Photo: Michael McCauslin / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jake Shimabukuro did something I never thought possible: he made me take the ukulele completely seriously. Born in Honolulu, he coaxes jazz, blues, funk, rock, flamenco, and more out of four little strings with finger work so fast it rewires your expectations. There's also a quiet thrill, for a Japanese reader, in that Okinawan-rooted name. He single-handedly dragged the instrument from tropical novelty to a genuine vehicle for serious expression, and his Scorpio-like obsessive focus shows in every cascade of notes. I have a real soft spot for artists who breathe ambition into a humble, underestimated instrument, and Shimabukuro is the gold standard.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jake Shimabukuro
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェイク・シマブクロ
- Reading
- じぇいく・しまぶくろ
- Born
- November 3, 1976 (age 49)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dragon
- Origin
- Honolulu, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / guitarist / jazz musician / ukulelist / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Kaimuki High School
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jake Shimabukuro born?
Born November 3, 1976 (age 49).
Where is Jake Shimabukuro from?
Jake Shimabukuro is from Honolulu, United States.
What does Jake Shimabukuro do?
Jake Shimabukuro works as composer, guitarist, jazz musician, ukulelist, musician.
Composer — see all → · Guitarist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.