'Masters of Hawaiian Music' Comes To Chatham In March

The Masters of Hawaiian Music Tour featuring multiple Grammy award-winning artists George Kahumoku, Jr., Ledward Kaapana, and Jeff Peterson comes to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 200 Main Street, Chatham, NJ on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are $25 advance purchase/$30 at the door and can be purchased at http://hawaiian.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006. Proceeds benefit the church’s programs and outreach.

Long-time Chatham resident and member of St. Paul’s, Andy Wang who has studied Hawaiian slack key guitar with George Kahumoku, Jr. is delighted at the return of Kahumoku and Kaapana to Chatham where they performed in 2014. Ledward Kaapana, whose flashy style draws from his family’s roots on the Big Island. According to The Seattle Times, “His fleet fingers, leaping phrases and seemingly boundless imagination for improvisation suggest a jazz influence.” Kaapana is well known as a member of the iconic trio Hui ‘Ohana and has worked with Nashville legends Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Alison Krauss, and Jerry Douglas. Peterson, who has worked with artists including Eric Clapton, James Galway, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Aaron Neville, and Boz Scaggs makes his debut appearance at St. Paul’s.

“We are very excited to present this evening of authentic Hawaiian music, hula, and storytelling. Each artist is a Hawaiian treasure and music legend. Attendees are in for a real treat.” said Andy Wang, organizer of the show.

Hawaiian slack key guitar, kī hō‘alu, is one of the world’s great acoustic guitar traditions. Relatively unknown outside of Hawaii, slack key guitar is often confused with and actually pre-dates the more well known Hawaiian lap steel that developed in the late 1880s or 1890s. Slack key was developed by Hawaiian cowboys who “slacked” the strings of guitars brought by Mexican cowboys hired by King Kamehameha III to teach Hawaiians better ranching methods. Slack key is a finger-picked style, and the tradition continues to evolve from techniques and tunings handed down through the generations.

There’s a reason George Kahumoku Jr., been called Hawaii’s Renaissance man. He’s a four-time GRAMMY Award-winning master slack key guitarist, songwriter, world-traveling performer, teacher, artist, storyteller, writer, farmer, and entrepreneur. He hosts a weekly show on Maui called George Kahumoku Jr’s Slack Key Show: Masters of Hawaiian Music which just celebrated its twelfth anniversary. He recently recorded a new CD, Paniolo Slack Key – Songs of the Hawaiian Cowboy. Around all of this he cultivates taro and raises goats on his upland Maui farm.

Four-time GRAMMY nominee and master of stringed instruments Ledward Kaapana won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award for his Force of Nature album. Praised for his extraordinary baritone and leo ki‘eki‘e (falsetto) voices, easygoing style, and kolohe (rascal) charm, Kaapana is a musical legend who is praised by audiences from Brussels to his birthplace on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Recognized as one of Hawaii’s most versatile musicians, Jeff Peterson is at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene today. His passion for the guitar has allowed him to shine as a solo artist and Open opportunities to collaborate with a wide variety of artists from Hawaii, the US mainland, and abroad. His mastery of slack key guitar, classical, and jazz has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while maintaining deep roots in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage. His solo CD Maui on My Mind was recognized as the Slack Key Album of the Year in 2010. His original music was featured on the soundtrack of the film The Descendants, starring George Clooney. His latest release, Slack Key Travels, won the 2014 Hoku Award for Best Slack Key Album.

For additional information, contact visit http://www.stpaulschatham.org.