HISTORY OF UKULELE AFTERNOON

Through this year, UA continued to perform on some stages. On Feb.9 at Live House MANDA-LA2 in Kichijoji with loud-techno-rock group 4-D and noise-avant-garde unit True Romance (feat. Masami Akita from MERZBOW). On Jun.12 at Live Restaurant CAY in Aoyama, UA with Tokyo Hot Club Band played as an opening act for "The Legendary Ukulele" Herb Ohta from Hawaii. In the mid-Jul, UA produced one-week of uku music, museum and relaxation space "UKULELE CAFE" in Shibuya. A brother unit Ukulele Cafe Quartet was formed by the UA's co-leader Natsu Aki Fuyu Haru plus musicians from several rock bands. On Oct.21 at CAY again, "UKULELE CAFE NITE" concert was held by UA and UCQ, featuring the special guest Boo Takagi. (very famous Japanese comedian, but not famous as an uku player then, until in late 90's being appreciated as one of the best in Japan) UA's unique activities were interested by the medias. Large photos and interviews had been appeared on the magazines "BRUTUS" (Jun.15 1992), "Hot Dog Press" (Jun.25 1992) and "NIKKEI TRENDY" (Sep.1992) . For the first time on the TV with the program "Mogura Negura" (hosted by Titi Matsumura) UA performed "Holy Night" at Christmastime.
UKULELE CAFE, Jul.1992 performance of Ukulele Cafe Quartet	CAY, Jun.1992	UKULELE CAFE NITE, Oct.1992

In Tokyo 1990, Mochy -the leader of UA in first era- and his friends made the idea that it should be interesting if putting 100 of ukulele players on one stage to play like a big orchestra. He had been inspired from some local amateur choir groups in all over Japan, that each there 100 of people gathered to sing "Beethoven Symphony No.9" only for the events on New Year's Eve. As a beginning, they planned to make a happening on the street by sudden "Guerrilla Performance". On their flyers they made the announcement of raising the members, and distributed to the places where many music-lovers might attend -musical shops, record shops, live houses, hands to hands, etc. On December in Harajuku shopping street, about 30 uku players were joined for the first time of meeting. Anybody didn't know what they were going to play until reaching the place. "Twist & Shout" was played and sung with the very simple C-F-G 3 codes only. That was the start of UKULELE AFTERNOON.
		Since then, UA had held "opened" rehearsals at some parks once every month whenever any players could newly join. UA originally arranged the world's popular songs to the scores for their uku ensemble - Burt Bacharach's "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", The Blues Brothers' "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", Hawaiian standard "Waikapu", Dr.John's "Iko Iko", etc.

On Jan.12 1992, UA made the debut concert "New Year Ukulele Tactics" at Shimokitazawa Town Hall, supported by Titi Matsumura (GONTITI), Yotaro (METROFARCE), Rose Unlimited, NUA (Nihon Ukulele Association), uku-blues band Mood (Mochy on sax). At this successful concert UA played 10min version of "Beethoven Symphony No.9" by 50 ukuleles in the front of fully-seated 300 audiences.