Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro is a world-renowned ʻukulele virtuoso, composer, and genre-defying musician whose career has elevated the four-string instrument to global acclaim. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, Jake began playing the ʻukulele at the age of four, taught by his mother. From his early days in the trio Pure Heart to becoming a solo international sensation, Jake has redefined the ʻukulele’s place in contemporary music. He rose to global fame in 2006 after a viral video of his jaw-dropping cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” showcased his ability to turn the humble ʻukulele into a dynamic, expressive force. Since then, Jake has toured extensively, collaborated with a vast range of legendary artists—from Yo-Yo Ma and Bette Midler to Jimmy Buffett and Ziggy Marley—and has performed at iconic venues around the world, such as The Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, and the Sydney Opera House. His boundary-pushing style blends jazz, rock, classical, flamenco, and blues, earning him the moniker “the Jimi Hendrix of the ʻukulele.” One strong thread that runs through much of Jake's work is that of collaboration. From the Trio album to Jake & Friends to Grateful and beyond, Jake thrives in the ability to feed off and inspire his fellow musicians. His most recent project with Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Blues Experience took the blues world by storm - a project that merged his signature sound with soulful, roots-driven textures.