Conversation with Herb Ohta Jr.: `Ukulele Virtuoso from Hawai‘i

International recording artist Herb Ohta, Jr., is one of today’s most prolific `ukulele masters. Influenced by Jazz, R&B, Latin and Brazilian music, as well as traditional Hawaiian sounds, he puts his stamp on Hawaiian music by pushing the limits of tone and technique on this beautiful instrument. The son of `ukulele legend "Ohta-san," he started playing at the age of three, and began teaching at the age of nine. He now shares the music of Hawai‘i and the beauty of the `ukulele with people around the world, performing concerts and conducting instructional workshops. Herb’s recording debut was in 1990 on one of his father’s albums. Since then, he has appeared on over 50 recordings, with 15 Solo and 13 duet recordings to his credit. He has won seven Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and four Hawai‘i Music Awards. He has issued three nationally distributed releases in Japan and one in Taiwan. He has co-authored two `ukulele instructional books with GRAMMY Award winner Daniel Ho, which were released in Japan and the United States, and has published a songbook of his arrangements in Korea. For transcript and more information, visit https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-10260