Honolulu’s local ‘ukelele wizard Jake Shimabukuro has grown immensely popular lately, and not just in the Aloha State. These days he can be fund jetting off on extensive tours, playing gigs with Jimmy Buffet, and showing up on talk shows like Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

At the same time, whenever he’s on island, he can be seen on stage wooing the crowd at Chai’s Island Bistro, or randomly jamming around town. “That’s something I do on occasion. I’ll just pop in at different open-mic nights and play with some of the guys there. I love it because it’s so chill and everyone’s relaxed and they come together because they love music. That’s what it’s all about.”

Whether at a neighborhood hangout or on NBC, Shimabukuro makes the world look at the ‘ukulele differently. When he picks up his four-string Kamaka ax made of Brazilian rosewood, mahogany, and koa, and his fingers blur across the frets at blistering, unmatched speeds, gone instantly are the stereotypes labeling the ukulele an old-timer’s rhythm instrument fit for slow ballads and accompanied by gently swaying hula dancers. His dynamic style of playing is often reverb-enhanced to create a fuller sound; and a variety of influences can be heard in his music -- from jazz, rock, and funk, to classical, folk, and, of course, traditional Hawaiian.

First developed by Portuguese immigrants who came to Hawai‘i in the late 19th century, the ukulele (translated as “jumping flea”) is actually a cross between two Madeiran instruments, the braguinha and the rajão. Early players like Bill Tapia and Ernest Ka‘ai helped popularize the instrument, but it was King David Kalakaua (1836-1891) whose initial support of the new music helped to firmly establish the ‘ukulele in Hawaiian culture.

“My favorite ukulele player of all time is probably the guy who inspired everybody and his name is Eddie Kamae,” says Shimabukuro. “Eddie was the first ukulele virtuoso. What he was doing with the instrument at that time . . . nobody else could imagine playing anything remotely like it. It was the instrument at its purest sound—he had a tone and a way of playing that for me defined the ukulele. The same way Jimi Hendrix defined distortion guitar.” Shimabukuro has long admired Aunty Genoa Keawe’s consummate skill as well. “She does this simple Hawaiian strum to accompany her voice, but she has this way of doing it like no one else—just the way her fingers drag across the strings.”

If his latest effort Gently Weeps is any indication, Shimabukuro is likewise carving out a sound for himself that others, though they may mimic it, cannot replicate. The title is a nod to George Harrison, one of Shimabukuro’s heroes, and the album’s opening cut is a moving cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” which begins quietly but reaches a frenzied crescendo. “I got to meet George’s wife Olivia,” says the Kaimuki High graduate. “She actually came to one of my concerts in Honolulu and had a lot of encouraging things to say. I could have died right there.”

Harrison, who had a beautiful estate in Hana, cultivated a deep love for the ukulele in the final years of his life and was known always to have one with him when traveling. “He was just so centered. There was purpose in everything that he did,” says Shimabukuro of the late former Beatle. “The Beatles as a whole had a style, but whenever they recorded one of George’s songs it stood on its own.”

Half of Gently Weeps is comprised of original compositions; the other half finds Shimabukuro tackling songs like Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” Chick Corea’s “Spain,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He even drops in a beautiful Japanese folk song. What makes this even more impressive is that Gently Weeps is the artist’s first completely solo project—there are no bass lines, guitar chord progressions, or drum beats to help carry the pieces.

“What I love about it is that it’s a very pure album. It is what it is,” says the artist. “There’s nothing covering up the sound of the ukulele, so people can hear all of the little subtleties of what I’m doing.” Conversely, Shimabukuro admits this was also the biggest challenge. “There’s a lot of honesty there, and sometimes when it’s just you it can be hard to listen to. On my other projects with instrumentation the focus wasn’t only on me, so it was a little easier.”

Though he began publicly performing in 1998, the 30-year-old has already released five albums. Last year he produced his first soundtrack, for the film Hula Girl. “It was my first time writing parts for piano, strings, and guitar, so it was all new to me, but I’d love to do more of that,” he says. “I’m listening to a lot of orchestrated music lately and I’m forcing my ear to pick up the less obvious parts. Like what’s the supporting line doing, or the counterpoint melody? I’ve realized those things really make the song.”

Last year also gave Shimabukuro the opportunity to showcase his talent with the Honolulu Symphony Pops during two concerts at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Maestro Matt Catingub did all of the arrangements and conducting in such a masterful way that Shimabukuro was often baffled that a homegrown song of his—composed on a lone ukulele—could have been the origin of it all.

“The range of the ukulele is very limited—it has just two octaves, a tiny fret board, and the sustain is almost nothing,” explains Shimabukuro. “During those shows, there was just so much sound. It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes when you’re paying with a full orchestra. The colors they can create—it’s the ultimate instrument.”

Only four years old when he began strumming, Shimabukuro says his initial interest came from hearing his mom play. “Of course, it was a lot of traditional Hawaiian music, and I just enjoyed the sound of it,” he recalls, admitting it was also the only instrument he could hold then without toppling over. “My parents loved music and so there were always records spinning in the house—at the time everything was vinyl. I didn’t grow up with just one type of music and I think that was good because I stayed very open-minded. I never got locked into one style.”

Shimabukuro came into his own when he began attacking difficult pieces, although he recalls that before taking them on, he would doubt his abilities and wonder if it was possible. “Those challenges are really what led me to discovering new techniques,” he says. “It was just about sitting down and hammering away and finding ways to get around obstacles.” Shmabukuro had ukulele lessons growing up, but says he found the traditional style of play was somewhat limiting: “I found that through the usual techniques it was very difficult to play certain pieces I liked, and to play them in a way that sounded authentic.”

Eventually, Shimabukuro developed a style that combines strumming with finger-picking. Today he claims the hours of practice probably resulted from him being poor at sports (although he did successfully run the Honolulu Marathon last year, and since then has subscribed to a health-conscious lifestyle). “It was the most difficult thing I ever did in my life,” says Shimabukuro, who now cooks his own meals and does not drink soda or alcohol. “At the same time, it was the most rewarding. Crossing that finish line felt so incredible. I had never experienced anything like that before."

Another award came last year in the form of a Na Hoku Hanohano (Hawai‘i’s Grammy) for “Favorite Entertainer,” symbolizing the adoration he attracts in the Islands. “That was a huge surprise, but I took it as a stamp of approval, especially from the older generation,” says the young virtuoso. “With the ukulele being a traditional Hawaiian instrument, I always want to make sure I respect the instrument and those who play it. That’s of utmost importance to me.”