“THE GREATEST DAY”

Jake Shimabukuro (JS Records)

Jake Shimabukuro leads a large group of musicians and vocalists on an imaginative musical odyssey that spans several genres of contemporary music. As usual he has plenty to say — and, as always, his ukulele does the “talking” in eloquent style. At one end of the spectrum are big beat arrangements of “Time of the Season,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and the Jimi Hendrix Experience album track, “If 6 Was 9.” Rock it, Jake!

At the other is a beautiful reworking of “Hallelujah,” the Leonard Cohen tune that everybody seems to be doing these days. Shimabukuro plays it over a soothing electronic foundation; his version of Cohen deserves to be heard.

A live recording of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” closes the album with a nod to history. A much earlier recording of the Beatles song was posted on YouTube and launched Shimabukuro as an international phenomenon.

Visit jakeshimabukuro.com.

“NO BETTER PLACE TO BE”

Haole Kid Local Boy Blues Project (Self-produced)

The Haole Kid Local Boy Blues Project is a four-man blues band built around vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist/song writer Kelly Howerton. They play the blues as seriously down-home, dark and dirty as anybody in the islands. Howerton and his partners— Danilo Maziero (harmonica), Aaron Loeser (bass) and Marino Regalado (drums) — are four solid musicians, no doubt.

There are times when Howerton sounds like he might going for an impression of the original African-American blues men of old, but songs like “Bluesy White Boy,” “The Luxury of Apathy” and “Can’t Buy Soul” show that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. The lyrics also show his keen eye for the pretensions of American society.

A contemporary lament, “Carpel Tunnel,” speaks eloquently for overworked office workers everywhere. The quartet also captures the outlook of the homeless in Waikiki with “No Better Place To Be.”

An album release party is planned for Sept. 29 at SIN Lounge in Chinatown. Visit fb.com/Haolekidlocalboy.