James Hill

“…the Wayne Gretzky of the `ukulele.”
Stuart McLean, The Vinyl Café, CBC Radio

Ever heard of the `ukulele? Sure you have – it’s that funny little four-stringed Hawaiian guitar that goes “plunk-a-plunk,” right? Wrong. The `ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lay-lay) is hotter than ever, embraced worldwide by a crop of young musicians eager to push the instrument into uncharted territory. Leading the charge is Canada’s James Hill, “the Wayne Gretzky of the `ukulele” according to Stuart McLean, host of CBC Radio’s Vinyl Cafe.

With the recent release of his third solo album, “A Flying Leap”, this “imaginative and versatile” 25-year-old virtuoso continues to “tear up the uke” (AcousticGuitar.net). Seven of the album’s ten tracks are genre-bending originals ranging in style from the bluegrass-tinged ‘Song for Cheri’ to the jazzy ‘Fleas My Dog Has’ to the remarkable ‘One Small Suite for `Ukulele,’ an ambitious work in three movements written for `ukulele and string quartet. Displaying a “keen interest in pushing the envelope,” James’ “broad musical horizons and crisp, clean playing” prove that “he can play just about anything in any genre” (John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin). “A Flying Leap” is one part Earl Scruggs, one part Django Reinhardt garnished with a pinch of Don Ho and served with a side of Hendrix.

So how does a kid from Canada become what the Honolulu Star-Bulletin calls a “rare peer” of Hawaii’s premier `ukulelists? Nearly three thousand miles east of Honolulu is James’ hometown of Langley, British Columbia, where `ukulele instruction has been mandatory in many schools since the late 1970s and where James was introduced to the `ukulele at the age of nine. To his fourth grade classmates, the `ukulele was a means to an end, a way for them to dip their toes into the vast ocean of music. For James, the uke was a sea of possibilities unto itself and inside its tiny wooden shell he saw his life in music. He was hooked. During his teenage years he honed his skills as a key member of the renowned Langley Ukulele Ensemble under the direction of Peter Luongo. Luongo, an `ukulele educator for over 25 years calls James “unquestionably Canada’s finest `ukulele player.”

After touring for twelve years with the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, James embarked on a solo career in 2002 with the release of “Playing it like it isn’t”…, a “beautiful, humorous and virtuosic” debut that saw him “reaching a whole new level” (David Kidney, Green Man Review). His sophomore release, “On the Other Hand”, would follow in 2003, confirming his place as “one of the world’s top composers for the instrument” (Rafe Mair, 600AM Vancouver).

“He’s got it all!” exclaims award-winning Hawaiian recording artist Daniel Ho, referring to James’ “pristine technique” and “inspired” compositions. In performance, James is energetic and captivating, mixing colourful anecdotes with a versatile repertoire that stretches from Schubert to the Beatles and beyond. He is heard frequently on CBC and NPR National radio, has appeared on such TV broadcasts as MTV Select, Urban Rush and Studio 4 with Fanny Keifer, and has shared the stage with the world’s foremost `ukulele players including Herb Ohta (Ohta-San), John King, Lyle Ritz and Benny Chong.

The `ukulele has long been an international affair. An instrument of Hawaiian fame and Portuguese ancestry with a strong following in Japan, Europe and the United States, it’s somehow fitting that the uke should find a champion in a young man from Canada. Jim Beloff, author of “The Ukulele: A Visual History”, calls James’ work “a glimpse into the future of the `ukulele” – take a listen and you’ll understand why. It’s `ukulele… seriously.