Jake Shimabukuro & Mick Fleetwood: Blues Experience Review
Behind the large drum kit is a large man. Mick Fleetwood: the Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac, the one who survived the sixties and every decade thereafter. He has produced a largely instrumental album containing many classic songs scattered from his musical past. Not a stranger to instrumentals, having played on one of the most famous of all time, “Albatross”, this time he partners Jake Simabukuro. If you thought that you knew what a ukulele sounded like think again. Jake first came to notice with a YouTube version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” which was more than a nod to George Harrison’s love of the ukulele. Many albums later we arrive at this collection of songs some of which would struggle to be called blues but are given the full Simabukuro treatment.
The first track is the Jeff Beck staple “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” and it must be said that Beck himself would be happy with the results. Some nice slide from Sonny Landreth as tasteful as always. Next up is “Rollin’ n Tumblin’”. Mick’s big drum sound and superb “guitar” is more of a jam than the driving blues of earlier versions but impressive nonetheless.
Then into the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue for “Need Your Love so Bad,” which pleasant and professional with none of the angst of the vocal versions.
Nice little blues, “Kula Blues”, follows. It’s predictable but doesn’t suffer because of that, although you’ll be hard pushed to remember it. Then a cycle through Procol Harum, Albert King, and Gary Moore before Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World”, which does Rock. Finally finishing with Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” and a tribute Spoken Word version which is moving because of the death of Christine McVie.
A worthy cause and the YouTube videos show they had fun playing. How many times you will go back to the album as a whole after you get over how you can make a uke sound is a question to ask after listening to it. Worth a listen and great for doing something else to.
The Review: 7/10
The Big Hit
– Rockin’ In The Free World
