November-December 2007 

Artist: JAKE SHIMABUKURO

Title: HULA GIRLS & MY LIFE

Label: HITCHHIKE RECORDS

The ukulele of Jake Shimabukuro continues to boldly go into musical territory where no uke has gone before. Shimabukuro largely left behind his traditional Hawaiian repertoire some years ago, but his exploration of the instrument’s expressive capacity remains enthralling for music lovers not attached to genres. Two fall releases, one linked to the signature dance form of Hawaii, the other reaching out to vintage pop, deserve attention.

In the EP recording My Life, the virtuoso offers beautiful, heartfelt arrangements of six of his favorite tunes. He treats the work of Sarah McLachlan, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Cyndi Lauper with respect while integrating his unique interpretations.

Jake said the songs he selected had inspired him since his childhood in Hawaii. “They have timeless melodies written by artists I admire,” he said. “Another highlight for me was having the opportunity to record a song with my younger brother Bruce. He played the guitar part on Time After Time.”

By far the knockout number on My Life is Over the Rainbow. If you thought nothing more could be done with this timeless classic (and I usually wish artists would leave it alone), then you must listen to Jake’s soulful rendition. Its emotional intensity builds to a thrilling tremolo that recalls the poignancy of the lyrics we all know so well.

The CD Hula Girls gives us excerpts from Jake’s soundtrack for the independent Japanese film of the same name. It’s his first film score and he obviously has the chops for it. Earning a Japanese Academy Award for Best Sound Recording, his score also conveys his affinity for the story – the discovery and mastery of the art of hula by a group of Japanese coalminers’ daughters. The story is based on the experience of the townspeople who started the Joban Hawaiian Center in rural northern Japan.

You don’t need to have seen the touching indie film to enjoy the melodies and arrangements that Jake has artfully threaded through its scenes. The song Hula Girl is a totally hum-able, compelling theme song for the film and Jake creates memorable textures as he arranges it in various instrumentations. Along with ukulele solos, the score features piano, guitar, and string quartet painting moods with tender nuances. Also particularly memorable is his impressionistic work in The Dance, which evokes the painful transformation yet exciting sense of discovery in the girls’ experience with hula.

“Scoring for piano, guitar, and string quartet was an entirely fresh experience that has inspired me to learn more about orchestral arrangements and think beyond my own instrument, the ukulele,” said Jake.

On the other hand, let’s hope Jake never leaves his ukulele too far in the background. It has been the wellspring of his creativity.

Audrey Coleman is a writer, educator, and passionate explorer of world music and culture.