Get into the holiday spirit Hawai’i style on December 1 at 7 p.m. when ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro brings his Christmas in Hawai’i show to The Granada Theatre. Performing in a trio with Herb Ohta Jr. and Justin Kawika Young, Shimabukuro will play holiday classics, signature originals, and songs from his 2021 release Jake & Friends.
Known for his incredible versatility using the four-string instrument, Shimabukuro — a perennial favorite of UCSB Arts & Lectures audiences who has grown from local phenom to headlining huge venues like the Hollywood Bowl — plays an impressive mix of music, from rock to jazz, blues, bluegrass, folk, and classical.
His collaborators for this concert are both fellow Hawaiians. Singer-songwriter Justin Kawika Young has been the lead guitar player and background vocalist for Colbie Caillat, as well as a member of the American country pop group Gone West. A distinct contemporary ukulele master in his own right, Herb Ohta Jr. is the son of the legendary ukulele master Ohta-san, who was recognized by many as the world’s most diversified ukulele player.