Hitchhike

Through several albums, Jake Shimabukuro has succeeded in lifting the poor, persecuted ukulele out of the novelty ghetto and boosting its respectability. No one laughs when this guy peels out his complex, melodically sophisticated and surprisingly deep runs on the pint-sized four-string – much as Béla Fleck has done with the banjo, Shimabukuro has reinvented the uke. The Hawaiian ace’s solo covers of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” will probably be the tunes that get the most attention – the latter, in particular, is a lovely, sensitive reading. But Shimabukuro’s original compositions are just as noteworthy, from the opening “143 (Kelly’s Song) 2011” – embellished with a string quartet – to the rocking “Ukulele Bros.” – written by his brother Bruce – and the ornate, classically inspired “Pianoforte 2010.”