Cathy Gilbert is a girl who just wants to have fun! She wants to play her ukulele with other like-minded folk, but she doesn’t want the process to be too laborious or serious. “That’s why I chose the ukulele,” she explains. “The word actually means ‘happy jumping flea’ in Hawaiian, and the lively sound it makes is just so delightful. And that’s also why I’m calling my monthly get-together the ‘Madison Ukulele Social Club’, so it’s just as much about interacting and fellowship as it is about playing the instruments.”
Cathy is organizing a jam session of sorts to happen every third Thursday of the month at Analog Coffee in downtown Madison, at the corner of Broadway and Main, from 3 to 5pm. She’s hoping ukulele players of all skill levels will come hang out and enjoy some tunes and talk. She started a Facebook page at “Madison Ukulele Social Club (Indiana)” where you can get all the info, see what songs will be featured, and get in on the conversation. The first meeting will be next Thursday, July 16th.
And before we go any further, I want to give credit where credit is due. The title of today’s story, “If you build it they will strum,” is Cathy’s invention, and I just love it!
“I actually have quite a bit of experience building music events and promoting them,” explains Cathy, a lifelong Carrollton native. She organized the Carrollton Idol competition some years ago, and several other local music events and concerts. “I run a monthly guitar jam session in Carrollton that’s been going on for quite awhile,” she continues. “We hold it on the second Sunday’s every month at Camp KY-SOC from 2-5pm. It’s been very successful and we get lots of folks showing up from all around the region.
“But this ukulele jam, it just has a whole different feel from a typical guitar-based session. My husband Joe and I have both been learning ukulele and it’s just hard not to smile and feel happy when you are strumming on one of these little instruments. They are relatively easy to play, and not at all expensive to buy.”
Ghost Note Music on Wilson Avenue has a good selection of ukes, starting in the $75 to $100 range. Cathy is encouraging anyone with an interest to just grab a uke and come to her Social Club gatherings, even if you’ve never had a lesson or played before. “Most of the chords only require one or two fingers on the fretboard, and all the music we will be using shows the finger positions. You can literally walk in with a brand new ukulele you’ve never played and start making some joyful noise with it!
“My hope is we can get a nice little group going, with maybe a few experienced players and a handful of beginners. I’ve been to some other ukulele jam sessions in Louisville and elsewhere, and it’s just the most fun, and not intimidating at all. It’s something about the ukulele itself I think, it’s just a happy little instrument. I hope some people will come out and join us next Thursday, it should be a fun time.”
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK
First, instead of a “Hot Tip” I want to give a “Hat Tip” to the folks who put on our annual Regatta Weekend this year, particularly Kyle Bipes. Kyle and his crew had to make some tough calls this weekend to ensure the safety of everyone, and I know from experience those kinds of decisions can be thankless and super stressful. Hats off and a big THANKS for all that Kyle and the Regatta team did to pull off another great weekend in Madison. Now, looking forward, Indiana’s Music City is not one to rest, and the hits just keep coming! The music calendar is packed right up again, and ready for us to get out and enjoy. We’re almost midway through the summer season … don’t let the fun pass you by!
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