Local musician is one of 165 ukulelists to create new CD
After playing guitar for many years, Robb "The Uke Guy" Mapou started playing the ukulele 12 years ago.
“I play the tenor,” said Mapou, of his preferred ukulele style. “It’s basically a guitar with the two lower strings lopped off and five frets lopped off. There’s a bunch of cool chords you could never do on a guitar.”
Mapou, who lives near Midway Center, is one of 165 ukulelists to collaborate with professional Canadian ukulelist James Hill in the production of a new CD called Uke Heads, which was released in February. Hill has been around for more than 20 years and is one of the great ukulele players in the world, Mapou said.
Ukuleles, and the community around them, are a large part of Mapou’s life. He described himself as having UAS – ukulele acquisition syndrome – and shows them off proudly. He can talk in great detail about how they were made, what they are made with, the meaning behind inlaid images and the reason why each one is special to him.
“I’m not necessarily good enough to play them to their full potential, but I decided to buy them anyway,” said Mapou.
He said there are several ukulele-themed podcasts, and he heard Hill talk about the project a few times on those podcasts. Hill had many orphan songs from previous CDs that never made it onto recordings, so he thought it would be cool to turn those songs into a CD that was made collaboratively, said Mapou.
The cost for individuals to buy into the production of the CD was $187.90. Mapou said the amount seems random, but 1879 is when Portuguese workers went to work in the Hawaiian islands, bringing with them the machete, a small stringed instrument. Almost immediately, he said, the local Hawaiians embraced the new instrument.
Mapou explained the process. Beginning in June 2022, Hill would send participants monthly a score for the ukulele parts, a score for the vocals and a score with both. In response, the participants would record on phones, laptops and other devices. Hill then mixed the dozens of submissions into a song, with him as the lead vocalist and the others in the chorus.
“It turned out great. All of us were blown away,” said Mapou. “It was amazing to hear the song when Hill would send the finished product. I don’t fully understand the process, but it’s amazing how all the different submissions were made harmonious.”
Mapou said he sent vocals for all the songs and ukulele for all the songs but one, because he didn’t have the time to learn the chords.
Mapou even went out to Santa Fe, N.M., with his fellow Uke Heads to perform at a restaurant in early October.
“I’m probably going to get in trouble saying this, but the ukulele community seems to be a nerdy group,” said Mapou, while laughing and acknowledging that he falls into that category. “But the community is amazing. It’s a social instrument, and the people who play it just like getting together to play.”
The collaboration was released on CD and streaming services in February. For more information on the Uke Heads CD and to hear tracks, go to ukeheads.com/listen.
