Acoustic Magazine November 2015 Back Issue

Hot on the heels of his new album, Travels, our front cover artist this issue is the ukulele master, Jake Shimabukuro. In talking with Jake for the feature it became evident that here was a man who lived and breathed music and playing. The fingerstyle-pyrotechnics that stun fans wherever he plays are the result of having begun playing at the tender age of three. It’s interesting that Jake’s only real memory from his pre-school days was the day his mother agreed to let him have a gentle strum of her beloved ukulele. That single strum of the open strings is a memory that stays with him to this day – and not just the physical act, but of the sound produced too. It was arguably the single most pivotal day in Jake’s life – that and perhaps the day someone, without his permission, uploaded a video of him playing ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ in New York’s Central Park which went on to be viewed over 14 million times and counting!
Perhaps, like me, you too have early memories of playing an acoustic guitar. Or maybe you remember the first time you saw someone play. Either experience likely to have led to the interest in, or love for, the acoustic guitar or acoustic music you feel today. No doubt it’s why you’re reading this magazine today. Sadly, the daily grind of earning a living, family and the other demands life places upon us mean we don’t get to play as often as we’d like. But one thing that Mr Shimabukuro reminds us of is the affinity we feel for acoustic music and instruments, and that’s arguably one of the things that makes the aforementioned responsibilities all worthwhile. Perhaps the message is a reminder to make time enjoying our prized acoustics. It’s my experience that waiting for the time doesn’t work, hence the use of the word ‘make’. We are unlike to reach the motor skills and musicality of players like Jake Shimabukuro, but, one thing’s for sure, any amount of time invested in our instruments pays dividends.