¡Attention Ukulele Friends of the UK!

I've been pondering something...
We (The Uke Box) are appearing at 'The Ukulele Festival of Great Britain' in Cheltenham the weekend of June the 19th. It would be possible for us to stay in the UK for at least another week and play some more shows. And, get this, we've spoken with Ukulelezaza and Jaynickel and they would love to join in the fun! If this isn't enough, 'The Hot Potato Syncopators'* could join us for more elaborate affairs.


* The Hot Potato Syncopators would not be available on the 25th of June since they will be engaged at the Glastonbury Festival!


Do you know of any clubs, garden parties, street dances, living-room concerts, festivals, companies, hoedowns or jubilees etc interested in booking, hosting or sponsoring this traveling ukulele crew? Could we sleep in your barn, pitch a tent on your lawn or stay at your fabulous beach house with the private dock and the spectacular view?



We are all properly house trained and insured for any eventual damages.

And, Oh Boy, could we put on a RIOT of a show!

Oh-Oh Lil' Piggy Spam-A-Lam!

I made this Diddley Bow to give away as a prize at the Ukulele Jamboree this coming Friday Night which will be held at SPAM, a vintage/design furniture store. I play this song on it...

Oh-Oh Lil' Piggy, Spam-A-Lam
Oh-Oh Lil' Piggy, Spam-A-Lam
Lil' Piggy was a Ham, Spam-A-Lam
He lived inside a Can, Spam-A-Lam
Oh-Oh Lil' Piggy, Spam-A-Lam
Oh-Oh Lil' Piggy, Spam-A-Lam!

How do you play it? Like this...



Or like THIS!...

My all time favourite?...

SUCH a frustrating question. Arrrgh, there are just TOO many wonderful things in the world to go pickin' favourites. I can rarely choose one. Yet some things are so special or dear that it does take favourite. Just off the top of my head I can name three. Favourite City: New Orleans, Favourite Small Town: Bay St. Louis, Ms., Favorite Song performed on Ukulele:

I give you Miss Carol Anne McGowan from Ireland singing her own "I'll Be Seeing You". This is SO beautiful...

What's In A Box?

Oh for the small joys of flea markets!... Marko found two great cigarboxes at the second hand market in Rotterdam today. And, (i love this part) when i opened them up they were full of old cards of darning wool. By accident, i've accumulated a nice collection vintage sewing goods. I'd like to think that i'll have a cool sewing room someday where i can show them all off.

These cigarboxes are both dutch brands. 'Willem II', named after a Dutch King, was started in 1916 by Harry Kersten with 8 employees. By the 30's the company employed more than 1,000 workers and was eventually taken over by SwedishMatch in the 50's. By the looks of the box and it's contents i'm guessing these date from around the mid 30's.

The 'Hofnar' (Court Jester) is a great find. Just look at those labels. (see below)

The Hofnar story starts when Dutchman Jacobus Heesterbeek has a disagreement with his employer, Texas Cigar Factory, around 1900, and decides from pure dissatisfaction that he can do a better job.


Unfortunately, his financial situation as half-cigar maker and half-farmer is not exactly rosy. He sells a calf in order to buy his first tobacco and begins pounding the pavement with his dogcart. Luckily, business goes well and he is able to found an independent cigar factory in 1903.

It's a really sweet lookin' box. It has a few cracks but it's definately fixable. Has a really nice size too. I paid 5 euro's for the two boxes. They'll make very good looking ukuleles...someday.
Click on the images and ZOOM.

Home Town Cookin'

I ran across a video from the Food Network which features Darwells. This is a funky little place located in my home town of Long Beach, Mississippi.

The video will kind of explain why Mississippi is the most obese state in the union. We just LOVE to cook AND eat and excel at both.

Papa Darwell is a hoot. Musician, Artist...dude has been around. Last time i was there he made me teach him the dutch words for 'secret lover' and he gave me one of his drawings. The ol' charmer.

I have to be honest about one thing though, i don't care that much for Darwell Jr.s Etouffee, which is one of the dishes featured in this piece. Sorry, but everyone knows that my mom makes the best damn etouffee EVER. But, don't get me wrong y'all, they have lots of very tasty stuff on the menu and they put a whole hell of a lot of soul into the joint which is what really makes this a swell place.

What i especially like is the Taso Cheese Grits. Man i love cheese grits. I'm sure many of you are wondering what the hell 'Grits' are. It is of Native American origin and is only eaten in the southern Gulf Coast region of the United States. It consists mostly of ground corn and resembles polenta. You know, I think the next time i'm back home i'll ask Darwell if 'The Uke Box' can perform at his fine establishment and i'll negotiate payment in cheese grits.