J.A.K. Lee on vocals, baritone & standard guitars, e-bow, bass, keyboards, ukes, banjo, dunbek, kalimba, parlor organ & loop editing.
The incomparable Sam Sheats, sage & grizzled mentor extraordinaire, provided the odd-meter bass playing on "Westminster".
Special thanks are due to Chris Speed for the protracted loan of his bass guitar.
Influences
Camper Van Beethoven, Cake, Pell Mell, Tom Waits, Built to Spill, the Grady Sisters, The Pickin Trix, Jason Webley, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Miles, Ella, Satchmo, Fats Waller, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Maker's Mark, Charlie Christian, Thinkin Fellers, Monks of Doom, Chet Baker, Getz, Gilberto, Cash, Hank Sr., Bob Wills, even Elvis, Simon with or without Garfunkel, Mississippi John Hurt, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Sidartha, King Solomon, Bach, Glen Rothes, Garcia Marquez, God, the Acadamy, my girlfriend, Amy, our birds, Cheepers & Blinky, etc.
Sounds Like
Pell Mell, Cake, the Police, Brian Eno, Pickin' Trix, Talking Heads, Parliament, Squirrel Nuts . . . odd sytheses of these and other elements.
An as yet unpublished author & low profile recording artist, J.A.K. Lee subsidizes his obsessions by posing as a mild-mannered office manager for a Bay Area non-profit. Former co-host (along with the trans-Atlantic performance art, pinup sensation & youtube mega-star, Super Amanda) of the Union Jack's open mic in glamorous Hayward, CA, Mr. Lee still reprises his vaudeville role as the jazz-standard playing Ukulele Jack at open mics around the San Francisco Bay.
A veteran of the indie scene since it was referred to as "alternative", Mr. Lee will often recount at cocktail parties and staff meetings how in his greener days, he once openned for what is now a very commercially succsessful pop-punk band, but since this anecdote tends to date him and make him look largely like a pathetic, washed-up loser, he has since striven to abate this practice---on the professional advice of his therapist.
Mr. Lee presently doesn't have a backup band per se but has a fairly amusing unplugged solo schtick. He is also blessed enough to be sorrounded by a great number of incredably talented and well-seasoned musician friends who undoubtedly would quit their day jobs and other projects to join him on a hero's journey the moment he becomes an internet superstar---especially if the drinks are free.
Just so great! DO have fun in SF at the wedding and please send my love.
I'm going to use your muisc for my upcoming "Wimbledon Eight" video. 8 pubs in Wimbledon, 8 drinks in one hour running as fast as you can after each round to the next pub. An Oliver Reed drinking game!
Tripp Isenhour is a complete lowlife, killing a beautiful free hawk with one of his crappy golf balls so his disgusting carcass can play a game and not be interrupted. Tripp Isenhour is totally unAmerican and exhibits complete ghetto/trash ethics and values.
Hi Ukulele Jack! I loved your message and will write you more as soon as I have a chance. Brian K is visiting from Poland so we are busy catching up on film making and fun. I miss you too! Was just going through all the photos of us in Portland from the Halcyon days. Chat with you soon. Love, Kamanda
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