The sing-along premier performance of the Ajijic Ukulele Band at Ajijic’s quaint Te Para Dos (Tea for Two) attracted nearly three dozen enthusiastic fans who chimed in and harmonized on favorite old songs, including “You Are My Sunshine,” “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” and “Love Me Tender.”
The local group that gathers each Monday to play the small instruments is an indication of a resurgence of popularity of the ukulele. There are similar small groups (and some much larger orchestras) meeting regularly all over the world with several in Guadalajara.
Sheila Rouf, who organized the recent debut event explained: “Not only is the ukulele relatively inexpensive and infinitely portable, it’s a happy instrument. It’s hard to take yourself too seriously when you are playing ukulele.”
Once relegated to memories of Arthur Godfrey’s 1940s radio and TV shows and the 1920s raccoon coats and roadsters, the ukulele is currently hot stuff. When band member Kay Headley was learning to play she began shopping for her own instrument. Laughing she said, “Can you believe it? This is a Fender tenor ukulele.”
Rouf added, “That makes her the rock star of our group. A friend who was headed to Hawaii offered to buy an authentic ukulele for me there. It’s a Cordoba concert ukulele and I’m very happy with it, even though I found a label inside that says it was made in China.”
Canadian Liz Gratton has been playing ukulele for two or three years. She is the catalyst behind the formation of the local group and became interested when she saw how quickly students learned to play in the grade school curriculum program. “There are even simple plans that can be completed inexpensively so that all of the kids can have their own instrument.”
The concert ukulele Gratton plays when she is at lakeside is little more than two inches deep. “It’s a travel ukulele because it is so easy to pack. I carry it between Canada and lakeside.”
The Ajijic Ukulele Band members said new players can purchase affordable instruments. A decent quality, non-toy ukulele can be had for around 100 dollars. Rouf offered a tip for ukulele shoppers: “A Guadalajara music store employee suggested that while there are several groups in the city the name is still not widely known in Mexico. It’s easier to ask for ‘a guitar with four strings.’”
The performer with the strongest heritage of ukulele music is Margie Matthews. She was married to a Hawaiian and lived there for many years.
“While we associate the ukulele with Hawaiian music and dances, this instrument originated in Portugal,” said Rouf.
“When Portuguese refugees arrived in Hawaii to work on the pineapple plantations in the late 19th century, they brought small five-stringed instruments they called los machetes. When an English settler energetically played for King David Kalakaua, the islanders were so amused by his antics that they called him ukulele (the jumping flea). It wasn’t long before ukuleles were being made (with four strings) and played all over the islands. Even King Kalakaua learned to play.”
There was no question that this is a happy instrument, or that it’s convivial. People just seem drawn to join in and either sing or play along. Before the Ajijic Ukulele Band completed their recent set at the quaint Te Para Dos, local musician Chuni Medeles picked up his own smaller ukulele and joined the ladies as they played “Celito Lindo.”