Canadian ukulele blues artist Manitoba Hal has taught thousands worldwide, to add a bluesy shuffle and groove to their playing. A ukulele master and singer-songwriter, Hal has been invited to teach workshops from Lille, France to Kenosee Lake, Saskatchewan; from the Kempt Shore in Nova Scotia to Wales and Czechoslovakia. Resident instructor of the Dock Street Uke Camp in his home town of Shelburne, NS, Hal “Manitoba Hal” Brolund has welcomed guest instructors from around the world to share a workshop stage and, alongside each other, teach an eager group of learners, many of whom return annually to experience the camp’s world class ukulele instruction. Hal began his career as a guitarist but began to play the ukulele when he inherited a 1955 Martin uke from his beloved grandfather who told him, “You can have it if you learn to play it.” In fact, he went on to master the tiny instrument, proving that the ukulele can be small but mighty as he pulls out powerful riffs and melodies adding background beats with looping technology showcasing the blues in all its passion and groove. Known for his expressive voice and his mastery of his instrument, Manitoba Hal and his trusty baritone ukulele take his audience from the deep south to the islands, with songs that are mournful, hopeful, silly, romantic and introspective, both in concert and in workshops. His original songs have become modern classics and his take on standards and popular blues songs of the past have brought him to festival stages worldwide.