Jumpin Jim's Ukulele Masters : Lyle Ritz
Recently, a good friend from Hawaii reminded me that he was the one who had told me about Lyle Ritz. After hearing that Lyle had recorded two jazz ukulele LP’s for Verve in the late ‘50’s, I became obsessed with finding both recordings. I’ll never forget hearing How About Uke for the first time and feeling that suddenly anything was possible on this instrument. The sophistication of Lyle’s chord voicings, his solos and the choice of the material completely erased for me any notion that the ukulele was one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated musical instruments of all time. It also gave me the desire to try to change that perception.This songbook is certainly a step in that direction. As more and more people are getting acquainted or reacquainted with the ukulele these days, there is a growing demand for more sophisticated arrangements. I can think of no better response than this extraordinary collection.