He finds within his axe a range of tones and grooves ... and so seamlessly adapts it to any style or song that you might just forget that this instrument isn't supposed to sound cool at all.

Alternating stunning original works with covers (not since ... Hendrix has anyone reworked "The Star-Spangled Banner" so thoroughly), Shimabukuro delivers a listening experience that both delights and surprises.

A string of covers follows, as Shimabukuro touches the serene with Schubert's "Ave Maria," evokes a Japanese koto on a Zen-like version of "Sakura", and turns "The Star-Spangled Banner" into a lament.

But Shimabukuro's original tunes are just as full of plucked nuance, especially "Heartbeat Dragon," where he uses a slight delay to create a quietly joyful Celtic air.

A few bonus tracks of generic fusion at the end detract from the solo purity and intimate mood that Shimabukuro creates, but Gently Weeps is a joy until then.