Lakeside Uking

When most of us think of the distinct sound of a Ukulele, it instantly conjures up images of sandy beaches, tropical cocktails and island life in our minds, right? Well, you’d be partially correct. It may come as a surprise that the US State of Utah, or more specifically Salt Lake City rates quite well as a Ukulele enthusiast’s destination of choice. The small yet powerful Hawaiian string-instrument is fairly new to the American mid-west in historical terms, yet among the rolling hills of Grandview Peak and the Great Salt Lake the soothing strums of the ukulele is making its mark.  

In a city where the local music scene is predominantly led by genres like hip hop, rock and roll, punk and indie, the ukulele stands proud among its passionate fans. Need proof? The Utah Ukulele Association is probably your best place to start. They host regular events which include jam sessions and classes in the West High community and Kaysville, which are taught by Mr Steven Butler, a level 3 Certified Ukulele teacher trained at the James Hill Ukulele Institute. Want to see what it’s all about? Mr Butler is reachable by email at sbutler23@comcast.net

Another fervent group of ukulele enthusiasts in the city are the Salt Lake Strummers. This 163-member strong band of players, whose abilities range from "not much" to "may or may not be a conductor" gathers once a month for group and individual performances. The attractive aspect for beginners at this group is that they give you a heads up about the setlist for the next gathering via their website which provides the proverbial new guy some time to practice in advance. A useful tool indeed for those who struggle to break the ice in new environments. Either way, it sounds like the perfect place to get to grips with and impress the gang with your new Bondi Ukulele-kit. The Salt Lake Strummers can be reached on www.meetup.com or on their website listed below.    

http://www.saltlakestrummers.org/

Who Are We?

Salt Lake Strummers are around 100 adult ukulele players in the Salt Lake valley in Utah. We are beginners, experts, and everywhere in-between. We all enjoy just getting together to learn new songs, make new friends, and play our ukuleles.

The purpose of the Salt Lake Strummers is to provide a welcoming and supportive community for adult ukulele players of all skill levels in the Salt Lake area.  The organization aims to promote the enjoyment of music, foster skill development, and create opportunities for musical collaboration and performance in the community. 

What Do We Do?

• We have a free, open jam session on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 10:00 am.
  • The location is always at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society at 6876 South Highland Drive.
  • About two weeks beforehand, we post a list and .pdf charts for the songs that we will play. This gives you a little time to practice.
  • Our jam sessions often include a bass player and a drummer. This just elevates the enjoyment of the music.
  • Anybody can come to the jam. There is no cost.
• We also try to hold 2 workshops a month (on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month).
  • For workshops, we reserve a room in the evening at one of the local libraries.
  • These workshops are typically free to Members and a nominal cost to non-members.
• We are also available for performances. If you are interested in booking us for your event

info@utahukefest.com

http://www.utahukefest.org/

So, if you’re a Salt Lake City local with a passion for ukuleles, music, learning and meeting some new folks in the same game, you are all set and have no excuses to get out there and become part of the rapidly expanding community of ukulele aficionados in the state where life is elevated in every way. Who knows, with practice and your newfound resources your ukulele skills might even surpass your highest elevated expectations and those of your family, friends and new jam session friends.  

Final thought – some reports indicate that there is a law against carrying unwrapped ukuleles in public in Salt Lake City. Not sure if it’s enforced at all but rather be safe than sorry and transport your ukulele in its case (which, if you love ukuleles as much as we do should go without saying).  

Keep strumming, all!