Travels

Hawaiian-Japanese ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro has been taking his humble instrument in new directions for some years. On this latest release he heads towards diverse destinations, with rather mixed results. Known for his inventive cover versions (think ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’), the new 70s-inspired material includes a spirited take on War's funky ‘Low Rider’ and a surprisingly delicate rendition of The Jackson 5's classic ‘I’ll be There’.

Of the traditional Hawaiian tunes, the standouts are ‘Hi’ilawe’, a beautiful old love song about the Big Island's highest waterfall that dates back to the late 1800s, and a rocked-out, fast-fingered version of ‘Kawika’, a popular mele (chant/song). Elsewhere, the sunny Caribbean-flavoured track ‘Passport’ is an instant winner, and ‘Red-Eye’ a pleasantly loping reggae jaunt. The title-track starts out sounding like a Russian balalaika melody before quickly evolving into a cruisey jazz-inspired improvisation, while the lovely ‘Ichigo Ichi’ is a Japanese-inspired reference to the once-in-a-lifetime chance of meeting people on your travels. Occasionally he veers into more humdrum territory, as on the musak-ish ‘Train Ride’, but on the whole Shimabukuro's breezy aloha spirit and immaculate playing imparts a positive energy, inviting listeners to journey alongside him on his ongoing worldwide voyage.