Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukurois a ukulele virtuoso and composer known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro has written numerous original compositions, including the entire soundtracks to two Japanese films, Hula Girlsand the Japanese remake of Sideways...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth3 November 1976
CityHonolulu, HI
CountryUnited States of America
If I could do something with Paul McCartney it would be just amazing. Or Eric Clapton.
You know, Leonard Cohen is amazing, just a mastermind, and really one of the great geniuses of our time.
Most of my ukulele heroes were traditional players from Hawaii, like Eddie Kamae and Ohta-san. There may not be uke stars in popular culture, but there are certainly pop stars that play uke - George Harrison, Eddie Vedder, Taylor Swift, Train, and Paul McCartney.
The ukulele totally fits that whole hipster community or whatever you want to call it, but then at the same time it works great in nursing homes where senior citizens get together and play, and then as the traditional Hawaiian instrument with people doing the Hula and strumming the ukulele and singing.
The ukulele totally fits that whole hipster community or whatever you want to call it, but then at the same time it works great in nursing homes where senior citizens get together and play, and then as the traditional Hawaiian instrument with people doing the Hula and strumming the ukulele and singing.
Blues, rock and hip hop are more about a lifestyle and culture than notes on a page.
I know a few chords on the guitar, but I wouldn't be able do a show or even be part of a jam session with one.
When I played my first chord, I was hooked. I fell in love with the instrument.
There's something about the ukulele that just makes you smile. It makes you let your guard down. It brings out the child in all of us.
Bruce Lee loved all different styles of martial arts. He believed that you shouldn't limit yourself to one style, because martial arts is just another form of human expression.
You get older, you start meeting girls, you want to impress them. And if you happen to know an instrument, what you do is turn on the radio and try to figure out how to play popular songs.
When I was growing up, there was no such thing as a touring ukulele player.
You know, the ukulele itself is not a very loud instrument, all right? And, you know, compared to like a trumpet, right? A trumpet is really loud.
There's nothing I like better than talking to kids, just sharing the music with them. To relate to them, you need to play songs they're familiar with.