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Thursday, November 17, 2016 12:30 AM // Hill Auditorium

Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele

Performance
Photo credit: coleman saunders 1920x980
 

Known for his lightning-fast fingers, Jake Shimabukuro saw his career skyrocket when his video of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was posted on YouTube without his knowledge and became one of the first viral videos on the site.

An adaptation of a stringed instrument that traveled with Portuguese immigrants who came to work in Hawaii’s sugarcane fields, the ukulele is now synonymous with Hawaiian music and culture. Shimabukuro comes from that same process of mixing both island and outside influences; he’s combined the qualities of a long line of virtuoso ukulele players with modern rock to create a sound that’s uniquely his own but still firmly grounded in Hawaiian tradition. In addition to traditional ukulele material, his singular approach combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, swing, and flamenco.

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From the UMS Lobby Blog

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A [brief] UMS History Presentation: The Ukulele

A handy infographic about the history of the ukulele in the U.S.

UMS LOBBY

Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

Life on Four Strings is the documentary of Jake Shimabukuro's inspiring story. Stream it in full online.

Thursday, November 17, 2016 12:30 AM
Hill Auditorium

Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele

Performance

Known for his lightning-fast fingers, Jake Shimabukuro saw his career skyrocket when his video of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was posted on YouTube without his knowledge and became one of the first viral videos on the site.

An adaptation of a stringed instrument that traveled with Portuguese immigrants who came to work in Hawaii’s sugarcane fields, the ukulele is now synonymous with Hawaiian music and culture. Shimabukuro comes from that same process of mixing both island and outside influences; he’s combined the qualities of a long line of virtuoso ukulele players with modern rock to create a sound that’s uniquely his own but still firmly grounded in Hawaiian tradition. In addition to traditional ukulele material, his singular approach combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, swing, and flamenco.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

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UMS LOBBY

A [brief] UMS History Presentation: The Ukulele

A handy infographic about the history of the ukulele in the U.S.

UMS LOBBY

Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

Life on Four Strings is the documentary of Jake Shimabukuro's inspiring story. Stream it in full online.