Quite simply, and in a word, Jake was straight up off the hook tonight! :bowdown: The Red Light was totally sold out (I almost didn't get in
). The show he put on was amazing. Here are three things that really impressed me about Jake's live performance:
1)
The radical dynamism of his technique. There is something about seeing Jake play live, where you know almost immediately from the first note played that he is one of those rare musicians who is truly a master and yet also a lifelong student of the music and the instrument. Jake's range of influences is huge, from George Harrison to Bella Fleck and beyond. He can fingerpick so softly, then turn it up all the way to the loudest strumming I've ever heard; his wrists move like they were the most skillfully and carefully handled weapons. He can take it from a hightempo bluegrass inspired rollick (
Orange World) to his classic covers like
While My Guitar Gently Weeps or ballads like
Blue Roses Falling and
Dragon to the slowest classical hymn (Schubert's
Ave Maria) and his flow is as seamless as I've seen. And let me tell you, Jake uses every square inch of his ukulele. He can definitely strum HARD! And when he picks light, his tone and the overtones are just gorgeous. Jake's and his Kamaka can go anywhere he needs to to paint the perfect landscape. His range of colors alone is outstanding.
2)
The emotiveness of Jake's playing. Every note Jake plays, you can tell he feels it. I can't think of a single instance where he seemed not to be perfectly "in tune" with his music and instrument. Related to his affective quality, Jake is also a great storyteller and has great stage presence, and he is a very funny guy, a bit quirky in a lovable kind of way, and a serious critical thinker. I love the way he is able, both through his playing and through his discourse with the audience, to share his love of music, history, and the ukulele. The stories his ukulele tells genuinely bring people together through his music.
and, finally, 3)
Jake's humility. He was so gracious and generous with his fans, signing countless ukuleles, taking countless pictures, and shaking countless hands. Moreover, he is humble in relation to the music and the instrument he plays. He approaches what he does with a spirit of gratitude, to both the audience and to the music and the histories that made them possible. He is a role model in the truest sense of the word, combining unparalleled passion, knowledge, virtuosity, kindness, and integrity.
What a night. It was my first time seeing Jake. My expectations were high, and he still blew them out of the water. I am in awe. 'Nuff said. :bowdown: