Product Description

Lyle Ritz and Herb Ohta prove that in the right hands, the ukulele can swing! Certainly jazz is not the first kind of music people think of when regarding the ukulele, but the two ukulele virtuosi exceed all expectations and challenge the status quo with this rare performance. "A Night of Ukulele Jazz Live at McCabe's" is a must have for Jazz and ukulele lovers alike!

Track Listing

1. Lulu's Back In Town
2. Triste
3. Where Or When
4. Tonight You Belong To Me
5. Bluesette
6. The Very Thought Of You
7. September Song
8. I'll Remember You
9. Song For Anna
10. Stompin' At The Savoy
11. Joy Spring
12. Fly Me To The Moon

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #166548 in Music
• Released on: 2005-05-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Customer Reviews

Two of the best
This CD is two very good musicians playing swinging relaxed jazz. The fact that both use the ukelele as their main instrument has nothing to do with anything. Great musicians can use any instrument, and both of these fellows are great musicians. There is love and laughter here, too. Beautiful melodies, nice chord substitutions and just a happy, swinging set. Well worth the money if you like good music. This CD also has Ohta-San's wonderful song "Song for Anna" which he plays solo. I don't think there has ever been a more beautiful song, no matter what instrument is used.

An enchanted evening of live Ukulele Jazz
This album features two ukulele heroes doing what they do best in front of an appreciative live audience. Lyle Ritz is of course one of the originators of Ukulele Jazz. In this environment, Ritz is joined by another innovator. Having released an album of ukulele interpretations of Bach, Herb Ohta is a like mind when it comes to pushing the uke envelope. The first five songs feature Ritz. As would be expected, he plays 'Lulu's Back in Town,' one of the quintessential Jazz Ukulele tunes. He also does a rendition of Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Triste.' The next four songs comprise the Ohta set. The last three pieces document the collaboration. Together, Ritz and Ohta play 'Stompin' at the Savoy' and 'Fly me to the Moon.' The third musician is Richard Simon, who plays the acoustic bass. Not playing luau music for tourists, it is Simon's contribution that puts the exclamation point on this as a Jazz endeavor. As far as the venue goes, there could not be a more appropriate mainland location for this group. The liner notes are illuminating with respects to biographical information and a song by song analysis of this particular show. Sonically, all three line-ups are intelligent yet relaxing. Indeed, "Live at McCabe's" works well for active listening or as mellow background music. The only potential drawback may be the volume of the audience's between song clapping. The Ukulele Jazz experience has been well documented in the studio. Thanks to this performance, it is also a joy to hear it on stage.