A Flying Leap (IMPORT)

James Hill, James Hill | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 13, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Borealis Recording
• ASIN: B000E6TZLU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,962 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

–Daniel Ho, Hawaiian Na Hoku Hano Hano Award-winning recording artist

"His compositions are wonderful… His technique is pristine and flawless… his rhythm and groove is deep… He’s got it all!

"Jimi Hendrix…did things with an electric guitar that I hadn’t thought possible. James Hill does that with the ukulele."

"...the Wayne Gretzky of the `ukulele."

Product Description

With the release of his third solo album, "A Flying Leap", James continues to tear up the uke (AcousticGuitar.net). Seven of the album s ten tracks are genre-bending originals ranging in style from the bluegrass-tinged 'Song for Cheri' to the jazzy 'Fleas My Dog Has' to the remarkable 'One Small Suite for `Ukulele,' an ambitious work in three movements written for `ukulele and string quartet. Also featured is a gorgeous two-uke arrangement of Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' alongside a swinging take on Chalmers Doane's 'Uke Talk'.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dynamic artistic masterpiece, July 28, 2005

By 

Joseph E. Gregory "JoE" (Manassas, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Flying Leap (Audio CD)

This CD ranks among the top 'ukulele cds in the world. His playing is fluid, graceful, delicate and aggressive, capturing the intricacies of the instrument. Hill expresses the traditional "feel" of the 'ukulele, taking it back to it's origins in the Pacific, while at the same time forcing a modernizing of the thoughts of what the instrument can do. The second I heard "Little Wing" I was blown away. Hill has taken a traditional and relaxed medium and shown that it can be a contende with the guitars and horns of the world. This cd is among my top 5 acoustical cd's in my collection.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ukelele Magic!, October 19, 2011

By 

MLS "matawheeze" (Langlois, OR) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Flying Leap (IMPORT) (Audio CD)

I heard James Hill on a Television show about the history and current popularity of ukelele music. His playing takes the genre to unimagined heights. His isn't your grandma's flapper jazz or an island riff redolent of swaying hips. Unlike some other ukelele players he finds new sounds and rhythms while retaining the essential character of the instrument. Listen to One Small Suite for Ukelele and you'll be hooked!

5.0 out of 5 stars I ADORE this album, May 12, 2007

By 

Diana C. S. Stephens (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Flying Leap (IMPORT) (Audio CD)

If I played 'ukulele, I would wish I had written this music. It's rich, fun, full of variety, addictive, and gives contagious energy. Happier tunes you'll never hear; there are also some more thoughtful, even bluesy tracks. It's brilliant.