Wired 'ukulele artist struts to strums

By Carol Egan
Special to The Advertiser

Performances 'Jake, Live in Japan' 9:30 tonight, repeats 5:30 p.m. Saturday, KHON Live performances Chai's Island Bistro, 7 p.m. tomorrow Tamarind Park, noon Friday

As renowned ballet choreographer George Balanchine once said, great dancing is like seeing the music and hearing the dance. Jake dances his music, as a recent appearance at The Willows proved.

Seeing the current RoadRunner commercial featuring Shimabukuro, you notice the energy and grace which distinguish his moves.

Jake gives the impression he was born for MTV — so clipped and distinctive are his many moves, they seem to have been cut and spliced together like so many fragments of film.

Shimabukuro gave a dynamite two-hour performance at The Willows, a CD release party for "Crosscurrent," his latest recording. What you notice right away are the variety of upper body moves and gestures. A full range of shoulder, head and neck movements punctuate his music, whether it is tiny shrugs of the shoulders, singly or together, head wagging side to side like the ticktock of a metronome, or throwing a free arm out in an authoritative gesture to a fellow musician about to execute a solo riff.

His torso can collapse in on itself in an elastic body roll at a moment of decrescendo, only to arch stiffly up and backward on the subsequent crescendo.

When the music is slow and mellow, or he is performing a quiet solo, Shimabukuro's demeanor is appropriately calm, although it is obvious that he is totally engrossed in the nuances of the music. At such times his expressiveness is often displayed through a multitude of facial gestures. One moment his eyebrows arch upward in a look of dismay, eyes tightly shut, then his mouth and eyes open wide as if to say, "Wow!"

Often a complacent musical introduction will explode into a blast of sound, right hand strumming so fast it becomes a blur. From a stationary position, where he might be gently bouncing up and down or swaying in place, Shimabukuro will suddenly lunge forward in a wide straddle, pouncing onto an accent, then pulsate forward and back in time to the rhythm. At times his head will move counter to his torso, other times in sync with it.

When he travels across the stage, it is with distinct styles, which include a stealthy, staccato Felix the Cat walk, a legato slow-motion walk and a lunge. When he arrives at his destination, he'll often do a series of lunges forward and back, followed by sideways hops or a sudden thrust or bend.

There is also a large repertory of movements designed for the seated Shimabukuro. From a casual position, one leg comfortably crossed over the other, he will suddenly uncross it and begin pumping that leg up and down in midair while his upper body sways from side to side. This can evolve into his frantically pumping both legs, body crouched low over his instrument, while his head nods from side to side. When a musical phrase repeats itself, Jake finds alternative moves, always leaving the spectator curious to see what will come next.

Although it is not unusual for jazz or rock musicians to include movement in their acts, it seems that Shimabukuro outdoes most in the range, variety and complexity of his choreography. His musical repertory ranges from Baroque compositions to the latest in rock, and his physical skills are equally versatile. Similar to a percussionist executing polyrhythms, his ability to isolate parts of the body and have them do counter-motions, even with varying degrees of dynamic emphasis, is remarkable.

Whether he has planned it or it is a spontaneous reflection of his passion and enthusiasm, Shimabuk-uro's performance can be recommended for its dancerly qualities as well as its musical genius.

For better insight into this young virtuoso's life and career, tune in to KHON-2 NEWS tonight for "Jake, Live in Japan," a special on Jake's recent monthlong tour to Japan hosted by KHON anchorman Ron Mizutani.

At 8 p.m. Oct. 10, Shimabukuro will perform at Borders Books at Ward Centre.

Shimabukuro is also celebrity spokesperson and performer on Celebrate the ARTS, a Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education event at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 (tickets $35, available at Hawai'i Theatre box office, 528-0506).

He returns to The Willows at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 14.