Best quotes by Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro

American ukulele virtuoso and composer

Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976) is an American ukulele virtuoso and composer known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro has written numerous original compositions, including the entire soundtracks to two Japanese films, Hula Girls (2007) and Saidoweizu (2009), the Japanese remake of Sideways.

Well known in Hawai’i and Japan during his early solo career in the early 2000s, Shimabukuro became famous internationally in 2006, when a video of him playing a virtuosic rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was posted on YouTube without his knowledge and became one of the first viral videos on that site. His concert engagements, collaborations with well-known musicians, media appearances, and music production have snowballed since then. In 2012, an award-winning documentary was released tracking his life, career, and music, titled Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings; it has screened in a variety of festivals, aired repeatedly on PBS, and been released on DVD.

All quotes by Jake Shimabukuro:

Blues, rock and hip hop are more about a lifestyle and culture than notes on a page.

When you go into the studio or get up on the stage with people who have more experience or knowledge, you learn.

You know, I think music is very interactive. It's a - it's a language.

I know a few chords on the guitar, but I wouldn't be able do a show or even be part of a jam session with one.

You know, Leonard Cohen is amazing, just a mastermind, and really one of the great geniuses of our time.

I actually got to perform for Queen Elizabeth, and I got to meet her after the show. She said she thought my performance was beautiful and I got to shake her hand and it was just an incredible moment.

If I could do something with Paul McCartney it would be just amazing. Or Eric Clapton.

Hawaii is a small, close community.

Classical music presents some of the world's most challenging pieces.

The ukulele has always appealed to the older generation.

I always feel a little funny being in front of a lot of people trying to show them my approach to the ukulele, but I do enjoy it. I do get a little more nervous doing workshops rather than performing.

There's no ego when you're a ukulele player.

Most of my ukulele heroes were traditional players from Hawaii, like Eddie Kamae and Ohta-san. There may not be uke stars in popular culture, but there are certainly pop stars that play uke - George Harrison, Eddie Vedder, Taylor Swift, Train, and Paul McCartney.

Now I know what a dulcimer is supposed to sound like.

I still believe that music is healing to some extent.

The ukulele totally fits that whole hipster community or whatever you want to call it, but then at the same time it works great in nursing homes where senior citizens get together and play, and then as the traditional Hawaiian instrument with people doing the Hula and strumming the ukulele and singing.

Bill Gates recently picked up the ukulele. And Warren Buffett is a huge ukulele fan. I even got to strum a few chords with Francis Ford Coppola. It blows my mind that these people, who have everything in the world they could want, have picked up the ukulele and found a little bit of joy.

Growing up, the ukulele was always a respected instrument. It's a big part of our culture. It wasn't until I started traveling outside of Hawaii that I realized people didn't really consider the ukulele to be a real instrument.

Sometimes I can't think of a better way to end my day than coming home and just strumming my ukulele for a few minutes. I mean, I joke around and tell people that it's an entire yoga session in one strum, you know?

Most people are awestruck when they see Lady Gaga and Bette Midler, but then the queen comes in.

Because if everyone played the ukulele, this world would be a much happier place.

The ukulele is the instrument of peace.