Ukelele hero shreds on ninth solo album

You might know ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro from the YouTube video in which he performs the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

He builds on his ability to convincingly translate complex, polyphonic songs onto the ukulele in his latest album, “Peace Love Ukulele.”

Somehow he manages to perform a rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to full effect despite the ukulele only having four strings.

Shimabukuro’s tone is startlingly sweet and clear, with deftly articulated melodies rising above harmonies.

His playing style is a departure from more traditional ukulele music that features strumming of chords. In “Pianoforte,” Shimabukuro plays a melody over a background ukulele arpeggio, creating a sound reminiscent of Mozart.

The album’s sound is quite diverse, featuring the ukulele in several different roles and genres, from virtuosic solo pieces to violin duets to jazz style playing backed by drums and bass.

Highlights include a moving rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and a live version of the aforementioned “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Shimabukuro’s transformation of the ukulele from a modest background player to a virtuosic solo instrument, combined with his skillful renditions of popular music, makes for a very engaging listening experience.