Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro is a virtuosic ukulele player from Hawaii who has toured with the likes of Jimmy Buffet and Bela Fleck. When Shimabukuro's mother gave him his first ukulele at the age of four, she couldn't possibly have imagined the degree to which he would eventually master the instrument. With its small wooden frame and just four strings, ukulele's are usually thought to be soft and gentle, often associated with light strumming and mellow island vibes. Shimabukuro, however, attacks it in the way someone would an electric guitar, excavating legitimate blues, rock, jazz and bluegrass songs out of the unassuming instrument. In addition to his amazing dexterity and flawless execution, he never loses sight of melody or song structure, making his music readily accessible for nearly any music fan.