Jake Shimabukuro is a world-renowned ukulele virtuoso whose career spans decades. His playing also became the source of one of YouTube’s earliest viral videos. A user posted a vid of Shimabukuro covering “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on April 23, 2006, a year to the day after the platform’s first upload. The video of Shimabukuro, which has racked over 17 million views, bears the straightforward description, “this guy is a god on a ukulele.”
When Little Village learned we had the opportunity to speak with Shimabukuro ahead of his May 10 performance at the Englert Theatre, we immediately invited fellow ukulele player and Des Moines native Andrew Hoyt, who we last spoke with before the release of his first EP, to do the interview. Hoyt was game — and he’s set to open for Shimabukuro on Sunday, too.
The two ukulelists chatted about the musicians that paved the way for them — many of whom Shimabukuro has gone on to record with — as well as what it was like to pick up the ukulele for the first time, and why the approachable instrument is more than the sum of its four strings.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Hoyt: When you’re touring, is there a spot, experience or plate lunch that you miss from back in Hawaii?
Shimabukuro: You know, gosh, there’s so many things I miss when I’m traveling. For me, nothing beats all my mom’s old recipes, you know? Things that she used to make for us as kids. Whenever I go back home, usually on a Sunday night, I have family dinner over at my mom’s, and that’s something I’m always looking forward to. Also, I grew up with all of the Foodland Markets, they got all the island favorites over there. If you ever go, a family favorite of ours is their salt and vinegar chicken.
Hoyt: I love Foodland! I have to check it out next time I’m out there. Iowa’s been one of your stops throughout the years, do you have any memories or notable experiences from performing here?
Shimabukuro: Iowa is always special for me because my auntie lives out there. My Auntie Bruce and my Uncle Ralph live out there in Iowa City. Every time I get to go out there, I always get to visit with them, so Iowa is kind of like a home away from home for me.
Hoyt: Your record Grateful feels like a Hawaiʻian family reunion, with legends like Justin Kawika Young, Bryan Tolentino, Herb Ohta Jr. and Ron Artis II all on the same album. And Jake & Friends brings in Jack Johnson, Kenny Loggins, Billy Strings, Jimmy Buffett and many others. What did it feel like putting those projects together?
Shimabukuro: Oh, it was such a dream come true. I mean, both of them were just so different. The Friends record was truly an honor to have the opportunity to record with all those artists that inspired me in my later years. And theGrateful album has all these artists that inspired me in my early years.
Growing up in Hawaii, being exposed to all those legendary musicians that came from the islands — I mean, Henry Kapono is just a living legend, Brother Nolan, Kawika Kahiapo. I grew up with their music so it was just so amazing to have the opportunity. They paved the way for all of us. They were pioneers who changed people’s perspective on the music that came out of Hawaii.
What was nice about it is so many of them were my teachers. Herb Ohta Jr. was one of my ukulele teachers when I was a kid. So was Bryan Tolentino. Chris Kamaka was one of my mentors. All of the people who played on that record were my direct mentors or have sat me down and taught me something about Hawaiian culture, music and history.
So, that Grateful record was truly a highlight. And in a different way, with the Friends album, a lot of those artists have some kind of connection to Hawaii, but most of them aren’t from Hawaii, with the exception of Jack Johnson and Paula Fuga. So many of those artists I never really worked with until we did the project. So a lot of those recordings, that was the first time we were in the studio together.
And some of those [songs], the way they came about was so cool. Like, I had never worked with Henry Kapono before but I’ve always been a huge fan. He’s such a big artist that you wouldn’t just call him up and be like, “Hey, you want to do a song together?” The way that came about was we were actually on the same flight and I noticed my seat was right next to his…and the whole plane ride over we just got to talk. He shared so many stories with me and and then he said, “Hey, if you ever want to do something together, I would love to.”
So we did a song called “Sailing,” which is like an iconic song that that he wrote and and it’s probably my all-time favorite of his. So to do that with him was truly special.
Hoyt: I love that that you also get — maybe not nervous — but have high respect for those musicians that you grew up listening to. What is something you hope the next generation of ukulele players will feel when they pick one up?
Shimabukuro: Oh, I think that I just want them to feel joy. To me that’s what it’s all about. I still remember the first time I picked up the ukulele. I still remember that moment when I was about four years old. I can see the whole thing, almost like I’m observing it from a distance. My mom played and I remember her telling me to sit on the floor, and she took the ukulele case down from the shelf and opened it up, and she put it in my lap. She told me where to put my my fingers and had me strum the strings. It just like, lit me up. I’ve just been passionate about it ever since. So I think that that joy is so important.
Hoyt: Picking up ukulele the first time, I really had the same kind of, “Oh, my goodness. This could be it.” I think Chris Thile [of bluegrass band Nickel Creek] had a similar thing where he would even draw the mandolin as a kid. He was just so taken aback.
Shimabukuro: That feeling is so important and when you get to share that feeling with people, that’s the ultimate goal. That’s what I love so much about touring and doing concerts. You get to spread that joyfulness with different communities and different cultures. I love it when there’s that shared experience. There are moments — I’m sure you experience it, too — where you can just tell everyone in the hall are almost like breathing as one. Everyone’s having this shared experience and those are moments where I almost feel like I’m not on stage either. I’m just an audience member enjoying the experience with everyone.
Hoyt: I love ukulele because people expect it’s fun, which is awesome, but then it has so much depth, beauty, culture and history to it. I appreciate you spearheading that meaning behind the instrument, too.
Shimabukuro: People aren’t intimidated by it. They don’t take it seriously. So when they see the ukulele, they’re just like, “Oh, that looks like fun.” But if you show them the violin or even the piano, they’re like, “Oh, that’s too hard. I don’t have any talent.” I used to joke around and say you don’t have to be a musician to play the ukulele. I think a big part of that is true, because I don’t feel like instruments should be intimidating, they should make you want to pick it up and play it. And I think that’s exactly what the ukulele does.
Hoyt: Is Pure Heart working on anything new? Or are you working on any new music right now?
Shimabukuro: Yeah, in June, we’re going to do our first Pure Heart run of shows together. We’re doing a little West Coast run. That’ll be the first time that that we’ve ever played outside of Hawaii. Oh man, I’m so excited, because we started out together when we were just teenagers. So many of our firsts were together: our first real show and concert, our first album, or the first time we heard ourselves on the radio. When we get together and play and practice it’s funny because it really makes me feel like I’m 18 again. So, we’re looking forward to that tour.
