Introducing... The Paul Hemmings Uketet

Check out the new Uketet promotional video on YouTube:



The Legend of Julie Taymor, or The Musical That Killed Everyone at NY Int'l Fringe Festival

The Legend Of Julie Taymor... satirizes the story of the rise and fall of director Julie Taymor and the behind-the-scenes scandals of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark which has since become a modern Broadway legend. This high-energy rock musical rips straight from the headlines and follows Julie's course through the most expensive Broadway musical of all time. I'm playing guitar for this hilarious show, with witty lyrics by Travis Ferguson and a great score from David Ogrin. See show listings here.

Recording for The Uketet's Debut Album Wraps Up

I bought my first ukulele in Maui in the summer of 2005 and, since then, what began as a whimsical love affair has turned into a fell-fledged obsession. Nowadays I play at least one long ukulele set in the middle of most of my Trio gigs and the response is always the same. There's no doubt, people love the uke! So earlier this year I decided it was time to launch a new project, and voilà, The Paul Hemmings Uketet (yook-tet') was born. Our debut CD (with Gaku Takanashi on bass, Mike Campenni on drums, and additional percussion from Kirk Driscoll and Juan Usera) was recorded this summer and will be out in the fall. Until then, you can check out full-length samples on The Uketet website at www.uketet.com. Aloha!

The Human Comedy at Astoria Performing Arts Center

With music by Galt MacDermot (Hair) and libretto by William Dumaresq, The Human Comedy is a coming-of-age tale that focuses on young Homer Macauley, a telegram messenger who is exposed to the sorrows and joys experienced by his family and the residents of his small California town during World War II. I'll be playing guitar during the month-long run of this APAC production.

Standards, Vol. 1 Now Available

A new CD of standards, recorded along with Gaku Takanashi on bass and Lou Grassi on drums, is now available. Standards, Vol. 1 features six tracks including "Fly Me To The Moon," "Wave," "Blue Monk," "Moon River," "Summertime," and John Lennon's "Imagine." You can listen to mp3s on the "Listen" page by clicking here; CDs are available to purchase online through CD Baby.