Ralph’s Blog Archives – 2003
Ralph Shaw, our Illustrious Leader, writes:
My purpose in starting this uke-log of the meetings and activities of the Vancouver Ukulele Circle is to give those people who are unable to be at the a meetings a chance to get a flavour of what they missed. I can tell you now that not all the information will be entirely accurate. As I sit down to update this uke-log in the days after any given meeting I will be sure to have forgotten some key moments and one or two worthy performances and I hope that feelings won’t be hurt. I will do my best but if you notice any omissions or major inaccuracies please feel free to email them to Wendy Cutler so that corrections can be made.
These are the write-ups from previous years, starting with the most recent and working all the way back to our first meeting. Current year entries are on
Ralph’s Blog page.
Other years: see Blog Archives
Vancouver Ukulele Circle Meetings 2003
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Christmas party. We made a big bowl of mulled wine. I had a Christmas/Ukulele quiz prepared. There were candles & tablecloths on the tables, and at 7:40 there were only 4 people there. I was feeling quite surprised and a little disheartened, when the elevator doors opened and a whole host of uke players arrived in one go! The intercom was not working and they had all been sitting outside. What a lovely surprise to see them all! There were about 16 people.
We play xmas songs and the Chanukah medley. Did the quiz, ate food. Nice performances: Travis did a hymn on steel guitar; Ronin did O Holy Night; Suzy did a Beach Boys Christmas Song (Merry Christmas Baby?); Aubrey, a black fellow with a baritone uke, did a lovely Caribbean rendition of Cocoanut Girl. Paula and I tried one or two songs together – the most successful was Java Jive.
November 8, 2003
James Hill visit. Big turnout – 27 people. We played songs together for one hour. I introduced James, who stood and played acoustically – Hello My Baby, Inspector Gadget, Eucalipstick, Lullaby on a G String. James answered questions on melody chording techniques, how is he received in Hawaii. He finished with Miserlou – a beautiful rendition. He sold a good many CDs and chatted with people.
After the break, my Moveable Music School class performed Pearly Shells, and Ain’t She Sweet (Sarah, Kate, Travis, Barry, Andrew & myself). Ronin sang a Jimmy Rogers song with his guitar, and Paul did Five Foot Two We played songs to the end. Paula and Tracy came right at the end to buy CDs; James played Flight of the Bumble Bee for them.
October 21, 2003
Fourteen people, including new members: Suzy (she contacted me two years ago, and Travis from my Moveable Music School uke class. He played Ain’t She Sweet. Andrew Hoyer played Hello My Baby – his first time performing in public! Suzy did a lovely Stevie Wonder song (I’ve never heard it before and can’t remember the name of it). Michael Peligal and Wendy sang Makin’ Whoopee. Anne Fleming sane The Lonely Martyr.
We played some Cliff Edwards songs on the record player (Singing in the Rain, I’ll See You In My Dreams, Shine).
Saturday, September 27, 2003
3rd Anniversary Dinner at Jade Rabbit Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant in Marpole. Polynesian décor including “Aloha” and palm trees carved in the wooden door. Lorene & Art played dinner music while we ate. Lots of people there. I emceed the concert. Ron Usher played bass for the many performers.
Comment from Wendy: Lorene Ruymar organized the performances. Here is the announcement she printed up for everyone with the performance line-up.
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
3rd Anniversary Meeting. Nice variety of sound. About 18 people. Ronin Wong came with his guitar (I know him from the Fringe Festival). Bernie did a nice Hawaiian instrumental piece; Paula Wirth sang I Wanna Sing About You, with Tracy Bissonnette backing her up on the uke (the pages kept falling off the stand). It was a fine rendition. Paula has a high voice right on pitch; Ted did a Johnny Cash song. Marilyn Jeffries is nearly 64 so we sang Happy Birthday to her [IDEA: we can all learn Happy Birthday and sing it to all the birthday people in that month] and we sang When I’m 64. Lorene did an instrumental of Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. Ron Usher was only able to do a few songs with us. Anne Fleming sang a short song she sings to her daughter Kate. Nora & liam came (he looks very grown up in his glasses and haircut – I think he is nearly 3 now!).
August 19, 2003
Thirteen people. Neighbour Ron Usher came and played acoustic bass guitar. Virginia introduced the Hukilau Song. Bernie had brought When the Red Red Robin, Heart & Soul, Rubber Ducky.
We watched some segments from the PBC vaudeville video.
July 15, 2003
July meeting – Ralph away in UK. Meet was run by Bernie and Virginia – went to the beach. Bernie brought songs.
June 17, 2003
Bernie and Brian had to leave early. Beach Party! Organised at the last minute. About 19 people, including Mary-Frances Hill from the West Ender and her boyfriend and another friend came. Mary-Frances wants to do something about me in the West Ender newspaper.
Lovely warm evening – till a front approached from the west and the trees we were sitting under suddenly began dropping leaves. Virginia sang What a Night for Spooning; Lorene did an instrumental solo.
May 20, 2003
Big turnout – at least twenty people. New people were Jill King, Brad Donovan, and Roger Howard (all from Moveable Music School), Roger & Cecilia (saw me at Silk Purse – he has a banjo uke), Susan – her nephew in Ontario found out about us on the internet.
We watched the uke scene from 1000 Clowns. Aletha set up the tea and cookies. After the break we played our repertoire songs.
April 15, 2003
Thirteen people plus me. We tried out and approved songs for our repertoire.
March 18, 2003
Thirteen people. Ted and Michael there for the first time, from the Moveable Music School class.
New songs: Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World medley – we played along with Bruddha Iz. Also did Walkin’ After Midnight.
February 18, 2003
Paul Hoosen sends regrets (bronchitis, Wendy in Hawaii. About 19 people were there including Ans for the first time, from the Moveable Music School class, and Bernie’s sister Debra.
We have exchanged repertoire with SUPA (Seattle Uke Players Association) and a large part of the evening was spent playing those songs. Greg brought his bass, made of a VW gas tank, and he also played his mandolin. Charles brought Your Cheatin’ Heart. Guy brought By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and Walkin’ After Midnight. Bernie introduced us to Princess Poopoolay has Plenty of Papaya.
January 21, 2003
Thirteen or so, including Espiritu Santu, who came to sing only. Aletha played Singing in the Rain on her new Northern uke. Brian Lohnes sent his apologies.
We played through our entire repertoire in order to remove songs that were getting old – there weren’t any! We decided to replace Ukulele Lady, Man of Constant Sorrow, Granddad’s Flannelette Nightshirt, and Tiptoe Thru the Tulips. (Comment from Wendy – Ukulele Lady came back pretty quickly).
We watched my Aloha Means I Love You song being played on Just Cause, and we watched more of It’s In the Air.
