As the modern ukulele craze rages on, with major manufacturers offering more models than ever, its explosive origin can be traced back to a Hawaiian maestro who remains the instrument’s most recognizable face and primary ambassador. Jake Shimabukuro has been the preeminent four-stringer on the planet since the millennium flip, and his luminous light has brought tons of attention to the ukulele, not only from aspiring four-stringers but also from oodles of six-stringers looking to rock some uke on the side. Heavenly artists from across the musical universe respect Shimabukuro, and an astronomical collection collaborated with him on Jake & Friends (Mascot).
Guitarists share a lot in common with ukulele players, but real collaborations between true stars from the two camps are few and far between. One might encounter an acoustic duo on occasion, but a uke and electric guitar combo is seldom seen, and during the course of the following conversation neither this editor nor Shimabukuro himself could readily cite a previous instance featuring a bottleneck slide player. Jake & Friends includes a pair of epic tracks featuring slide icons Sonny Landreth and Warren Haynes. “Sonny Days Ahead” is a dynamic original composition where Landreth and Shimabukuro soar through a slew of twists and turns spanning more than eight minutes. The track with Haynes on guitar and vocals is a reworking of Alvin Lee’s “On the Road to Freedom,” and the interplay that develops throughout its expansive 13 minutes over a shuffling drum and bass groove is the kind of cosmic jam rarely achieved in a studio setting.
This story is from the April 2022 edition of Guitar Player.
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This story is from the April 2022 edition of Guitar Player.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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