Jake "trickle-down"

bobj

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I was thinking recently about the effect Jake Shimabukuro has on ukulele stuff in general. I know he is part of the reason a lot of us took up the uke. And, of coarse his musical ability is beyond amazing.
But I was thinking about his "nice-ness." Ya know; everyone who has ever met him says that he is the nicest guy ever. I think that might influence all of us a bit... a kind of nice-ness trickle-down (if you will)
I know that UU exhibits a really warm and accepting attitude.

Well, just my brain fart for the day. I don't really walk around dreaming about Jake.
Maybe I should be thinking more about global warming, or reality tv???
 
I was thinking recently about the effect Jake Shimabukuro has on ukulele stuff in general. I know he is part of the reason a lot of us took up the uke. And, of coarse his musical ability is beyond amazing.
But I was thinking about his "nice-ness." Ya know; everyone who has ever met him says that he is the nicest guy ever. I think that might influence all of us a bit... a kind of nice-ness trickle-down (if you will)
I know that UU exhibits a really warm and accepting attitude.

Well, just my brain fart for the day. I don't really walk around dreaming about Jake.
Maybe I should be thinking more about global warming, or reality tv???

Playing ukulele makes you happy. This is what happens.
 
I'm sure those who have met him might say his personality has influenced them, but Jake and I have never been within 10 miles of each other, so if I'm a nice person, that's all me! :D
 
I must admit -- I started playing ukulele before I ever heard of Jake. About a month later I was looking for ukulele music and saw a Jake CD. I bought it, of course. First time I heard it I wasn't all that impressed. (Not do to skill, mind you) The a moth later he came to town for a concert. Of course I had to go, even though I wasn't a solid fan. Curiousity mostly. I actually got to chat with him before the cncert. He gave me a picking pattern to work on. blah, blah. After the concert he saw me and gave ME a hug! I was blown away. He really is the nicest person I have ever met. I have met him 4 more times and he is still as nice as the first time I met him.

I am NOT as nice as he is.
 
I haven't had the opportunity to see Jake in person (I came "this close" last month in NYC but with my schedule I couldn't get off in time to make the concert). Anyway, the thing that strikes me about Jake is his absolute enthusiasm - the guy is just obviously in love with what he does. So many performers only bring their "half show" to smaller venues but I've seen videos of him at small festivals and the like with only a handful of spectators and he's just as enthusiastic as at his bigger venues - maybe even more so.

I get a big smile every time I see him "chair dancing" his way through some of those numbers.

John
 
In June, I was at the Folk Life festival in Seattle. A new luthier was showing his wares & I was impressed with how guitar-like his ukuleles sounded. So, I bought one thinking that I could probably do something with it. I was pretty much clueless & only knew of Israel & a bunch of old guys strumming chords. Well, there is Tiny Tim. I started surfing the net looking for music & came across Jake's name. It was a few more weeks before I even watched a Youtube video of Jake because I figured he was just another old guy playing innocuous sudo-music. Ha!

I was blown away just like everyone else. Add to it that everyone in the ukulele community is very helpful and sharing. I can't keep up with Dominator's tabs, let alone the incredible amount of instruction on this site. A far different experience from all the guitar players I've met.

I suspect that uke players don't take themselves too seriously. And that has got to be a key ingredient.

BTW Sukie; that's an incredible piece of eye candy that Chuck made for you. I'm buying one of his simpler creations.

So, what I'm saying is that I got very lucky, and I too wonder how many people bought a uke because of Jake.
 
Aloha UUers, Yes Jake is awesome, so is Aldrine. They are both talented and passionate. Nice?, kudos to the " ALOHA SPIRIT" they grew up with and spreading it where ever they go. ALOHA my ISLAND BRUDDAHS......
 
People like Jake and Aldrine are so interconnected with their instruments, like they are one with them. The eyes close and they seem to float out into the same air as the notes they play. They have nothing to prove and everything to share. I haven't met Jake, but I had the pleasure to meet and play on stage with Aldrine. You couldn't meet a nicer guy. I had just recovered from a stroke and was days away from heart surgery when the gig came up, so I wasn't in a real talkative mood, and I felt bad about that later, but in our brief time we had I could tell this guy was the real deal. Mostly all I said was how great it was to have him there, considering nobody was being paid, and this guy put on a blistering two-hour set that left us all with our jaws on the floor! Part of it is an island thing, that warmth you get from people in the 808, but mostly I think it's inate, something unteachable and comes as natually as the smile you see in each and every lesson video or YT upload of his. Call it aloha spirit or generosity of spirit, the world could use a few more people like that, fo' sho', yo.
 
I've had the privilege to meet a handful of great musicians in my time, and the true greats don't carry it around. They don't have to. It's the ones who are afraid of getting knocked off their perch you have to watch out for.
 
I met Jake after a concert in PA back in October. He is very humble and gracious with lots of energy and passion. It was great to meet him.
 
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