Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro ( born November 3, 1976 in Kaimuki, Hawaii) is a Hawaiian ukulele. His music style is mainly influenced by jazz, rock and pop.

Shimabukuro began learning the ukulele at age 4. His first teacher was his mother, and he later attended the Ukulelenschule by Roy Sakuma, where he was taught by Tami Akiyami. He first played traditional Hawaiian music and began later pieces for other instruments to transcribe for the ukulele. His musical range stretches from rock and pop songs by the Beatles ( "While my guitar gently weeps " ) or Michael Jackson's " Thriller " on jazz pieces by Chick Corea ( "Spain" ) to Niccolò Paganini's Capriccio classic pieces such as No. 24 for violin. Internationally known Shimakuburo was also on the internet website YouTube.

Shimabukuro is one of the best Ukulelenspieler the world. He was the first player who has been invited by this instrument at the Sydney Opera House. The Washington Post compared Shimabukuros skill on the ukulele with the Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton on guitar. Shimabukuro himself cites as influences mainly the guitarist Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucía and Yngwie Malmsteen and Eddie Kamae Ukulelenspieler, whom he referred to as " the Miles Davis of the ukulele ." He toured with Béla Fleck and Jimmy Buffett and opened some concerts of Bryan Adams in the U.S..

For the Japanese Comedy Hula Girls, which won four Japanese Academy Awards, Shimabukuro provided the soundtrack, and also contributed some pieces for the soundtrack of the television series Beyond the Break at.

Shimabukuro plays only a four-string tenor ukulele manufacturer of the famous Hawaiian Kamaka, which is made of koa wood and is covered by him with D'Addario strings.

Discography

• Sunday Morning ( 2002)
• Crosscurrent (2003)
• Walking Down Rainhill (2004)
• Dragon ( 2005)
• Gently Weeps (2006)
• My Life (2007)
• Hula Girls ( 2007)
• Peace Love Ukulele (2011)
• Grand Ukulele (2012 )