Jake Shimabukuro: 7 Hit Albums by Jake Shimabukuro

Jake Shimabukuro is a Japanese-American composer and ukulele musician who has gone on to become the most widely acclaimed ukulele player in history: a trailblazing technical guru, a format-breaking artist, and a globetrotting ambassador for the instrument.

• Early life: Hailing from the Kaimuki neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jake played the ukulele both in private lessons and independently when he was growing up.
• Pure Heart era: Jake first played the ukulele professionally with the Hawaiian folk-pop trio Pure Heart, a group that he formed with guitar player and singer Jon Yamasato and percussionist Lopaka Colon. The group’s self-titled debut album, released in 1997, was a hit in the islands and earned widespread airplay; on top of that, it swept four categories at the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards—Hawaii’s equivalent of the Grammys.
• Solo career: By the early 2000s, Jake became famous in Japan and Hawaii as a solo musician. In 2006, a clip of Jake playing a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” became one of the first viral videos on YouTube and made him internationally famous. Since then, he has performed on late-night shows including Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
• Film and biographical documentary: He has composed the original music for a number of film soundtracks, including Hula Girls (2007) and Saidoweizu (2009), which is the Japanese remake of Sideways. In 2012, the documentary Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings premiered, showing Jake’s rise as a ukulele virtuoso.

Jake has released a number of hit albums containing both original compositions and covers. Some of Jake’s acclaimed and chart-topping albums include:

1. 1. Sunday Morning (2002): Sunday Morning is Jake’s first full-length solo album, featuring his work across a number of genres like classical, jazz, and rock, all performed with the ukulele. This album earned Jake the 2003 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Instrumental Album of the Year, as well as the 2003 Hawaii Music Award—which is voted on by the people of Hawaii—for Instrumental Hawaiian Album of the Year.
2. 2. Crosscurrent (2003): Jake’s second solo album boasts a number of original compositions like “Toastman’s Dilemma” and “I’ve Been Thinking,” along with a cover of “Fragile” by Sting and “Mrs. Robinson” by Paul Simon. This album won the 2004 Nā Hōkū Hanohano for Instrumental Album of the Year, as well as the 2004 Hawaii Music Awards for Album of the Year.
3. 3. Dragon (2005): Dragon is one of Jake’s most popular releases, credited with capturing the versatility and unexpected grittiness of the ukulele. The album reached number five on Billboard’s Top World Music Albums chart and earned Jake the 2006 Favorite Entertainer of the Year award at the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, as well as the Best Rock Album award at the 2006 Hawaii Music Awards.
4. 4. Gently Weeps (2006): Beginning with his version of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” this album hit number two on Billboard’s Top World Music Albums chart, and earned the 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Instrumental Album of the Year.
5. 5. Peace, Love, and Ukulele (2011): Peace, Love, and Ukulele hit number one on Billboard's Top World Music Albums in 2011 and 2012. The album contains a number of his original compositions, as well as covers of popular songs like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
6. 6. Grand Ukulele (2012): On Grand Ukulele, Jake plays his ukulele along with a 29-piece orchestra. The album contains a number of his original compositions as well as covers of “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and Harold Arlen’s “Over the Rainbow.” In 2012 and 2013, the album landed at number two on Billboard’s Top World Music Albums.
7. 7. The Greatest Day (2018): In The Greatest Day, Jake once again displays his versatility and innovation on the ukulele, performing tunes with jazzy rock elements and impressive riffs. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard world music charts.

Grab a MasterClass Annual Membership, stretch out those fingers, and get your strum on with a little help from the Jimi Hendrix of ‘ukulele, Jake Shimabukuro. With some pointers from this Billboard chart topper, you’ll be an expert on chords, tremolo, vibrato, and more in no time.