Thursday, June 03, 2010

Guitar Workshop: Same Things, Different Strings

Few people would consider the ukulele a serious musical instrument. Until, that is, they hear Jake Shimabukuro play one.

Jake’s uncommon compositions and playing techniques defy labels and categories, and he lays down jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock with equal virtuosity. Occasional tours with Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band have broadened his experience and brought his talent and charming stage presence to crowds of up to fifty thousand people. Jake has also performed on NBC’s The Late Show with Conan O’Brien, The Today Show, and Last Call With Carson Daly, and been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and World Café, Public Radio International’s The World, and others. In December 2009, he performed with Bette Midler for Queen Elizabeth during a special fundraising concert in Blackpool, England.

(Text courtesy of TED.com. Used without permission or shame. More about this instrument, and what it can mean for a dedicated guitarist, in our next installment.)
.

No comments: