Performers
Frank Gerstmeier
Besides his usual instrument of choice, the guitar, Frank Gerstmeier enjoys all kinds of genres. For quite a while now he's devoted to playing the tiny ukulele. Playing great music on such a little instrument is an exciting challenge for him. This challenge is part of his workshops and video lessons in which he talks about techniques, styles and arrangements.
Angela Habermann
Angela Habermann's dance addiction started at a very young age. Ever since then she improved her dancing skills and nowadays presents a brilliant variety of styles. Besides her special devotion to oriental belly dance, she has also focused on traditional Hawaiian Hula dance during the recent years.
Due to taking numerous lessons on Waikiki/Hawaii and staying in close contact with several Hawaiian friends and mentors, she is able to dance the traditional Hawaiian Hula with heart and soul.
Angela teaches in her own studio in Dortmund, called "Kindertanzoase". Together with her group "Kelani", she dances the traditional Hula in the style of modern Auana.
In the concert, Kelani presents original Hawaiian Hula dances accompanied by "The Lucky Ukes".
The Hawaiian King David Kalakaua once said:
"Hula is the language of the heart and therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian People."
Hula Hut and The Seven Seas
Aloha!
Hula Hut & The Seven Seas cause a delighted heart and a smile on your lips! With the tradional setup of the 20s and 30s (Steel guitar, guitar, ukulele and bass), Hula Hut plays long forgotten hits of Hawaiian music at its prime.
Kelani
"Kelani" is Hawaiian and means "the celestials" or the ones from heaven. This is the name of the dance group lead by Angela Habermann. The dancers follow the Aloha spirit and the stories of Hula dancing.
The group has been practicing for some years at the Dortmund dance studio "Kindertanzoase" and together with Angela Habaermann they spread the Hawaiian culture by performing the Hula. Their favourite is the modern style Hula called Auana.
Kelani started performing live with "The Lucky Ukes" in 2017, giving their concerts an even more Hawaiian twist.
The Hawaiian King David Kalakaua once said:
"Hula is the language of the heart and therefore the heartbeat of the hawaiian people."
Julian Schlitzer
Julian Schlitzer is a music and guitar teacher. His repertoire covers classical to modern. Besides his solo performances and his teaching, he is involved in a variety of bands and musical projects; folk, jazz, pop and rock alike.
Ever since he discovered his passion for the uke, he has coaxed the most incredible sounds out of this small instrument - from Mozart to Pink Floyd - passionately as well as technically brilliant. They say that Julian Schlitzer's ukes aren't even aware of the fact that they aren't guitars. He is going to prove this statement at the 2nd Ukulele Festival in Dortmund: Performing live with his band, The Lucky Ukes, and teaching at a rock/pop workshop.
Richard Smith
Smith was born in Beckenham, England. He picked up the guitar when he was five years old, and soon became a child prodigy on the guitar. In 1993 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he founded the Hot Club of Nashville, a jam band with a varying lineup, including high-profile session players such as John Jorgenson, Pat Bergeson, Bryan Sutton and Stuart Duncan, combining the European and American traditions of Gypsy Jazz and Western Swing.
Smith now performs both as a solo act and in a guitar and cello duo with his wife. His repertoire includes a wide range of styles from country, bluegrass, blues, ragtime, and folk to jazz, pop and classical music. His flawless technique, quickly switching between fingerpicking and flatpicking, not only earned him the admiration of his peers such as Tommy Emmanuel, Doyle Dykes, Muriel Anderson and Joscho Stephan, but also numerous awards.
Joscho Stephan
Joscho Stephan influences the modern Gypsy Swing like no other: Stephan gained international recognition for his authentic sound, harmonic refinement and a sense for rhythm, but most of all for his breathtaking solo-technique.
The Lucky Ukes
The Lucky Ukes from Dortmund/Germany is a Uke band with a variety of styles from Mozart to Bossa Nova, from Pop to Folk and Jazz. With a grooving acoustic sound they present their fresh vocal arrangements. All this in combination with the Hawaiian Ukulele sound. In September 2016 they released their first CD "No. 1".
Musicians:
Maik Fuhrmann: Vocals, Ukulele
Julian Schlitzer: Vocals, Ukulele, Guitar
Frank Gerstmeier: Vocals, Ukulele, Guitar
Ukeholics
Ally, Jude, Phil and Tony from Cheltenham have formed this uke-band. They have been performing together for many years. And for more than ten years they have organized one of the most important ukulele festivals in Europe.
A vital part of each festival is the legendary sunday morning mass busk in one of the fine gardens of Cheltenham. Everyone is invited to join in to play and sing along. This idea of big fun was imported to Dortmund and is now well known as U-Café here in the FHH.
We are honoured to welcome the legendary Ukeholics to Dortmund. Have great fun with busking, open stage and more.
With: Alison Jarvis, Phillip Collins, Judith Baker und Tony Hodder
Ukulele Uff Trio
The Ukulele Uff Trio -Chris 'Ukulele' Hough on ukulele, Dave Searson on guitar and Bill Leach on Hawaiian guitar – specialize in obscure late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century jazz, tin pan alley songs and traditional Hawaiian music with a skill and authenticity that is rare today.
They hail from Liverpool, a city with a rich musical heritage, and have performed and presented workshops at venues across Europe, from Birkenhead to Barcelona, from Pembrokeshire to Paris, earning themselves a reputation as top entertainers with their high energy, skilled performances and relaxed stage presence. Expect to tap your feet furiously and maybe even dance when you hear these three play. May your spirits (and eyebrows) be raised as you return briefly to a time when dance music was played on strings.
Kerstin Walter
Music is her life. As a violin player and self taught guitar player Kerstin also used to dance. And with warm feelings for dancing in Hula style she finally came to play the ukulele. For many years she was the lead singer of Ukepack. Her newest passion, besides teaching, is songwriting and composing.
Martin Walter
Martin Walter is a well-known teacher for ukulele and guitar in Freiburg and the surrounding area. This is the very southwestern part of Germany. For some years he has passed his knowledge and his art on to many teachers of primary and secondary schools in Freiburg.
So today, it is quite common to teach and play ukulele in school.Besides that, Martin is teaching in his own studio. He is running a biennial ukulele festival. In and around Freiburg, he is a well-known artist and live performer in his own right.
