I don't really know the whole story, but the saga of the retired Kalamazoo Public School ukuleles and how they were rescued from a dumpster and then became disemminated among a consortium of ukulele collectors has achieved a semi-legendary status among those who've been bobbing around in this "third wave" of current ukulele interest a while. I believe the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum (UHOFM) or at least some of its board members were participants of the rescue--but beyond that there be dragons, as medieval maps used to say. All I know is that RTU featured interview subject, columnist and uke collector of note, robert wheeler, founder of Ukulele Consciousness, had inherited some of the Kalamazoo Public School ukuleles, and that in what can only be described as a reflexive spasm of generosity passed one along to me--a Gibson--as a surprise gift one day. Though the uke was uncracked and its joints were firm (and how many of us can make claim to that?), the treasured gift from the founder, frankly, had seen better days, with worn and chipped edges, deep scratches and gouges in its back, and an eroded bridge that held the strings by a not altogether uningenious job of jerry rigging. Still, the "Kalamazoo Gibson" as I called it, quickly became my favorite uke, in part because it was a gift from the founder, of course, but also because , being a Gibson, its thinner body and neck made it better suited to the exquisite and delicate design of my sissified metacarpals and phalanges. At any rate--my hand cramped less.
For those who don't know about Bob Armstrong, he's an artist and musician with a broad resume of really interesting creative accomplishments. In his youth, he was an underground comic artist and created the debauched and dissolute "Mickey Rat" character. As a musician, he was a founding member of R. Crumb's Cheap Suit Serenaders. He's recorded film scores--mostly notable, he plays the musical saw on the haunting Jack Nitzsche soundtrack to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Presently, he has a group called the Joy Buzzards and he also has the distinction of having been annointed as one of Janet Klein's Parlor Boys. Bob's hand-painted ukes have been displayed in museums and at uke expos before. His painted ukes (and geetars) can be seen and purchased at Gryphon Music in Palo Alto. He has a website, of course, called Robert Armstrong's Art and Novelty Hut. But the instrument I now call the "Kalamazoo Rat Uke," can only be seen (and played) at my house. But here are some groovy pictures of it. Thanks to both Robert, Bob and my wife, and as always, to Mickey Rat. Wait. Maybe I should order that lineup differently....
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