This is unreal.

[Pedal Steel Mike]

http://movies.collegehumor.com/media/movies/mud_jake.mov

[lownote]

I couldn't get your link to hook up but I suspect this is the same video.....amazing wouldn't you say.

Jake (http://www.m90.org/view_image.php?image_id=6057)

[WireBoy]

Mandos are cool but ukes also rule!

[straight-a]

WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[philc]

OK - so now I wanna learn the uke, too!

[Milan Christi]

Nice stuff!!

Thanks - reminds me of the days when I lived on Maui. And makes me revisit the decision to return to the mainland. Oh well.

[Mark Robertson-Tessi]

How is it tuned? I think usually they are tuned GCEA (low to high), but it looks like the low G may be tuned an octave higher? hard to tell from the video on my screen anyway, but when he picks the slower parts you might be able to tell.

Cool clip any way you look at it.

Cheers,
Mark R-T

[PhilGE]

The artist is Jake Shimabukuro. (http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/) This was discussed on the CoMando list a little while back. Phenomenal musician!

[Eric F.]

Wow. I just checked out his Web site. This guy is fabulous.

[jasona]

Excuse me while I look for where my jaw dropped too...

[csstanley]

WOW!!!!

Almost makes me wanna learn how to play a uke now. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Bob DeVellis]

It's tuned re-entrant, G C E A with the G an octave above where you'd "expect" it to be (unless you're a uke player).

[mandophil(e)]

Is that a baritone uke? I know almost nothing about the instrument, but would sure like to learn!

[luckylarue]

What kind of uke is he playing - in terms of size? I know there are several sizes and tunings. I've been thinking of getting a uke for some time now. UAS is beginning to creep!

[otterly2k]

I'm no expert on uke, but it seems to me that Jake is applying quite a bit of classical guitar technique to his uke playing... to awesome effect.

This definitely proves the theory that it's what you DO with what you got that matters!!

very very impressive!

[Dale Ludewig]

Yikes.

[Capstoner]

Yeah, that's Jake Shimabukuro. He was a Telluride with Bela last year. He ruled!

[TommyK]

That CAN'T BE a uke!?!?!?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif #I mean really, ukes are supposed to sound thuddy and clunky and non-resonant and percussive and toy like.. Wow
Wow... #What Andean mountain was that thing built on? #Where do I get one!... Not to mention where do I get this kid's CD? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif



Did I say Wow? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[bluesmandolinman]

ukulele running wild

Great stuff - thanks http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Darryl Wolfe]

That is fabulous picking. Try this on for size, especially if you know nothing about ukes

that auction place, completed listing-needs login (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33028&item=7331719896&rd=1)

[recklessmando]

I'm feeling lucky. I get to see Jake at the California Worldfest in July at Grass Valley. Joe Craven and John Jorgenson are also on the bill.

[glauber]

That is fabulous picking. Try this on for size, especially if you know nothing about ukes
that auction place, completed listing-needs login (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33028&item=7331719896&rd=1)
Now, this is silly! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[acousticphd]

High-end, hand-made ukes are in another world than they were a generation ago. The uke was the first stringed instrument I learned to play, and I got re-interested in them a couple years ago. I had no idea how many enthusiasts there are, and how expensive the modern high-end ukes can be, and I don't mean Martins. Not to mention, the inflation in the prices of vintage Harmonies and Regals and the like, that cost $7 in the '50s and '60s, was also a big surprise. I got a couple of those, but they don't sound like Jake's!

Now it's common for good ukes to use steel strings, and I think that's true of the one in the video. You never heard an old Silvertone with intonation like that up at the 18th fret!

[Brad Weiss]

The MandoTunes that John Baxter has been posting on MandoZine each week have featured Jake on Uke a number of times. One week was devoted to uke tunes! I encourage everyone to check out the MandoTunes if they haven't yet- and, yeah, I'm itchin' for a uke too! Worse comes to worse, I'll retune a Baritone uke GDAE and have a quirky octave mando!

[WireBoy]

acousticphd,
#not to be argumentative, but i think steel string ukes may be the occasional exception rather than the rule. #Nylon string is still the norm. #as to jake's uke intonation at the 18th fret, i don't think he's playing an old Silvertone....

[glauber]

Any experiences with the Fluke (http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/)? A tenor Fluke (tuned DGBE one octave higher than a guitar) might be a very nice toy to have. I almost went that route, but ended up picking up the mandolin because of the simpler tuning scheme.

[Trip]

$15,100...Reserve not met...

Totally amazing play from Jake.....I would love to see that show live.....

[A9cp]

Wow, unreal talent with 4 strings.

[Joe Singleton]

Gorgeous sound, really wonderful. Thanks for the link-Joe

[mario515]

if any one sees a pair of socks in the cafe their mine,, whoa,, that dude just blew mine off,, and tasty too(not the socks)

[jose250]

That's phenomenal. Gotta catch that dude if I ever get a chance. Appreciate the link. That may go to one of my favorites....

[Santiago]

It's getting mighty warm in here, but not for mandolinists (only ukers).

[WireBoy]

the Fluke is very happenin'. #they are cheap (under $200) and they have a great round mellow sound. #they come in fun colors, plastic body and fingerboard, wooden neck and top. #you wouldn't expect too much out of that, but they really sound good.
the Fluke is a 'concert' size box. #they make a 'tenor' model using the same sound box, but different fingerboard and glue the bridge a bit further down for the longer scale. #they also have a 'Flea' model which is a bit smaller and is the soprano model. #
no financial interest, just a happy uker.

[mad dawg]

One time on the Big Island I was listening to the radio and heard an awesome Uke-driven cover of a UB40 song. The DJ didn't announce the artist (that's a universal rule isn't it, about DJ's never announcing the song and artist when you need to know who it is?), so I drove directly to the Hilo Borders and---with some help from the staff---found a Pure Heart CD, Jake's old band, with the song on it, and it is still one of my favorite CD's (along with Imua's "Live Aloha", also purchased that day).

[glauber]

Wow, i was finally able to listen to the clip. That's incredible. The context is, George Harrison was a big uke fan, says Paul McCartney that he often composed on the uke, or carried one around to use as a little guitar, in taxicabs, etc.

I'm pretty sure that's a tenor uke. Good one too. It's amazing all that wacking doesn't get it out of tune! How it's tuned is anyone's guess, but it could be tuned DGBE one octave higher than the guitar.

Beautiful stuff! Thanks for the link! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[PhilGE]

Hey, remember folks, it's what you do with the instrument that counts. Jake happens to be a virtuoso on uke. He probably could've done the same on just about any other instrument, like Mandolin, because 1) he's got talent, 2) he's probably practiced a huge amount, and 3) he probably knows music theory out the wazoo. The short version is: talent plus hard work = excellence in any discipline, be it music, woodwork, engineering, accounting, you name it.

Having said that, it's time for me to get off-line, put the kids to sleep, and practice before bed.

[arbarnhart]

yeah, I'm itchin' for a uke too! Worse comes to worse, I'll retune a Baritone uke GDAE and have a quirky octave mando!
I have had thoughts in that vein. Reading the reviews of the cheap bari uke at MusiciansFriend, I saw that at least one person retuned to mandola tuning with the standard strings (and loved it). I did some string tension math and GHS light mandola strings on that box would get octave tuning without too much tension, but enough to give it some tone and stay in tune for a set or so.

My favorite guitar to play is a 1/2 size strung with nylon that belongs to one of my kids. I have a nice Takamine full size with silk/steel strings, fabulous action and great tone and I would rather hear the thump of the little beater (actually it is more fun to play; short reaches and very forgiving when you don't quite make it).

[Tom C]

Regarding that Martin Uke. I was once in Mando Bros. and a guy walks in with one of those and a Gibson banj*. He said he recently brought a house and found 3 ukes just like that one -a 5K, and 4 Gibson banj*s in the attic. I did not know anything about banj*s at the time soI have no info on those, but I'm sure it all covered his down payment.

[neal]

You think Jake's good? Ya gotta see this, at least it's uke, but funnier than heck!

Funnier than Heck, really... (http://www.ryantown.com/gayboyfriend/)

[EggerRidgeBoy]

When I went to see John Hiatt at the Birchmere last year I saw that a ukelele player was going to be the opening act. I figured that might be kind of fun, as a novelty if nothing else, since I had never really seen anyone play a ukelele professionally. Of course it was Jake Shimabukuro, and it was much more than a novelty. He was amazing. I'd definately recommend seeing him if you have the chance.

[Keith Newell]

I downloaded it to my hardrive just so I won't lose it. WoW!! that is very impressive. He takes ya from low to high and back to gentle low again...the sign of a true performer. I would like to know for sure if he uses steel string, is it a tenor Uke and how it is tuned. Im going to look to see if he has a forum somewhere that the big fans would know.
Keith

[luckylarue]

Just ordered a Flea soprano uke from Elderly and am already thinking about a Fluke! My mando's in the shop for awhile so I need something to hold me over. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Kevin K]

Good grief that's good!

[aries753]

All I can say is
WOW!