Jake Shimabukuro combines the qualities of a virtuoso ukulele player with rock musicians to create a sound that’s uniquely his own but still firmly grounded in Hawaiian tradition. Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, his performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages.
In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” and Cohen’s ... view more »
Jake Shimabukuro combines the qualities of a virtuoso ukulele player with rock musicians to create a sound that’s uniquely his own but still firmly grounded in Hawaiian tradition. Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, his performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages.
In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” and Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”Shimabukuro’s career sky-rocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to his unique playing style. In the years since the YouTube clip aired, he has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, and Lyle Lovett. He’s sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II. Shimabukuro has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine, which also stated, “one of the hottest axemen of the past few years doesn’t actually play guitar.” He has also won accolades from Eddie Vedder who says, “Shimabukuro is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with.”
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