I discover that this four-string curiosity can be cool
If your idea of ukulele music is Don Ho, tiny bubbles and grass skirts then there’s a group of folks in NYC you need to meet. From rock to jazz to traditional to novelty, this is a community whose tastes truly run the gamut and passions run deep. It’s not at all what I had expected.
My friend and uke aficionado Lloyd Gold of Lloyd United told me about this monthly event at #43 Stage at Jimmy’s (43 East 7th St. NYC) called the Ukulele Cabaret. It’s a marathon of fun and music that runs from 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM culminating in a smoke and lights Ukulele Disco.
I was told that this shindig was popular but could not believe just how many four-string fans crammed into the place. It was standing room only in the hot back room of Jimmy’s. Luckily they had set up a ‘green room’ of sorts in the little ally between the restaurant and performance space. There I could sip my beer and watch the performances projected on a make-shift screen.
The crowded back rook at Jimmy’s
Jimmy’s is proving itself to be quite a nightspot with a fine restaurant and an ever-changing craft beer selection. Granted you will pay a bit of a premium for those exotic flavors. A pint will run you $8.00 but my porter and my chocolate beer were worth it.
They’re also building quite a reputation for showcasing eclectic and high-quality entertainment in the small but impressive performance space. From improvised jazz accompanying silent films to burlesque and more, there is something happening every night.
Though I was only here for a brief time, it was a lot of fun. No matter what your instrument of creativity may be, it is inspiring to see such diversity in talent so deep-rooted in a sense of community. It’s something that is all but lost in the world of rock bands in NYC who have, over the years, grown more inclined to compete with rather than support each other. And that is a shame.
Lloyd Gold of Lloyd United getting into the act
Lloyd REALLY getting into the act!
See Also:
Ukulele Cabaret
Lloyd United
Jimmy’s
