Whether it’s jazz, rock, blues, bluegrass, folk or even classical, Jake Shimabukuro explores his seemingly limitless vocabulary on perhaps the unlikeliest of instruments: the ‘ukulele. Responding to the urgent calls of his fervent imagination, Shimabukuro has taken the ‘ukulele to points previously thought impossible, and, in the process, reinvented the applications for this tiny, often underappreciated four-string instrument.
Shimabukuro’s incredible journey has taken him from local phenom to YouTube sensation, from playing tiny clubs to headlining the world’s most prestigious concert venues, like the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He’s performed on TV shows and has released a string of award-winning, chart-topping albums. Just recently, he was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as a Member for the National Council on the Arts.