BELL LABORATORIES MUSIC OF THE WORLD SERIES
FRI, NOV 8, 2013 | Capitol Theater
Jake Shimabukuro | Overture Center
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BRINGING PROSPERITY TO WISCONSIN Bell Laboratories, Inc. is a vibrant, growing member of Wisconsin’s business community. As a world leader in the development of high quality pest control products, it manufactures and ships its brands all over the world.
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Overture Center | Jake Shimabukuro
JAKE SHIMABUKURO “Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with.” - Eddie Vedder
Photo by Merri Cyr
In his young career, ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro has already redefined a heretofore under-the-radar instrument, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone, won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder, Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on TV (Jimmy Kimmel, Conan), earned comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, and even played in front of the Queen of England. With his new record Grand Ukulele, Shimabukuro’s star may burn even brighter. An ambitious follow-up to 2011’s Peace, Love, Ukulele (which debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Charts), the Hawaiian musician’s new record finds him collaborating with legendary
producer/engineer Alan Parsons, best known for his work on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, The Beatles’ Abbey Road and his own highly successful solo project. “It was very organic how it happened,” says Shimabukuro (she-maboo-koo-row). “He attended a couple of my shows near where he lives in Santa Barbara and the concert promoter put us in touch. I was stunned. I mean, THE Alan Parsons? We ended up having dinner before the show and he casually mentioned the idea of possibly working together on a project. It was a priceless opportunity I didn’t want to pass up – he’s a genius.” Parsons ended up helping Shimabukuro expand his sound, bringing in a 29-piece orchestra and a big-name rhythm section, including drummer Simon Jake Shimabukuro | Overture Center
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JAKE SHIMABUKURO cont.
Phillips (The Who, Toto), session superstar bassist Randy Tico and Kip Winger (Winger, Alice Cooper), who helped with the orchestration. “The best thing was that, even with all those people, we recorded everything live with no overdubs,” says Shimabukuro. “It was great, tracking live with an orchestra and a rhythm section. We picked up on each other’s subtle emotional cues – you could feel everyone breathing together. It was like the old days of recording – when everyone tracked together – there’s a certain magic that happens.” While still highlighting Shimabukuro’s musical dexterity on the uke, Grand Ukulele also shows off new sides to the musician, thanks to his new-found collaborators. That said, it’s still Jake’s show. “Alan wanted me to arrange each song as if I were performing it solo, then add the band around it,” he says. Highlights from the album include originals like “Island Fever Blues”, a beautiful and traditional Hawaiian song titled “Akaka Falls” and a unique track called “Missing Three,” performed with only three strings - an entire song created during a day when Jake was missing the third string on his instrument. Given that Shimabukuro first won acclaim for a YouTube video of him covering George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” it’s no surprise that Grand Ukulele features a number of wonderful reinterpretations, including 4
Overture Center | Jake Shimabukuro
Sting’s “Fields of Gold” (with Parsons cameo-ing on keyboards) and, most prominently, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” a seemingly ubiquitous song given new life on the four-string. “That one is fun to play,” says Shimabukuro. “I visit schools in Hawaii because I love sharing my passion with kids, but I don’t necessarily play all original pieces, because the kids may not recognize them. So when I cover a popular tune like ‘Rolling In The Deep,’ they really respond! This fall Jake will embark on a 30-plus city tour, performing solo for the most part. “Someday I’d love to tour with a full orchestra, but these solo shows will be fun, especially since we arranged them so the new songs can stand on their own,” he says. For Shimabukuro, Grand Ukulele feels like the next step in a career that really started at the age of 4 when he first picked up the instrument, through a successful local career in Hawaii and his first brush with fame on YouTube. Now, he’s a respected, popular musician looking to make a lasting musical mark. “I feel really connected to this record,” he says. “It was an honor to work with Alan and all those great musicians. It really felt like old friends coming together - there was so much positive energy surrounding the project – it was a magical experience that I’ll never forget.”
– New York Post
Photo by Joan Marcus –The New York Observer
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Jake Shimabukuro | Overture Center
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Overture Center | Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro | Overture Center
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PATRON SERVICES AND INFORMATION
Welcome to Overture Center for the Arts
Your enjoyment is important to us. Please contact an usher or the ticket office if you have any concerns about your experience here. ORDERING & INFORMATION Order online! overturecenter.com Phone orders: Call 608.258.4141 Mail or fax: online order form at overturecenter.com or in our magazine. Buy in person: Visit the ticket office located on the main floor just off the Rotunda Lobby. Ticket office hours: Mon–Fri, 11 am–5:30 pm; Sat, 11 am–2 pm; open additional hours evenings and Sundays on days of ticketed performances. Group orders: Groups of 10 or more receive a discount on most performances. Call 608.258.4159 to make reservations.
Lost and Found: Visit the information desk in the Rotunda Lobby or call 608.258.4973. Rentals: For information on renting spaces in Overture Center for weddings, performances, meetings or other events, call 608.258.4163 or email events@overturecenter.com. Etiquette Please turn off all paging devices, cell phones and watch alarms. Smoking is prohibited in Overture Center. The use of cameras or tape recorders in the theaters is prohibited without written permission from Overture Center and the performing company’s management.
Visit overturecenter.com: For a calendar of events, links to artists’ websites, video, audio, directions, parking and much more.
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PATRON SERVICES & POLICIES
In consideration of audience members with scent sensitivities and allergies, please use perfumes, aftershaves and other fragrances in moderation.
Accessibility: Request accommodations when ordering your tickets. Call 608.258.4144 for information, questions, or to request the following: n n n n n
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RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society bachdancinganddynamite.org | 608.255.9866 Children’s Theater of Madison ctmtheater.org | 608.255.2080
Information is also available at overturecenter.com/tickets/accessibility
Forward Theater Company forwardtheater.com | 608.234.5001
Children and lap seating: Every person, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter the theaters for performances. Children under the age of 6 are not permitted at certain performances. See our season brochure, visit our website or call the Help Line at 608.258.4143 for information.
Li Chiao-Ping Dance lichiaopingdance.org | 608.835.6590
Event Staff Stagehand services in Overture are provided by members of Local 251 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Usher and other services for Overture are provided by Overture volunteers. For information, visit overturecenter.com/contribute/ volunteer or call 608.258.4177. 8
Overture Center | Jake Shimabukuro
Kanopy Dance Company kanopydance.org | 608.255.2211
Madison Ballet madisonballet.org | 608.278.7990 Madison Opera madisonopera.org |608.238.8085 Madison Symphony Orchestra madisonsymphony.org | 608.257.3734 Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery wisconsinacademy.org | 608.265.2500 Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra wcoconcerts.org | 608.257.0638