Jim Beloff, Dreams I Left in Pockets
Jim Beloff found his voice decades ago when he picked up a ukulele at a flea market, struck a chord, and quit his day job. He has done much to improve the Joe’s stature in the 20th century, helping develop the Flea and Fluke models, publishing the “jumping Jim” songbooks and teaching others to play. Beloff is a skilled arranger of songs by other composers, but he’s always tossed an original song or two into his songbooks and they can be exquisite too. He takes simple concepts of beauty, graciousness and passion and applies them to gentle four-string strumming. I’ve heard Jim Beloff play live a few times, and he’s done a few recordings Before this one, including the lovely dust album rare air with his wife Liz. Dreams I Left in Pockets is presented squarely as a showcase for his songwriting prowess. Some are great advertisements for its favored instrument and the culture that surrounds it: “Blues on a Ukulele,” “That Hawaiian Melody,” “I’m Carry a Tiki Torch for You.” Others are odes to wandering, presumably with a uke in hand: “The Open Road,” “At the Magic Laundromat.” Some are both whimsical and wistful: “Scratchy Records,” “I’m So Happy Not to Be Sad.” The best of the tunes, such as “Charles Ives,” are both whimsical and inspirational, clear and uncompromising declarations lightly filtered through an unassuming uke and Jim Beloff’s own gentle soul.