Music
Press
Come see why Tim Sweeney of Orleans is a headliner act for ukulele festivals in New York City and Nova Scotia this year when he brings his Boss Cats (bassist Ed Banks and drummer John Randall) to play at the Hot Chocolate Sparrow this Saturday night.
A polished, passionate performer, Tim has surprised many listeners already. He plays an amplified ukulele to go along with his smooth singing voice.
- Don Wilding - Cape Codder
When most people think of the ukulele (if, in fact, they think of it at all) visions of Tiny Tim strumming chords to accompany his quivering falsetto come to mind.
Today, another Tim - Cape Cod musician Tim Sweeney - is doing his best to return the ukulele to its rightful place in the world of music with his newly released CD "New Uke State of Mind."
Playing acoustic ukulele for most of the 10-song set, Sweeney moves deftly through the Great American Songbook … His warm, relaxed vocals invite the listener to sing along or simply relax and enjoy the journey.
Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" breaks the mold, and Sweeney breaks all ukulele preconceptions playing electric uke on that cut. Plugged in, it is virtually indistinguishable from an electric guitar.
- Joe Burns - CD Review - Cape Experience
By Melora B. North
Orleans resident Tim Sweeney has come up with a new CD that is sure to put the public into a nostalgic mood.
Featuring uplifting old favorites such as "Sunny Side of the Street," Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" and Route 66," New Uke State of Mind is an offering that brings light into the gloom of these troubled times.
The numbers are upbeat, inspiring and just plain fun. Playing the ukulele and performing the vocals, Sweeney is accompanied by Laird Boles on standup bass and the two men mix and jive with abandon.
The CD was recorded just in time for his gig in New York City where he was a featured performer at the New York Uke Fest.
Sweeney was born with music in his blood. His father, a big band singer in Washington, D.C., was always singing and whistling around the house. Formerly a folk/rock guitarist, Sweeney picked up the ukulele just three years ago and was hooked."It was love at first plunk, a magical fit," he says.
Embellishing his interpretations with animated Bing Crosby-style whistling, Sweeney thumps along the strings of his instrument with an inherent comfort and joyful enthusiasm. Clearly he is having fun, which is his intent for listeners who might be interested in taking part in an old-fashioned hootenanny.
Q&A TIM SWEENEY
How does your audience respond when you perform these numbers live?
They will start tapping their toes and fingers. I thought the people that get what I am doing would be generally a bit older(60 and up); after all, it is the music of their youth. But my experience so far has been that it appeals to something inside of people in a wide age range. It's new and sounds hip to younger folks.
Have you studied music or are you just blessed?
I have had no formal training and I am blessed in so many ways. I think the passion that I have for both this music and the ukulele is evident when I perform. It makes me very happy, and it shows. People comment all the time that it looks like I am having fun and there's a reason. I am!
- Cape Cod Magazine June 2007
Discography
My new cd is titled "New Uke State of Mind." It's just out. It's recorded "live"in the studio. I was fortunate to get great players like Laird Boles on standup bass, Joey Spampinato (from NRBQ) on electric bass, and Rikki Bates, the best damn drummer on Cape Cod to record with me. Bruce Maclean engineered the sessions. It's very clean and sounds live, just as we planned.
Photos
Bio
The group is me, Tim Sweeney, on ukulele and vocals; a bass player, usually my friend Ed Banks or another fine Cape Cod bassist. People see the uke and don't know what to expect. We hit the first few bars of "Sunny Side of the Street," or "Satin Doll," and we've got' em. It's not your grandfather's ukulele -- I put a new spin on the old songs and sing them with feeling. People love a good whistler, so I try and do it well. Although I sing a number of Frank Sinatra songs, I'm trying to be Nat King Cole on the uke. Throw in a Beatles tune here and "Pinball Wizard" there and people respond. We always have fun and I'm told it shows.
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