Hello friends, Just a heads up that my new CD is nearing completion and should be out in the late summer. This is being recorded at Ron Rogers studio in SE Portland. This is an all analog “live in the studio” recording with a great line up of musicians that includes Mary Flower, Don Campbell, Ken West, Stephen “Sammy” Lind and my buddy Jeff Masters came up from Los Angeles to play harmonica on a few tunes. Although I usually play solo live, this CD is very much an ensemble affair with a lot of different instruments. Of course, we will have a CD release party or two when it is out. Stay tuned.

Although I consider the ukulele just a small part of what I do, it has been very, very good to me in that I have played several ukulele festivals (yes Virginia, there is such a thing as a ukefest!) nationwide and my uke videos for some reason are very popular in Europe. Here are two upcoming workshop / festivals that do not fit into the Blues Notes Calendar. August 2,3 and 4, I will be part of the Oakridge Ukulele Festival in Oakridge, Oregon. Three days of workshops, jamming and concerts. Should be fun time as the entire town is turned into three days of uke mayhem. Also, August 11 thru 17, I will be giving a week long in depth ukulele workshop with everything from blues, ragtime, swing and even rock n roll in a wonderful forest setting in the Columbia Gorge in Menucha, Oregon. This class is almost a sell out as we go to press. Go to www.creativeartscommunity.org for more info. Do not forget that I give private guitar and uke lessons, so contact me through my website if you are interested.

Until next month, keep diggin’ the blues and stop by and say hi at my gigs.

Regards,

James Clem
www.jamesclem.com