News, Update, Changes and Upcoming Events

Page Updates and Additions

Newest entries for CurtSheller.com (CS), JazzGuitarResources.com (JGR) and UkuleleClubs.com (UC). Most current listings are at top of list

• (CS 29-SEP-2008) Stumbled on to a new ukulele festival for September 2009 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Ukulele Festival
• (CS 25-SEP-2008) I have a couple of great ukes for sale. A G-Strin James Hill Tenor, number 003. And a Cedar top Pono.
• (CS 20-SEP-2008) Busy with a lot of updates. And, always trying to get the site to look good using Internet Explorer.,that is always a challenge. The site looks great using Safari or Firefox on a Mac or PC.
• (CS 14-SEP-2008) Added ukulele brand Kamoa Ukulele to the Ukulele Instruments pages
• (CS 14-SEP-2008) Added ukulele player and teacher Peter W Zaccagnino of Norwalk, Connecticut to the Ukulele Teachers page
• (CS 12-SEP-2008) Moved site to new server, same www.CurtSheller.com address and great MacHighway hosting. New server will allow for a lot of new features to be added over the next several months.
• (CS 12-SEP-2008) New Curt Sheller Publication's user discussion forum implemented.

  This will be an evolving forum as I'm just learning how to use the capabilities of phpBB

• (CS 11-SEP-2008) Added fantastic new site search capabilities using the power of google.

  You can search this local site, the web, blogs, news and more. Really cool stuff. This is from the side bar at the right of the page, from any page.

• (CS 10-SEP-2008) Been updating a lot of pages. here are a few: Ukulele Lessons - Tunings, Comments, Ukulele Videos, and Tuners.
• (CS 09-SEP-2008) Added BBE Sound the to DI - Direct Boxes page
• (CS 05-SEP-2008) The sidebar navigation will now remember the sections that where expanded or collapsed across pages. I started to dive into learning JavaScript and cookies and should be able to add some really cool stuff over the next several months.
• (CS 04-SEP-2008) Updated and added new information to most of the Lesson Pages
• (CS 04-SEP-2008) Tweaked the side bar navigation a bit.
• (CS 03-SEP-2008) New UkuleleLessons, solo ukulele arrangement of The Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini.
• (CS 02-SEP-2008) Updated and added new information to the Ukulele Study Plan - Evaluating Your Ukulele Music Knowledge. This is a great place to start with for creating a self-study plan for the ukulele.

Page Updates and Additions

Newest entries for CurtSheller.com (CS), JazzGuitarResources.com (JGR) and UkuleleClubs.com (UC). Most current listings are at top of list

• (CS 24-AUG-2008) Here is my performance of the Mason Williams's classic, Classical Gas performed at Windy City Uke Fest 2008.
• (CS 22-AUG-2008) Olympic Racewalk 20km and 50km medal winners and times posted to my Racewalking in the Olympics page.

  I'm back in training, hopefully and gunning for the end of the year 10 miler on the Asbury Park board walk.

• (CS 19-AUG-2008) Added ukulele musician Dave Heaukulani to the Ukulele Musicians page.

  Be sure to check out his new Ukulele Slack Key book.

• (CS 17-AUG-2008) Added the 20km Walk results for to the Olympics page.
• (JGR 15-AUG-2008) New look for JazzGuitarResources.com.
• (CS 14-AUG-2008) Added ukulele musician Rich "Amazing Dick" Leufstedt to the Ukulele Musicians page
• (CS 11-AUG-2008) Updated the Calendar-Shows page with UkeStock 08 information. This show is being held in Worcester, MA
• (CS 10-AUG-2008) Updated the Music Lessons page with the new resources.
• (CS 04-AUG-2008) Added guitar and ukulele builder Candelas Guitars, banjo ukulele builder Spanky Banjo Ukes, custom ukulele builder Ukululu Custom Ukuleles an Fine Resophonic of France to the ukulele builders pages: Ukulele Builders
• (CS 04-AUG-2008) Updated the Clinics and Workshops page with the Intros, Endings and Turnbacks material presented at the 2008 Windy City Uke Fest.
• (CS 01-AUG-2008) New UkuleleLessons Building A Solid “Jazz” Chord Foundation.

Page Updates and Additions

Newest entries for CurtSheller.com (CS), JazzGuitarResources.com (JGR) and UkuleleClubs.com (UC). Most current listings are at top of list

(CS 28-JUL-2008) Updated Ukulele Videos page with my videos.
• (CS 27-JUL-2008) New UkuleleLessons Building A Solid “Jazz” Chord Foundation.
• (CS 27-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: Videos, Ukulele Videos, Classical Guitar, DI - Direct Boxes & Preamps
• (CS 25-JUL-2008) Posted a video performance of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, recorded on my Pono tenor..
• (CS 23-JUL-2008) Updated the UkuleleLessons Core Chords Level 1, Part 1.
• (CS 23-JUL-2008) Updated the UkuleleLessons Creating Intros and Turnarounds.
• (CS 22-JUL-2008) Yet another site redesign for Curt Sheller Publications at ChuckAndersonGuitar.com.
• (CS 18-JUL-2008) Total web site redesign for Chuck Anderson at ChuckAndersonGuitar.com. Turned out great!!!
• (CS 17-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: Ukulele Festivals
• (CS 15-JUL-2008) New web site and book launched: UkuleleStrums.com and my new book A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
• (JGR 13-JUL-2008) added luthier Lubos Naprstek of Hamburg, NJ to the luthier pages.
• (CS 11-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: D Major Chord Fingering Options ( ukulele ), Tiki, Super Mario Brothers Main Theme
• (CS 10-JUL-2008) added this really cool band, Friends of Dean Martinez out of Austin, Texas. I came across them while watching a new DVD I bought on the Salton Sea titled Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea. A great documentary by Tilapia Film.
• (JGR 09-JUL-2008) added violinist Kailin Yong to the musicians page.
• (CS 08-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: Lessons - Repertoire, Ukulele Links, My Resume
• (CS 08-JUL-2008) added My Favorite Things to the Repertoire page. Includes a PDF of the melody and play-along MP3 file
• (CS 06-JUL-2008) added a new page on Fonts.

  As a graphic designer and artist fonts, icons and such have always intrigued me. I just havbe to watch that I don't fall into FAS ( Font Acquisition Syndrome )

• (CS 02-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: Ukulele Tunings Tuners & Metronomes
• (CS 01-JUL-2008) In honor of the 4th of July in the USA I've updated my solo ukulele arrangement page for the national anthem The Star Spangled Banner
• (CS 01-JUL-2008) updated the following pages with new information: Ukulele Videos, Ukulele Musicians, Ukulele Books, Guitar & Ukulele Charts, My Personal Music Bio
• (CS 01-JUL-2008) added a new page on Tiki.

  I always liked tiki and the associated tiki culture, especially the art. I've worn a small tiki necklace for the past 30 plus years.

Page Updates and Additions

Newest entries for CurtSheller.com (CS), JazzGuitarResources.com (JGR) and UkuleleClubs.com (UC). Most current listings are at top of list

• (CS) updated the following pages with new information: Amplifier and Speaker Cabinet Manufactures, DI - Direct Boxes, Ukulele Care, Comments
• (CS) added a new page on Ukulele Care. Specifically controlling humidity and temperature.
• (CS) updated the following pages with new information: Ukulele Tunings, Ukulele Videos
• (CS) added the film Rock That Uke to the Ukulele Misc page.
• (CS) added Lexotica to the Ukulele Musicians page. Check out their Tiki Jazz
• (CS) Two new festival listings addeed to the Ukulele Festivals page.
• (CS) added Kris Fuchigami to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• (CS, JGR) updated the Instrument Cables pages.

  I'm in the market for a high-end instrument cable for concerts and as I collect more information I add it the web site.

• (CS, JGR) Added ZVEX hand made effects and amps to the Amps 7 Speakers pages. You have to check out the mini tube amps.
• (CS) added Kris Fuchigami to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• (CS) added James Clem to the Ukulele Teachers page. James Clem is performing and teaching at the Portland Ukulele Festival
• (CS) Big update and reformatting of the Ukulele Festivals page.

  I'll be attemping to track the current ukulele festivals from around the world as well as listing annual festivals.

  Right not the annual festival are listed by month. A future update will include a by state/country listing.

• (CS) added James Clem to the Ukulele Musicians page. James Clem is performing and teaching at the Portland Ukulele Festival
• (CS) added Shaun Swanson to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• (CS) Added Peter "Uncle Peter" Delapinia to the Ukulele Musicians pages. Uncle Peter is the resident uke virtuoso at Mele Music in Maui, Hawaii
• (CS) Added ukulele luthierKerry Char Lutheries to the Ukulele Builders page. Kerry builds out of Portland, Oregon.
• (CS) updated the following pages: Ukulele Dealers, Dealers, Calendar, Calendar, New Releases,
• (CS) In an effort to catch with the information I've collected here are the latest page I've updated: Ukuleles, Ukulele Forums, Ukulele News, Ukulele Links, Ukulele Musicians, Hawaii Information
• (CS) re-organized the Ukulele Dealers listings by state and country.

  Any dealers out there wanting to be listed just let me know and I'll check out you site and listing information.

• (JGR) Added Barry Warhoftig of the band The Hot Club of Philadelphia to the Jazz Guitarists pages.
• (CS) added a my solo ukulele arrangement of the Beatles Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da in Std Notation & TAB the scores page
• (JGR) Added Glenn Alexander to the Jazz Guitarists pages.
• (CS) added a new page for collecting noteworthy Ukulele Videos page to check out.
• (CS) added Langley Ukulele Ensemble to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• (JGR) Added John Link to the Jazz Guitarists pages.
• (CS) added The Paint Branch Ramblers to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• (CS) added Erik Gauger's Notes from the Road travel log/blog to the misc page.
• (CS) For the uke players that attended my afternoon workshop at the M.A.U.A Ukulele festival in Annapolis, MD the workshop handout is available on the Clinics and Workshops page.
• (CS, JGR) Updated the Clinics and Workshops page with my latest ukulele workshop material.
• (CS, JGR) Stated using the script.aculo.us/ JavaScript library of goodies through out the Curt Sheller Publications sites.
• (CS) updates to the Califorina, Tuners & Metronomes and Ukulele Links pages.
• (CS) Finnish Ukulele Network added to the Ukulele Links page.
• (CS) UKEit - l'ukulele italiano Ukulele Links page.
• (JGR) Added jazz guitarist Jerry Topinka of New Jersey to the Jazz Guitarist pages
• (CS) Added a listing for the new ukulele eZine, Ukulele Yes! -- The Classroom Ukulele eZine
• (CS) Been learning and checking out the Salton Sea.

  The Salton Sea is the largest lake in the California. Has a hight salt content that the Pacific occean and was created by accident in the early 20th century. The Salton Sea is located south of the Palm Springs area.

Cool Videos

Here is a cool video from Jim D'Ville: YouTube - How to Spin A Ukulele

Page Updates and Additions

Newest entries for CurtSheller.com (CS), JazzGuitarResources.com (JGR) and UkuleleClubs.com (UC). Most current listings are at top of list

• (JGR) Massive updates to bring JazzGuitarResources.com site up to new css format, especially the guitarists sections. This is an ongoing battle but have a lot done.
• (JGR) Added an interview with Boston based jazz guitarist Mitch Seidman to the JazzGuitarResources.com interview pages
• (CS) updated my California page with information on the Salton Sea. Check out the film Plagues Pleasures on the Salton Sea
• (CS) updated the Ukulele Melody And Chord Arranging Tips page.
• (CS) The Ukulele Club of New Jersey add to the Ukulele Clubs site and the ukulele clubs page on the CurtSheller.com site
• (CS) I've launched a new Ukulele web site for All things Ukulele Clubs at: www.UkuleleClubs.com
• (CS) New quotes added to the Famous and Favorite Quotes page
• (CS) New listings added to the Software page
• (CS, JGR) All ukulele content originally mirrored on JazzGuitarResources.com is now only on CurtSheller.com
• (CS, JGR) Updated the Ukulele Teachers page
• (JGR) Added Toronto, Canada based jazz guitarists Dave Sereny to the JazzGuitarResources.com every expanding list of guitarists. We are now at 518 listings.
• New guitar arrangement posted of the Kenny Burrell recording of Errol Garner's Le Petite Mambo.
• (CS) Updated the Ukulele Lesson Using major triads used to create a melody or solo
• (CS) Updated the TAB notation of the solo ukulele arrangement of While My Guitar Gently Weeps
• (CS) Added Wolfgang Schneider to the Ukulele Musicians page
• (CS) New solo ukulele arrangement posted of the classic Paul McCartney song Yesterday.
• (CS) Added Mary J. Martin, Spats White, Tripping Lily and Michael Wagner to the Ukulele Musicians page
• (CS) Updated Ukulele Musician Jim D'Ville's listing.
• (CS) Added Christopher E. Rooney's Compass Music of Madeira Beach, Florida to the Ukulele Dealers page.
• (CS) Updated Cool Ukuleles page with a Mele Double Neck Tenor. There is a link to a YouTube vidoe of Uncle Peter playing the new ukulele.
• (CS, JGR) A load of changes and several new pages across the whole site
• (CS) New DI (direct boxes) page

  If you are running passive pickup on your guitar or ukulele you will need on of these for recording and live work.

• (CS) New pickups page
• (CS) New pages added to Miscellaneous pages
• (CS) Added a bunch of new information pages on programming

  As I dive deeper and deeper in to internal css, html and JavaScript of the site, I've collected a bunch of information, links and resources regarding this topics. As with most other things in the site I format it and place on the web for reference for al and myself.

• (CS) New Review pages added to Ukulele Reviews pages for the Pono ukes that I have had.
• (CS) Added a FREE play-along track for the jazz/bossa standard The Girl From Ipanema and ukulele TAB for playing the melody.
• (CS) Updated a lot to the ukulele scores pages and start a clean up of the lessons pages
• (CS) Added new related information to the While My Guitar Gently Weeps ukulele lesson page.

  This is a fun song to play on ukulele. One the simple songs to play along with guitar players. They can solo over the changes using only the A blues and A Pentatonic scales. If a rock guitar player only knows two scales those are probably the ones.

• (CS, JGR) A load of changes on the Ukulele pages.
• (CS) New Ukulele Forums pages.

New Pages Added

• (CS) Play-along tracks and charts added to the lessons pages.

  This page contains a series of backing tracks that I had professionally record many moons ago. I'm now releasing some of the with the accompanying lead sheet and other goodies.

Brand new menu system used for navigation. This is an attempt to better organize the site as it has grown to well over 300 pages of content. And, to finally get things working in the ever troubling Window's IE world.

This menu system is Tigra Menu and is JavaScript based and pretty robust. Plus, actually works the same on Macs and Windows.

Page Updates and Additions

• Added The Old Town School of Folk Music of Chicago, IL to the Ukulele Teachers & Schools page.
• Added The Blue Stone Folk School to the Ukulele Teachers & Schools page.
• Added some new quotes to the Favorite Quotes page.
• Added new listings and info to the Classical Guitar page
• Added new listings and info to the ukulele links page

Cool Videos

Made by Hand: Mike DaSilva Ukuleles

Here is a great video by Michael Levin and Witt Monts titled Made by Hand of luthier Mike DaSilva in his show that has been added to the Ukulele Building page and Ukulele Instruments page.

Page Updates and Additions

• Added a bunch of new information pages on programming
• Added Mary J. Martin and Dana McCoy to the Ukulele Musicians pages
• Added a bunch of pages on programming. I hand code the Curt Sheller Publications web site and have been looking into and exploring Ruby and Ruby on Rails for more automation and using a database under the hood.
• Updated styles and under the hood tape and bubble gum that holds the sites together.
• Added 7 string jazz guitarist Tao Højgaard the JazzGuitarResources.com guitarists pages
• Added new listings and info to the ukulele misc page

Been following the sled dog races in Alaska this year. There is the Yukon Quest at 1000 miles that runs between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada each February. The Iditarod that starts the first weekend in March in Anchorage, Alaska and runs to Nome, Alaska. And, finally the All Alaska Sweepstakes race that is a one-time 100th anniversary race from Nome to Candle, Alaska and back, with an $100,000 winner take all purse. With Lance Mackey winning the Yukon Quest for the last 4 year and the Iditirod race back-to-back this year and last. The All Alaska Sweepstakes should be on hell of a race.

Page Updates and Additions

• Updated and cleaning up of the racewalking pages. I'm back in training and hope to hit a few races this year.
• The "Dominator", Dominic Pieranunzio is the featured musician for March. The Dominator is well known in the ukulele community for his vast collection of ukulele TABS posted to the net for free. Dominic is also a great player I had the pleasure to jam with last October during my trip out west.
• Ukulele News & Forums page.
• Updated the site map page.
• Added some more totally random listings to my Misc page.
• Upgraded sites to Blueprint 0.7.

  Blueprint is a cool css framework that has allowed me to do some cool under the hood coding and finally learn a little about css (Cascading Style Sheets).

  Look for a lot more cool stuff in the future

• Bill Wurtzell added to jazz guitarist pages and updated jazz guitarist - W page on www.JazzGuitarResources.com
• Added a some new listings to the totally random miscellaneous page on www.CurtShelller.com.

Ukulele Chord of the Week 20

The open position G7 chord, the movable form chord and variations based on the open position form. Includes example progressions, chord variations and transposition charts for C and G tuning. on to the lesson...

Only two more chords to go. The diminished and augmented chords.

Be sure to review the previous weeks chords as there has been a few changes and additions.

Videos Posted

Video: The Girl from Ipanema

Posted a video to YouTube of myself and Pat Lenz jamming on the standard The Girl from Ipanema at the Nazareth Guitar Institute January 30, 2008.

Each guitar building class that Dale Unger has I make a trip to Nazareth and shoot some photos and this time I brought along a HD camcorder and captured some great video footage and Dale shoot me performing with Pat Lenz who attended past classes and came in to help Dale with this class. Pat is a great jazz guitarist as well.

I'm playing my 7 string legend that Dale finished for me September 2007 and Pat Lenz is playing Dick Boak's American Archtop.

YouTube: The Girl from Ipanema

Broadband QuickTime Version: The Girl from Ipanema (32.7 MB)

High Def (HD) QuickTime Version: The Girl from Ipanema (254.1 MB)

Video: Joy Spring

Posted a video to YouTube of myself and Pat Lenz jamming on the standard Joy Spring at the Nazareth Guitar Institute January 30, 2008.

YouTube: Joy Spring

Broadband QuickTime Version: Joy Spring (32.4 MB)

High Def (HD) QuickTime Version: Joy Spring (261.4 MB)

Fun with Apple's iMovie

Here is a YouTube video of the book GUIDE TO BLUES CHORD PROGRESSIONS FOR UKULELE A TO Z with recordings of a few of the example progressions in the book.

YouTube: Guide To Blues Chord Progressions For Ukulele A to Z

Here is a YouTube video of the book EXPLORING "JAZZ" CHORDS ON UKULELE with recordings of a few of the example progressions in the book

YouTube: Exploring "Jazz" Chords On Ukulele

Just Jazz Guitar Back Issues

ALL Just Jazz Guitar back issues are $12 each

• JJG45 No. 45 November 2005 - Martin Taylor SOLD $12
• JJG46 No. 46 Feburary 2006 - Wolf Marshall Buy It Now $12
• JJG47 No. 47 May 2006 - Tommy Emmanuel Buy It Now $12
• JJG48 No. 48 August 2006 - Bruce Forman Buy It Now $12
• JJG49 No. 49 November 2006 - Jeff Linksy SOLD $12
• JJG50 No. 50 February 2007 - Henry Johnson Buy It Now $12
• JJG51 No. 51 May 2007 - Lee Ritenour Buy It Now $12
• JJG52 No. 52 August 2007 - Howard Morgen SOLD $12
• JJG53 No. 53 November 2007 - Robin Nolan SOLD $12
• JJG54 No. 54 February 2008 - Andreas Oberg SOLD $12

Jazz Improv Back Issues

ALL Jazz Improv back issues are $20 each

• JI13 Jazz Improv, Volume 1, Number 3 - Pat Martino Buy It Now $20
• JI33 Jazz Improv, Volume 3, Number 4 - Billy Taylor Buy It Now $20
• JI43 Jazz Improv, Volume 4, Number 3 - Art Blakey Buy It Now $20
• JI44 Jazz Improv, Volume 4, Number 4, Summer 2004 - Pat Metheny Buy It Now $20
• JI51 Jazz Improv, Volume 5, Number 1, Autumn 2004 - Dizzy Gillespie Buy It Now $20

H a p p y N e w Y e a r

Page Updates and Additions

• Added Brüko Ukuleles of Germany to Ukulele Instruments page.
• AddedUkulele in the Classroom to the Ukulele Teachers and Ukulele Books sections. This is a new series of books by James Hill and J. Chalmers Doane.
• Added WaverlyStreet Ukuleles to Ukulele Building page under the plans section. They also have completed ukuleles available.
• Added Mark "Spanky" Gutierrez to the Ukulele Musicians page.
• Added Ayers Ukuleles to Ukulele Instruments page. These ukulele are from Ayers Music Co. of Taipei, Taiwan.
• Added Atlanta Guitar Works Guitar Building and Repair Schools
• New links added Luthier Schools And Classes - Misc
• Uku The Mighty added to the Ukulele Links page.

Updated Pages - Ukulele Related

Look for NEW that denotes a new or updated listing on the following pages.

Ukulele Related

• Ukulele Links
• Misc Ukulele Information
• Ukulele Musicians
• Ukulele News & Forums - posted links to creating your own Google and Yahoo ukulele news alerts

Guitar Related

• NEW pages added for random and miscellaneous guitar links

Music Resources

• Tuners and Metronomes - added a few new listings

Miscellaneous Resources

• Alaska - added a few new listings and fun information. I've been tracking the lead up to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

New HD Camera

Just in - Canon HV20 HDV camera for creating Guitar and Ukulele online lessons as well as some performances.

The first videos will be a few performances and lessons on using my books.

I'm sharing this camera with my daughter's video production company Abominable Productions. We got this camera so I can use it when they are not using it as a back up.

New Book Owners Goodies

Voice Leading Solutions for The Advanced Guide To Chord Progressions For Ukulele book

Owners of the book The Advanced Guide To Chord Progressions For Ukulele - Volume I can access the voice leading solutions for the progressions in the books. Over the next several months I will be providing the actual voice leading solutions for the progressions in the book. This will allow you to check your progress.

The user name to access the page of solutions is the product code found on the back of the book's cover. The password is the fifth word of the first paragraph of the Introduction on page five of the book.

Featured Musician

Featured Musician for first part of 2008 is Vicoria Vox. I've hear Vicoria several times an she is a real treat to hear. Great voice and travels constantly from Hawaii to NYC. Based out of Baltimore, MD, Victoria hits the road regularly.

Victoria has a new CD coming out soon titled Chameleon. There are samples available online on her MySpace page.

Victoria also has a new songbook out of here original songs for ukulele.

Site Changes

A lot of cool stuff planned for 2008. Getting a video camera for my birthday (jan 2) and plan or recording short video version of the online GuitarLessons, UkuleleLessons and MusicLessons.

Enhanced main site navigation (to the left). With the site containing close to or over 500 pages of content it can, at times even for me, be hard to find things.

FREE Play-along Track MP3

Here is track 12, the Pentatonic Progression-Shuffle from my book QuickStart Chord Progressions for Lead Guitar