Na Kama`aina
By John Heckathorn
published with permission from 
Honolulu Magazine, October 1998

But after 5,000 studio sessions and hundreds of hits, it was a pair of jazz 'ukulele albums Ritz recorded in the late '50s that may be his most enduring legacy. These albums, How About Uke? and Fiftieth State Jazz, were immediately forgotten on the Mainland. But in Hawai'i, Ritz's innovative 'ukulele riffs inspired a generation of players with names like Peter Moon, Moe Keale, Roy Sakuma. 

"He was a legend to us, we'd all studied his records," says Sakuma. Sakuma finally tracked down Ritz in 1985 and invited him to play at the annual Appliance Parts Co. 'Ukulele Festival. 

"I said I'd come if they really wanted me," says Ritz, who had no idea he was an Island legend and had pretty much given up on playing the 'ukulele professionally. "Roy's festival was quite an experience. I'll never forget 300 children all playing the theme from Ice Castles, in time and in tune. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I'd ever heard." 

Ritz returned every year for the festival. Then 10 years ago, he and his wife retired to the Islands. "We had a young daughter and we loved it here, but part of the attraction was the chance to play a little 'uke." 

Even retired, Ritz keeps busy. "Too busy sometimes," he adds. He often sits in around town, and has recorded a new album of 'ukulele jazz (Time, Roy Sakuma Productions). This month, he embarks on a four-city East Coast tour with Herb Ohta, Ledward Kaapana, Bob Brozman and Jim Beloff. "It seems there's a revival of interest in the 'ukulele," says Ritz. "Of course, my interest never went away."

[Pau] 

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