With three ukulele players/singers and a tap dancer, you know you can expect a fun performance from The Ukuladies, who are playing two sets this Saturday, December 10, at 9 and 10pm, at Sycamore on Cortelyou Road in Ditmas Park.
Half of this boisterous quartet--Katie Down and Philippa Thompson--lives in the Kensington area, so we asked them five questions about the band, the neighborhood, and what life is like when they're not playing ukuleles.
Why did you settle in Kensington?
Katie: I married a man who has a house here!
Philippa: I settled here on Ocean Parkway in 2010. It was one of the more affordable areas that has a good neighborhood feel. And the big plus for me is that I can ride my bike through the park when I "go into town." Way better than the other neighborhood I considered, which was Sunset Park, and then I'd have to ride on 5th Ave all the time. Yuck. Park is way better.
What’s a typical day in your life like?
Katie: I'm a musician and music therapist. I work at Kings County Hospital as a music therapist and also have a private practice in Kensington. I have three musical groups that perform regularly including The Ukuladies, NewBorn Trio, and Lyrebird--all really different groups in which I play many different instruments. I work full time and perform about three days a month with my different ensembles. I love to go to the new Y on 15th street and ride my bike!
Philippa: I had twins in January, so now my days are like this:
7am babies.
All day babies.
Often I go to work and as much as I can, I play music.
What is the area’s best kept secret?
Katie: We recently discovered this really cool slot car place on Church that is only open on Saturdays. It's like walking into a time machine and you are in the 1950s!
Philippa: Best kept secret is Am Thai on MacDonald. Best Thai in Brooklyn.
What are The Ukuladies all about?
Katie: The Ukuladies got together about 8 years ago. The story goes that The Ukuladies are a "family act from Winnipeg, Canada," but the less interesting fact is that we are friends [including Heather Warfel, aka Cousin Bunnie, and Mary Myers] who met a number of years ago through dance and theatre connections in New York and decided that ukuleles were the coolest thing ever.
Our website has a bunch of anecdotes from fans! The most recent one is: "The Ukuladies are my antidote to road rage." We rehearse in downtown Brooklyn 'cause one of us lives in New Jersey and one of us lives upstate!
Philippa: Our entire show is a fun anecdote. If you see it, you will know what I mean.
We had just talked about [starting the band], then we did it. We have played a bunch in Brooklyn. Mostly at Jalopy Theater in Red Hook, but this year not a ton of shows because our dancer Heather, also had a baby! But we have played at Two Boots and Barbes and some other Brooklyn spots as well, in addition to Manhattan and the Bronx and some out of town gigs. This is our first time on "this" side of the park!!! We are super thrilled about it. Finally, I can walk to a gig! That never happens.
Here is a good rehearsal story: When Katie used to live in Fort Greene, we rehearsed at her place, tap dancer and all. I asked her if her neighbor cared, and she said, "Oh, he's never home." But one Sunday, sure enough there was a knock at the door, and he said something like "Seriously? Tap dancing?" So that was the end of that. (At least for the tap shoes. Bunnie had to dance in her socks from then on at rehearsals.) I could just hear the guy telling his friends the true New York housing horror story of the neighbor upstairs who tap danced on the ceiling, literally.
What does the future hold for The Ukuladies?
Katie: Well, we hope to take over the world, one ukulele at a time, but barring that, we just want to keep making music together, bringing a little whimsy into the lives of our fans whenever possible!
Philippa: Especially now that 2 of us in the band have babies, I'd like to play some more family shows, in addition to our more "nite-time" act. And some day, we'd love for a theater or cabaret space to ask us to come and play a run. That would be lovely.
If you can't make this Saturday's performances, The Ukuladies will be playing at Freddy's Bar on December 22, or you can pick up a copy of their recently released CD called "All Time Greatest Hits Vol. II."
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