When Jake Shimabukuro performed in Saipan earlier this year he took time out of his schedule to visit with some local school kids who are learning to play the ukulele. Jun was not one of those kids.
Jun is one of the youngest Kaipat kids and has grown up around music. Since the day I met him, Cinta has told me stories of how he is drawn to music and how he sings and wants to be a part of the family band.
Jun attended the Jake Shimabukuro concert earlier this year and even performed with the opening act, Olomwaay. I found out yesterday that in the months since Jun has been religiously watching Jake Shimabukuro videos on Youtube and learning how to play his songs.
He asked one of his uncles to teach him how to play like Jake Shimabukuro, but the uncle was honest with him and said that he can't play like Jake Shimabukuro.
So Jun just played the Youtube videos over and over. He can't read music and just listened and figured out how to make his ukulele sound like Jake's.
He's not perfect and he's clearly still learning, but I'd say he's doing pretty good for seven years old.
The song in this video is While My Guitar Gently Weeps. It was recording on Christmas 2008.