The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain: vintage clip from 1988

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's first TV appearance, recorded over twenty years ago, in 1988. The show was the BBC's Pebble Mill at One, and the clip includes the tunes 'Red Cross' and 'Presto Tango', and also an interview with George Hinchliffe.

The current line-up of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is: George Hinchliffe, Kitty Lux, David Suich, Richie Wiliams, Hester Goodman, Will Grove-White, Peter Brooke Turner and Jonty Bankes.

The very first line-up (in 1985) included Richie Williams (in his first stretch with the Ukes), along with Bob Loveday (of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra), David Bowie (bass), Marshall Stapleton, Paul Griffiths, Andy Astle (co-founder), Jo Brindley (co-founder), Kitty Lux (co-founder and director) and George Hinchliffe (co-founder and director).

On this BBC clip from 1988, the line-up is: George Hinchliffe, Kitty Lux, David Suich, Andy Astle, James Marsh, Liane Kordan, Marshall Stapleton, Nony Ardill, Mary Fitton, Caroline Fitton and Simon Edwards.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ukulele
• orchestra
• great
• britain
• ukelele
• england
• united
• kingdom

[UTBESUX]

No way did David Bowie ever do anything with them

[UkuleleOrchestra]

@UTBESUX Dave Bowie (not that one) is an ace bass player from Leeds. You can see him playing double bass with them on the other BBC clip from 1990. He is re-joining the Ukulele Orchestra in Nov at London's Cecil Sharp House when the Ukes are playing some settings of Cecil Sharp's folk music. As a footnote, the other David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust etc) recently praised the Ukulele Orchestra for their "wonderfully clever" arrangements, so he may well be a ukulele player after all.

[brianmooreshead]

Did she say that the World is Your Lobster?

[stewkulele]

It worries me that I'm not as old as this video...

[parakeetist]

We played ukulele before it was cool you silly hipster kids.

[clems41]

23 years later, it's still as brilliant as it was. Well, I wasn't born at that time, so maybe I should say: 23 years ago, it was already so brilliant!

[asda99asda99]

@brianmooreshead Yes she so did.



[brianmooreshead]

@roymondo51 Ah, I've not heard of that, but it would certainly make sense. I wonder if the presenter knew that.

[MrColoradowilderness]

I didnt really expect to see anyone playing a mexican Bajo sexto!

[roymondo51]

@brianmooreshead: that was an Eric Morecambe quip if my memory serves me well

[Bengiskahn]

@ste0666 He played a ukelele banjo...!!

[Envergure]

What the heck is that bass instrument?

[christovskymck3987]

Aaaaaaw the ponytailed pirate guy is at the back on the right!!