Today was a ukulele whirlwind! We started with three hour-long lessons at the school in Hod Hasharon. The last group was particularly wonderful - about 16 kids, mostly in 'Aleph', meaning that they're around 6 or 7 years old. It's quite something tuning 16 ukuleles with a room full of six-year-olds, but they made up in enthusiasm what they lacked in skill! Most of them were still working on mastering the 'C' chord, and you can hear their efforts here on 'Row Row Row Your Boat' (the ultimate one-chord song).

Today I've been talking to Paul and Daphna about our schedule for the next six weeks - we're going to try to squeeze in an extra weekly rehearsal for the orchestra so that they have more opportunity to practice for the final recording (they do practice very diligently, but they also spend a lot of time dancing - as in the photo above). On Monday we're heading to Tira to work with a big group of new Arab ukulele enthusiasts, and I'll post again after that. For now, here's a little clip from yesterday: four of the UFP kids practicing a fairly complex jazz medley...

Well, it's day one of my time in Israel and I already have content to post! After sleeping off what I hope was all of my jetlag, I went with Paul and Daphna (the brains and brawn behind Ukuleles For Peace, as well as my kind hosts) to the Democratic School here in Hod Hasharon.

Though there are usually no Ukuleles For Peace rehearsals on Fridays, today was an exception and around 20 children and a few parents gathered in the staff room at the school for a little bit of practice.

From the wonderful world of the web, I got the following email from someone named "JohnP" :

Hi guys, I saw some info about your partnership in helping Paul Moore's
Ukulele's for Peace project. I did a little music video up on YouTube to
help promote his great cause, and found you when I was doing a little
research. Anyway, thought you might like to take a look at it, or pass it
along to help spread the word: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QsXUtUOiig

So here's the video:

John, if you're reading this, what the heck is that instrument you're playing in the video? I want one :)

All of us at RFP and (if I may be so bold) all the people in Peterborough who've heard would like to wish our entrepid traveller Mathias Kom a safe and productive journey. For those of you who don't know, Mathias is off to Israel to work with an organization called Ukuleles for Peace. See the article here for more info about our partnersip with the good folks at Ukuleles for Peace.

As some bonus news, the band that I play in with Mathias and a motley mob of Peterborough folks called The Burning Hell has just been signed to weewerk records!. It's quite an honour to share a label with so many great bands.

the quick brown fox has done things i can't even comprehend.

DIY

I am sitting down to a write a feminsit, cognitive, social archeological theorical based book review of Michael Coes's "Maya" within a American Antiquity style and I am going crazy!!!!! I had a wonderful halloween with family and friends and I hope that anyone out there reading this remembers to relax, dance, go to some good live music and theatre while its availble, and to remember that my radio show "Naked Angel Virgin Vinyl" is coming up this Thursday afternoon at 1:00 (next week).

You use it. You love it. Facebook.

We have cobbled together two little facebook doodads to help you fill your "well, I really should be working but..." time.

The first one gives you a a free random song from our Free Music section.

To include it in your facebook account, visit this link and add the application. Please share this application with your friends.

The next one gives you easy access to the latest postings on RFP from your facebook page. Now you can keep up with what's going on over here without having to go visit the website. See something you're interested in? Cilck the 'read more' link and you'll get the whole article.

Support RFP by installing this little application - you can include this app in your profile by going to this link and installing it. Please share with those who might be interested.

Radio Free Network is pleased to announce that through one of our many tentacles (this one named Mathias Kom) we have formed a partnership with Ukuleles for Peace! We're very excited to be involved with such a great project, and even more excited that it involves Ukuleles! I wonder if Banjolele's count...

Anyhow - from Mathias, here's a blurb about Ukuleles for Peace:

As a grassroots organization operating in Israel, the goal of Ukuleles For Peace is to bring Jewish and Arab children together to play in an orchestra with ukuleles, kazoos and other fun instruments. The students meet once a week in their schools, and get together for regular performances, singing in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Simply by playing together in a fun and safe environment, the children themselves create further opportunities for inter-community activities and understanding, and parents and members of the communities get involved in the program and in one another's lives.

With the help of Radio Free Network and Peterborough musician Mathias Kom, Ukuleles For Peace will