| Byron Yasui |
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Byron Yasui was born and raised in Hawaii, taught himself to play the ukulele in the 1950s, but put the ukulele aside around 1960 when be started playing jazz bass. He resumed ukulele activity in 1998 when he was asked to be a part of the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum Ukulele Masters concert tour on the east coast, with three other featured soloists. Around 2001, he served as an organizer and performer in "The Art of Solo Ukulele." This was the name of a statewide concert tour, a CD, and a Hawaii public TV special that featured four local artists. These events helped to launch the career of a young Jake Shimabukuro, who was one of the participants. Byron continues to provide ukulele clinics and workshops locally and nationally and presently serves as an advisory board member of the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii. In 2006, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum. He was a part-time double bassist with the Honolulu Symphony from 1963 to 2001, and has been a classical guitar duo partner with Brazilian virtuoso Carlos Barbosa-Lima since 1987. Byron Yasui - University of Hawai'i at Manoa |