Workshop Teachers at the Windy City Uke Fest 2008
Kimo Hussey
Kimo Hussey, Executive Director of the Pacific Music Foundation, www.pmfhawaii.com, has 30+ years experience in training as well as facilitating workshops in various disciplines. He is degreed in music (choral conducting), published, recorded and quite experienced in vocal and instrumental performance worldwide. His knowledge and experience with ukulele span 50 years and has resulted in consistent and numerous invitations to share his music through concerts and workshops.
UkeFest Workshops: Intermediate/Beginners--"How to Effectively Learn the Ukulele?", "Recognizing Common Progressions -- Most Effective Methodology in Learning New Songs", and "General Music Teacher/Ukulele Teachers Workshop: Best Methods for Teaching Ukulele to Others"
Lil Rev
Voted the best folksinger in Wisconsin in 2004 (WAMI), Lil Rev specializes in Blues, Rags, Folk, Old Time Country and Original instrumental music for the Ukulele. He is author of The Hal Leonard Ukulele Method Book #1 & DVD, as well as his popular recordings The Fountain of Uke Volumes #1 & #2.
Lil Rev tours nationally teaching and performing on Ukulele, Mandolin, Harmonica, Guitar and Banjo.
His website is www.lilrev.com
UkeFest Workshops: Intermediate--"Blues Ukulele Class & Intermediate Strumming"
Gerald Ross
Gerald www.geraldross.com played with the Lost World String Band from 1979 - 2001. He has delighted audiences with his guitar, steel guitar and ukulele performances locally and nationally since 1970. His ukulele recordings include Ukulele Moonlight and Shadows (2007), and Ukulele Stomp (2005). Other recordings include Hawaiian Steel Guitar Tracks (2002), and Romance & Adventure (2000).
Gerald has performed in concert with Bonnie Raitt, Arlo Guthrie, Doc Watson, Johnny Gimble, Riders In The Sky, Brownie McGhee and many other nationally known artists. Gerald is the winner of the 1993 WEMU Jazz Competition (solo artist category). His radio work includes appearances on National Public Radio’s ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ with Garrison Keillor.
UkeFest Workshops: Intermediate--"Introduction to Swing Ukulele, Advanced Swing Ukulele" and "Demo/Q&A on Hawaiian/Western Swing Lap Steel Guitar"
Ukulele Tonya
Ukulele Tonya is one of the best instructors with working with absolute beginners with no previous musical experience. Her spirit and talent for getting people up and playing is remarkable. She runs a very popular ukulele site, and blog and loves to share the whole ukulele aloha experience. If you always wanted to play an instrument, and you never thought you could, take Ukulele Tonya's absolute beginners workshop. Tonya will open your musical heart to a whole new world of fun. Tonya has found ukulele paradise, and she loves to share with others.
UkeFest Workshops: Absolute Beginners: You Can Play the Ukulele too.
Mark "Spanky" Guiterrez
http://www.myspace.com/spankyomaha
Mark plays the ukulele, bass, mandolin, and banjo. He started playing guitar in the 5th grade. He is an accomplished ukulele instructor. He has taught many ukulele seminars at popular ukulele festivals including Midwest Ukefest 2005, Texas Ukulele Festival 2005, and Meat 'n Taters Ukulele Intensive at the Blue Stone Folk School ( www.bluestonefolkschool.org ) this year. His styles include Jazz, Christian Rock, Blues, Mariachi, Country and Folk.
UkeFest Workshops: Intermediate--"How to do finger picking style on the Ukulele."
Seeso
http://www.youtube.com/user/seeso
Seeso is one of Chicago's favorite sons of the ukulele. He has opened up the ukulele to more popular music (folk, pop, ethic, and rap). He was recently featured on YouTube, and had fine polished original songs, and better than original covers. He has been MC at Subterranean.
( www.subt.net ) for 5 years. He was recently featured on Bosko and Honey's Ukulele Safari. Seeso is also an equity actor and web site developer. He recently performed at Bushman's Ukulele Luau in Nashville, IN ( www.ukuleleluau.com )UkeFest Workshop: All Levels--"Moving from Beginner to Accomplished Ukulele Musician"
Ali Lexa
http://www.myspace.com/alilexa
Ali Lexa is running one of the best pod casts on the internet called http://ukulelespot.com He is an excellent jazz player and had
the whole house rockin at the New York Uke Fest 2008. He also has been MC at 2007 and 2008 New York Uke Fest. He will be
teaching the Advanced ukulele class, "Jazz Improvisation with the Ukulele" His current band is called "Lexotica" playing Blues, Jazz
Lounge music.UkeFest Workshop: Advanced --"Jazz Improvisation with the Ukulele"
Curt Sheller
Curt Sheller is probably the most published person on the planet for intermediate and advanced ukulele publications. His instruction manuals and training materials are the most extensive in advanced concepts of blues and improvisational jazz on the ukulele. His works include "Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele", "Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele", "QuickStart Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele" just to name a few.
UkeFest Workshop: Advanced -- "Intros, Solos, and Endings on the Ukulele"
Mary Lou Stout Dempler
http://allmarylou.com
Mary Lou Stout Dempler teaches ukulele at Louisville Kentucky at Bellarmine University. She is founder of the Louisville Ukulele Association Unlimited (LUAU) orchestra club. They have over 370 some members. She has several publication on the teaching ukulele. My favorite is "Easy Ukulele Method Book I and II" We have her lined up to teach the Kids and Absolute Beginners Workshop.Here publications can be found at www.melbay.com and she endorses Lanikia ukuleles.
Joyce Flaugher
Joyce teaches hula and ukulele to people all over Texas, and anywhere else she can get to. Joyce has been spreading the aloha Hawaiian culture since 1967 teaching hula, and been teaching ukulele since the early 80's. She is principle organizer of the Texas Uke Festival.
( http://www.texasukefest.com ) Joyce is a pillar of aloha spirit, and her web site is a wonderful resource for just about everything ukulele and hula related. Joyce will be teaching a hula class on Friday at the Barefoot Hawaiian Studio.Terry Truhart
http://www.nuiukulele.org/music-bio.htm
I will be giving an orientation on Friday and Saturday.
UkeFest Workshop: All Levels
Friday: Orientation plus "What to Look for in an ukulele before you buy?"
Saturday: Orientation plus "Best Web Resources and Instructional Material"
Sunday: "Ukulele and Kodaly Method: How to get the song in your head?"
Here is the tentative workshop schedule.
Still more details coming soon.