"My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes" on banjo uke

[songandancedaisy]

This is lovely! Beautifully delivered, too.....I've just bought a beautiful vintage Slingerland like this. My first banjo uke - folk like you inspire me to try to learn to play well.....

[MrJnobianchi]

@songandancedaisy Thank you, Daisy. I love Slingerlands - this one - the Maybell Model 20 - was the second one I got and refurbished. They're among the best small-pot banjo ukes. Enjoy yours!

[songandancedaisy]

@MrJnobianchi Mine arrived (in the UK) yesterday from the States; I got it on ebay and paid a pretty price for it but it's in beautiful condition - the case is even pristeen except for a mousehole! Everything on it looks original except the strings - I don't know for sure. But I've put a new ebony-tipped bridge on it, and I'm getting some Aquila strings (done my homework!) and it needs a tuner tightening a bit. So I have high hopes for it! And I am now totally hooked on ukuleles!

[MrJnobianchi]

@songandancedaisy ahh - you got that perfect original Maybell with the maple fretboard?! that's a great ukulele; never seen a better model 20.  Congratulations.

[MrJnobianchi]

@MrJnobianchi Pardon me, model 18!

[songandancedaisy]

@MrJnobianchi Thank you! I'm like the cat that got the cream! SO chuffed....I have a technical question if you don't mind...... when I pluck the A string, the C string also sounds - and that doesn't sound good. What can I do about it? Please?

[songandancedaisy]

@MrJnobianchi Thanks! I've just checked your page on Slingerlands on your blog, and find that mine, (got it yesterday!) is a 7" Maybell model 18, with 16 tension hooks and a resonator back, in bird's-eye maple. It's a real beauty. Tightened a couple of tuners, put a new bridge on and now can't put it down! And I'm following your blog - it's great.

[iainlongstaff2010]

Brilliant, Simply Brilliant!!!! Come play down my local!!

[MrJnobianchi]

@iainlongstaff2010 Wow, thank you very much! I WISH I could come down and play your local, but I'm on the wrong side of the pond here. :)

[jsnbeat]

yeah, well ... unfortunately we don't get old shit down here in Oz, culturally speaking, I can hardly find a banjo bridge without testing my patience to be honest. Let alone an old banjo ... uke.

[MusicMonsterW]

Nice vocal performance and banjolele playing. 

[jsnbeat]

beaut voice man - and luverly uke

[MrJnobianchi]

@jsnbeat Thanks a lot - ! Yeah - that little Slingerland is a nice uke to play. Can't recommend them enough; great value in a vintage uke.

[MsKit1]

Man I loved this! 

[MrJnobianchi]

@MsKit1 Thanks - Its one of my favorites!

[MrJnobianchi]

Thanks! I finally have an outlet for all my annoying street whistling! :)

[Beafteck89]

You've a nice voice! And a good whistler too!

[Quack4Zac]

You and George Formby have inspired me to get a banjolele, sir. Your playing is fantastic! I got my Mainland Banjolele today!

[MrJnobianchi]

@Quack4Zac Oooooo - a new uke day is always a good day!! I'd really love to get a Mainland. And thanks! I'm glad I inspired you. :)

[RachelPearl]

HIlarious!

I have an old banjo uke too. They are such little treasures. <3

[MrJnobianchi]

@RachelPearl thank you so much, Rachel. :)

[jkfan2005]

At John Reynolds' own shows, "The Third Man" always seems to be lurking...

[MrJnobianchi]

@jkfan2005 I have a soft spot for that one, but alas, no zither. :)

[jkfan2005]

When the same Gershwin bit was incorporated into the piano solo on a Ditty Bops record, it was called out by a fan as "something from an airline commercial."

Thanks to United for keeping Gershwin in the public ear.

(Come to think of it, I first knew a certain Copland passage as "the theme from CBS Reports"...)

[MrJnobianchi]

@jkfan2005 "Something from an airline commercial" - sigh - I guess it's better than nothing, eh?

Well, its in the tradition of Tin Pan Alley to steal from your betters, and clearly I only steal from the best!

[LStrachey]

So very nicely done! A favourite with me. Elsie Carlisle's got me first, then I heard a more modern take by Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band's -- your up there with the best.

[MrJnobianchi]

@LStrachey Ahh - I have that Captain Matchbox recording - a great album.  Thanks for your good opinion!

[boweewowee]

Absolutely brilliant! Well played for sure...

off to practice some more for me ;)

[MrJnobianchi]

@boweewowee Thanks! I appreciate it. On practice: me too, no rest for the obsessed. ;) I just put gut strings on this one, and the change is pretty remarkable. Less plinky, and a bit fuller. It's like the thing just went through puberty. :D

[boweewowee]

@MrJnobianchi I was going to ask what you had on their for strings- they sound fantastic! Where did you get the gut strings for it? I would especially like to try some on the Martin

[MrJnobianchi]

@boweewowee I ordered on the web from Elderly. They almost always seem to have Aquila gut uke strings in stock. I think that they would sound great on your Martin. I'd just put new Nylguts on mine about two weeks before I ordered the gut Aquilas...so I'm going to wait on that! :) I hate to waste a new set of good strings!

[UkesterBrown]

Great job- this is on my list of tadooz... Janet Klein and her Parlour Boys do a great job with this song- Plus Janet is as cute as a bug. Loved the Rhapsody in Blues bit- nice touch!

[MrJnobianchi]

@UkesterBrown Thanks, David - much appreciated! Janet IS adorable. My wife gave me two of her CDs for Christmas, which was probably my favorite gift this year. Hope that you had a great holiday.

[UkesterBrown]

Great job- this is on my list of tadooz... Janet Klein and her Parlour Boys do a great job with this song- Plus Janet is as cute as a bug.

[MrJellyrollBaker]

Love it! Great job. You have a great voice, and I especially liked the Gershwin quote during the solo.

[duffus27]

Great job all the way around... strumming, excellent singing, strong presence, whistling, even a little Gershwin thrown in there.

[MrJnobianchi]

@duffus27 Thank you, Rick. I gotta give credit where its due - to John Reynolds for that idea. I did throw in "Shortenin' Bread" on my own hook, though. ;)

[ukulelepe]

Great song!!!

[cletusbocephus]

Another beauty!

[JulieVaughn]

Awesome! I love it. Specially the whistle solo. :) ~Julie