Jake Shimabukuro Live!

Recently, I was hanging out at home...everyone was out and I was just playing around with my Uke.  I started searching the net to find something new to learn how to play or see if any new Uke stuff was out there.  I found a link to Jake Shimabukuro's concert schedule.  I thought maybe he might play somewhere near enough to drive to, but I didn't have my hopes up being out here in the Midwest.  Then I saw he was going to play in the town right where I live (actually I live in a suburb of that town).  Excitedly I clicked on the link to see when he was going to be here.  I stared at the date in disbelief...it was today!  The concert was set to start in just over a couple hours.  I got online and looked up the tickets.  There were still some available and decent seats too, so I jumped on it.


Jake Shimabukuro may not be a household name to everyone, but anyone who as even touched a Ukulele knows who he is.  I ran into someone I used to work with at the concert, he never played the Uke before but had seen the video of Jake playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps and when he saw a flyer for the concert bought some tickets.  He just had to see Jake play live.  That video has over 12 million views on youtube.  Jake was obviously much younger in that video and while it was amazing, what he's done since then is even better.

Jake is an incredible Ukulele player.  Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), who actually cut a solo ukulele album called Ukulele Songs, said "Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can't see anybody else catching up with."  Rolling Stone magazine called him a "musical hero."  He's been called the Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele.  He's so good that sometimes it's tough for me to listen to because I know I could never get to that level if I played everyday for my entire life. The guy just does stuff with a Uke you think could never be done.

For me,  highlights of the concert included a cover of Stings' Fields of Gold, his Uke cover of Bohemian Rhapsody (you have to hear it to believe it and it's even more amazing live), and an electric Uke version of Dragon, a throw back to his younger days when he played for a band called Pure Heart.  Another band member of Pure Heart was Jon Yamasato who produces the HiSessions videos on YouTube which featured several of my favorite Uke players like Brittni Paiva, Aldrine Guerrero, and Kalei Gamaio. 

It was a great honor and pleasure to watch Jake play live.  Check him out if you get the chance...Jake Shimabukuro's concert schedule.