Track Listing

1. Trapped
2. Piano-Forte
3. Two-Part Invention No. 4 in D minor
4. Me & Shirley T.
5. Spain
6. Five Dollars Unleaded
7. Let's Dance: Prelude
8. Let's Dance
9. Talk Story I: " Michael Jackson on Ukulele..."
10. Thriller
11. Orange World
12. Wes on Four
13. Talk Story II: "Thirteen-String Japanese Koto..."
14. Sakura Sakura
15. Dragon
16. Yeah
17. Talk Story III: "From Ukulele Disco to YouTube..."
18. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
19. 3rd Stream
20. Blue Roses Falling [Hanahou]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2269 in Music
• Released on: 2009-04-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Dimensions: .13 pounds

Album Description
Ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro has taken the four-string, two-octave instrument to places no one has gone before, performing awesome music that ranges from Jazz, Blues and Rock to Bluegrass, Classical and Folk. His live concerts are an out-of-the-box blend of stunning virtuosity, deep musicality and a natural entertainer's flair. Jake now has his own record label, and tours extensively in the U.S. and Japan. He has completely rewritten the book on the possibilities of the ukulele -- and is adding new chapters with every CD he records.

Customer Reviews

Jake makes the Uke a jazz instrument and is best experienced "Live"
Jake Shimaburo may be one of the best instrumentalists in the "string picker" world that you've heard of but can't remember his name. Well it doesn't exactly roll off your tongue. But if I say the words "ukulele" and "When My Guitar Gently Weeps", you know right then whom I'm talking about. The YouTube of his 2004 performance in Central Park has had millions of viewers. But Jake's not with a major label. (His label, Hitchhike Records, is owned by Sony's Japan division) and most folks learn about Jake through word of mouth. Among top musicians he's well known (Yo-Yo Ma featured him on his CD/DVD last year) but he's still the best kept secret out there. When he plays a folk or music festival - He wowed them at both the Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival last year - he sells out of the CDs he brings. Once you hear him, you can't get enough.

This latest effort for the young 30 year-old Hawaiian captures him in performance at various venues around the world (New York, Chicago, Japan and his home state of Hawaii) and yet is sequenced so that you'd never know this was not one 70-minute set. All the audience response is just as enthusiastic. Consider it a "greatest hits" package as most of the tracks are numbers he has recorded on his many studio-recorded albums (all of which I love). "Guitar Gently Weeps" is here of course along with "Let's Dance" in which Jake's fingers move faster than your ears can hear. The one new track is a tribute to the 25th Anniversary of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", which Jake makes his own.

If you've not heard Jake play before - other than the You Tube video - this album is a good place to start and will lead you back to others he has released. If you have his previous albums, this one will add a few new tracks for you. Since the distribution of his CDs in the US is so small, Amazon is a great source to find his CDs. And, if you are lucky enough to have a chance to see him "live", don't miss the opportunity. You won't soon forget it.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

Jake's Live album, indescribably wonderful
April 14th Dominator Ukulele Tabs wrote, "Jake's new Live CD is outstanding... He just keeps getting better and better."

My favorite, Piano-Forte, is melodic, deceivingly simple and incredibly beautiful. Two others I really enjoy are Trapped and Five Dollars Unleaded. Wes on Four and Yeah are masterpieces of ukulele skill, but then I guess all Jake's playing is. These five pieces are less known to me. The better known songs are as extraordinary as ever, such as Let's Dance, Dragon, Sakura Sakura, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blue Roses Falling and on and on. Each tune is so pleasurable it's difficult to leave one for the next.

The quality of the sound, clarity of tone and the feeling Jake both shares and elicits is indescribably wonderful.

Steve I. Ramm's review is correct in every way; I especially agree with, "Once you hear him, you can't get enough." Elaine of Alaska writes, "I would recommend his music and performances to anyone and everyone..." and I have, even to strangers while flying on planes, waiting in airport terminals and riding on buses.

Jake's music exceeds ALL expectations...
I became aware of this Ukulele virtuoso when we were getting ready to take a trip to Hawaii and happened to check out a DVD with various Hawaiian musicians... The DVD was standard fare until suddenly Jake walking out on stage playing his Ukulele... His performance was electrifying!!! We looked him up on youtube and became aware of the youtube videos of his incredible music... I thought we were going to have to plan a trip to Hawaii to see him LIVE, but we lucked out and got to see him in his first LIVE performance in Anchorage Alaska!!! What a treat!!! I would recommend his music and performances to anyone and everyone... Five stars...