Good mornin', America, how are ya?

I showed up at The Royal George last night, was handed a spare ukulele, taught C, G and D and placed in front of a songbook.

I'm /so/ buying a ukulele.

Ukulele Wednesdays

Last night as I was cycling home, I passed, not far from my office, a guy playing a banjo shaped ukulele. I got about half a block further before wheeling around in a U-turn. I pedalled back to where he was standing, near a pub, tuning up in preparation for a rehearsal with some friends. (We all know how long it can take to tune...) I asked if I might listen and he played a song for me and then told me he was getting ready to meet some friends to practice but tomorrow would be Wednesday and hence Ukulele Wednesday.

He said the uke is spreading like wildfire in London. A group meets on Wednesdays in the basement of The Royal George, off of Charing Cross Road. He said it started out with just a few people, meeting each week to play and sing. But the toilets for the pub are in the basement, so of course people would come downstairs to pee and they'd never go back up. This sounds like my kind of event.

So, though I don't play and they'll definitely regret it if they press me to sing, I'm going to go check it out tonight. Of course, that means I'll have to make my excuses to the mathematicians heading pubward after the London-Paris Number Theory Seminar at Imperial College this afternoon. Perhaps I shouldn't tell them I'm ditching them for ukuleles.

Along my cycle route to work

Grand Masters Game 5

I just finished watching Jujo Jiang's audio lecture on this 1954 Jubango game between Go Seigen and Sakata Eio. I love hearing in his voice the delight he takes in reviewing these beautiful old games.