Jake Shimabukuro
Encyclopedia
Jake Shimabukuro is an ukulele
virtuoso
known for his complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz
and rock
.
. 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 Kaau 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.
. He uses a Line 6 Pod XT Live.
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
known for his complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
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, Shimabukuro initially gained attention in Hawaii 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 Kaau Crater BoysKa`au Crater Boys
Kaau Crater Boys were a Hawaiian Contemporary musical duo composed of Ernie Cruz, Jr. , Troy Fernandez . They recorded and released four popular Hawaiian Contemporary albums:*Tropical Hawaiian Day...
. 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 Kaau 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
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
called Play Loud Ukulele, and in 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
, composed the music to the Japanese film
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
Hula Girls
Hula Girls
is an award-winning Japanese film, directed by Sang-il Lee and co-written by Lee and Daisuke Habara, and first released across Japanese theaters on September 23, 2006...
, which featured hula dancing and a Hawaiian spa resort as its primary theme and setting respectively.
Shimabukuro also performed on stage with Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
and his group, The Coral Reefer Band
Coral Reefer Band
The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Originally it was a fictional band consisting of the imaginary members Marvin Gardens, Kay Pasa, Al Vacado and Kitty Litter....
and is featured on Buffett's CD/DVD release, Live in Anguilla.
In November 2009, Shimabukuro accompanied fellow Hawaiian-born Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
at the Royal Variety Show. They performed a rendition
Rendition
Rendition may refer to:*Rendition , a legal term meaning "handing over"*Extraordinary rendition by the United States, the abduction and illegal transfer of a person from one nation to another*"Rendition" , an episode of Torchwood...
of the Beatles song "In My Life
In My Life
"In My Life" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney . The song originated with Lennon, and while Paul McCartney contributed to the final version, the extent of his contribution is in dispute. George Martin contributed the instrumental bridge...
" 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.
Instruments
Shimabukuro plays a custom-made 4 string tenor ukulele from Kamaka UkuleleKamaka Ukulele
Kamaka Hawaii, Incorporated, also known as Kamaka Ukulele or just Kamaka is a family-owned Hawaii-based maker of ukuleles. It is often credited with producing some of the world's finest ukuleles, and created the first pineapple ukulele.-History:...
. He uses a Line 6 Pod XT Live.
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 ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - Interview with Jake Shimabukuro 2009
- 2006 Shimabukuro Interview from Modern Guitars Magazine
- 2006 Shimabukuro Interview on NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
- 2006 Shimabukuro Interview from AsiaXpress.com
- A biography and listing of Shimabukuro's albums from Sony Music Entertainment JapanSony Music Entertainment Japanis Sony's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Corporation and independent from the United States-based Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry....
- http://tourbuslive.com/albums/Jake%20Shimabukuro/index.html - 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