CENTERblog

Jake Shimabukuro
by Hannah Swanson - West High School

A Japanese virtuoso, playing a Hawaiian-based instrument, who is compared to Jimi Hendrix. The most unusual combo to say the least, but Shimabukuro is a most amazing revolutionary artist. The average human has 10 fingers. I really believe that Shimabukuro has 10,000. The speed, technique, and intensity of his music seems like there isn’t just two hands playing his ukulele.

Jake starts out with a flamenco inspired piece called ‘Lets Dance’. He plugged the ukulele into two huge amps sitting in front of his stool on stage. When his speed picked up, the amps gave the effect of a guitar. The Spanish had familiar plucking techniques and notes that you would expect to hear in a Zorro movie. The fast strumming in the end created a huge crescendo that had the audience whistling, after only the first song!

All of Jake’s pieces were inspired by something. Either from his family gas trips, Bruce Lee, a friend’s ill grandmother, or one too many Shirley Temples. His songs don’t include lyrics, so he explained the story for each song. You could tell at what point the story was by the speed, and how loud or soft the sound was. H also drew inspiration from a Japanese instrument called a ‘koto’. It’s very hard to re-create the same sounds from a 13 string instrument, to a 4 string instrument. The Asian style was in the notes, but didn’t bring the same effect. It was an idea, but it shouldn’t have been attempted on the ukulele.

The music was very awe-inspiring, by not only the sound, but watching Jake himself. When the first note was strummed he closed his eyes, rocked back and forth, tapped his feet, and moved to every note and rhythm he played. The mount of soul put into the music, Jake showed onstage in presence which made each song more endearing. You never wanted the song to end.

Jake closed the night once again with a rip roaring tune, this time inspired by the bluegrass, and the Orange Blossom Festival in Georgia. Once again the amps helped accentuate the fast southern strums. After a deafening final hit of all four strings, the audience, almost as on cue, stand up in a whooping standing ovation. Jake strummed the heartstrings of Anchorage on Sunday afternoon, and showed how he has begun to change the ukulele’s limits and potential.

Jake Shimabukuro
Anchorage Concert Association
March 29, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Atwood Concert Hall