Sound Bite: Jake Shimabukuro – 'Live'

Some things are worth waiting for as ukulele virtuoso finally releases live album

By Joe Nguyen, AsiaXpress.com

April 15, 2009

Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro has always had more flair on stage than he does in the studio. Nothing against his previous studio albums, but they always seemed less than Jake. It was a little too clean, a little too perfect, and never did justice when compared to his live sound.

However in his latest effort, Shimabukuro's true musical spirit can be heard in his solo live album, simply titled, Live. The 32-year-old Hawaiian native shows off his masterful improvisational skills and unique style of play in the 20-track album that feature songs from a number of different performances from around the world.

While there are original classics such as “Blue Roses Falling,” “Dragon” and “Let’s Dance” included in the CD, it’s songs like “Me and Shirley T.” that absolutely captures Shimabukuro’s live talent. In this track, he begins by playing the song’s sweet melody, but later breaks into a wild solo consisting of speedy muted strums that are engrossing to listen to.

While the album doesn’t feature new, original music, it includes a few never-before-released covers. “Bach Two-Part Invention No. 4 in D Minor” is an absolutely breathtaking rendition of the classical piece. Shimabukuro gracefully glides through the notes, creating an acoustic euphoria of bright plucks. His version of “Thriller” is subdued compared to the original by Michael Jackson, carrying much more of a laid-back, relaxing sound rather than the dance-inducing melody of the first.

Of course, no live Shimabukuro album is complete without his cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" – the George Harrison tune that essentially introduced Shimabukuro to the YouTube generation. The performance, coming from a recent concert in Boulder, masterfully blends together the song’s rich melody with sweet-sounding plucks filling in for the vocals.

Live is the best album Shimabukuro has produced yet. It offers new listeners a glimpse into what he’s supposed to sound like while inducing memories of past performances for old fans. Now if only he would do a DVD featuring a single live concert.

DOWNLOAD THIS TRACK: “Me & Shirley T.”