A Celebrity Ukulele Performance.

Gurmit watching closely as I showed him how to "slide" from C major chord to the C7 chord...using a sort of bridging motion that produces exqusite sounds when done properly.

The crowd had gathered because our celebrity Gurmit was right there with us. This must be a first of many kinds.

As far as I can recall...and that goes back a mighty long time, no local celebrity has ever appeared in a public performance...playing the Ukulele.

This was the 1st time it has happened.

And Gurmit...you have the distinction of doing that. And only after a few minutes of personal coaching from Unk Dicko. Great job!

This is the Line Dance area which was adjacent to our performing Pavillion. It had a large regular group of cowboys and cowgirls...mostly mamas and papas who were really enjoying themselves...doing those fabulous heel and toe steps.

Quite a number "migrated" over to our pavillion as like some told us," we cannot tahan...must come and join in the fun and the songs we all like!"

So what were the songs they "all like"? will do a special post just about the songs we did for the two

days. But they were truly a great bunch of people.

Well what do you expect..if you love country and western music you have to be great..just like Unk Dicko. Haha.

The Ukulele Performance at the EXPO.

This was the Performing Pavillion at the "Living" section. Gurmit was very sporting indeed. When I asked him to join us in the introductory medley of songs, he said.. " Sure...why not? " .
As I had mentioned in my earlier post, I had planned on performing as a duo as I had invited a friend Richard C ,to join me.

Then when we were there, Richard Lim from the Scout Hq requested to join us. He was slated to be on his own initially.

I have never met him before, so wasn't quite sure if he knew the songs I had in mind or how to play them well on the Ukulele or even how to "manage" a crowd before us.
So, with no such pre-information..I gently told him to follow my lead and tips..as we started to entertain.
He was generally an affable chap.
Gurmit was really terrific! But stage presence and performing in public is nothing to him. He was so relaxed. I suppose if something disastrous happens while playing, he could always turn it into a comical act!

The Ukulele performance
I turned around and double checked that both Richard L and Richard C...their Ukuleles are synchronised to both of mine. It was fortunate I did that as R C had tuned his differently from ours. He was thinking if he played on say the Key of G, then I could play something else and still be in tune!

Without sufficient experience, knowledge and greater understanding of chords and tablature, anyone can fall into such a potential disaster...esp when performing in public.

So, RC had to retune his uke to standard tuning as ours.

Then, I would say the key we would play in and after that we started out with local, familiar songs which is always a good thing as the crowd can join in either singing or clapping.

It is also a good thing to play a continuous medley of songs with about similar beat and rhythm and tempo...to avoid breaking up into staccato parts.

I could see the crowd really warming up. Soon, dancers from the Line Dance area adjacent to us, were drawn to the sweet sounds coming from us. They came as small groups and joined by many others...the crowd swelled. Gurmit was not putting on an act. He was really enjoying singing and playing along with us to entertain the crowd. There was a moment when he thought he had to go as he was down to perform elsewhere. But his agent signalled back that he still had some time..and he was so happy that he could continue.

When finally he had to go, I went to the Mic and asked the crowd to give him a " Big Hand". He even had time to have snapshots with some of us at his suggestion.

We continued with our songs and ukulele doing a couple of oldies, evergreens and a few more country numbers. There were requests which were made verbally by bold people as well as shy persons. We accomodated those that fit in with the atmosphere.

Unk Dicko teach Gurmit Singh Ukulele!

The Biggest Consumer Fair for the 50+ S'pore EXPO kicked off in grand style at the Suntec Convention Centre yesterday. It was opened by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development.

Photo: Unk Dicko, Gurmit, D2
[Gurmit...u think I play play one ah? Wait lah..read what Unk D say about me below. Not bluffin , real one! ]


When I arrived with D2, we were faced with a big problem...where to locate my "Performing" pavillion. The whole interior was jam packed with people, booths, displays, sounds and noise as well..it was really huge!
I received a call from Richard my fellow ukulelist...asking where to meet me. He was in the basement carpark. I saw a big BUS near us and that was our rendezvous point. Soon, I made contact with Justin Ho, the young man from PICO who led us to
the pavillion at the "Living "sector.

While setting up our performing gear, I noticed a most familiar face in Singapore watching us intently. Who?

Mr Phua Chu Kang himself...no, no I mean GURMIT SINGH, our well known local Celebrity comedienne.

I was tuning my Ukulele just then. Unk Dicko asked him, " Hi Gurmit, great to see you here! You play the Ukulele?"

Gurmit: " No, but I do play the guitar. Are the chords the same as guitar? "

Me: " No...but it's not difficult to pick up." With that, I put my Ukulele into Gurmit's hand and gave him an instant on the spot Ukulele lesson...showing him a few of the basic chords on my other Ukulele...the Kamaka.

He really surprised me, paying close attention to the fingering I showed him.

And we strummed along.

The emcee announced to the by now large crowd, "and now ladies and gentlemen we have for you a very special Ukulele performance by Mr Dick Yip, Richard Chee and Ronald ( from Scout Hq ) who asked to join us as a trio."

At the mic, I said, " and one more....Gurmit Singh too! "

The crowd cheered and clapped loudly.

Cameras and camcorders came flashing around.


I led this quartet as we played a selection of our local favourites...Gelang Si -Paku Gelang,

Di Tanjong Katong, Chan Mali Chan etc..

The crowd was really clapping away and enjoying every bit of the beautiful music that came from 4 combined Ukuleles. We had a portable amplifier to jazz things up.

Gurmit was able to follow on the Ukulele and sing along! Amazing!

HATS off to you GURMIT !
More stories, updates and photos of Gurmit etc..to come.

Today, Sunday 11 June, Unk Dicko and friends will be at the same place to entertain with another super selection of songs....at 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm.

Don't miss it!

The EXECUTION of Hwei Yen Recorded on tape!

SINGAPORE HOSTAGE'S LAST MOMENTS
Indian govt releases chilling transcripts of terrorist phone calls
January 09, 2009

OBEROI-TRIDENT AT 3.53AM, 27 NOV
HANDLER 1: 'Brother Abdul. The media is comparing your action to 9/11. One senior police official has been killed.'

GUNMAN 1: 'We are on the 10th/11th floor. We have five hostages.'

HANDLER 2: Everything is being recorded by the media. Inflict the maximum damage. Keep fighting. Don't be taken alive.

HANDLER 1: Kill all hostages, except the two Muslims. Keep your phone switched on so that we can hear the gunfire.

GUNMAN 2: We have three foreigners, including women. From Singapore and China.

HANDLER 1: Kill them.

The dossier then notes that the telephone intercept records the 'voices of (the gunmen) directing hostages to stand in a line, and telling two Muslims to stand aside.
Sound of gunfire. Cheering voices in background.

(One handler) hands telephone to (another handler),' who says, 'Find the way to go downstairs.'

THE TAJ AT 3.10AM, 27 NOV
A PAKISTANI-BASED HANDLER: There are three ministers and one secretary of the cabinet in your hotel. We don't know in which room.

GUNMAN: Oh! That is good news. It is the icing on the cake!

HANDLER: Find those three or four persons and then get whatever you want from India.

GUNMAN: Pray that we find them.

Later, time unknown, another call is made to the Taj.
HANDLER: The ATS chief has been killed. Your work is very important. Allah is helping you.
The Vazir (minister) should not escape. Try and set the place on fire.

NARIMAN HOUSE AT 7.45PM, 27 NOV
HANDLER: Keep in mind that hostages are of use only as long as you do not come under fire because of their safety. If you are still threatened, then don't saddle yourself with the burden of the hostages. Immediately kill them. The Army claims to have done the work without any hostage being harmed. Another thing: Israel has made a request through diplomatic channels to save the hostages. If the hostages are killed, it will spoil relations between India and Israel.

TERRORIST: So be it, God willing.

50+ Singapore EXPO 2009

One of the biggest event of the new year starts tomorrow, Saturday 10 January 2009, at the Suntec City Convention Centre... Hall 4, Level 4. It is anticipated to draw in a large crowd of at least 70,000 visitors. Wow...that's huge!
I received news about this mega-event end of last year through C3A.

Below is a gist I got from C3A through an email sent to all the 7 Active Ager Award Winners.

"As some of you may have been informed, C3A will be organising the 50+ Singapore Expo 2009 at the Suntec City Convention Centre on 10th January 2009. 50+ Singapore Expo 2009 is the largest fair for seniors. There will be different exhibitors offering products and services designed for seniors so that they could adopt a more active ageing lifestyle. In addition, there will be performances by interest groups, celebrities and other community organisations. In the Expo, we will also hold public forum on various health and wellness topics. To make this Expo a success, we will definitely need your help and support. We are currently designing programmes for all of you, be it a talk or a performance, so that all of you can show the participants how seniors can age actively and meaningfully. "

Unk Dicko has been invited to give a TALK on " How the internet can enhance an active ager's lifestyle". In addition, I have been invited to perform a medley of songs on the Ukulele. There will be 4 separate performances or entertainment segments, 2 per day. For this portion, I have co-invited my close friend and fellow ukelele player Richard( white shirt ) to join me as a duo. I had hoped we could make it a treble but my original ukulele disciple...T Ping ( in red shirt ) could not make it on those days. So,it will be a Ukulele duo.

For those of you who are visitors of this site and my online friends like Peter, Stanley, Thimbuktu, Chun See, Victor, YG, Jackie, and all the aspiring bloggers as well as all others, do visit this EXPO. Besides all the GREAT OFFERS ( we've been told in advance ) and lots of activities, we have the golden opportunity to meet in person for hopefully more than a chat! I
would really hope to meet up with all of you...there.

Details of Unk Dicko's Committments:

Talk on Sunday 11th Jan at 12 noon, at the Living Pavillion, Room B
Topic:
Making Your Life Easier with the Internet
Date/Time:
11 Jan, 12pm
Location:
Room B

Content:
Dick Yip, winner of the Active Agers – Infocomm Champion Award 2008, shares how he uses the Internet to blog, shop, catch up on news and be entertained… In short, to simplify and enrich his life.

Speaker:
Dick Yip, Active Agers – Infocomm Champion Award 2008 winner

Ukulele Performance:
Sat 10th Jan : 12.30 - 12.45 pm and 1.30 - 1.45 pm
Sun 11th Jan : 2.45 - 3.00 pm and 5.30 - 5.45 pm

For FULL Details of this mega event click the link below.
http://50plussingapore.com/html_Visitors/forums.html

Cheers!

Guiyuan Si Temple...part 3

We were indeed most privileged to have witnessed first hand and up close such an elaborate ceremony.

I can well imagine how steep these traditions are, the way the procession slowly snaked its way in and around the temple grounds.

As I said earlier, they were doing all these for the Sichuan Earthquake victims.

We could not see what went on inside the main hall of the temple as there was simply no way we could get in.

But it was a serious and solemn ceremony with much beating of the gongs, drums and cymbals.

This is one of the high ranking chief abbot. He was the only one with such a headgear set.

Guiyuan Si Temple...part 2

While the monks, nuns and large following of devotees went to perform their rituals inside the various halls, we found some moving room and time to study the architecture and view the various sights at the grounds.

It was a huge place to roam.

The weather was surprisingly fine for photography. It had been raining previously.

When we entered the main hall where the 500 luohans were located, we were told an interesting thing. Men should turn towards the left while women to the right...then count each luohan as you move along until it reaches your own age. So, if you are 55 years old, you should stop at that luohan being counted as 55. Then look at the luohan carefully. It has a name and more importantly an identifying number. Once you are outside, you can go to the counter and buy the corresponding "luohan card" that tells your fortune. Brilliant isn't it! And it cost only 3 yuan.

Well not one to defy a belief and resist age-old customs of consecrated temples, especially one as famous as this, unk Dicko followed the instruction to

the letter and came face to face with "my very own

fortune-telling luohan". He looks like a most venerated and enlightened disciple of the Buddha. No doubt about that!

Afraid that I might forget his "NRIC" number, I jotted it down.

Later, I collected my fortune card which looked like a small MRT card but with words printed in Gold letters. There were English words! So I understood what was written. D2 also collected hers. I read mine. She read hers. Pretty accurate about present, but what of the future?

So, what did the luohan say about my fortune?

Who wants to know?