of all, they’re fantastic fun – two mates having a hoot n’ howl together.
Since their last appearance at the UFofGB, they’ve released a CD in Japan, headlined at the FIUL Ukulélé-Festival in France, come 2nd in the Uke of Edinburgh contest, and appeared at the WeekendinBlack Stranglers convention in London. To see them play live is a rare treat not to be missed, and an experience you won’t forget…
http://www.youtube.com/user/GUGUG
HOT POTATO SYNCOPATORS
Oh yes... they're back again to provide us with their unique style of music, comedy and so much more!!
Will we see a world record attempt for the most paper planes thrown from a stage? Who knows! You'll just have to wait and see.
The Hot Potato Syncopators are a comedy swing band featuring a brace of ukuleles, musical saw and tea-chest bass. A top-class revue of swinging jazz and hilarious antics.
www.tiptopchaps.com
CHONKINFECKLE
Chonkinfeckle are Tim Cooke & Les Hilton.
They first met at Wigan Ukulele Club and struck up a friendship when they realised they shared a few interests, local history, ukuleles, the tea chest bass, and were also both big fans of the Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah.
They write and perform original songs offering a more light hearted view of "life up north ".
Their first C.D, 'I'm From Wigan Me!' was realesed earlier this year, and they have also produced several videos for their You Tube channel.
http://chonkinfeckle.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Chonkinfeckle
http://www.facebook.com/chonkinfeckle
BETTYS BOYS
New ukulele duo feat. Paul Moore & Ukulelezaza.
Bettys Boys came about as a result of Paul Moore and Remco (Zaza) Houtman-Janssen meeting now and then since the mid 1990s, first in Digswell at the Ukulele Society of Great Britain's biannual event. They have always played a tune or two together since. This year with them both performing on a tour in Australia, they decided to make a duo to give an extra show whenever they find themselves on the same bill. "It's a perfect balance," Paul reports. "We love the same kind of music, I sing and strum and Remco does the twiddly bits, and we come up with extra things to enhance the performance spontaneously."
Why the name Bettys Boys? "Well," says Paul, "in Melbourne we were staying in Betty France's studio, we had such a great time with Betty and friends partying till 4am every night that we thought the name Bettys Boys says it all. Betty is one of the sweetest people we have ever met. It also fits nicely with our mutual love of Betty Boop!"
HELENA & NORA
Hailing from Andalusia & the Basque Country, and now living in Dublin, Helena and Nora formed a ukulele duet instantly when they met. They have blended influences of their respective home countries with Mexican, Hawaiian & Old time favourites. Combining vocal harmonies and fingerpicking they have developed their own inimitable style.
They can also be seen playing in a Dublin based Mariachi band.
http://www.youtube.com/user/helenaandnora
AISLING OUT WALKING
Aisling Out Walking are a Dublin band consisting of Aisling Walsh with her devoted accompanists James Quah on uke and Andrew Robinson on u-bass.
Their music comes from early rock'n'roll, country and traditional sources.
OWEN NIED
Owen Nied is a fourteen year-old singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (ukulele, guitar, violin, bass, banjo, saxophone and drums) who has been performing since he was nine. In addition to playing solo acoustic music, Owen also fronts the rock band Owen and the Nepotists, with whom he arranges, plays lead guitar and sings vocals with this quartet of experienced adult musicians.
Owen’s original music ranges from edgy pop to blues/rock to “punkabilly” and is influenced by artists as diverse as the Avett Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Blasters, Chuck Berry, BB King, the Ramones and Buddy Guy. Always comfortable performing, Owen has played a wide variety of venues including live radio.
Owen has become something of a local sensation in New York for his wild blues licks and jazzy, eclectic versions of American standards, played on electric 4 and 8 string ukulele.