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Jake Shimabukuro

Though many still have trouble pronouncing his last name and the instrument he plays, Jake Shimabukuro (she-ma-BOO-koo-row) is becoming recognized as one of the world's top ukulele (oo-koo-LAY-lay) musicians.

His latest release, My Life (Hitchhike Records 1108) is an EP that features six brand-new ukulele arrangements of Jake's favorite tunes by Sarah McLachlan, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Cyndi Lauper, wrapped around the classic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". On this heartfelt and beautiful recording, Jake respects the originals while integrating his own soulful, one-of-a-kind interpretations. This follows in the footsteps of Jake's smash hit full-length CD Gently Weeps (2006), which has sold 100,000 copies worldwide.

Renowned for lightning-fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques, Jake views the ukulele as an "untapped source of music with unlimited potential". His virtuosity defies label or category. Playing jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco, and rock, Jake's mission is to show everyone that the ukulele is capable of so much more than only the traditional Hawaiian music many associate it with.

At just four years of age, Jake's mother gave him his first ukulele lesson. "When I played my first chord I was hooked", says Jake, " I fell in love

with the instrument". That love grew into a deep passion to create and innovate. Experimenting with various techniques allows Jake to create sounds never thought possible on the tiny four-string, two-octave instrument. A true showman, his performance captivates audiences with intricate strumming and plucking, electrifying high-energy grooves and smooth, melodic ballads. His covers of tunes by The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are interpretations that have dazzled and delighted audiences worldwide.

From a modest beginning performing at a local Honolulu cafe, Jake has gone on to play renowned venues such as the House of Blues and The Knitting Factory (Los Angeles); The Birchmere (Alexandria, VA); Tipitina's (New Orleans); Joe's Pub, Highline Ballroom, and B.B. King's Nightclub (NYC); The Bumbershoot Festival (Seattle); The Fuji Rock Festival (Japan) and many others. Occasional tours with Jimmy Buffett have broadened Jake's experience, regularly exposing his virtuosity and amazing stage presence to crowds of up to 50,000. Speaking of large audiences, Jake has also performed on national television shows such as NBC's The Late Show with Conan O'Brien (twice) and Last Call With Carson Daly, as well as featured on NPR's Morning Edition, Public Radio International's The World, and The Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio.

Selection as the spokesman - three years in a row - for Hawaii Tourism Japan's (HTJ) campaign to market Hawaii to Japan, as well as his frequent tours of the island nation, have made Jake Shimabukuro a household name in Japan. "Rainbow," a track from Walking Down Rainhill, was selected as HTJ's theme song as well as the official Honolulu Marathon theme song in 2004. In 2006, the Gently Weeps track "Beyond the Break" was selected as the Marathon's theme song and was played as Jake crossed the finish line upon completion of his first marathon run.

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Album Review

John Mayall: The Sun Is Shining Down

Read "The Sun Is Shining Down" reviewed by Scott Gudell


British blues master John Mayall can still turn out a rich collection of originals and covers six decades, and approximately sixty albums, after his first songs were released in the early 1960s. Add the fact that he still has a knack for enlisting top guitarists--this time Mayall spotlights Mississippi born/Chicago bred Melvin Taylor among others--and it is a Brit-led blues bash at its best. Often considered the Godfather of British Blues, Mayall said during a 1980s interview that ...

8
Extended Analysis

The Sun Is Shining Down

Read "The Sun Is Shining Down" reviewed by Doug Collette


Having announced he will be limiting his touring in the future, John Mayall doesn't seem to have lessened his engagement with recording. On the contrary, for The Sun Is Shining Down, 'The Godfather of British Blues' surrounds himself with a roster of high-profile contributors, all of whom play to their respective strengths and sound inspired collaborating with a genuine musical icon. Equally importantly, this fifth Forty Below Records studio outing (out of some forty overall) radiates a sense of deep ...

246
Live Review

Jake Shimabukuro Live: Ukulele Jazz

Read "Jake Shimabukuro Live: Ukulele Jazz" reviewed by Jim Santella


Jake Shimabukuro The Coach House San Juan Capistrano, CA February 2, 2007

One of the longest operating jazz venues in the neighborhood just south of Los Angeles, and Orange County's premier supper club, The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano continues to bring in some of the best musical artists. Their decision to bring in ukulele jazzman Jake Shimabukuro for a repeat performance this year meant another sold out event. For a club ...

204
Album Review

Jake Shimabukuro: Gently Weeps

Read "Gently Weeps" reviewed by Jim Santella


Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro covers a wide range of musical styles. Like a classical guitarist who can't be satisfied with a narrow repertoire of known entities, Shimabukuro reaches out to the worlds of jazz, blues, funk, folk, rock and beyond. He performs twelve selections a cappella, while the remaining five bonus tracks feature a large number of guests.

Shimabukuro opens Gently Weeps with George Harrison's tune “While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which features the expressive slide technique ...

212
Album Review

Jake Shimabukuro: Gently Weeps

Read "Gently Weeps" reviewed by John Kelman


Pity the poor ukulele. Consigned to a less-than-respectable fate thanks to Tiny Tim and movies like Elvis Presley's Paradise, Hawaiian Style, this small four-string cousin to the guitar just can't get any respect. Jake Shimabukuro has been working hard to change that over the past few years on albums like Skyline (Epic, 2003) and Dragon (Hitchhike, 2005). But while earlier recordings have placed Shimabukuro's diminutive instrument in larger group settings, Gently Weeps is all the more remarkable for being a ...

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Performance / Tour

Jake Shimabukuro | California | Review | Photos

Jake Shimabukuro | California | Review | Photos

Source: JamBase

By L. Paul Mann Jake Shimabukuro :: 02.13.12 :: Carpinteria Plaza Playhouse Theater :: Carpinteria, CA The non-profit Carpinteria Plaza Playhouse Theater is the Santa Barbara area's newest live music venue. The 83-year-old little movie house has recently been remodeled as a community playhouse and concert hall. The theater sits in the center of downtown, in the little beach town of Carpinteria. Originally named The Alcazar, the theater was built in 1928 by, Henry J. Muller and run by Hollywood ...

241

Interview

Jake Shimabukuro: Defying Genres to Bring the Ukulele Mainland and Mainstream

Jake Shimabukuro: Defying Genres to Bring the Ukulele Mainland and Mainstream

Source: Groove Notes

Jake Shimabukuro recently visited the KPLU performance studio. Below is the audio and photos from KPLU’s Nick Morrison, Abe Beeson, and Justin Steyer. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE STUDIO SESSION KPLU was pleased to welcome ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro, into our studios on March 29, 2011. Jake played before not only a record number of KPLU Leadership Circle members, but four young ukulele players from Foster High School we recently featured in an installment of Artscape, which explored the ...

166

Performance / Tour

Ukelele Star Jake Shimabukuro Tours U.S,

Ukelele Star Jake Shimabukuro Tours U.S,

Source: Larry Taylor

Ukelele genius Jake Shimabukuro is making quite a stir in the jazz world. Among achievements, he was featured at last fall's Monterey Jazz Festival and in January released> Heart, Peace, Love, Ukulele on Hitchhike Records. He is currently on a nationwide tour and will be featured in Orange County,. March 4, at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Cosa Mesa, California. Born in 1976 in, he has become a virtuoso on this unlikely jazz instrument. Known for his complex finger ...

212

Performance / Tour

Jake Shimabukuro, Bette Midler to Perform for Queen of England

Jake Shimabukuro, Bette Midler to Perform for Queen of England

Source: JamBase

JAKE SHIMABUKURO TO PERFORM WITH BETTE MIDLER IN THE PRESENCE OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Jake Shimabukuro Jake Shimabukuro, the ukulele virtuoso from Hawaii, will perform his arrangement of The Beatles' tune “In My Life" with Bette Midler for The Royal Variety Performance 2009 in Blackpool, England. The Performance is presented annually in aid of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund (the EABF), whose patron is Her Majesty The Queen. Acts lined up to appear include Whoopi Goldberg, Canadian singer Michael ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Sun Is Shining...

Forty Below Records
2022

buy

Live

Black Label Records
2009

buy

My Life

Hitchhike Records
2008

buy

Gently Weeps

Hitchhike Records
2006

buy

Dragon

Black Label Records
2005

buy

Peace, Love & Ukulele

Black Label Records
2005

buy

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