Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) is a ukulele virtuoso known for his lightning-fast fingers. His music combines elements of jazz, rock, Hawaiian, and pop.

A fifth generation Japanese American, Jake initially gained attention in Hawaiʻi in 1998 as a member of the trio "Pure Heart", playing alongside Lopaka Colon (percussion), and Jon Yamasato (guitar). While Jake was working at a music store in Honolulu, the group released their eponymous debut album, featuring a sound and style very similar to the Kaʻau Crater Boys. The following year, they released Pure Heart 2, which earned them a Hoku award for Island Contemporary Album of the year. Jon departed for college shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Guy Cruz, younger brother of the Kaʻau Crater Boys' Ernie Cruz, Jr. The group continued to perform together through the summer of 2000, after which Jake decided to pursue a solo career.

His mother gave him a Ukulele at age four, and he was hooked from the first chord he played. He started using effect pedals to make new sounds that no one would associate with a tiny, four stringed, two octave, "novelty" instrument. His amplified riffs gave him the title "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele". The video of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" has received over 1.5 million views. He released a studio version of that on his latest CD, "Gently Weeps."

He has released an instructional DVD called "Play Loud Ukulele." Shimabukuro has toured with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Jimmy Buffett and most recently in Australia with Tommy Emmanuel.

His influences include Eddie Van Halen, George Harrison, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Lee and Carlos Santana.

Jake gained internet popularity from a video of him playing of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by the Beatles in Central Park. He played with the band on the Last Call with Carson Daly TV program on February 15, 2007 (reaired April 24, 2007).

Discography

Pure Heart

• "Pure Heart" (1998)
• "Pure Heart 2" (1999)
• "Pure Heart 2.5 Christmas" (1999)

Solo

File:Dragoncd.jpg

Album cover for Dragon

• Sunday Morning (2002)
• Crosscurrent (2003)
• Walking Down Rainhill (2004)
• Dragon (2005)
• Gently Weeps (2006)

Television

Japan

• NHK Ongaku Yume Club (音楽・夢くらぶ) - May 12 2005
• 57th Kōhaku Uta Gassen - December 31 2006, alongside Rimi Natsukawa
• NHK Live in Shibuya: Instrumental Music Concert, February 22, 2007

USA

• KHON-TV, Honolulu, Jake Live in Japan - September 2003
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien - December 2005
• Last Call with Carson Daly - February 2007

References

• The 1999 Hoku Award
• Pure Heart member changes

External links

• Official website
• Ukuleledisco.com clip on Jake Shimabukuro playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at Central Park.
• YouTube clip of live collaboration with beatboxer Jason Tom
• Jake Shimabukuro collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• 2006 Shimabukuro Interview from Modern Guitars Magazine
• 2006 Shimabukuro Interview on NPR
• 2006 Shimabukuro Interview from AsiaXpress.com.
• A biography and listing of Shimabukuro's albums from Sony Music Entertainment Japan
• High definition videoclips on Stage6 of Jake Shimabukuro playing live on the ukulele.

• [1] - Photos from live show