Long Island musician Paris Ray opened for Shimabukuro by delivering a stunning acoustic set that featured her crisp, crystalline voice that was reminiscent of Corinne Bailey Rae.
Shimabukuro kicked off his set with the soothing “Time of the Season.” “It is so great to be back here at The Paramount,” he said, graciously, and complimented Paris Ray for her opening set. It was followed by the hypnotic “6/8.” “Anybody here from Hawaii? Anybody ever been to Hawaii” he asked, and he went on to play the traditional Hawaiian tune “Kawika,” which is known for its “cool intro,” and rightfully so.
The ukulele master shared that he has a brand new album coming out on August 31, The Greatest Day, which is comprised of an equal balance of original music and cover songs. He delivered a solid performance of the title track “The Greatest Day,” as blue lights dimmed from the stage.
He declared “Eleanor Rigby” as his personal favorite Beatles song, and played a haunting yet eloquent rendition of the song. Equally fun was “Tritone,” which was inspired by contemporary classical music. Normally “Tritone” is a 30-minute piece, but the trio gave The Paramount audience a condensed, impressive version.
Jake Shimabukuro tipped his hat to the late but great Jimi Hendrix with “If 6 was 9,” and shared that the first instrument that he ever played was a ukulele that his dad gave him. “Thank you very much,” he said, effusively.
They also paid homage to Bill Withers with “Use Me,” where Preston played guitar and sang the lead, with his rich and rumbling voice. “Are you guys having a good time?” he asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes” from the Huntington crowd.
The highlight portion of his show was when he performed solo, which included the inspirational “Blue Roses Falling,” as well as an enthralling ukulele rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. “We love coming through Huntington. The energy here incredible,” he said.
The Greatest Day is available for pre-order on iTunes.
The Verdict
Overall, Jake Shimabukuro and his trio (Nolan Verner and Dave Preston) were all phenomenal at The Paramount on Long Island. They gave the venue a night of ukulele music to remember for a long time. Their talent as musicians was impeccable, and they are highly recommended seeing live when they perform in town. They will blow their audience members away. Their live set at The Paramount garnered an A rating.
To learn more about Jake Shimabukuro and his touring dates, check out his website.
Read More: Digital Journal chatted with Jake Shimabukuro.
