Jake Shimabukuro was born on November 3, 1976, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Having learned to play the ukulele from the young age of four, Shimabukuro marked his professional debut in 1998 after becoming a member of the group, Pure Heart, a few years after graduating from high school. Shimabukuro’s appearance dramatically altered traditional perceptions of ukulele music. Playing with incredible technique and great feeling, he covers all types of music from Classical music to Jazz, Rock, Blues, Funk and of course, improvisation that comes naturally to the ukulele, Shimabukuro continues to be a source of inspiration to the Hawaiian music scene.

How does a kid from Canada become what the Honolulu Star-Bulletin calls a “rare peer” of Hawaii’s premier ukulele players? James grew up nearly three thousand miles east of Honolulu in the town of Langley, British Columbia, where ukulele instruction has been mandatory in many schools since the late 1970s. To his fourth grade classmates, the ukulele was a means to an end, a way for them to dip their toes into the vast ocean of music. For James, the uke was a sea of possibilities unto itself and inside its tiny wooden shell he saw his life in music. He was hooked.

Herb Ohta ( Ohta-San ), internationally renowned musician, began playing the \\ukulele when he was only 7 years old. Influenced greatly by Hawaiian \\\\ukulele virtuoso Eddie Kamae, this exceptional musician has elevated the ukulele from an accompaniment solo instrument status.

He extends his love of the ukulele from Hawaiian music to classical, jazz, rock, pop, and Latin music as well. Ohta-San's diversity and style reflect his lyrical sense and is respected as the height of ukulele artistry. He is the only known master of the ukulele instrument to have over 300 tunes played on national radio.

Benny Chong taught himself to play the ukulele when he was about 11 years old. After nine years or so, he virtually put the ukulele away for some thirty-five years. Benny was the guitarist with the Ali’is, the band that backed up Don Ho. In 2000, He was invited him to be one of the four artists in “The Art of Solo ukulele”, a concert series that led to a CD and a public TV special. These events revitalized his interest in the ukulele, resulting in his album.

The Ukulele is the best-known Hawaiian instrument. In the 1950's and 60's all the bands had ukulele players. Some of the great musicians that made the instrument very popular were: Eddie Kamae, Ohta-san, Lyle Ritz, Don Baduria, Sr., John Lukela, Jesse Kalima, Kahauanu Lake, and Peter Moon.

Aloha my name is Bryan L. Tolentino. I am a self taught ‘ukulele player. I started playing the ‘ukulele at the age of 10. At the age of 12, my best friend Asa Young first introduced me to playing Hawaiian music on the ‘ukulele. Our early influences were the musical groups, “The Son’s of Hawai’i” and “The Sunday Mānoa.” After graduating from St. Louis High School in 1979, my friends and I decided to form a musical group called “The Side Order Band.” The group consisted of Asa Young on 12-string guitar, Delwin Beazley on 6-string guitar, and Chris Kamaka on upright bass, and me on ‘ukulele. We performed at various functions throughout the island of O’ahu.

From the cover of the Spring Issue of Ukulele Magazine to the front page of The Wall Street Journal, Victoria Vox is making appearances everywhere—and rightly so. The artistry of her performances is both unique and endearing, captivating an incredibly diverse audience and drawing even the least musical of folks into her harmonious web.

( from Lil' Rev's site ) I was born and bred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with dual passions for music and education. I opted for the pragmatic route and earned a Bachelors Degree in Community Education from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. After college, I split my time as an educator between teaching music to grade schoolers at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, and as an adjunct music historian and lecturer at The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

His heroes include: Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Sonny Terry, Cicso Houston and Leadbelly.

As an Author and Publisher I created Curt Sheller Publications in 1998 as a small publishing company catering to the needs of musicians, guitar players and ukulele players worldwide. Curt Sheller Publications provides for the resources and information to develop as a musician. Curt Sheller has over 40 years of playing experience, 20 plus years of teaching experience and publishing for over 10 years. As a Musician I have over 40 years playing experience in a variety of styles and s settings, most notably jazz. As a Private Music Teacher and *Educator Curt maintains a teaching schedule averaging between 40 and 60 private students a week.