Ukulele artist to perform for HANMI anniversary

Japanese-American ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro will perform on Saipan for the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands’ 20th anniversary, promising to make the dinner-concert memorable as the industry celebrates two decades of hospitality in the Marianas.

The event, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 10, at Saipan World Resort, will also feature a first-of-its-kind culinary delight: an eight-course dinner prepared in cooperation by six chefs from Saipan’s resort hotels. The participating executive chefs are from the Pacific Islands Club, World Resort, Dai-ichi Hotel Saipan Beach, Saipan Grand Hotel, Aqua Resort and Hyatt Regency Saipan.

“This is a special occasion that we hope will lift the spirits of the tourism industry. Together, the hoteliers are working to create a 20th anniversary event that will be fun and enjoyable. It will feature the wonderful culinary talents of our executive chefs. We will also be fortunate to have Jake Shimabukuro add unique and memorable entertainment for our dinner guests,” said HANMI chairwoman Lynn A. Knight.

Shimabukuro, a master at the ukulele, is known for his lightning fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques that defy musical boundaries. Shimabukuro’s repertoire includes jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock.

Shimabukuro’s concerts started from humble beginnings at local cafés in Hawaii to big concerts like last year’s Fuji Rock Festival in Japan where he performed with fellow musicians for a crowd of about 35,000 people. In the U.S., Shimabukuro had also performed with Jimmy Buffett in venues like the House of Blues on Los Angeles, Calif., and B.B. King’s Nightclub in New York City. His biggest audience outside of Hawaii or Japan to date was about 10,000 at a recent festival in Colorado.

Shimabukuro is also famous for composing Ehime Maru following the fatal collision between a U.S. submarine and a Japanese fishing vessel in Hawaiian waters in February 2001 in honor of the nine victims and their families. Proceeds were donated to a fund for the families. Ehime Maru has since gained worldwide recognition and acclaim.

The State of Hawaii recognizes Shimabukuro as an outstanding musician and role model. He has been named Hawaii’s goodwill ambassador to Japan, and received the “Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation” for being an active voice in U.S.-Japan relations at the grassroots level. Shimabukuro has come up with three multi-awarded albums since 2002 and just released another in July.

The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands is a non-profit organization that was formed in 1985 to provide a forum for the sharing of ideas and common issues for the CNMI’s hotel industry. Tickets for HANMI’s dinner-concert on Sept. 10 will be available at a cost of $75. For more information, call 233-3773 or contact HANMI member hotels. (PR)