Shimabukuro to bring his ukelele to Morristown

MORRISTOWN — Ukulele superstar Jake Shimabukuro comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. He is touring in support of his critically acclaimed new album Nashville Sessions, which was called "an adventurous, dazzling album" by the Associated Press.
"I'm looking forward to the upcoming shows this year," said Shimabukuro. "I have a new setup for my electric ukulele that gives me access to new sounds and timbres that I never incorporated before. I'll be performing lots of new material as well as new arrangements of old songs. A few of my favorite moments in the show include an ukulele and bass duet of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - and a 10-minute version of "Dragon," which utilizes a looper, analog echoes, finger tapping, and heavy metal distortion. I always try to maintain a balance of traditional music with the edgier modern sounding pieces. Every show is a little different, which keeps things fresh and exciting. The most important thing is everyone has a great time and walks away with a smile."
Accompanying Shimabukuro on tour will be longtime bassist Nolan Verner and guitarist Dave Preston. They will perform songs from Jake's most recent albums, Live in Japan (2015) and Travels (2015), favorites from his 15-year career, and several songs from his studio album Nashville Sessions.
His first album of all original songs, Nashville Sessions is one of Jake's most adventurous, multifaceted and engaging recordings yet. At the suggestion of his manager, Jake went into a Nashville studio this past January to jam with two top Nashville session players, Jake's bassist Nolan Verner and drummer Evan Hutchings. "At first I was hesitant," Shimabukuro admits. "'We're just going to go in and jam? Really? With nothing prepared?' I never dreamed we would leave the studio six days later with a full album." The result is one of the boldest and most unique ukulele records ever made, and one that will touch the heart of Jake Shimabukuro's fan base while enticing new listeners from all across the musical spectrum. Watch Jake perform "Kilauea" from the upcoming Nashville Sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8aKlQOUaMc&feature=youtu.be.