The ‘happy instrument’
The musician’s ukulele collection
Glenn Huxtable is a familiar figure on Darlington’s oval in the late afternoon, and while some exercising their dogs may not know his name, he’s instantly identified as ‘the ukulele man’ who strums contentedly as he strolls. And while the music gently drifts across the green, Glenn’s constant companion, his rescue dog Vinnie, gambols and sniffs and socialises. It’s a very Darlington scene complete with its own troubadour. The ukulele Glenn plays has enjoyed a worldwide surge of interest that was accelerated during lockdowns. Suddenly the ease of learning the four-stringed instrument from the Internet further polished the reputation of ‘the happy instrument’. Glenn, who works in IT, says during lockdown he discovered a network of international contacts with both ukulele and drumming groups through Zoom. “I am now able to keep in touch with my extended tribe, that has spread throughout the world.” The ukulele began life on the Portuguese island of Madeira, then made its way across the world to Hawaii, with migrants looking for a better life. Thousands of Madeirans settled in Hawaii in the 19th century, delighting locals with their nightly street concerts. Originally crafted from hardwoods, in post-war years when plastic versions could be purchased for as little as $5, the instrument’s popularity took off as an addition to song and dance and comedy acts. Today the versatility of the instrument sees virtuoso musicians playing Bach on the uke in concert halls and there’s a Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain that demonstrates the instrument’s range in producing joyful or melancholy music. However, this naturally social instrument is most at home in informal settings like our oval or the uke group that Glenn started in Midland. Having attempted the violin at school, Glenn says he was approaching 50 when he gave the uke a go. “I first tried teaching myself, then I found several ukulele groups in Perth. I enjoy playing in outdoor café settings, sitting to one side so people can listen if they want, and yet it’s not
Glenn and Vinnie
a performance – rather I’m demonstrating that you don’t have to be a professional musician to make music.” Glenn joined The Blue Duck Pluckers in Cottesloe, then helped found SUFFA, another Ukulele group in Subi before starting his own group that meets on Saturdays at the Bolt Coffee Roasters in Midland. The venue welcomes dogs, so Vinnie, an American Staffie/bulldog/boxer cross, gets to enjoy the music and company as well. “My advice is if you want to learn (with a teacher or the Internet) the best thing is to find a group. When people say they will find a group when they are good enough, my response is: ‘That’s how you get to be good enough’. All the groups I know are friendly, welcoming and inclusive – more so perhaps than would be the case with a traditional instrument. “What appeals to me is the ukulele’s versatility: you can replace the normally high-sounding G string, for a low string, which gives a more bluesy sound. And it’s so easy to carry, or leave around the house so you can pick it up whenever you want a quick strum.” “Although I am happy to play the instrument at home for the sheer joy of it, my underlying interest in music is all about community, bringing people together. And my drumming group also does that for me.” Glenn has run a drumming group at St Cuthbert’s Church for many years. They meet on Wednesday evenings. http://facebook.com/ groups/UkuleleAtBolt, http://facebook.com/HillsDrumming, and http://SustainingRhythms.com.au.
LET’S GET THIS DONE! It was testimony to the value residents place on maintaining the heritage trail as a shared path that locals turned up – on a bitter rainy night – to form a sub-committee to address safety issues. But a good number did! While the group comprising cyclists, walkers and runners has yet to appoint a chairperson, the shared sentiment was: Let’s get this done! The meeting was led by Darlington Ratepayers and Residents Association (DRRA) President Grant Butler and Deputy Steve Beadle, and Grant emphasised that the objective of the group was to ensure the safety and well-being of all users and not to target or objectify any group in particular. He said proposed signage to address safety concerns would be Darlington Review – August 2021
considered at the next meeting and a recommendation made to DRRA “as a matter of urgency”. The committee will then move on to longer term safety considerations. The next DRRA meeting is on August 3 at 7.30, with the sub-committee meeting at 6.30pm. (See DRRA notes.)
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