Last week’s chain featured the considerably talented if unlikely pairing of Eddie Vedder and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Vedder is an artist who clearly likes to occasionally stretch his wings away from his rock base with Pearl Jam, and he managed to have a Grammy nomination for best vocal on the song ‘Rise’ from the ‘Into the Woods’ soundtrack, featuring a backing entirely comprising of massed ukuleles. He then followed this up a few years later with an entire album of ukulele songs…which enabled this link in the chain to a much-loved veteran of British Americana.
Joe Brown first appeared in the 1950’s, and had some extremely catchy hits in the early ‘60’s, but like so many, his chart success was limited when the Beat group era began. However, he stuck at his musical guns, and has continued touring, writing, and acting on stage ever since, developing a large and supportive live fan base. Like Vedder, he released a ukulele album in 2012, and it contains his version of ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’, which he uses to close out his shows, and indeed was the last song played at the George Harrison tribute concert (George having been a friend and the best man at Brown’s second wedding in 2000). This is a lovely live version for Jools Holland’s ‘Later…’ show.
