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Original Post By:
George Harper
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Date: 6/30/2009 9:31:50 AM |
For three decades, the Cactus Cafe at the University of Texas Student Union has hosted great acoustic talent and boasted enthusiastic, music-savy audiences. It's an intimate venue that features a small stage, a hundred or so chairs and a bar in the back.
Judy and I have enjoyed concerts there by such notables as Kim Ritchie, Tommy Emmanuel, Gillian Welch and Richard Thompson. But last night, when we caught Jake Shimabukuro's second set, we saw something for the first time -- an audience armed with ukuleles.
Was this supposed to be a workshop? No, it was not. Were the dozen or so uke players planning to rush the stage and accompany Jake on "Third Stream?" Thankfully, no. I think most of them were like the guy who figured Jake's autograph would double the value of his no-name soprano, self-appraised at $20.
As Jake's appreciative fans filed out the door, some young man launched into his own gig and a few others joined him. The Dallas uke crew were planning to jam at the Omni.
I just think it says something about the ukulele's appeal that the audience would bring their own instruments, almost as if they were bringing their kids to witness this virtuoso. It's obvious why people don't lug their cellos to a Yo Yo Ma concert, but then again, when we saw Bill Monroe play, I don't recall any mandolins in the audience.
I knew the friendly folk from Big D were planning to jam after Jake's gig, but I love my uke too much to leave it in a hot trunk for a couple of hours. (Even at night, it's gawd-awful hot down here.) Too late, I realized that when you attend a concert featuring the ukuele, it's ok to bring your own. |
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