Steel at The Ny Uke Fest

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

This past weekend, The NY Uke Fest took place in, well, New York....

This fest was a lot of fun as there were four stages that hosted a variety of concerts form old timey, folk, Hawaiian, vaudville, and hybrids thereof.

One thing is for sure, steel guitar sure was appreciated there.

Uke players came in all shapes, sizes, and levels of talent, not unlike every other instrument in existence.

Well, it was a blast, a lot of great music, friendly people, good weather, good pizza, nice t shirts and more ukuleles than I've ever seen in my life.

Here's Mike Neer with Joel Eckhaus of Earnest Instruments....

Joel is well known for his electric mandolins and particularly a double neck 5 string/4 course of which he recieved great acclaim. He is now making ukes and lap steels

Here's Gerald Ross & Joel with Marvin & Cathy Reitz.....

[This message was edited by HowardR on 01 May 2006 at 08:08 PM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Here's Gerald in the steel chair accompanying 17 year old uke virtuoso Britney....um, Spears?

Help me out Gerald, I don't know her last name. She was great.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 01 May 2006 at 08:25 PM.]

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

...hmm, looks kinda' clean __ a bit of clutter, but nevertheless, kinda' clean.

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Brittni Paiva is the name Howard. Brittni is from the Big Island of Hawaii and younger than my youngest son... yikes! Talented gal, plays uke and slack key - does not sing - great instumentalist.

I had a great time at NY Ukefest. Notice the hats in the photos. We were all inspired to get hats while visiting Howard's shop (in the shadow of the Empire State Building). Mike, Kathy and I are all wearing ours, Marv was letting his head cool off a bit.

It was fun hanging with Howard and Mike and Andrew of the Moonlighters. Mike & Andrew took me out for a drink (times three) in a few "non-tourist" east Village bars. We were having a great time telling old vaudeville stories until they realized they had to be on stage in 30 seconds and we were four blocks away from the theater. We made it back in time OK.

Take a look at the ultra-cool steels Joel Eckhaus is making. They look like a cross between a Bakelite Rick and a Fender Telecaster. They are beautiful to look at with a perfectly executed translucent Fender-like finish. They sound fantastic and play like a dream. One model has an Aiello-Lollar horseshoe and the other has a Lollar Vintage Telecaster pickup. Needless to say Joel will only be producing the Tele model from now on. I played the Tele model and was blown away with how much it sounded like a Bakelite Rick. If I didn't have 5 steel guitars I would buy this guitar in a second. Joel Eckhaus' steel guitars are informally called Eck-inbackers.

Also notice in the bottom photo (in front of Joel) his ukulele bass. This is a solid body bass that uses nylon strings. Plugged in it sounds full rich and fat.

There were four steelers at the fest; Myself, Mike Neer, George Harper (with Shorty Long from Austin, TX) and Chris ? from the NYC area (he co-wrote the H Steel Book vol 2 with Stacy Phillips - name someone?). Four different steel styles that each went over like gangbusters.

------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 02 May 2006 at 05:55 AM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Gerald, could this be the fellow you're speaking of? He doubled on Tricone.

The Hullabillys

[This message was edited by HowardR on 01 May 2006 at 08:51 PM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Attn: Chris Aiello....eye candy alert

Move over Andrew...Doug's slappin' this doghouse....woof woof......

[This message was edited by HowardR on 01 May 2006 at 08:55 PM.]

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

That's not him Howard. I stand corrected, there were five steel players in the house.

------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Five & a half.....I was there...

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado/ Lives in Arizona

Here is the link to Earnest Insturments:

Click Here

Nice stuff! No steels listed but he makes some very fine looking ukes and mando's.

------------------
HSGA & RMSGC member
Play it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Mike Neer · From: NJ

There were four steelers at the fest; Myself, Mike Neer, George Harper (with Shorty Long from Austin, TX) and Chris ?

That was George Carver with Shorty Long. The other guy was Chris Davis.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

James Hill...ukuleist extroidinare, uking with The Boulder Acoustic Society

Attn: b0b......eye candy alert

marimba in da house....

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: