Around The World In 80 Waves

After a very dull day sorting things out for Mexico and then an even more tedious Southern California 8 lane traffic jam trying to get out of San Diego I travel north to Today’s Pizza in Encinitas to meet up with Bill and his wife Sue at the Ukulele Kanakapila jam session which is held there every week.

It is the perfect filip and unlike the uke jams I have attended in the UK where a lot of contemporary tunes are played, almost all the songs are Hawaiian love songs. All through the night the ladies adorned with tropical flowers in their hair get up and dance Hula in front of the house band. There are loads of kids having a go too and everybody is having so much fun.

It is brilliant, and my own ham fisted playing is drowned out by the 50 other ukesters at the restaurant. I even risk some off key singing to the songs, which seem so much more relevant having just been out to the islands myself.

As you can see I dressed for the occasion, and have loads of fun talking to the regular attendees who are really interested in my trip. Of all those playing I would have to say that the majority are quite a bit older than me, but I am most impressed that just about every one of them has an Ipad or equivalent with their songbooks stored on them, as well as a mini music stand to place it so that they can read the songs and play easily. It is the first time I have ever seen so many older people so whole heartedly embracing digital technology and is a wonderful sight.

Joanne, who has travelled up from San Diego to join the fun, is also attired to enter the spirit of things with her flower lei, and borrows Sue’s uke for a song or two. Its a small world because she bought one of her previous cars from Bill’s dealership in Carlsbad, and is serenaded with a version of George Formby’s ‘On The Wigan Boat Express’ by Bill and Sue as soon as they know its her home town. (It was his home town too.)

It isn’t rock and roll, but I love it.