The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Jake Shimabukuro, "the Jimi Hendrix of ukulele," (Guitar Player) on Thursday, October 3 at 7:30pm. Jake Shimabukuro embodies the heart and soul of ukulele music, wringing emotion, beauty, meaning and thrills from just four strings like no one else. He makes his long-anticipated Broad Stage debut with a program featuring original tracks and stunning takes on classic rock favorites.
In 2005, Shimabukuro's career came to life with a singular video on YouTube. "I didn't even know what YouTube was at the time, so I was totally surprised when people started telling me they'd seen a video of me playing 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps,'" he says. "Before I got a chance to check it out myself, the video had gone viral and a lot of music industry folks seemed to know about it. It was crazy!"
Shimabukuro's deeply beautiful and original take on
George Harrison's love ballad, one which captured colors and moods never associated with the ukulele before, opened the floodgates - now legions of new music lovers had to hear this instrumental marvel - and the 2006 release of Gently Weeps (produced by
Mac McAnally), which mixed his own originals with equally adventurous versions of "Ave Maria" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" was an unqualified success.
Shimabukuro's records have topped the Billboard World Music Charts on numerous occasions, and as a live performer he has become one of the hottest tickets around. He's played with world-renowned orchestras and at prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center and the Sydney Opera House, and has dazzled audiences at music festivals including Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival and Fuji Rock Festival. He even performed for that rarest of audiences: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Not too shabby for a humble young man from Hawaii and his trusty ukulele.
Tickets are now on sale at
www.thebroadstage.org or by calling 310.434.3200.
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