1.The little strummer is NYC’s hot new guitar hero
When software engineer Jason Tagg first started his monthly Ukulele Cabaret five years ago in the West Village, curating four hours of talent was a struggle. “I used to call up and beg people I knew who played the ukulele: ‘Please, come and play with us! We need another act to fill the bill!’”
Today? Not so much. “Now, there’s a waiting list of two or three cabarets ahead,” Tagg says. “As soon as we put the word out, we fill up straightaway.”
Once associated mainly with Tiny Tim and ladies dancing the hula in grass skirts, the feather-light instrument — sort of the guitar’s dorky kid brother — has become a bona fide hot ticket in the city. Ken “Bari” Murray, founder of this week’s New York Uke Fest, says people are embracing the ukulele because it’s fun, simple and cheap. “I don’t have any doubt it’s the economy,” he says. “Just like during the Depression, when the ukulele basically saved Martin Guitar. Nobody could afford a guitar, so they started making ukuleles.
“It’s also just such a positive, social instrument,” he says, pointing out that the uke learning curve is incredibly short. “It’s very democratic. It crosses gender lines, age lines, skill lines.”
“New York is experiencing its own little movement,” Mike Upton, owner of California-based ukulele maker Kala, one of the world’s biggest brands, recently told The Brooklyn Ink. Sales to city players helped boost the company’s profit by 70 percent last year.
Plus, in a world where much of our entertainment keeps us tethered to various screens, the uke is a refreshingly old-fashioned amusement.
“I have these old paperback songbooks that my dad had — he used to play when I was a kid. We play equally badly, but anything you do on the uke sounds cute,” says Anna Jane Grossman, author of “Obsolete: An Encyclopedia of Once-Common Things Passing Us By.”
“I could never master guitar and my piano playing is clunky. Ukulele is like guitar for idiots.”
Some, though, have elevated uke playing to a true art form, like Jake Shimabukuro, the teenage star of a viral YouTube video (currently over 5 million hits) in which he performs a ferocious uke rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
Tagg, who filmed that video in Central Park as part of his former cable-access show “Midnight Ukulele Disco,” refers to Shimabukuro as “the ukulele god from Hawaii” and credits him with fanning the flames of the current craze. In recent years, we’ve seen “American Idol” contestant Jason Castro perform Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s uke-centric version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and thousands have posted YouTube videos of themselves playing Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” on their tiny instruments.
Then there are the old-timers still carrying the torch, like Bill “Tappy” Tapia, the 102-year-old virtuoso who’ll be performing at Uke Fest. “He is the most incredible guy,” says Murray. “He played with Louis Armstrong, with Fats Waller, with Billie Holiday.” The centenarian doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, says Murray — last year, he was the last to leave a late-night, post-show jam session.
Clearly, the uke is good for your health as well as your wallet.
2.The Manhattan Cocktail Classic
You may be enjoying a lazy Sunday, but by Friday you’ll be ready for a drink — trust us. Hit the Manhattan Cocktail Classic’s opening gala at the New York Public Library and then revel in four more days of mixology classes and tastings at popular watering holes such as PDT, Little Branch and Pegu Club. Schedule and tickets at manhattancocktailclassic.com.
Also this week: Gramercy Tavern’s Michael Anthony cooks at Housing Works’ A Taste of Home on Thursday at HW’s NoLIta bookstore.
3.“SNL” portraits at John Varvatos
As the official “Saturday Night Live” photographer, Mary Ellen Matthews gets an intimate look at the show’s cast, hosts and bands. Now, she shares those experiences in “Live From New York: A Decade of Portraits,” displayed at John Varvatos on the Bowery starting today through Aug. 3. Portraits include cast regulars such as Will Ferrell and Tina Fey, along with hosts John McCain and Scarlett Johansson (above), and musical acts Green Day and U2.
4.Ray Romano at SVA Theatre
Queens native Ray Romano takes a break from his Las Vegas run at the Mirage to return to his roots with a one-night-only show of family-friendly humor at the SVA Theatre on Friday at 9 p.m. “A Ray of Hope,” featuring appearances by a few of his pals, benefits ovarian cancer research. Tickets are $150-$175 at svatheatre.com.
Also this week: Ricky Gervais performs at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College tonight and tomorrow.
5.“Mad Men” Symposium Screening
In 2008, before that infamous lawnmower incident, “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner and cast members Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks dished on the show in a symposium at LA’s Paley Center. On Wednesday at 3 p.m., video of the talk, including show highlights, will be screened at the NYC Paley Center as part of Creative Week New York, a celebration of creativity in advertising, design, digital media, music, film and fine arts. Details at creativeweeknyc.com.