more to come soon! There’s been so much going on, it’s a challenge to find the time to keep this up to date! Ruby x
March News!
We are set for the Vancouver Ukulele Festival 2017 March 3rd, 4th & 5th! With visiting US Uke-star tutors Gerald Ross, Sarah Maisel, Craig Chee, Aaron Keim and Nicole Keim. And Vancouver based tutors, Andrew Smith, Daphne Roubini, Timothy Tweedale and Phil Addington. Click the link to read The Georgia Straight full page article about The Vancouver Ukulele Festival and Daphne Roubini!
February News!
Black Gardenia is delighted to feature the Ukulele at Winterruption Festival on Granville Island, February 19th 2017!
January News!
What an amazing start to the New Year! We have all 10 classes sold out. Thank you Vancouver for your confidence in Ruby’s Ukes! We are grateful to all our students who help spread the Ukulele love and magic of Ukulele.
December News!
In spite of the crazy snow the night of the Ruby’s Ukes student recital and Uke party, many came and we had a blast! The students sounded wonderful and the tutor performance was a pleasure to share, with Ruby & Smith with Special guest Tim Tweedale. Representatives from Callanish Cancer retreats, a wonderful group we have had the honour to mentor and support their Ukulele offerings, gave a beautiful talk and the food shared was festively yummy! We also raised over $1,000 for the Ruby’s Ukes Ukulele Outreach this year!
November News!
The Vancouver Ukulele 2017 Festival tickets will go on sale this month! November 27th at 10am! The line-up is awesome with Sarah Maisel, Craig Chee, Aaron & Nicole Keim, Gerald Ross, Ralph Shaw, Daphne Roubini, Andrew Smith & Patrick Metzger.
Click here for more info!
October News!
A big highlight is Ruby’s Ukulele Orchestra has 70 members now, and we are set to play at The York Theatre! A wonderful space as part of The East Vancouver Cultural Centre. The date is Thursday November 10th! Ruby & Smith will open the evening!
‘ A Ukulele Night to Remember’ will be an evening of Ukulele remembrance, gratitude and harmony. Tx are on sale now! https://thecultch.com/events/ukulele-night-remember/
September News!
The Fall semester is merrily on its way, with a whole new lot of lovely keen students yet again! This month marked the first “Ruby’s Lounge” Friday September 30th 2016
Ruby’s Lounge is Vancouver’s Ukulele Cabaret and Open-Mic!
@ The Cottage Bistro 4470 Main St 7pm-10pm $8 at the door This will be a monthly event on the 4th Friday of the month! October 28th and November 25th 2016!
August News!
Uke mobile mark 2 was on tour with shows and workshops on the Northern and Southern Gulf Islands! Ruby & Smith performed and taught workshops. It was fun.
here’s a summer clip https://www.facebook.com/daphne.roubini/videos/pcb.10206734747116468/10206734706395450/?type=3&theater
July News!
The teachers from Ruby’s Ukes, Ruby (Daphne Roubini) and Smith (Andrew Smith) played The Winnipeg Folk Festival, the largest most prestigious festivals in Canada! What an honour! Here’s a clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W9ecezRUG0 of us playing with Hubby Jenkins from the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
June News!
The Strumming for Stroke Event on June 17th was plinking success! Ruby’s Ukulele Orchestra conducted by Tim Tweedale was an astounding event with 58 members of the Orchestra performing. Along with a set by Ruby and Smith and the one and only Ralph Shaw! $6,000 was raised. Yes!
May News!
Ruby and Smith will be teaching a Ukulele workshop in the Folk School Tent at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in July! We are hoping to teach one at the Vancouver Folk Festival too one year! And ticket sales are open for the June 17th Ukulele Show at the Rio Theatre featuring Ruby & Smith, Ruby’s Ukulele Orchestra and Ralph Shaw Sing-a-long in aid of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Click here for more info!
April News!
Spring term starts on April 18th 2016 with a NEW intermediate class on Saturdays and a 4 week singing class on Monday evenings with Daphne. This terms theme throughout the school is finger picking! With some amazing new songs!
Black Gardenia will be taking the Ukulele to the Rogue Folk Club,
10th Annual Gypsy Jazz Festival! Saturday April 23rd. tx are $28
http://www.roguefolk.bc.ca/concerts/ev16042319
March News!
Winnipeg Folk Festival announces their performers, Ruby & Smith will make their Winnipeg Ukulele Debut! The Vancouver Ukulele Festival takes a year off!
http://winnipegfolkfestival.ca/folk-fest/performers/#!programmation=artist$ruby-smith/300
February News!
The Ruby’s Ukes Ukulele Orchestra is learning Bizet’s ‘Habanera’ from the famous his famous Opera “Carmen”. They sound fantastic, and are preparing for their first big gig
at The Rio Theatre, June 17th 2016 tickets on sale soon! with a set by Ruby & Smith and a sing-a-long with Ralph Shaw. In aid of the Heart and Stroke Foundation
January News!
This term was our biggest yet with 10 classes a week and the new Orchestra we are pretty busy! Ruby & Smith let the school in loving hands and went off to NAMM in California to do a music video for The Ukulele Magazine, and meet many wonderful Ukulele makers.
http://www.ukulelemag.com/uketube/ruby-and-smith-winter-namm
‘A Ukulele Album’ was reviewed by Americana UK
https://americana-uk.com/cdreviews/item/ruby-smith-a-ukulele-album
2016
December News!
The student performance at the Wise Hall was a sold out show and the Ruby’s Ukulele Orchestra we a massive hit! We raised $1000 for the Ruby’s Ukes Ukulele Outreach Program!
November News!
Coming up to that time again with registration links at the ready! January 2016 Registration opens 10am Sunday November 29th! We are looking for a new venue for the Orchestra to grow in the New Year! Will keep you posted. ‘A Ukulele Album’ was very favourably reviewed by Mike Usinger of The Georgia Straight Newspaper!
http://www.straight.com/music/585566/ruby-smiths-ukulele-album-jazz-dusted-affair
October News!
Ruby & Smith ‘A Ukulele Album’ has been reviewed in the Internationally published ‘Ukulele Magazine’ Winter 2015 edition. We are stoked, thank you!
http://www.ukulelemag.com/stories/cd-review-ruby-smiths-a-ukulele-album-is-seriously-playful-and-playfully-serious
Ruby & Smith ‘A Ukulele Album’
(Self-released)
‘She’s Daphne Roubini, the one with the Billie Holiday voice, all breath and wistfulness. He’s Andrew Smith, the one picking ukulele behind her, alternating between strumming and single-string leads. Together, they’re Ruby & Smith, the heart of Vancouver’s Black Gardenia vintage- jazz band and the soul of Ruby’s Ukes, which bills itself as a “ukulele haven for the hip ukester” and “the world’s largest ukulele school outside Hawaii.”
As promised, A Ukulele Album is smartly hip, straddling past and present with a deep love for ’30s jazz and a modern approach to uke that leans on folk- and blues-guitar fingerpicking. It’s seriously playful and playfully serious, bringing a contemporary touch to standards like “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” with its nod to scat, and “Blue Skies,” with its solo lagging behind an already slowed-down beat. For blues, there’s a surprisingly lively fingerpicking pattern behind “Motherless Child,” and a low, languorous vocal at the mic; on “Green Rocky Road,” Smith brings a bright, steady rhythm, while Roubini pushes back with sassy, syncopated sophistication.
But the best part of ‘A Ukulele Album’ are the nine originals, with equal measures of traditional and new. Roubini’s songs add some weightiness, in particular “Finding the Way to Nowhere” and “Ballad for Andrea,” with its haunting refrain, “This life is here but not for long.” For Smith, working in the opposite direction, it’s a way to add a little levity to virtuosic uke novelties like “Mosquito Song” and “Walkin’ Down Main,” with all the springiness of a new pair of plimsolls. And in the album’s one co-write, “Melancholy Moon,” Ruby & Smith manage to do it all at once, her low, longing heartache beautifully matched by his sweet lightness.’—K.B.
September News!
Classes are going full tilt and the Orchestra is sold out with 25 people on the waiting list! So excited to see and hear this wonderful thing! Beautiful music made simply! A big thank you to Timothy Tweedale for so enthusiastically taking on this Uke project so close to my heart.
July & August News!
We had a great Summer touring in our VW camper Van ‘the Uke mobile’ and doing some shows and workshops on the Islands. Salt Spring and Cortes Island are so special! thanks for having us!
June News!
After 6 years of Ruby dreaming of a Ukulele Orchestra it is born! The time has come for Ruby’s Ukulele Orchestra to come into fruition. It will start in the Fall 2015 and is an ensemble for all Vancouver’s Ukesters to join. From Beginner level (Ruby’s Ukes beginner 2) all the way through to advanced players are welcome! Timothy Tweedale with be leading the rehearsals and Orchestra with arrangements by Timothy, Andrew Smith, Daphne Roubini with guest arrangers from Vancouver and beyond! There will be a variety of parts and sound that create beautiful music simply. We are so excited.
Registration open June 28th at 10am Click to peruse our Fall 2015 offerings
and here for Fall 2015 Schedule
May News!
The Ruby & Smith, ‘A Ukulele Album’ is being launched May 23rd at St James Hall. We have had wonderful response to the records so far and students are loving the fold out poster detailing the lyrics, ukulele chords, and tabs! www.rubyandsmith.com have a listen!
April News!
We just found out, with 10 classes, 5 days a week, and 240 students this term, we are the largest Music School dedicated to Ukulele in the world! Pretty Cool, thank-you Vancouver!
March News!
What an amazing success the VUF 2015 was! The Friday night concert at St James Hall was sold out and the new home of VUF, The Croatian Cultural Centre was perfect! We look forward to growing the festival again next time!
February News!
We have programmed a pop-up Ruby’s Ukes at Trout Lake community Centre with Mona Tsui Teaching. Mona is an advanced student who has a passion for teaching children Ukulele and their parents!
January News!
What a great start to the year! We are welcoming Timothy Tweedale to our teaching team. He began his journey with the ukulele as a seven-year-old boy in Vancouver and has been hooked ever since. As a professional musician, he has recorded and toured throughout North America and Europe with bands Headwater, Viper Central and Sarah MacDougall. Tim has a passion for teaching, sharing the music that he loves, and inspiring students to discover their unique relationship to music. Welcome Timothy!
2015
December News!
Ruby’s Ukes Christmas Song Book | 2014
Here is our Christmas Ukulele Songbook for 2014 taken from our Christmas Workshop, Enjoy!
(with grateful thanks to Doctor Uke, and Athletes Village for some charts
and Kathleen Nesbit for a great Bluegrass tune!)
Endings & Beginnings
The end of year school Recital, Christmas Concert and Fund Raiser for the Uke Program at Callanish Cancer Retreats is happening on December 2nd 2014 to get your ticket
Click here What a fabulous term!!
Check out the Beginner & Intermediate Foundation Courses I & II
and NEW 5 week specialist Ukulele Modules Click here.
November News!
The Vancouver Ukulele Festival 2015
I just finished the programming for the Festival visiting tutors are: Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel, Victor Vox, and Aaron & Nicole Keim! Local teachers are Don Kellett, Ralph Shaw, Timothy Tweedale, Andrew Smith and yours truly, Daphne Roubini. Links will be posted soon!
Ruby’s Ukes January 2015 on-line registration for starts November 30th 2014 at 9am.
October News!
‘Uke Can Free your Voice’
The new singing class has 26 people in it, all women this term! I am so excited to be teaching a Voice and Ukulele course this term. After the first week everyone was singing away. What a buzz!
September News!
Classes start without Guido
Guido is taking a break from teaching this term, we hope he will be back next term, rest up!
August News!
The Uke Mobile
Andy & I had a month out in our ‘new’ 1978 VW camper Van on Cortes Island while I recovered from some surgery on my knee.
Watch the video! http://youtu.be/z2Uaq6x3z2g
July News!
Monday July 21st | 6.30pm to dusk (and beyond!)
Ruby’s Ukes Annual Ukulele picnic & BBQ Uke Jam will be held at second beach, Stanley Park. Bring your picnic potluck, something for the BBQ, a blanket to sit on, your uke, the Vanukes books if you have one, a candle in a jar or music stand light. We will have some song charts too. Or just turn up, and join in! It’s a lovely Uke social and fun jam. Please feel free to bring Uke-curious friends and family, everyone is welcome!
Picnic Location
April News!
We are delighted to announce new classes this term with Andrew Smith teaching:
The school continues to grow in popularity! So we are working to add new classes all the time! New ones this term are: Tuesday Beginner at 6pm,Thursday Beginner at 6pm, Wednesday Intermediate at 6pm. Go to courses & registration to have a look!
March News!
The Vancouver Ukulele Festival 2014 March 8th & 9th was an amazing event with workshops and Ukulele Concert. Featuring Danielle ate the Sandwich, The Quiet American, Ruby & Smith, Ralph Shaw and Guido Heistek.
Check out the press page to see all the media coverage it was awesome!
February News!
We are delighted to announce an additional class so everyone can join us!
Beginner Ukulele Course Extraordinaire ~ Andrew Smith ~ NEW Additional class!!
We have added this shorter 6 Week Ukulele Course this term so you can join us!
Tuesdays 6pm ~ 7.30pm ~ Starts February 18th 2014~ $108
January News!
Common Ground magazine featured the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, The Vancouver Ukulele Festival and Ruby’s Ukes in their December 2013 issue ‘The Ukulele is Back’ Great!
http://commonground.ca/2013/12/get-uke-in/
Listen here to the Ruby’s Ukes interview on ‘Aloha Monday’
Co-op Radio’s Hawaiian Music Radio Show ~ January 27th 2014
http://www.coopradio.org/station/archives/26766
2014
December News!
The Vancouver Ukulele Festival dates this year are
March 8th & 9th 2014 with an evening concert on March 8th at St James Hall.
Details of instructors and workshops to be announced by end of December.
Tickets for the 5th Annual Vancouver Ukulele festival presented by Ruby’s Ukes will go on sale January 10th 2014 at 9am! Pencil in the dates!
November News!
November 17th Black Gardenia plays the Jazz Cellar 3611 West Broadway, Vancouver
we are delighted to be playing at Vancouver’s premier Jazz club again.
Tickets are $15. For reservations call 604-738-1959 or visit www.cellarjazz.com
February’s show was sold out, so we recommend booking in advance.
October News!
Dance, Dance, Dance, Black Gardenia ~ full sextet~ in a double bill with Company B Jazz big band!at St James Hall,tickets are $18 in advance or $25 at the door
September News!
Fall courses are ready to get underway next week!
We are delighted to welcome Dawn Pemberton to the Ruby’s Ukes team, she will be teaching Gospel harmony singing and Ruby will be teaching the Ukulele with her!