Wednesday Night,

At Café de Bel with (from Left to Right) Norbert Bos (Percussion), Julian Primeaux (Guitar - Lafayette, Louisiana), Marko van der Horst (Mandolin), Arjan van Bommel (Guitar) and Chad Hawkins (Bass - Baton Rouge, Lousiana)

Summer Festival in Den Hague

The summer is always so crazy it's hard to take the time to post stuff about it. Luckily, Carl TjonAtjoe, of The Small Time Crooks made a handy photo impression of our performance together at the Summer Festival in Den Haag. We were also joined by a really great slide player, Hugo Schneider. I always love playing with The Crooks. Great fun. Oh, and i was also given a German artist name, which was required by the Crooks... 'Bumpsy von Hinten'. Oh my! Here's a link to more photographs of the afternoon on the 3voor12 website.

Play Music On A Saw - Make Big Money

The Elegance of a Hand Saw

"Duifje"
Small handsaw i picked up at the market for a couple of Euro's. Printed on the wooden handle, in a wonderful letter type i might add, is 'Duifje', meaning 'Little Dove', a common Dutch pet name for a sweetheart.


Photograph from a 1930's Musical Saw Instructional Booklet


Der Rote Sarafan
I've never heard two Singing Saws played in harmony. I wonder if Marko would like to learn to play the saw?


And lastly, visit Bad Axe Tool Works for some Vintage Hand Saw Goodness.

GRRR Jamming Squeak

Grrr Jamming Squeak is a sound sculpture created by Paola Pivi which is now located here in Rotterdam. It's a sound studio where you can go in and record during the week and on fridays they have concerts. The deal is that you have to play music with animal sounds.

Marko and i were thrilled to be asked to do one of the friday night concerts. They gave us a disc with more than 100 animal sounds on it. From these sounds we mixed some basic tracks. This was so much fun but boy was it difficult. I don't know if you've ever worked with frogs but man... they are stubborn! : ) Seriously y'all, this was very difficult. I haven't played with a metronome since High School and DANG it ain't easy. Took me two days of cussing before i could get through the damn song without speeding it up during the solo's and thus getting completely off track with the animal sounds. I guess on the night we did pretty good. I do hear myself cutting my singing short because i'm so damn busy listening where the frogs are. I do know one thing... We had a ball doing it! Many Thanks to Dagmar and the sound crew at GRRR. Here is an example of one of the songs we did that night. The animals you will hear are a Tree Frog, Crawfish Frog, Horses Hooves and Grey Wolves.

'Forgive Me' by The Fournicators

Backstage with Goslink

It was a real honor to perform with Goslink during his CD release parties in The Paradiso and Theater Walhalla. He's my favorite. I've been playing his new CD all of the time, so wonderful. In case you haven't heard of Goslink yet i'll be very happy to introduce you to him.

A special thank you to Leine for this lovely photograph. Leine also performed at Goslink's CD release parties. I'm just discovering her music and it is a real find. She writes wonderful songs and has an incredibly charming presentation. Visit her website here.

Marlene Dietrich

Last week i was looking at old photographs of the 1930's and 40's in preparation of sewing some clothes for the winter. I especially wanted some really beautiful slacks. Marlene Dietrich was especially known for wearing 'mens wear' when it was still considered shocking so i typed her name into google images. Imagine my surprise when i found out that she played the singing saw. Marlene, you were my kind of gal!



Here's Marlene with Paul Laval & his Band on July the 16th 1944...

Mussehl & Westphal Novelty Musical Instruments

Mussehl & Westphal was a wacky company established in 1921 which sold novelty musical instruments. Here you see a tin advertising ashtray that is marked "The Musical Saw, It's easy to play... The Glass-O-Phone The Jazz-O-Nette, Musical Pitchfork , Flute-O-phone, Mussehl & Westphal est. 1921".

Of course you are all probably familiar with the 'Singing Saw' but you may be wondering what the hell the other instruments are. I was too. I assumed when they said 'Musical Pitchfork' they meant a tuning fork but they actually meant 'pitchfork' in the farming sense of the word. Check out this ad in which all of the instruments mentioned above (except for the Flute-O-Phone which remains a mystery) are shown. I wonder if anyone actually still has a 'Jazz o Nette'. Actually, i wonder if they ever sold one. Look at it...It's a crazy damn thing. Apparently it was played like a trombone and the ad claims that as a Jazz-O-Nette player you will 'be popular every where you go'. I'm not so sure about that. Click on the image to enlarge and read the rest. The copy is fantastic.

Although not owned by the original family, the Mussehl & Westphal Company still exists. They sell musical saws and i just love mine. Unfortunately, they don't sell the Musical Pitch Fork anymore. I might have to build me one of those suckers. Bet you if i had a Musical Pitchfork 'Woodcutter' would let me work on his farm for sure (even though i'm a heathen).

By the way, it just isn't true that "if you can whistle or hum a tune" that you can play a saw. It really isn't that easy. Okay, it's not brain surgery either but you do have to have a really good ear and the biceps of a lumberjack. And, most importantly, incredibly understanding neighbors. Bless you Marion & Ruud.

Harm Goslink Kuiper - 'Stil Leven'

My friend and great inspiration, Harm Goslink Kuiper, has a new album just out called 'Stil Leven' and it is an incredibly special piece of work. Harm has been building his own instruments for years and has been into 'roots' music long before it was 'in'. He is truly an original and i deeply admire him.

This album, which he has worked on for about two years, is really a culmination of everything Harm is about. The cover of the album is one of his paintings, on the back there is a hook so that you can hang it on the wall. (Neat-O!) Many of the instruments played on the album he built himself. In the beautiful CD packaging there is a booklet included in which his instruments are pictured among other wonderful creations.

The themes considered in his work are primarily loneliness, love and longing and the lyrics are nothing less than textual art. They are however all in Dutch with the exception of one which is in French. But, this shouldn't hinder non dutch-speaking music fans from loving this album.. The melodies and atmosphere of the music are breathtaking in themselves. On a personal note, i'm very proud to say that my singing saw is to be heard on two of the songs on the album, "Open Book" and "Ma P'tite Gazelle".

Click here to hear samples of each song. Or better yet, Click Here to order 'Stil Leven'. If you're real fast you can get one of the 250 editions which Harm has hand signed and numbered. Want to know more?... In this video Harm tells his story about 'Stil Leven' (in dutch) and demonstrates many of the instruments which he has built. One of them is a ukulele... Bonus!

Band le Bel

One of the things that i truly love to do is to sit in with other bands. It's very liberating to just hang out in the back of the group and play the washtub bass or the singing saw. Last friday Marko and i joined Band le Bel. This band was put together by Romano who hosts the most amazing jam sessions in Cafe de Bel here in Rotterdam every Sunday night. Actually, i'd be real surprised if there is a better jam session anywhere to be found in all of the lowlands.

Romano formed this group for a project called Twisted Folk, a four day series of concerts in four different venues featuring Folk Music with a twist. Here are a couple of numbers from our set last friday. Not bad for just one afternoon of rehearsing. They are both original tunes. 'Nasty Whore' was written by the four of us. (I'm responsible for the dirtiest lyrics..heeheehee.) More video's to be seen on our YouTube Channel.

Tom (Big Damn Drum)
Romano (Lead vocals, guitar & fiddle)
Marko (Guitar, Mandolin & Banjo
Shelley (Washtub Bass & Singing Saw

A Special Guest Appearance with Halfway Station!

Oh man, this was so great. Last Saturday we joined Rikke Korswagen & Elma Plaisier of Halfway Station and played to a sold out house at THE most charming little theater in Holland, Theater Walhalla.

I ADORE Halfway Station. I'm not kidding..They are really great y'all. Incredibly talented, fun, easy-goin'...just swell. To add to the fun, Rikke has a mean collection of old microphones and stuff. There was one that looked like a mini carburetor and another one, well, now that i think about it, it looked like a shiny chrome vibrator. Beautiful rarities. Oh, and Elma has a Theramin! We're going to get together soon and try to play that sucker.

Anyway, I was so happy that they asked us to collaborate with them and thrilled with the results. Oh, and they gave us this amazing gift during the concert. It is an original etching of the Concert Poster done be Rikke and it is just beautiful. I'll definately post a photograph of it soon. In the mean time, Check us out bustin' it up to 'Ode To Billy Joe'. Whoooooo Doggy!

In Harm's Way

Yesterday, our extra special musical friend, Mr. Harm "High-On-Music" Goslink, came by to do some recording. (Sorry for the "High-On-Music" part. It's an inside joke which is completely unworthy of explanation, i assure you. But, it'll make Harm giggle.)

Where was i, oh yes. Recording. Marko did a cool washtub bass line and i sawed. You know, the sawing didn't go half bad. (I'm new to sawing) I listened to the tracks this morning and was pleasantly surprised. Anyway, we had fun while recording what is sure to be Harms Big-Ass-Blockbuster Hit, in a record store near you sometime next year.

And it could happen you know...Harm is an incredibly talented and truly original dude. Here he is with friends playing his absolutely wonderful homemade instruments constructed mostly of fruit crates. Take it away Harmpie!

Il Festival delle Ukulele Italia era FANTASTICO!

Just got back from the Ukulele Festival in Italy. It was so lovely! Great catching up with lots of our ole' ukulele friends and making new ones. We had big fun with Ukulelezaza & Yannik from Les Mecs du Noord. It was also really wonderful to meet Aaron Keim of Bean Sprout Banjo's and Yan Yalego. Oh, and let's talk about Miss Maria Bicchierri! She's all kinds of beautiful and boy what a voice. Her boyfriend, Remigio from "The Hot Gipsy Trio" is such a joy to watch perform. Has the biggest, most mischievous grin ever! Unfortunately at this time i have no photographs or video of these folks but i did receive these photographs today from a swell guy named Diego. This is Marko & i (The Uke Box) opening up the fest on Saturday night. Grazie Diego!
This is just a small selection of all the amazing people we experienced in Vincenza. You know what i've noticed about the uke performers, players and enthousiasts? They're such a divers and multi-talented group. Film makers, writers, artists... Seems like they are bursting with creativity and embarking on the most innovative projects. Very inspiring.

The city of Vincenza is gorgeous by the way. Many of the town buildings dating from the mid 1500's. But boy, was it hot. It was Mississippi hot. I'm just not used to the hot anymore after so many years in Holland. Thankfully, the Italians make the most delicious Gelato or Ice Cream in the world. Delicious way to cool down. There is one specialty they called a Trufffel Gelato, if i remember correctly. Chocolate ice cream and expresso. Good Golly that was yummy.

The orgnization of this festival was tops! Bravo to all the people from Aquila Corde for a wonderful event. A special "Grazie Mille" to Francesca, Mimmo, Carlo, Beppe and Daniele for the good care. I hope you're all having a good rest with your feet up and a big damn Gelato in your hand. Ciao Amigolele's!

Just received my new "Professional Musical Saw"!

Look at this beauty, y'all! It's my new Mussehl & Westphal. Located in East Troy, Wisconsin, they have been making saws for 80 years. I bought a kit which included a Tenor Musical Saw, A Musical Saw Instruction Packet, A Felt Tipped Mallet, A Dowel Practice Bow, A Special String Bow, (they don't lie when they say 'special'. More about this later) Extra strings for the "Special" Bow & A Carrying Case. Oh, and for 4 extra bucks, they engraved my name on it!

The saw is really nice. 2 octaves and made from English Steel. It's shorter and thinner than my Sandvik Stradivarius, Making it easier to handle and higher pitched. Has a good looking handle on it too. There is one little tiny thing that i don't like. It's the engraving of my name. It's cool, but it would look much nicer if it was placed under the saw logo instead of off to the side. I'm not sure why they did that. But, on the whole it's fantastic, so i'll get over it.

Click on the images to zoOM!

The kit is interesting. I would never use the practice dowl-rod bow, or the mallet, but i like having them since they are traditional saw playing gadgets. I was going to say that the "Special Bow" would only be a good idea if you happened to be a mountain woman living in a remote area with no music store or internet connection and postal service in the vicinity. But actually, there is nothing wrong with the bow part, it's the rope that ain't workin' for me. The saw sounds fine, but you hear the braid of the rope rubbing against it and that is distracting. Maybe if you put some horse hair through it, and i'm assuming any true mountain woman would surely have a horse, then it may be alright. Me, i'm stickin' with my cheap violin bow, thanks. Also included were 3 pages of lessons and one page of photographs demonstrating the techniques of holding & playing the saw. Another interesting addition was a newsletter, from 1983! Very cool. Typed, with xeroxed photographs, made on a copy machine. You know, before computers. Sweeet. Oh, and i loved that there was a hand written note included from Mary Kay Wallace Dawson, the current owner of Mussehl & Westphal. Another bonus was a CD full of, uh, sawing.

Lastly, there was the sweetest little cake of rosin. Sweet? Yes, i know, that makes me sound like a looney, but if i'm lyin', i'm dyin'. This is cute! "Paganini Finest-Solo Rosin in Cork Case" Take a look for yourself... So, that's the Mussehl & Westphal Saw Kit. It cost me 130,- dollars. (Plus the postman tagged me for 35 euro's import tax..CRAP!) Which comes to 113,- euro's in total. My Stradivarius Sandvik was 120,- euro's all by itself, so i think this is a really good deal for a complete kit. Plus, it's got sharp teeth and they say that you can saw with it and not damage its' musical qualities...bonus!

I know what your thinking..."What the hell does it sound like?" Well, i'm sorry, but i haven't recorded myself on saw yet. But come to think of it, you might want to pop your head out the window. I wouldn't be surprised if you could here it from where ever you're at right now. It's a very penetrating sound, in a pleasant way of course. In any case, I'll be posting some media soon. Until then, go visit my favorite saw player , Mr. Teeth and hear him sawing away in space! Or see him here with The Hot Potato Syncopators. Man, i just love them taters!

Sawing My Heart Out...

...with "Goslink", 10th of April, Motel Mozaique, the Schouwburg

Stories of Motel Mozaique

Dent May & i backstge at the Schouwburg
Wowzie! Marko & i joined "Goslink" for 2 shows during the Arts Festival, Motel Mozaique. Big Fun! Well, it was also a lot of work. Lot's of rushing around like mad, toting equipment, sound checking and waiting. But, it was well worth it. First of all, it forced me to practice the singing saw, which i haven't been playing very long. I guess the sawing went quite well considering that i don't really know what i'm doing. Marko played some of Harms Homemade instruments which also caused him a bit of anxiety. I think he played 3 or 4 different instruments and he pulled it off very nicely indeed.

Harm Goslink Kuiper is really a one-of-a-kind guy. An amazing artist. He paints, writes, builds musical instruments, does illustrations. And it all has this certain flavour. Hard to explain. It's Lo-Fi, Charming, Chaotic, Fragile, Humorous, Homemade, Beautiful, Pure & has a good doses of Hormones thrown in. The band he has with him now really bring an amazing depth to his songs. The chello is an especially beautiful addition.

There was a very big bonus to playing at this festival....I got to meet Dent May! He's a ukulele player from Mississippi & one of my favorites! Just by chance we were playing at the same venue on the same night. He was real nice. He wasn't feeling very well and came across a bit road weary. This isn't surprising. I've seen his tour schedule.

Despite this, he played fantastically. It was just him and another guy on Tombourin, Maracas & singing backup vocals. And see, this is the thing about Dent May, his vocals are absolutely amazing. And, such great songs. It was ashame that he didn't speak with the audience more though. Even though his musical performance was outstanding he didn't really grab the crowd like he could have if he would have connected a bit with them. But, screw it. I forgive him. He's incredibly talented. I like that Dent May!

Oh, and there was another bonus. In the review from '3voor12' they called me a Stylish Dame...niiiice. I must say, i had really happenin' dress on. Bought it for just 10 euro's at the 2nd hand market!

Just one more show to go on Sunday for Motel Mozaique, this time as "The Uke Box". Really looking forward to it. Big big love to Harm for asking us to join him & to his band who where all so very kind. Hope to join you again sometime. ZOEN!

Appearing at Motel Mozaique with...

This is so crazy i don't even know where to start. Okay, let me explain. 1st of all there is an Arts Festival next weekend in Rotterdam starting on the 9th till the 12th of March called Motel Mozaique. Just a few weeks ago i was kicking myself for not having submitted a plan to the organization because i thought it'd be the perfect setting for us (The Uke Box). So, imagine my surprise and delight when i received a message from them asking if we could do a Ukulele Intervention. Motel Mozaique asked Us...Fantastic!

Zelfportret Harm Goslink Kuiper

In the mean time, a friend of ours, the AWESOME Harm Goslink Kuiper, asked Marko (my special ukulele friend among other things) to back him playing Mandolin & Lapsteel and such for a couple of performance for...yes, you guessed it, Motel Mozaique. So, last night while Marko & Harm were rehearsing I came down stairs and Harm was really interested to hear the Singing Saw, which i play...a little. Well i played along with a few of his songs and he loved it and asked me to join them. So WOW...2 appearances at the festival!

Okay, now here is the crazy part. One of the gigs is in the Schouwburg. (A damn cool place to play to begin with.) This morning i was looking at the festival website and i couldn't believe my eyes. Dent May, One of my most favorite ukulele players in the world will be playing on that very same night at the very same gig! I love his music, his sense of humor, his lyrics are just fantastic. Oh, and he is also from Mississippi. Is this weird or what? There are lots of performances during the festival at various locations. I mean, what are the chances? I'm absolutely flabbergasted. And, i've got a hell of a lot of practicin' to do on that damn saw!


*A Special Note from Me to Dent "Dollar Signs" May:

I saw that you were coming to Europe and tried several times to contact you but you never got in touch with me. Now you're in Rotterdam and you didn't even let me know. No sweet letter, no invitation to lunch or even a note asking to "Meet Me In The Garden". As a fellow ukulele player and Mississippian I am really very hurt. But, still yet, i adore you. See you friday!