Friends of The Island Bazaar Online Ukulele Shop

Join us and our Friends of The Island Bazaar and take a look at our new website. 

With friends and performers like these, we couldn't ask for better company!  Thank you one and all.

Just some of our Fabulous Friends and Supporters

Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel

Craig and Sarah discovered a similar passion and work ethic and as of September, 2015 are now married! They have made an incredible splash in the ‘ukulele scene with their complementing styles and vocal harmonies. Craig and Sarah have been featured at ‘Ukulele Festivals and events all over the world including Cairns and the Sunshine Coast (Australia), Cheltenham and Huddersfield (United Kingdom), Vancouver (Canada), Tokyo (Japan), Berlin (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), Honolulu (HI), and all over the continental US. Both feel very fortunate to have been featured on the cover of ‘Ukulele Magazine. Their love of teaching has blossomed into a successful Online ‘Ukulele School with Artistworks; the joy for music and teaching always follows them wherever they travel. They currently live in Honolulu, HI.

ALL ABOUT CRAIG AND SARAH

Even though Craig Chee was born and raised on Oahu, he matured as an ‘ukulele player and musician on the mainland. Throughout attending and graduating from the University of Oregon, Craig focused on teaching a myriad of different styles with the tiny instrument. Craig has had the honor of working under Jake Shimabukuro and Troy Fernandez, and has become a renown instructor and performer around the world. Craig infuses his energetic and just plain “fun” style into many genres of music and is known for his collaborations at different music events.

Sarah Maisel was born and raised in Alabama and found herself working in San Diego, CA as the Lead Female Draper for the La Jolla Playhouse and the University of California San Diego. On walking into a local ‘ukulele jam, Sarah was both fascinated by the instrument and the joy that surrounded it. Studying under Frank Leong, Sarah dove into the jazz stylings of golden age Hawai’i songs and arrangements inspired by ‘ukulele legends like Lyle Ritz, Benny Chong and Byron Yasui. Sarah found a passion of teaching and performing with the ‘ukulele and was quickly featured at many ‘ukulele festivals around the world.

Craig and Sarah discovered a similar passion and work ethic and as of September, 2015 are now married! They have made an incredible splash in the ‘ukulele scene with their complementing styles and vocal harmonies. Craig and Sarah have been truly blown away by the support of Kanile‘a ‘Ukuleles (at festivals, music events and even with helping put music programs back into schools!) and have been amazed by how their custom instruments completely match the tones and sounds that they try to achieve.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Craig and Sarah have been featured at ‘Ukulele Festivals and events all over the world including Cairns and the Sunshine Coast (Australia), Cheltenham and Huddersfield (United Kingdom), Vancouver (Canada), Tokyo (Japan), Reno (NV), Bend (OR), Morristown (NJ), Ft Lauderdale (FL), Tampa Bay (FL), Seattle (WA), Eugene (OR), Honolulu (HI) and more.They are also supported artists and instructors for Guitars in the Classroom and have been featured on the cover of ‘Ukulele Magazine. Craig and Sarah feel incredibly fortunate to be able to travel with their Kanile‘a ‘ukuleles and share their music and passion with the world!

Then in January of 2020, this dynamic duo became a trio with the birth of their first born, a baby boy named Cameron! At just 5 days old, he was ready to travel with mom and dad on their `ukulele shenanigans. Congratulations!!

Aldrine Guerrero

Aldrine Guerrero is the head instructor and co-owner of the Ukulele Underground. Moving to Hawaii at the age of 7 from the Philippines, Aldrine has taught hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world to play the ukulele. Starting out in small town venues when he was still in middle school, Aldrine has captivated audiences on stages all around the globe including US, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China, Australia, Czech republic, UK, and France.
Aldrine has shared his ukulele knowledge for over a decade through his website Ukulele Underground. He’s been growing the next generation of ukulele players since its conception and has garnered students, fans, and lifetime friends from every corner of the world.

Aldrine Guerrero is the head instructor and co-owner of the Ukulele Underground. Moving to Hawaii at the age of 7 from the Philippines, Aldrine has taught hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world to play the ukulele. Starting out in small town venues when he was still in middle school, Aldrine has captivated audiences on stages all around the globe including US, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China, Australia, Czech republic, UK, and France.

Aldrine has shared his ukulele knowledge for over a decade through his website Ukulele Underground. He’s been growing the next generation of ukulele players since its conception and has garnered students, fans, and lifetime friends from every corner of the world.

So kick back and relax. Put on an Aldrine tune and drink it in. It always goes down smooth.

Herb Ohta, Jr. 

As a teacher, composer, recording artist, entertainer, and producer, Herb Ohta, Jr. solidly establishes himself in the company of musicians who promote our Hawaiian instrument in the music landscape today. It is Herb’s goal to share the beauty of Hawai’i’s music, its culture, and the ‘ukulele to people all over the world. Herb has performed throughout the state of Hawai‘i and has traveled overseas to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, The United Kingdom, and the mainland USA.  Herb Ohta, Jr. is certainly a vanguard of his generation of ‘ukulele players, and he is well on his way to matching his father’s legacy.

 

Lil' Rev

As of 2020, my music career largely revolves around touring North America, teaching at music camps, festivals, and concert series, as well as presenting my one man musical history shows like:  scraps of quilting music,  jews n blues, and  the jews of tin pan alley.

I perform about 125-150 shows a year, sometimes alone, and sometimes when I'm lucky, my wife Jenna and daughter Mariela travel with me. 

Locally,  I run a ukulele club and annual ukulele festival and I can often be found teaching music at Mead Library in Sheboygan, as well as Brass Bell Music Store in Milwaukee.

Lil Rev is an award-winning, Wisconsin based ukulele author, entertainer and educator. His penchant for deep-rooted American musical traditions keeps him busy teaching and performing at festivals, music camps, clubs and folk societies all over North America.  Lil Rev is regarded as a top-tier storyteller, music historian and troubadour in the classic tradition weaving songs and stories seamlessly together during his shows.

His ukulele style draws heavily on blues, jazz and country roots, while also peppering his originals with timeless flare. While never one to wed himself to any single approach, Lil Rev is a jack of all trades, who’s playing style includes finger-picking, claw-hammer, chord-melody, single-string lead and campanella approaches.

Voted Best Folksinger in WI-2004
1996 National Blues Harmonica Champion

“Lil Rev is a ukulele and harmonica wizard.” -Elderly I

Daniel Ho

From his simple beginnings in Honolulu to his life amid the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, Daniel Ho has worked over the years as a musician, producer, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, engineer, and record company owner. The most compelling of these roles has been as a six-time GRAMMY Award winning producer, featured slack key guitarist, and artist in the "Best Hawaiian Music Album,” “Best Pop Instrumental Album,” and “Best World Music Album” categories. Ukulele Magazine calls him “Hawaii’s greatest contemporary musical ambassador.”

Bill Tapia

In his long career beginning in vaudeville and quickly expanding as a jazz guitarist and ukulele player he performed with names such as Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley and Hawaiian musicians such as King Bennie Nawahi, Sol Hoʻopiʻi, and Andy Iona. Despite his long life, Tapia did not record any music until 2004 when he put out his first CD at the age of 96. On March 23, 2004, he provided a detailed interview for the NAMM Oral History Program collection about his impressive career and life in music. He recalled designing several instruments for many of his luthier friends as well as improvement and adjustments to the uke he had over the years.  Tapia died in his sleep on December 2, 2011 a month short of turning 104.

Uncle Bobby Tomei

Coming soon,