For those of you who have not heard his name yet, read carefully! (especially you are a great fan of stringed instruments, jazz, etc.)
Jake Shimabukuro is the world's best ukulele performer. He is a 5th generation Japanese descent Hawaiian and started playing the ukulele since four years old. Now, you may think, "oh, how exciting, he plays some aloha music", but no, he is very experimental! He writes his own songs, and plays covers. Just imagine the ukulele playing classical, flamenco, the beatles, pop, techno, traditional japanese songs, lullabies, etc. He is, after all, known as the Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele.
I bought two CDs last night, Gently Weeps and My Life, and got both of them signed with Jake's autograph. :) Shook hands with him three times, took a group photo, it was my first time chatting with a real famous musician. Apparently my "eyes were sparkling", according to my friends.
It feels good to watch this Japanese American/Hawaiian. He is just so passionate about what he does. He doesn't love himself, he loves the sound of the Ukelele. It is really quite astonishing with what he does with a four stringed 2-octave guitar.
You should all search for him on youtube. seriously. DO it. now! :D
Here is a group photo we took with Jake. I am on the far left. Jake is behind the girl in the middle (front).
PS and yes, I checked his tour dates to see if he was coming to any of our jasc sites this year, but no. we missed. darn. :( I asked him to come again to Minneapolis.
1 comment:
ah darn that would have been cool to have him at jasc! ill def have to look him up sounds really cool.
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