February 7, 2008

John King

The ukulele is most often identified with the music of Hawaii, and to some extent, with popular American music of the 1930's and '40's. Mass produced ukes flooded the market in the post-war U.S., with the Chicago makers (Harmony, Silvertone, Airline, etc.), Martin, Gibson, and Favilla responding to the ukulele craze.

Rarely is the ukulele seen in the context of western classical music, despite its origin as an adapted version of the Portuguese Cavaquinho.

Here is a clip of guitarist and ukulele enthusiast John King, and his arrangement of Bach for the little four-stringed wonder:

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