Wow!! (Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso)

Subject: Wow!!
From: Dave4Guild
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:04 PM

Click on this, guess the tune, Burn guitar!

wow

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST,Bigfolker
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:16 PM

Wow indeed

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:16 PM

I can only agree. Wow.

(Or perhaps Wah-Wah?)

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:21 PM

What is the tune ? I know it's one of George Formby's but I can't quite put my finger on it ...

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: lesblank
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 07:31 PM

While My Guitar Gently Weeps !!!   I'm thinking about cutting off my fingers !!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 08:31 PM

incredible playing loud applause... for one moment I thought it was YoYoMa playing a shrunken Cello ;-)

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 08:54 PM

Any one want to make me a sensible offer for a nice Ukulele ?? Gawd thats Tasty !! - With a Capital T !!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 08:57 PM

But WHO is it?

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 09:20 PM

Didn't work for me. I'd love to hear it!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 10:05 PM

I have watched it and listened several times, This guy is a modern day Segovia, absolutely an incredible rendition.....

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 10:25 PM

Tiny Tim's son - trained up by his father.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 11:03 PM

Thanks for the link, DaveTaM. Wonderful and amazing!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 11:36 PM

Is this the kid from Vancouver BC who's an absolute virtuoso? If it is, he is only about 15 or 16 at the most. Makes you wish you had taken up accounting.....hmmmm WOW!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 12:10 AM

If not, it could be this kid

Jake Shimabukuro

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 12:26 AM

It is indeed Jake Shimabukuro, an absolute bastard of a player.
All I can say is that he probably picks his nose or something.
Nature is unfair... He is truly great

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 12:37 AM

LOL! He's probably an incredibly nice guy with an IQ of about 300 as well. There is another one here in BC in the offing too that we heard on the CBC recently. Definitely magic.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 12:38 AM

I just KNEW his name was TIM!!!!....and at age 15....he is tiny.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: PoppaGator
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 12:54 AM

Unbellle-e-e-e-e-e-vable!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Morticia
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 07:37 AM

that was amazing, what a player!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: jeffp
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 09:40 AM

This kid is absolutely spectacular! Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm going to have to get that CD of his. Wow, indeed.

jeffp

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 09:52 AM

Gawd, 15??!!! Thanks for tracking down who he is, Mets. Gotta get that CD!!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 11:02 AM

kat, I don't think Jake Shimabukuro is 15, although he doesn't appear to be very old on the Website or in the video, I was referring to another young man in Vancouver who is also quite spectacular as well.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 04:00 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 04:47 PM

Don Ross better watch his ass!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:07 PM

What a treat!! And to think I gave up ukelele for guitar, so many years ago ...

Too bad they didn't bother to name the artist. How *Canadian* of them! He looks older than 15, whoever he is. I bet he's classically trained - on the guitar. And that he practices 12 hours a day.

Thanks alot, Dave!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:14 PM

daylia, I think, from what Mets posted, he really is Jake Shimabukuro; just not as young as I thought. Still, WOW!

Thanks, again, Mets and Dave for the working link. Rick Fielding would've enjoyed this.

kat

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Kitty
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:17 PM

I hurt listening to him, probably only from rampant jealousy. I only sort of play my guitar, and that, badly. I can't imagine being able to play like that. What it would be like to be in the same room listening to him... "Wow" is as good a word for it all as I can come up with.
k

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:25 PM

I would think from the website *daylia*, Canada can't claim him but Hawaii sure can.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:44 PM

Didn't see your link Metchosin - thanks. And you too, kat! I agree it must be Jake Shimabukuro. Ooooo   Hawaii here I come!!! (I only wish...)

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From:
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 05:57 PM

He IS amazing! Thanks, Dave for spreading the word.

Some of my guitar picking friends are going to HATE me for showing them this!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 06:35 PM

You sure he's not 15? All the characteristics are there, the glasses the wrist a blur :¬]
Then again I could be being bitchy on account of his awesome Ukeing [New word]
Giok

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 09:54 PM

Ya gotta hear his cover of The Pink Panther

I wonder what this kid'd sound like with a real instrument...

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Highlandman
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 10:21 PM

That is no dime store uke, Clinton--
plays true all the way up the neck and still in tune at the end after all that banging ... the instrument is almost as impressive as the player.
Definitely has classical training, probably in Spanish style.
-HM

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 11:32 PM

Okay, found out he was 27 in 2004 and damn he is so cute! Nice little write-up with more pix of him HERE. Did some touring with Bela Fleck, too.

kat

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 04:28 AM

It looks like there are only 4 strings on that instrument. The kid needs a real challenge!

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST,Anna
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 08:37 AM

Although I can't fault the performance, which was pretty darn amazing. What always gets me is peoples reactions to performances like this. He can play his instrument, woo hoo! This is a common occurance that I find in the classical world, you find people that are gifted, talented and amazing. It's expected. Why is this not the case in the folk world? I was performing concertos with orchestras at the age of 15 ... I could play my instrument. Why do people seem so surprised in folk?

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 09:03 AM

Dear Guest Anna... No-one is surprised by his virtuosity, but in the quality of sound he can produce from a four stringed instrument not commonly credited with such ability.

Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 11:10 AM

I would agree DaveTAM, it is not his virtuosity that is unique, but his fundamental musicality on an instrument that garners about as much respect as a crumpled milk carton. What he manages to convey, where a lot of musicians fail, despite a sophisticated technical ability, is love.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 01:21 PM

Re love, perhaps a further explanation. IMO, there is a loss of "self" within his music and within his loss of "self", others are embraced and are touched at a fundamental level.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: CarolC
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 01:36 PM

If I was his guitar, I'd be weeping too, considering what this guy has been doing with his ukelele.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:01 PM

... while my guitar gently weeps in the presence of these Hawaiian ukes extraordinaire....

$1400-2300 US?!? Wowwww ... and I wonder if young Shimabukuro's instrument is custom crafted, and therefore worth even more ....

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:22 PM

And here's a biography of this exceptional young man. Nothing about his instruments, but it sounds like you're right on about the love inherent in his music, Metchosin -

...While Jake has great respect and love for traditional Hawaiian ukulele music, his mission is to show everyone that the ukulele is capable of so much more.

At just four years of age, Jake was given his first ukulele lesson by his mother. "When I played my first chord I was hooked," says Jake, "I fell in love with the instrument." That love grew into a deep passion to create and innovate.

Jake views the ukulele as an "untapped source of music with unlimited potential." ...

Jake's musical accomplishments are well known throughout the Hawaiian Islands and Japan, though he is perhaps known equally as well for his tender, yet outgoing personality and warm heart. In his spare time, Jake visits schools to talk with and play music for the children of Hawaii inspiring thousands to put their energy into learning about and playing music.

Following the fatal collision between a U.S. submarine and a Japanese fishing vessel in Hawaiian waters in February 2001, Jake composed Ehime Maru to honor the nine victims and their families. Proceeds were donated to a fund benefiting the families. Although he did not intend to gain recognition for this private work, Ehime Maru has gained worldwide recognition and acclaim.

The State of Hawaii recognizes Jake as an outstanding musician and role model for the people of Hawaii... He plans to continue recording, performing, collaborating, and staying happy. "I love what I do. I'm forever thankful for music."

And for a peek at Jake's instructional DVD on his unique virtuoso style and technique, click here.

(migod I think I'm smitten too .... oh nooooooo   ;~)

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:33 PM

Really, now! What we've been seeing is NOT just "showing off," not just a display of technical virtuosity. It's terrific MUSIC!

Highlandman is right ~ the ukelele may, in general, be a humble little instrument, but this guy's uke is a beautifully made, top-quality instrument. However, it's not the instrument but the playing that's most impressive ~ and, more critically, most enjoyable.

Subject: RE: Wow!!
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 02:48 PM

Well, even just LOOKING at instruments that are la creme de la creme is one of my life's great pleasures, GUEST. Almost as great as listening to the music an innovative virtuoso like Shimabukuro can produce on one! There's no way music of that quality could be produced on a $20 WalMart special, regardless of who was playing it.

BUt the love can still pour out of those WalMart specials ... thank god ...

Subject: RE: Wow!! (Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso)
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 14 Jan 20 - 04:14 PM

here he is in 2009


https://youtu.be/0gaWuadgL3g

Subject: RE: Wow!! (Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele virtuoso)
From: leeneia
Date: 16 Jan 20 - 10:59 AM

I just heard Jake in concert. He had a lead guitar and bass guitar with him, and there was a strong rock influence all night. Nonetheless we enjoyed the evening, though not enough to do it again. I had to wear hearing protection for the high notes.

The audience was good size and response was enthusiastic. Finally, finally, he played a traditional number as the last piece of the show, and we went wild.