Grand Ukulele Live in Boulder (Hitchhike Records,2013)
The latest video by ukulele maestro Jake Shimabukuro demonstrates how a single musician with a small musical instrument can deliver a fascinating live show. The director of the Grand Ukulele Live in Boulder video did a great job, capturing Shimabukuro’s skill and passion for the ukulele.
The first part of the video presents Jake Shimabukuro performing in purely acoustic format, using various techniques and engaging the audience with interesting stories and good humor. Most of the material in this first part consists of original pieces composed by Shimabukuro.
Halfway through Grand Ukulele Live in Boulder, we get a chance to meet Jake and learn more about his background and his latest musical work, Grand Ukulele. This recording was produced by renowned musical architect Alan Parsons. The mid-segment features studio and backstage footage, along with an extensive interview that reveals a lot about Jake Shimabukuro’s background and musical approach.
The second part of the concert introduces the sounds of the ukulele processed with a wide range of pedals. Jake Shimabukuro performs his popular versions of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and George Harrison’s beautiful ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps While My Guitar,’ which made Jake Shimabukuro famous worldwide for his Youtube performance a few years ago.
The 75 minute selection of live music and interviews reveal one of the great instrumentalists of his generation, a musician that has taken the ukulele to a monumental level.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
