Uke-in' the Rova -- Ukulele at the Royal Palace in Madagascar

[Ted]

Some of you might enjoy this. I recorded this video on Saturday when, quite by accident, I instigated a music party.

It felt pretty magical to me.

Uke-in' the Rova (Ukulele at the Royal Palace)

After a year of living in Antananarivo, I decided to finally go visit the Rova of Antananarivo, also known as the Royal Palace of Antananarivo. The site is a locus of Madagascar's spiritual, cultural, pre-colonial, post-colonial, and modern political history.

Of course I brought my ukulele.

The tour guides and souvenir hawkers were curious to hear it and play it. So I let them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYkMevLPcp4

More...

[Groundy]

Nice one Ted, Thanks for sharing.     Alex

[ODH]

Truly wonderful moment.

Music is great, isn't it...

[chapperz66]

Magic moments.

[Ted]

A couple of my favorite moments:

At about 2:13, a guy in a black shirt comes running up the path excited to join in. It turns out the has an amazing baritone voice. You can hear him on the left channel. (The camera has better-than-expected stereo separation.) More impressively, the ukulele register is one-fourth higher than a kabosy would be. Does that mean this guy can hit notes one-fourth lower than he's hitting here?

At 5:20, suddenly some bamboo shakers appear, brought up by merchants who sell these as cheap souvenirs to tourists (with images of lemurs etched into the bark of the bamboo). I bought a couple of these shakers.

[cuthbert]

Amazing, Ted - I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening.

[Geir]

I've seen this a few times now and forgot to comment .....


Really enjoyed this Ted. Looks like you're having a great time there !

[Hook]

Magic indeed, you brought a lot joy there my brother.
Rock on!

[Greeny]

Incredible and magical. International, spontaneous songcrafting with strangers!

What a brilliant thing to post and participate in.

Awesome.