Written by Jorge Mesa
My name is Jorge Mesa and I have been a music teacher since 1997. I am a professional bass player BUT my second true love will always be the Ukulele. I started, like most bass guitarists, on electric guitar but was immediately drawn to bass after realizing that almost every “guitar part” I memorized from my favorite songs growing up were actually the bass parts!!
A Chance Encounter with a Hawaiian Band
Fast forward to the early 2000’s and I contacted a brand new music teacher who opened a small shop in my hometown on Long Island, NY about being his bass instructor. He replied quickly with “I don’t need a bass teacher but I need a bass player for my Hawaiian band!”
I was thrilled because I love nothing more than learning new styles from far away lands because I feel it gives a musician the quickest path to their true voice.
Discovering the Magic of Ukulele Melodies
After learning about 60 songs over two or three weeks, I was immediately drawn to the singing quality of the Ukulele melodies in these fantastic songs. Players like Herb Ohta, Troy Fernandez and of course Braddah Iz were mesmerizing and quickly dispelled the ridiculous notion that this tiny (also 4 string) instrument was limited in any way. The chord melodies and the ability to impart a sense of joy just by plucking all four strings open with no previous experience was nothing short of magical!!!
I played mostly bass for this band, which was led by a true Hawaiian native, but I also played baritone ukulele on certain tracks. I immediately realized that I could translate my guitar knowledge directly to the baritone which was of course convenient but I craved the real thing. I wanted to get a sense of that feeling that only the Soprano or Alto (concert) Ukulele can bring.
Sharing the Joy: Becoming a Ukulele Teacher
Long story short, I loved it so much that I was eventually gaining an excellent faculty of its nuance and traditional (and not so traditional) elements. So much so that I began to take students at a time when the instrument was finding a new surge in popularity, much like the Post WWII era.
Seeing different people of different levels want a variety of things from this instrument further grew my attachment to my “other 4 string” and I am so happy to call myself a true Ukulele player.
I hope this story brought as much joy to the reader as the instrument brought to me. Thank you for taking the time to read my little story about one yet another human who was accidentally enchanted by this enthralling instrument.