What: Jake Shimabukuro, in concert.
When: 8 p.m. Jan. 21.
Where: Aladdin Theater, 3017 S.E. Milwaukie Ave., Portland.
Cost: $30.55 through Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com
Info: http://jakeshimabukuro.com.
In interviews, Jake Shimabukuro has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele, and for years has told people that any song could be played on his instrument.
So when somebody tried to stump him with a challenge to play Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a song famous for its multi-faceted structure, fully orchestrated sound, choir-like vocals and a storming electric guitar solo, Shimabukuro decided he was game. So what if a ukulele has just four strings and a two-octave range?
“I sat down with the original recording and listened to it over and over and over and tried to figure out ways to make it work on the instrument,” he said. “And it wasn’t so much just about capturing just the right notes, but it was about capturing the story that the arrangement told, because it takes you on a journey from beginning to end. That’s what I wanted to capture with the ukulele. Because anyone can take the notes, and, of course, you can just play the notes and people will be able to identify that that’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ But that doesn’t mean you’re capturing the spirit of the song.”
The result, perhaps the first take on “Bohemian Rhapsody” of its kind, is one of the highlights of Shimabukuro’s new album, “Peace Love Ukulele.”