(These bios have been left to give a sample of perfromers who make up the list at a typical New York Uke Fest.)


KEN BARI MURRAY took on the task of organizing the New York Uke Fest in 2009. With the help of many people and good fortune, the event turned out to be a success. We are all hoping for a similar result in 2011. In addition to his efforts with the Uke Fest, Ken has just completed his 9th album, “Aloha-New York Style,” which he will record as soon as the Fest is over. Ken has also founded the Uke Hut, a venue for live ukulele music in the heart of New York City. www.kenbarimurray.com.

DENI BONET, Lilith Fair performing artist, is a singer/songwriter and classically-trained violinist who quit the classical world early in her career because she hated having to wear black and sit still! Deni has either recorded or performed with REM, Sarah McLachlan, Chris Whitley, Cyndi Lauper, Daniel Lanois, Gravity Kills & Robyn Hitchcock amongst many others. Her evolution has brought her to the ukulele-the other four-string instrument! She is now an enthusiast and she performs often playing her Kala ukes. www.denibonet.com.

WHISTLING WOLVES features the ukulele, fiddle, vocals and two-time world championship whistling of EMILY EAGEN; the tasty harmonica, uke and bass singing of TRIP HENDERSON; the masterful pickin’ and singing of DANNY WEISS on vocals, uke, and guitar; and soulman CHRIS Q. MURPHY singing, playing bass and strings and things.. Great traditional music with a few originals thrown in!!! (www.reverbnation.com/thewhistlingwolves).

ROGER GREENAWALT: Brooklyn based Ukulele master/composer/producer, he has recorded or performed with Rufus Wainwright, Antony Hegarty, Joe Strummer, Ben Kweller, Iggy Pop, Branford Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Crosby/Nash, Adam Green, and Albert Hammond Jr. Greenawalt produced and co-wrote The Pierces critically acclaimed album 13 Tales Of Love And Revenge in 2007. Secret, from that record, is the theme song to the hit cable series, Pretty Little Liars. Greenawalt now runs Shabby Road Studio in Brooklyn, NY, and is a partner in the three new emerging acts, Electric Child, Thinking In Pictures, and Lovely Liar. Roger is also the creator of Beatles Complete On Ukulele, a recurring live series where he performs every Beatle's song (185) in a 24 hour period with dozens of guest artists. He is rerecording every Beatle song on his site beatlescompleteonukulele.com.

Summer 2006-on hiatus from their other bands, The JACK LORD’S ORCHESTRA began as a quest for timeless, melancholic pop that exists in a universe where the Brill Building of the sixties, Manchester in the eighties, Manila under martial law, the islands of Oahu and New York City are somehow one and the same. Combining their varied musical experiences with Hawaiian instrumentation (ukuleles and slide-guitar), poly-harmonious vocals, 80's new wave, and indie rock inspiration they tell stories of loss, love, and longing. www.myspace.com/thejacklords.

HOLLAND GRECO On her 1st solo e.p., Tunnel Vision, Holland Greco, uses her ukulele to create experimental indie pop, R&B, and boogie blues. Many of her original songs, co-written and performed with The Peak Show (Atlantic Records), can be heard on TV and in Film. Although she hails from the West Coast, she will be performing with her good friend and co-writer from Brooklyn. www.hollandgreco.com.

SMALL WORLD PROJECT Winners of the 2011 Opus Prize for the concert of the year - Jazz & World Galaxie Rising Star award, the surprising Small World Project are back with Less is More, the second offering from the Montreal-based trio comprised of Sébastien Dufour (Montreal Guitar Trio), Patrick Graham (La Nef) and Frédéric Samson(ex-Vent du Nord). With their arsenal of small string instruments (ukulele,charango, banjolele, etc.), downsized percussion and double bass, Small World Project delivers a highly eclectic proposition, as afrobeat, techno-lounge, reggae, minimalist and Middle-Eastern idioms share the stage with Cuban montunos, Brazilian samba, Italian tarantella - and even Jimi Hendrix-style rock. Over the past two years, they have been busy performing at home and abroad, most notably playing at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the New York Ukelele Festival. www.myspace.com/smallworldproject.

TAIMANE GARDNER grew up playing music on the streets of Waikiki to help raise money for the homeless. She was discovered by legendary entertainer Don Ho and was soon working professionally 3 times a week as an ukulele virtuoso at the young age of 13 in his Waikiki show. Taimane has toured Japan several times as well as the West coast, Canada and New Zealand. Her style has been described as a combination of Latin and rock combined with classical pieces from Bach and Beethoven. Her fast songs appear as a controlled frenzy while her slow songs as gentle artistry. Now at age 22 she is positioned to be recognized as one of the best ukulele players in the world. www.taimane.com.

DARIA GRACE and THE PRE-WAR PONIES are based in NYC and have been playing in the area for 5 years now. The group came together out of a love for Tin Pan Alley era songwriting and has developed a quirky repertoire of decidedly non-standards, many of which you'll hear nowhere else. Daria, on lead vocals and baritone uke, is joined by J. Walter Hawkes, whose bad-ass soprano uke and trombone playing are heavily featured, and killer rhythm section Tom Pietrycha on bass, and Andrew Burns on drums.
www.myspace.com/prewarponies.

KHABU & ELENA explores original compositions along with jazz standards, Brazilian and Italian songs. Their originals, composed specifically for this instrumentation, delves into quirky lyrics written in the Italian and English languages, odd time signatures, extended and 12-tone harmonies, and soaring instrumental melodies. Thelonious Monk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Carlo Alberto Rossi are among the favorite composers. Since their meeting in May 2009, Elena & Khabu have been composing and performing as a duo around New York City, New England, and Italy. Additionally, They have been giving workshops in open and jazz improvisation, for vocalists, guitarists, and other instrumentalists. www.myspace.com/khabuyoungdog.

SHAUN REYES has studied music with numerous musicians such as, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, Herb Ohta Jr., Roland Davis, (NYU Professor, Composer) and Gary Shimabukuro. (Berklee College of Music) Still displaying his master skills on the ukulele, Shaun is currently living in New York City playing music and concentrating on his songwriting. Resigning from the Honolulu Fire Department in ‘09 as an engineer, Shaun now looks to pursue a nursing degree. Shaun currently studies music and nursing at NYU. www.shaunreyes.com.

TYLER GILMAN was raised in Honolulu, on the island of O’ahu. Since 2000, he has performed across the USA, as well as in Japan and Europe. He has instructed for the State of Hawaii, Department of Education, Kapi’olani Community College, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and many others. He co-wrote and recorded Ukulele of Hawaii Vols. 1 – 3 /Hawaiian Style Ukulele, and has held workshops internationally. His solo EP Ukulele Serenade has been nominated for a Hawaii Music Award 2011. www.mele.com/music/artist/tyler+gilman.

JON BRAMAN, aka the Father of Ukulele Hip Hop, found his ukulele in a garbage can when he was about 15. Several years later, and after the ukulele - a baritone - had become his constant companion through school, life and while walking to the grocery store, Jon discovered the joys of hip hop while working on a grassroots campaign for clean air.You'd never guess it would work to combine elements as disparate as hard-hitting rap, a baritone ukulele, melodic song-writing that swings from folk, to rock, to reggae, to blues, to R&B, smart-political lyrics, jazzy horn lines. Doesn't sound like it would work -- until you hear it. www.jonbraman.com.

LIZ & JIM BELOFF‘s company, Flea Market Music, publishes the popular Jumpin’ Jim’s series of ukulele songbooks. This series is sold worldwide and includes The Daily Ukulele: 365 Songs For Better Living, the largest ukulele songbook ever published. In 1999, Jim and Liz, along with Phyllis and Dale Webb, introduced a unique,colorful, and affordable ukulele called the Fluke and, later, a smaller-sized model, the Flea, that have won admirers all over the world. Jim and Liz regularly perform together at uke-centric events in the USA and have also gone on uke tours of Japan and Australia. Their most recent CD, “Rare Air,” features a number of Jim’s original songs. They truly believe in their company’s motto, “Uke Can Change the World.” www.fleamarketmusic.com.

JEN KWOK is a delightful ukulele comedian who loves to entertain you! Armed with a velvety voice and razor-sharp wit, Jen’s unique performance style flips stereotypes and takes a twisted spin on everyday life. Jen was a national finalist in NBC’s Stand-Up for Diversity, and has been featured by The New York Times, PBS, Comedy Central and MTV. Her viral web videos – including “Date an Asian” - have pulled in over 3 million views. Jen also made her film debut playing uke in last summer's “Eat, Pray, Love”.www.jenkwok.net.

EDUKATED FLEAS: Ukulele Swing “We’re 78 rpm in an MP3 world!” With a repertoire that includes swing tunes, standards and cowboy tunes from the 20s through 50s, the Fleas – Greg Doyle and WendyMatthews – are itching to play their ukuleles for you www.edukatedfleas.com.

HALAU HULA O NA MELE O HAWAII first opened its doors in New York City in May 1968 under the guidance of Luana Haraguchi, where Haraguchi would hold hula classes in her studio apartment in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The halau was given its name from her teacher, Iolani Luahine. From its small roots flourished a group that comprised of dedicated students who were interested in learning hula and Hawaiian traditions.The halau practices the traditional style of hula and protocols. The ancient style of hula, known as the kahiko and the modern style, known as auana, are both taught by Haraguchi. Haraguchi also emphasizes the learning of the chant, or `oli of each dance that is learned. www.hulanewyork.com.

You only have to hear them once to become fans of TRIPPING LILY. This young quartet might be described as a string band with pop music sensibilities, or perhaps a cutting edge vocal quartet with acoustic instruments. With two Independent Music Award nominations, being featured on Showtime’s New Hit Series “The Big C”, hitting number one for several weeks on Boston’s Folk Station WUMB it is no wonder why the Boston Globe called the band “…..a genre unto itself.The band: Demetrius Becrelis ~ Ukulele, Guitar, Vocals, Alex Becrelis ~ Mandolin, Ukulele, Washboard, Violin, Vocals, Monica Rizzio ~ Violin, Ukulele, Vocals, Laird Boles ~ Upright Bass, Background Vocals.www.trippinglily.com.

TONY COLEMAN is the Director of the internationally acclaimed documentary MIGHTY UKE. He has been working as a writer, producer, director, editor and cameraman for twenty years, the last ten at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Five feature films, dozens of documentaries and two current affairs series later, he has been nominated for five Gemini awards for picture editing as well as visual effects design. Before MIGHTY UKE, he wrote, directed and edited the pop-culture documentary, Blue Jean Confidential for the CBC. www.mightyukemovie.com.

WAYNE FEDERMAN is a stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and author. He has his own half-hour special on Comedy Central, has appeared multiple times on “The Tonight Show,” and currently tours with Jimmy Fallon. Wayne has a recurring role on HBO’s "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and has also appeared in numerous TV shows and movies including: "Funny People," "Legally Blonde," "50 First Dates," "Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Step Brothers," "The X-Files,” and "The Larry Sanders Show." Wayne is also noted for being the first person to play electric ukulele on national television. www.waynefederman.com.

A.J. LEONARD, recognised as one of Australia's pre-eminent exponents of the ukulele, and cellist JENNY ROWLANDS have been feature performers at the Ukulele Picnic of Hawaii, Illawarra Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and the Melbourne & Cairns ukulele festivals. A.J. started playing ukulele 30 years ago in Melbourne when "there were very few players in the whole of Australia", learning specialist techniques from a veteran of the ukulele hey-day of the 1920's. In 2006 A.J. visited Hawaii to purchase a new ukulele and whilst there sowed the seeds for what was to become his first ukulele-based album, Tales From the Tropics. His sixth CD entitled Favourites is due for release April 2011. www.myspace.com/ajleonard_uke & www.jennyrowlands.com.

VICTORIA VOX graduated from The Berklee College of Music with honors and a degree in songwriting -- releasing a handful of DIY, guitar-driven albums before a friend gave her the 4-stringed instrument. It proved to be the perfect new partner for her rich voice and changed the way she wrote and arranged music. Her first ukulele driven record, Victoria Vox and Her Jumping Flea was funded by fan donations and released in 2006. The refreshing disc was well received, and featured on NPR’s “To The Best of Our Knowledge,” while songs were featured on television and in independent movies. www.victoriavox.com.

NICO’O is from Aquitaine, France, but is also a global person, so the ukulele appeals to him! He does covers of many American classic tunes from The Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and others. After the New York appearance at the 2010 Fest, Nico’o headed to Honolulu, where he had several gigs, before he returned to his native land. He made so many friends here we had to bring him back this year again. www.koolauukulele.com/nicoo.html. 

LES CHAUDS LAPINS (“the hot rabbits”), lead by New York’s Kurt Hoffman and Meg Reichardt, specialize in a repertoire of French swing from the 1920’s through the 40’s. The group has re-arranged long-forgotten French classics for banjo-ukes, string trio, guitar and winds, mixing the rootsiness of early American jazz with the lushness of a Bernard Hermann film soundtrack. Les Chauds Lapins have recently released their second album, "Amourettes," on Barbès Records. For more information, please visit http://www.leschaudslapins.com.

J. WALTER HAWKES Originally from Pascagoula, MS, three time Emmy Award winning composer/trombonist/ukulele player J. Walter Hawkes has been an active performer, composer, and arranger/orchestrator in New York City for over fifteen years. He has played and/or recorded with some people you've possibly heard of, (Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Jon Hendricks) and many more you haven't. It's also very possible that he's freaked out your little kids with the music he's composed for "Wonder Pets,"(Nick) "Third & Bird,"(BBC) "Blue's Clues"(Nick) as well as other TV cartoony gems on Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel. His trio plays upbeat swinging music, as Walter plays trombone, ukulele, and sings tunes from the 20's & 30's and his own originals in a mellow,Southern-tinged tenor. www.blatomaster.com.

ROY RHYTHM performs as a session percussionist/backing vocals with a wide variety of international artists (Peter Gabriel, Tony Allen, Chaka Khan...). He regularly leads drumming workshops for all ages, including the Womad Festival in the UK . www.myspace.com/royrhythm.

ZACH MAYER is a saxophonist player/composer/ instructor. He also manages and plays in a 16-piece, neo-Klezmer band. www.reverbnation.com/zachMayerMusic.

JACK ALDEN pianist, guitarist and ukulele player, he express his passion for Hawaii through his music. He is currently working on a piano album that will be released on Airwave Rider Records. www.jackaldenmusic.com.