Jake Shimabukuro

[Whizbang]

Jake is to the Ukulele what Tiger Woods is to golf.  I never liked the Ukulele until I heard Jake.  I have no doubt at all that he is the best the world has ever seen.  You cannot appreciate all of his skills until you listen to and watch his other videos, My Guitar Gently Weeps, Crazy G, Dragon, Orange World, Third Stream, Let's Dance....  Here is another with Tommy Emmanuel that is fantastic, although I don't care for the distortion.

[saoirse]

I think he's fantastic.  I bought a couple of his older albums recently but was slightly disappointed.  The backing tracks don't always do his playing justice.  I believe his newest album is Ukulele only, though I haven't got around to buying it.

Crosscurrent is another one of my favourites.

[Whizbang]

The guy has so many unique techniques that you really have to watch everything he has done to take it all in.  Even then you cannot absorb it.  His hand placements are half of the enjoyment of watching him.  I would imagine that Kamaka Ukuleles are on backorder for years.

Interestingly, he has said that he has dropped all of his distortion add-ons and gone to strict Ukulele playing.  That really makes him special.

[Ace]

I'd heard of him; glad to actually see and hear him.  He was featured in a Guitar Player piece. Nice melody and tapping...  He reminds me of Steve Howe (Yes) on his chording and style.  I'll try to do the Tommy Emmanuel one too when I get an hour (serously...) as I've read good things about that Aussie.  Jake sure beats Arthur Godfrey... and that "My Dog Has Fleas" remembrance I have of 8th grade music class when they broke out the Ukeleles.

Ace; I tried to play "Purple Haze" on mine...

[Whizbang]

Tommy has a brother who is equally proficient.  Here is an IrishScottish medley that is way beyong comprehension.

I'll try to do the Tommy Emmanuel one too when I get an hour (serously...) as I've read good things about that Aussie.

I know what you mean.  I think this one surprised both of them.  Tommy went nuts after they were finished and bear-hugged Jake.

(Dump the distortion though, just the facts man   8) )

[Ace]

Shoot, I could comprehend that ScottishIrish Medley.  Melody.  Couldn't play it, I don't think, but I could comprehend it. If I listen fast.  Finally got that "As My Ukelele Gently Weeps" one down.  They're playing the bluesy parts so hard that it's a natural overdrive.  That comes from trying to do the Clapton lead on it...

You know, with the larger size of that ukelele it's more like a tenor guitar tone and substance... and a nylon string sound, than the "plink plink" of a little ukelele.  They did some pretty stuff on that duo, as well as the gutsy leads.  Jake has a definite Van Halen side, too.

Ace; wouldn't you hate to be the "2nd Best Ukelele Player In The Whole World"..?

[Whizbang]

Ace; wouldn't you hate to be the "2nd Best Ukelele Player In The Whole World"..?

I looked at the Hawaiian "Master" Ukulele player, Ohta-san, and he did not look very happy.  I think he was left behind when Jake went into orbit.

[Ace]

Ok, now, stop it.  This is getting to be one of those "Here! Go look at this!" and "Now! Go look at that!" phishing expeditions.  I mean, Jake's a'ight but I am not going to go perusing the archives of YouTube for every dang Tom Dick and Ohta-San ukelele player, even if they've "mastered" it.  For one thing, either Jake is 3 feet tall or that's a bigger than normal ukelele, which probably explains why it doesn't sound like some lousy dinky ukelele.  And Ohta-Sans oughta get a bigger one, because that just looks silly perched on his gut.  And he's ok, but criminy, it's a yawner after seeing Jake-Man.

Maybe if Pat could locate one of Ohta falling into a waterbed, I might check that out.  Or off that cliff.

ace; you wonder if there are any stunt-ukelele players.

[pat]

I watched that first one and that one in the other poast with the guy with the hat pulled down and those guys are OK.

I�m not sure I could find one of one of those guys falling into a waterbed but I did come across one with a snake eating a hippopotamus. Perhaps I�ll go back and find that one and put it in the snake poast.

[Ace]

Maybe a clip of Don Ho falling off Diamondhead...

Man; wouldn't you hate to be named "Ho"..?  Geez, unless you're an elf, that can't be good.

Ace; ok, count to ten then hit "post" so it'll have a chance to sink in.

[Bill]

Particularly if one has Nappy hair, and goes to Rutgers.

B-