- Jake Shimabukuro
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Jake Shimabukuro 
Jake Shimabukuro performing in Joshua Tree, California in 2007.Background information Born November 3, 1976 Genres Jazz, blues, funk, rock, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco Instruments Ukulele Years active 1998–present Associated acts Pure Heart Website www.jakeshimabukuro.com Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) is an ukulele virtuoso known for his complex finger work.[1] His music combines elements of jazz and rock.[2]
Contents
History
Shimabukuro's mother gave him an ukulele at age four and he quickly took an interest in the instrument. A fifth generation Japanese-American,[3] Shimabukuro initially gained attention in Hawaiʻi in 1998 as a member of Pure Heart, a trio with Lopaka Colon (percussion), and Jon Yamasato (guitar). Shimabukuro was working at a music store in Honolulu when the group released its eponymous first album, featuring a sound and style somewhat similar to the Kaʻau Crater Boys. Their first album won them four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (the Hawaiian counterpart of the Grammy Awards): Island Contemporary Album of the Year, Most Promising Artist(s), Album of the Year and Favorite Entertainment of the Year, the latter determined by unrestricted public vote.
The following year, they released Pure Heart 2, which earned them another Hoku award for Island Contemporary Album of the year. Yamasato informed the others that he was quitting the group via a newspaper story that ran in the Honolulu Advertiser on Thanksgiving Day, and Shimabukuro and Colon formed another group, Colon, which they named in honor of Colon's father, famed percussionist Augie Colon. The new guitarist was Guy Cruz, younger brother of the Kaʻau Crater Boys' Ernie Cruz, Jr., and John Cruz. Colon won the Hoku Award for Favorite Entertainer of the Year in 2001, after which Shimabukuro decided to pursue a solo career.
As a solo artist after the break-up of Colon he experimented with using effect pedals to make new sounds that few would associate with an ukulele. He has released an instructional DVD called Play Loud Ukulele, and in 2006, composed the music to the Japanese film Hula Girls, which featured hula dancing and a Hawaiian spa resort as its primary theme and setting respectively.
Shimabukuro also performed on stage with Jimmy Buffett and his group, The Coral Reefer Band and is featured on Buffett's CD/DVD release, Live in Anguilla.
In November 2009, Shimabukuro accompanied fellow Hawaiian-born Bette Midler at the Royal Variety Show. They performed a rendition of the Beatles song "In My Life" as the first of Midler's three-song set.
Jake is the key spokesman for the "Music is Good Medicine" organization, which uses community outreach programs - and visits to schools, senior centers, and hospitals - to emphasize the importance of a healthy life and mind as well as promoting music and the arts.[4]
Performing in Stockholm during JazzFest'09
Instruments
Shimabukuro plays a custom-made 4 string tenor ukulele from Kamaka Ukulele. He uses a Line 6 Pod XT Live.[5]
References
- ^ http://www.musicplayer.com/article/jake-shimabukuro/Sep-05/13510
- ^ Official biography
- ^ Virtuoso more than a novelty act
- ^ "Interview with Jake Shimabukuro by human2stay.com". http://www.phpm.ru/u/166b.
- ^ http://www.musicplayer.com/article/jake-shimabukuro/Sep-05/13510 Interview with Shimabukuro
External links
- Official website
- YouTube clip of live collaboration with beatboxer Jason Tom
- Jake in Concert on midnight ukulele disco
- Jake Shimabukuro collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
- Interview with Jake Shimabukuro 2009
- 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
- [1] - Photos from live show
- Jake Shimabukuro featured at the Waikiki Shell, Hawaii Romance Festival, May 2008
- Jake Shimabukuro feature by the Pacific Citizen newspaper, Oct. 2009
Categories:- Musicians from Hawaii
- 1976 births
- Living people
- American people of Japanese descent
- American people of Okinawan descent
- American musicians of Japanese descent
- Ukulele players
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