The EduKated Fleas - Ukulele Swing!

The Big Hits… On Small Instruments!

Ukuleles are small. Yet, ukulele duet Greg Doyle and Wendy Matthews play the big hits, favoring swing and vintage tunes – as well as a few things you might not expect to hear on uke. The Fleas have been playing together as a ukulele duo since late 2006, united by a common love of the music from the 20s through 50s. As the Fleas soon discovered, ukes are perfect for these cheerful, melodic tunes. The Fleas feature both Greg and Wendy on vocals, often in harmony.

Greg Doyle, on baritone uke, is a guitarist whose musical interests span Swing to Surf and beyond. He has been playing guitar since his teens and was a long-time member of Vic Schwarz’s Acoustic Workshop, a Hudson Valley-based, six-piece string band. Greg teaches uke and guitar privately.

Wendy Matthews, on soprano uke, was charmed by the instrument’s portability and quirkiness, and took it up a few years back to accompany her singing. She has been singing and playing a variety of instruments since her teens. In a previous life, she was a member of Bad Attitudes, a four-woman music and comedy troupe.

The Fleas have delighted audiences in venues as varied as the Clearwater Festival, Hoot on the Hudson, Ukulele Cabaret and New York Ukulele Festival, as well as street fairs, restaurants, libraries, art openings and private parties across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine. On her travels, Wendy has also performed in exotic locales such as Honduras and Borneo!

Looking for a great gift? The Fleas' full-length CD, "It Had To Be Uke" is now available! Get it directly from us: $15 + 3.50 if you'd like it mailed to you. Just use this link to our PayPal page.
Also available for download on CD Baby and Amazon.

Wedding? Special birthday? Cocktails on the patio? Let the Fleas add some fun to your next event: edukatedfleas@edukatedfleas.com

Sunday, November 28

December!!

It's hard to believe that 2021 is almost over! Join us at these final events of the year.

Swing Jam, Sunday, December 12th, 10 til 1pm. We'll be back at Bank Square Coffeehouse in our favorite old spot. All instruments welcome!

HO-HO-HO Holiday Brunch at the Towne Crier, Sunday, December 19th, 11:30 til 2:30. Towne Crier Cafe, 379 Main St., Beacon NY. With special honorary Flea, Tom Lombardi! Tom will be filling in for Wendy on uke (no strumming due to shoulder surgery), but Wendy will still be singing! Come celebrate the holidays with us and enjoy a delicious brunch! Reservations recommended, no cover charge.

Tuesday, November 2

November dates with the Fleas!

Fleas and Friends in Concert, Saturday, November 6th, 1pm. Mahopac Library, 668 US-6, Mahopac, NY 10541. We'll be joined by the inimitable Art Labriola on lap steel guitar and Niles Spaulding on bass for a concert of hapa haole Hawaiian classics and swing tunes. Free!! But register with the library at https://mahopaclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/the-edukated-fleas-a-ukulele-duo/

Swing Jam, Sunday, November 14th, 10 til 1pm. It's time to head indoors! We'll be back at Bank Square Coffeehouse in our old spot. All instruments welcome!

Fourth Hudson Valley Ukulele Invitational! Sunday, November 21, 3pm til 5:45pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Beacon NY. After a year's Covid hiatus, we're thrilled to announce the return of the ukulele invitational. Bring your uke and join the fun: There will be a host of great performers, plus play-alongs for everyone to participate in. Support the Crier by enjoying a late lunch or early dinner! Great food and drink! Don't miss it! Suggested donation: $5.

Friday, July 9

July with the Fleas!

Summer is here! We hope to celebrate summer with you at one of these events. Stay tuned for the next Uke Open Mic date... it has not been confirmed yet.

Swing Jam, Sunday, July 11th, 10 til 1pm. If the weather is good, we will be outdoors behind the Beacon Welcome Center, across the street from Bank Square. We have found this location to be superior to the patio at Bank Square -- more shade, less noise, good bathroom! Bring a chair! If the weather is poor: We've been invited to return to Bank Square now that it is fully open again. We'll be back in our usual spot.

Brunch at the Towne Crier, Sunday, July 18, 11:30 til 2:30. Towne Crier Cafe, 379 Main St., Beacon NY. The Fleas are delighted to be providing music for your brunching enjoyment! Toe-tapping tunes and tasty food too!!! Reservations recommended, no cover charge.

Brunch at Note Kitchen and Bar, Sunday, July 25, 12 to 3. Note Kitchen and Bar, 227 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel CT. We love playing brunch at Note! Join us for terrific food on the delightful patio -- or indoors if the weather is poor. No cover charge.

Thursday, May 20

Upcoming LIVE dates in June!

Sunday, June 27, 11:30 til 2:30

Join us for Brunch at the Towne Crier Cafe, Beacon NY

Join us as we return to play brunch at the Towne Crier. Great food accompanied by some toe-tapping ukulele swing from the Fleas!!

Ukulele Gathering, LIVE!!!!, Thursday, July 1, 6:30 til 9pm. Towne Crier Cafe, Beacon NY.

Our first live Ukulele Gathering (AKA open mic) was such fun, and now we're doing it again! Come perform for us! You must sign up via email by June 30th. Play-alongs too! And be sure to make a dinner reservation by calling 845-855-1300. Hopefully the guidelines will be further relaxed this time. Come enjoy a great meal and see friends in person at the Towne Crier!

Monday, May 3

May happenings and more LIVE FLEAS!!

Spring is here and the Fleas are swinging again! We are delighted to be returning to Note Kitchen in Bethel after a two-year hiatus for a May 15 brunch 12 to 3 on the patio -- and hope to see lots of local friends there!

Swing Jam, Sunday, May 9, 10 til 1pm. Outdoors by the Beacon Welcome Center, across the street from Bank Square. Weather permitting! We are excited to play with friends again! We will gather outside the Beacon Welcome Center until Bank Square is fully open again and can accommodate us. Bring a chair and a music stand! Bathrooms available in the Welcome Center building.

Ukulele Gathering, LIVE!!!!, Thursday, May 13, 6:30 til 9pm. We were virtual for more than a year, but now the "open mic" returns to the Towne Crier -- but in a little different form to comply with Covid guidelines. You must sign up via email (respond to this note) before 2pm on 5/13. Detailed guidelines to follow in a separate note. Come see friends in person at the Towne Crier!

Brunch at Note, Saturday, May 15, 12 to 3. Note Kitchen and Bar, 227 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel CT. After two years, the Fleas are delighted to return to Note! Join us for lunch or brunch on the patio, weather permitting! Note has great food and drink, and a perfect outdoor spot to relax and enjoy the spring weather. No cover charge. Celebrate the return of live music with us!

Wednesday, April 21

LIVE FLEAS!

Sunday, April 25, 11:30 til 2:30

Towne Crier Cafe, Beacon NY

Join us for our first live gig in many moons when we return to the Towne Crier. Enjoy a delicious brunch and some toe-tapping ukulele swing from the Fleas!!

Monday, November 30

December: Holiday showcase and two Uke Open Mics!

Saturday, December 5th, 2:00 til 4:00pm Join us on Zoom for the Gaithersburg Ukefest Holiday Performers Showcase. Lots of great performers celebrating the season! We're on early, about 2:10. Email us at edukatedfleas@edukatedfleas.com and we'll send you the Zoom link!

Uke Open Mic, Virtual Edition XIV and XV, Thursday, Dec. 3rd and Dec. 17th, 7 til 9pm. The virtual uke open mic continues via Zoom and Facebook Live! To sign up to perform or participate in the holiday Play-Alongs, email us at edukatedfleas@edukatedfleas.com by 3pm on the day of the event to receive the link.

Celebrate the season! Holiday tunes welcome! Two tunes or max. 10 minutes per set.

Monday, November 2

November: Fleas live!!

We are thrilled to announce our first LIVE gig since February -- and it might be the only one this year. Please join us for brunch at the Towne Crier in Beacon on Sunday, November 15th! Come on out and support live music while you can! Details below.

Brunch at the Towne Crier, Sunday, November 15th, 11:30 til 2:30. Towne Crier Cafe, 379 Main St., Beacon NY. The Fleas are delighted to be providing music for your brunching enjoyment! The Crier has installed a HEPA filtration system, has socially distanced tables and has opened up the entire large space to provide good air circulation. Tasty food too!!! Reservations suggested, no cover charge. We would be so delighted to see you!

Uke Open Mic, Virtual Edition XIII, Thursday, Nov. 12th, 7 til 9pm. The virtual uke open mic continues via Zoom and Facebook Live! To sign up to perform or participate in the Play-Alongs, RSVP to this email by 3pm on 11/12 to receive the link. Two tunes or max. 10 minutes per set.

Tuesday, September 22

Fleas in October -- a rare concert appearance and workshops!

The Fleas have been notably absent from the scene since the advent of the pandemic, so we are excited to announce that we'll be playing in a Gaithersburg Uke Fest Performers Showcase on October 17th.

And the Uke Fest is doing an amazing job of keeping the ukulele world going by hosting many varied ukulele workshops this fall --18 in October alone, and Wendy will be teaching three of them! To register or for details on all the workshops, email gaithersburgukefest@gmail.

Gussy Up Your Three-Chord Tunes, Thursday, Oct. 1st, 8pm. Learn how to enrich simple tunes to make them more interesting to play and sophisticated to listen to. Advanced beginner.

Closed Position Chords: Many chords, one shape; Thursday, Oct. 15th, 8pm. Movable chord shapes will help you use more of your fretboard, play easily in any key and become a better musician. Intermediate/advanced intermediate.

Gaithersburg Uke Fest Performers Showcase: Jazz and Swing, Saturday, Oct. 17th, 2pm til 4pm. A great performer lineup and prizes too! Please RSVP to gaithersburgukefest@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

Meet the Beatles, Saturday, Oct. 24th, 11am. Learn to play a complete arrangement of a Beatles tune (From Me to You) in the original Beatle key and matching the original arrangement, so you can play and sing along with the Fab Four! Advanced beginner/intermediate.

Kudos to the Gaithersburg Uke Fest for the fantastic support they've provided for ukulele players and performers during the pandemic!

Monday, August 24

August Flea News

With the pandemic putting the kibosh on all our gigs through year end there is not much to report from Flealand -- but we miss seeing and playing for all of you! Here's what we can report:

Ukulele Open Mic, virtual edition IX, Thursday, August 27, 7:00 til 9:00 pm. The Uke Open Mic continues via Zoom. RSVP to edukatedfleas@gmail.com with your email address by 3pm on 8/27 to sign up to perform or participate in the Play-Alongs.
Two short tunes or max. 10 minutes per set!

The Uke Open Mic happens biweekly.

🎸 Want to learn to play the uke? Online group classes are forming for the fall. If you are interested, email us with your level: complete beginner, beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate, etc. Private lessons available too!