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Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii is proud to present many wonderful
and renowned musicians at the picnic every year. Not only
musicians from Hawaii, but also from Japan and other places
will gather and share their talented skills. |
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Ukulele Now! September 4, 2021
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George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has stumbled upon international and critical ac-claim as the most entertaining pluckers. Dancing somewhere between sincerity and in-sanity; punk rock sensibilities and restrained British humour; the not-too-silly and the not- too-serious, A 37-year-long career has taken them to Carnegie Hall, Glastonbury festival, the North Pole, and from China to Estonia via Japan, Australia and The Isle of Man, gar-nering hordes of fans and imitators along the way. Born of a rejection of convention and a penchant for reinterpretation, their catalogue is a menagerie of rock, pop, jazz, blues and classical music, performed with humour and a flair for toe-tapping, roof-raising, and often twisted renditions. With fans ranging from the Queen of England, to David Bowie and beyond, the original Ukulele Orchestra are unmissable (and arguably inexcusable).
Official Website: ukuleleorchestra.com
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James Hill
Born in Canada in 1980, James began playing ukulele as a child and participated in the Langley Ukulele Ensemble for more than ten years. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia. A singer, songwriter, educator and virtuoso instrumentalist, James Hill is a man on a musical mission. It's a mission that reaches beyond the concert stage and into communities, homes and classrooms around the world.
James has appeared alongside other famous ukulele players at venues all around the world. Hill has released seven albums so far, with his 2015 album The Old Silo receiving a 2015 nomination for the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year (Solo). James is also famous for creating The Ukulele Way, which is a ukulele instruction method that combines its own social media platform with audio, video, and printed materials.
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Paul Hemmings
Based in New York City, Paul performs regularly as leader of the dynamic ukulele-bass-drum team he uses to interpret his own original compositions and renditions of modern standards. The group’s latest album, The Blues And The Abstract Uke, focuses on a wide cross-section of American blues music and received a glowing four-star review in the pages of Downbeat. Along with Paul on ukulele, the album features Gaku Takanashi on bass and Rudy Royston on drums, in addition to special guests Greg Tardy on tenor saxophone and Curtis Fowlkes on trombone.
The Paul Hemmings Uketet, the trio’s aptly named debut, was released in 2012 and features idiosyncratic renditions of contemporary standards – from Thelonious Monk and Antonio-Carlos Jobim to Bob Marley and The Beatles – along with a handful of Hemmings' original compositions. The album was met with widespread critical acclaim and continues to find airplay on jazz and public radio stations around the country.
Since releasing his first album with The Uketet, Paul has become a familiar face on the burgeoning ukulele festival circuit. With appearances at the Cairns Ukulele Festival in Australia, the New York Ukulele Festival, the Centrum Ukulele Festival in Port Townsend, WA, and many others, Paul has garnered a reputation not only for his compelling performances but also for his accessible workshops. By presenting technically in-depth material in an approachable manner, he has cemented a reputation as the “mad professor” of ukulele instruction. Paul is currently toiling away on a series of books and video tutorials for ukulele players of all stripes.
Playing the part of music educator is a role that Paul has been enjoying for well over a decade. Since 2001, he has been teaching at the Third Street Music School Settlement in New York City, the nation’s oldest community music school, in addition to teaching classes at Marymount Manhattan College, the National Guitar Workshop, the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, and the California Coast Music Camp. Paul also holds a degree from the acclaimed Jazz Performance program at the New School University in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.
Before focusing his attention on the ukulele, Paul started his professional musical life as a jazz guitar player. On 2003’s In & Out, Paul’s first album on Leading Tone Records, his trio, joined on several tracks by the robust tenor saxophone of Eric Alexander, received praise from Cadence magazine for their “superb renditions” of jazz standards and original compositions.
His second release in 2006 was a marked departure: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Live!) captured the seamless stream-of-consciousness concert in which Paul and his trio performed their highly original reinterpretation of the classic Beatles album. The gritty lo-fi recording documents Paul digging deep into his bag of effects pedals in addition to performing on electric guitar, Cuban tres and, for the first time, the tenor ukulele he’d picked up on a trip to Maui earlier that year.
Then in 2007, Hemmings teamed up with avant-garde saxophone pioneer John Tchicai for the genre-blending Letter From America. The album was praised in the pages of Jazz Times and other notable jazz journals and was named “one of the year’s best albums” by the Los Angeles edition of All About Jazz.
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Sekiguchi Band
Sekiguchi Band is a whistle and ukulele unit led by Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, producer of Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii and member of famous Japanese rock band Southern All Stars. Kazuyuki loves the ukulele and has been promoting the instrument all around the world since publishing “The Ukulele Book” in 1992. He has collaborated with Hawaii artists such as Herb Ota and Roy Sakuma, releasing many CDs and organizing several ukulele events.
[Band Members]
Whistle player Kimiko Wakiyama is a female champion of the 2007 World Whistle Tournament, with a 3-octave range. Yanagiman plays the bass, but he is also an expert producer who made many Japanese bands famous. Yu Hatakeyama is a Japan’s leading Cajon player. She has played with many famous musicians and released a Cajon instruction DVD and instruction book.
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1933 Ukulele All Stars
Special collaboration group is created, and they are called - “Ukulele All Stars”! The group consists of talented musicians and ukulele enthusiasts in Japan, led by Boo Takagi. Although he is well known as a member of the Drifters, he has been very passionate about Ukulele for many years, and loves Hawaii. About 25 years ago, Boo-san asked Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii’s executive producer, Sekiguchi-san, “Can we organize something, like Ukulele Orchestra?” and that’s how this dream-like group was formed.
According to Sekiguchi-san, there are two very important criteria to be in this 1933 Ukulele All Stars - 1) loves Ukulele, and 2) respects Mr. Boo Takagi with whole heart. Current members are, Yoshio Nomura (very famous Tanokin-Torio member),Yoko Oginome, Kimiko Wakiyama, Yu Hatakeyama, Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, and Boo Takagi.
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Boo Takagi
Born in Sugamo, Tokyo in 1933. In 1964, He Joined “The Drifters (Japanese Band)“ to host one of the legendary and most popular variety shows called “Hachijidayo Zen'inshūgō! (It’s 8 o’clock, Everyone, Gather around!) “ which aired from 1969. As the opening performance of the Beatles' first concert in 1966 . He has been keeping himself busy in various fields of his many talents, such as album release events and live performances, as well as an instructor for Ukulele lessons on NHK Educational TV.
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Yoshio Nomura
In the early 1980’s, Yoshio Nomura made his debut into stardom as a pop idol with his nickname, Yotchan. He then become a guitarist for the rock-n-roll band Good-bye. His talent as a guitar player led him to join the touring band for Ayumi Hamasaki since 1998.
Yoshio is known to be a “guitar enthusiast” and has a collection of more than 300 guitars at home. His recent passion has been ukulele. For his first instrumental album titled “Ukulele for Christmas,” he played all the instruments by himself, featuring techniques to play vintage ukulele instead of electric guitar.
He has also produced his own ukulele model. “Usulele” (Usui means ‘thin’ in Japanese) became popular with its uniquely thin design. Several ukulele producers are now inspired by Yoshio’s creation, and have been distributing their own versions of a thin body ukulele. In 2020, Yoshio released his second ukulele album, “Ukulele Slow Life.”
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Yoko Oginome
Since her debut as a singer in 1984, Yoko Oginome has released 42 single songs and 31 albums, including mega-hit singles such as “Dancing Hero”, “Roppongi Junjo-ha”, “Coffee Rhumba” and the album “Non-Stopper" (Number one on the 1987 Oricon album chart). “Dancing Hero” made a come back in 2017, reaching Number 2 on the Billboard Weekly Domestic Chart. In the same year, she won the special prize at the 59th Japan Record Awards (the Japanese equivalent of the Grammys). Her singing career continued to be recognized through other awards, such as the very first “Top Karaoke Song of the Year” and the 32nd Japan Gold Disc Special Award in 2018.
After 23 years on hiatus, she appeared in a starring role on “Net Utahime" (Internet Diva) on the NHK BS premium channel in 2019, the same year she celebrated her 35th anniversary as an artist.
In August 2020, Oginome composed “Mushi no Tsubuyaki (Insects’ Tweet)” with her own lyrics. It is a charming tune with the sound of ukulele, which has been enjoyed throughout the nation on NHK’s Minna no Uta (Everyone’s Songs - a long-running program on NHK since 1961). This is her second song to be aired on this program, after “Jungle Dance" (lyrics by Masakazu Mori, song by Tetsuya Komuro) in February, 1988.
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Kimiko Wakiyama
International champion whistler. Born in Fukuoka,
Japan. Garaduate of Kunitachi University of Music.
Kimiko Wakiyama, the champion whistler, who won
the women's crown at the 2007 International Whistlers
Convention (IWC 2007) in North Carolina. Wakiyama,
can whistle across a range of three octaves, which
means almost all vocal music is within her scope.
Beautiful feminine sound marks as " Lovely
Tune ". Debut album, " The Whistling Paradise " (April 23, Victor Entertainment), was released
as the first female solo artist. Without being bound
by the general image of whistling, thriving through
out TV programs and movies.
Official website: kimikowakiyama.com
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Yanagiman
Yanagiman is from Yakushima, in Kagoshima. He moved to Tokyo in 1997, after having started his music carrier in Fukuoka are for a while. He has been composing and producing several songs to well known artists such as, Ketsumeishi, Funky Monkey Babies, Gosopelers, or Mika Nakajima. He is currently very enthusiastic about regional revitalization project throughout Japan and other countries as well.
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You Hatakeyama
Yu Hatakeyama was born in Rikuzentakata City in Iwate prefecture. While growing up in Saitama prefecture, she joined brass band with her friends at junior high school. She was introduced to percussion instruments at band practice, and she decided to become a professional percussionist.
Later, Yu studied at Kunitachi College of Music, majoring in percussion. By the time of her graduation, she was awarded first prize at the Newcomer Concert of the Japan Percussion Instrument Association.
Yu’s career as a professional percussionist includes appearances as a support musician for Keisuke Kuwata and Tokiko Kato. After releasing her first percussion solo album in 2007, she produced 4 more solo albums. Yu has also released an instrumental DVD, “A Guide for Shifting to Cajón as a Drummer” as a leading Cajón musician in Japan.
Yu Hatakeyama has promoted many innovative ideas so that “usually behind-the-scenes” instruments, such as percussion, can shine on stage. For example, setting up the percussion instruments front and center on the stage, and organizing a live concert with percussion as the lead instruments. You might also find her at a “Battle Live” with other drummers, or in collaboration with rakugo （traditional Japanese comic storytelling）, of which she is a big fan!
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Sebukulele
With his uke, Sebastien (aka Sebukulele) plays his self-penned French/Japanese infused songs. Since childhood, he's singing and playing several instruments like bass or guitar.
He discovered in Tokyo the ukulele in 2013 and began to make original songs. He played in many places and festivals in France (Paris, Marseille), the UK (GNUF & Summer Strum) and Japan (Ukulele Happy Hour Festival).
He have since made 3 LPs - Citrus Depressa (2017), Les jours heureux (2018) and Le voyage aux milles voluptés (2020).
Facebook: facebook/sebukulele
Instagram: instagram.com/sebukulele
Official Website: sebukulele.blogspot.com
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Wilbur Sargunaraj
Known as the “Simple Superstar”, Wilbur Sargunaraj is a musician and Cultural Intelligence Facilitator. After decades of studio work and touring as a drummer, Wilbur fell in love with the Ukulele during a trip to Hawaii. His passion is for helping people build relational bridges across differences and the 'Instrument of Love' has helped him achieve this around the world. Wilbur was born in a small town in Western Canada, grew up in rural South India and lived in Chiba, Japan for a year where he fell in love with the Japanese people and their culture. In addition to his artistic projects, Wilbur performs and speaks at schools and businesses to inspire children and adults around the world to become culturally intelligent Simple Superstars. He loves dancing, eating Katsu Curry and drinking South Indian filter coffee!
Twitter: @wilburworldwide
Instagram: @wilburworldwide
Official Website: www.wilbur.asia
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Ukulele Hale with Jody Kamisato & Honoka
Ukulele Hale is a place that enriches the lives of students through a fun, positive, personal experience in Kaimuki. Jody Kamisato opened this school in 2007, to introduce students to music theory, chords, notes, strumming, picking techniques, rhythm, improvisation, and performance skill.The instructors at `Ukulele Hale are just as passionate about the `ukulele as they are about their students. Each instructor strives to instill in every student positive values that will help them grow into happy and confident individuals.
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Jody Kamisato
As a member of the “BS Band” with Bruce Shimabukuro and Gary Akiona, Jody performed throughout Hawai`i and toured Japan on numerous occasions to do live shows and `ukulele workshops. In 2005 Jody's original song "Ainakoa" was selected for "Aloha Tofu's" official commercial song. In spring of 2006 the "BS Band" released their first album entitled "Incognito." Later that year, Jody completed his first DVD entitled "Island Style Ukulele".
Jody is a president of Ukulele Hale, and on a mission to spur interest in the `ukulele worldwide. His goal in life is to make a difference somehow, somewhere and to leave a legacy served with aloha. Jody Kamisato is more than just a `ukulele instructor, entertainer, and owner of `Ukulele Hale but a true ambassador of the Aloha spirit.
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Honoka
From Ukulele Hale, Honoka and Azita won the MVP prize as a duo at International Ukulele Contest in 2013, The duo became a sensation in ukulele industry, and performed at many events and concerts around the world. Honoka now pursues her career as a solo artist.
Brought up in Hawai’i embraced by beauty from the mountain to the sea, Honoka has grown an admiration for the nature that surrounds her. The thoughts, feelings, and memories that nature brings to Honoka are the inspirations behind her music. As she travels the world with her ukulele in hand, Honoka would like to continue sharing her love and passion for music and the aloha spirit.
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Anastasia
(1st Prize Winner - Solo Teen)
Anastasia, known by her stage name anathebandah, really likes playing ukulele! She first picked up the instrument in early 2016 after being inspired by acoustic fingerstyle artists such as Sungha Jung, Corey Fujimoto, Andrew Foy, Jake Shimabukuro, and many others. She is self-taught, arranges songs by ear, and posts her arrangements onto her YouTube channel "anathebandah".
Gathering inspiration from numerous types of music ranging from pop music to film soundtracks, she cultivates her playing style which highlights bright harmonics and percussive sounds. She won the Adult Category of the 8th Annual Kris Fuchigami Ukulele Contest in 2020 along with the MVP, Solo Teens Category, and Grand Champion of the 10th Annual International Ukulele Contest in 2021. Anastasia strives to share the awesomeness of the ukulele with the world and aspires to become an ukulele master one day!
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PingTar Duo
(1st Prize Winner - Group)
PingTarduo comes from our nick names, Pingping and Guitar, mixed together.
We know each other because we are taking music lessons at the same music school (Jintamusic School) and we like to play ukulele and sing, so we get together,and come up with the name PingTarduo. We performed on TV and participated in many contests in Thailand. In 2020, we were n Best Sing & Play style in Thailand International Ukulele Contest.
We’re so happy that we finally won a prize in The International Ukulele contest 2021.
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Sofia Furtado
(1st Prize Winner - Solo Open)
Aloha! My name is Sofia Kaleomālie Furtado and I am honored to be this year's 1st place winner in the Solo Open of the International ʻUkulele Contest 2021. My love for the ʻukulele began when I was 8 years old and I've loved the instrument ever since! As a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa student, I enjoy studying music and communications so that I may continue my passion for music. Please feel free to support me and my music on Instagram (@kaleomalie) and Facebook. I am looking forward to seeing you all during the ʻUkulele Picnic in Hawaiʻi livestream soon! Mahalo!
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Kai
(1st Prize Winner - Solo Keiki)
From Gunma, Japan to the World!
Kai is a 6th grader, and an ukulele player with a big smile!
He won 1st place in the Keiki category at the 2021 International Ukulele Contest!
As a ukulele artist, Kai is thrilled to be part of a variety of events from small to big, and he hopes his music will bring everyone smiles and laughter!
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Beat-lele
coming soon...
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Team KAMAKA musician Live @ BlueNote Hawaii
November 23, 2021
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Raiatea Helm
Raiatea Mokihana Maile Helm is an authentic Hawaiian singer from Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi who is known for her powerful vocals accompanied by an authentic ukulele strum. She has played for audiences around the world, places including China, Tahiti, Japan, and Okinawa.
It is no surprise her hard work and dedication for preserving the authentic Hawaiian culture has landed her several prestigious awards including 2 Grammy nominations, Native Arts & Cultures Foundation Fellowship, and numerous Nā Hōku Hanohano Awards. Raiatea has garnered international success as well as being one of Hawaiʻi’s premiere female vocalists.
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Nue
(Halehaku Seabury, Kama Hopkins, Bryan Tolentino)
NUE (Nā ‘Ukulele ‘Ekolu) is an ‘ukulele trio formed by three well-known musicians with many awards. With Bryan Tolentino on the tenor 'ukulele, Halehaku Seabury on the baritone 'ukulele, and Kama Hopkins on the bass ukulele, these three Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winners, rooted in Hawai’i’s rich ‘ukulele and Hawaiian music culture, come together to showcase their ‘ukulele artistry and vocal stylings creating a unique sound!
Bryan Tolentino
‘Ukulele player, Bryan Tolentino has been known, for the past thirty-eight years, as an accompanist who performed and continues to perform, locally and abroad with some of Hawaiʻi’s most well known and accomplished Hawaiian music artists.
Bryan’s recorded on over fifty CD’s for other artists as well as compilations adding his unique “fairy dusting”, as he calls it. He says, “You must feel Hawaiian Music,” evident in his award winning recordings featured on Nā Hōkū Hanohano and Grammy nominated CD’s which have also garnered many awards. He blends all that he’s learned, as an accompanist, into his own unique sound.
Bryan has performed and recorded with notable Hawaiian entertainers such as: Raiatea Helm, Jake Shimabukuro, Herb Ohta, Jr., Halehaku Seabury, Aunty Genoa Keawe, Pomaika‘i Lyman, Karen Keawehawai‘i, Ku‘uipo Kumukahi, Marlene Sai, Jerry Santos and Olomana, O’Brian Eselu, Nathan Aweau, Frank Hewett, Byron Yasui, Benny Chong, Kalei Gamiao, ‘Elua Kane, Sonny Lim, Keoki Kahumoku, Owana Salazar, Weldon Kekauoha, Natalie Ai, ‘Iolani Kamau‘u, Napua Greig, Kuana Torres Kahele, Aaron Salā, The Side Order Band – where Bryan played with Del Beazley, Chris Kamaka and Asa Young, Keao Costa, and Blaine Kamalani Kia.
Bryan also worked with award winning hula hālau, engineers and producers. The noted halau includes: Na Wai ‘Eha O Puna, Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, Hālau Maoli Pua, Ka Pā Hula O Kauanoe O Wa‘ahila, Keali‘ika’apunihonua Ke‘ena A‘o Hula, Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniakea and Kuhai Hālau O Kawaikapuokalani Pa Olapa Kahiko. Engineers and producers: Dave Tucciarone, Milan Bertosa, Steve Kramer, Gaylord Holomalia, Flip McDiarmid, Shawn Pimental, Kip and Max Ebersbach, all among the best in the music business.
In May 2005, Bryan opened another musical chapter by releasing his solo CD “Ka ‘Ukulele Lele” that became a Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalist for Instrumental Album of the year.
Ten years later in April 2015, he released a duet CD, “Ukulele Friends”, with Herb Ohta Jr. that received a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for 2016 ‘Ukulele Album of the Year.
In the Summer of 2016, he expanded his role by joining the Performing Arts Academy at Kamehameha Schools – Kapalama campus, educating young adults interested in learning and performing the ‘ukulele. he released a second duet CD with Herb Ohta Jr. ‘Ukulele Friends: The Sequel In December 2017. In January 2018, he was hired as a substitute to teach Hawaiian Ensemble at Punahou School.
Bryan Tolentino continues to travel locally, nationally and internationally, sharing his love for the ‘ukulele through performances and workshops.
Official Website: https://bryantolentino.com/
Kama Hopkins
Kama Hopkins grew up in a family filled with Hawaiian music and hula. By day, he is an Aide to OHA Trustee Robert K. Lindsey, Jr. By night, he is a musician. He has been playing music professionally since 2001. He is one-third of the Hawaiian Music Trio known as Holunape who are multi Nā Hōkū Hanohano award recipients. He is also a member of other talented Hawaiian music groups Māhiehie IV, NUE (Nā ‘Ukulele ‘Ekolu) and Kāneʻohe as the ‘ukulele bass player. He enjoys teaching music and the Hawaiian Language to all who are interested.
Kama is currently focusing on his Daily Mid-day Mana'o series on his YouTube Channel. Through this platform he creates a warm and inviting environment for some social distance "socializing". He always starts with a question or thought and ends with a song. At the end of the week (Sunday), he will share these songs via Facebook Live and Instagram Live for his Sunday Sing-Along, 6PM Hawai'i Standard Time.
Official Website: https://www.kamahopkinsmusic.com/
Halehaku Seabury
Landon Halehaku Seabury is a Grammy nominated and multi Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winning guitarist/multi instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and vocalist from Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu. Halehaku developed an early passion for music from his parents growing up in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu. His formative musical education began assisting his father in the KCCN 1420 AM Radio station studios as a young child. Being exposed early on to musicians like Aunty Genoa Keawe, Kealiʻi Joy, Kahauanu Lake Trio, Emperor Hanapī, Richard Kauhi, etc. set a precedent for excellence in Hawaiian music.
Hale began formal study of music early on, starting with the Hawaiian steel guitar under the tutelage of his uncle, steel guitar master Alan L. Akaka. He continued to play steel guitar as his primary instrument throughout high school studying the styles of Jules Ah See, Jake Keliʻikoa, Barney Isaacs, and his great grandfather Joseph “Steppy” De Rego.
Building a dual-fold music career as a studio session ace and independent artist, Halehaku’s musical contributions can be found on albums by Kainani Kahaunaele, Josh Tatofi, Keauhou, Keao Costa and Kekuhi Kanaka’ole, and others uncredited. As an artist with his group Nā Hoa, recording and preserving songs like Kolopā, Pili Me ʻOe, and Pua Mae ʻOle.It has since been a goal of his to combine the elegance of Hawaiian music and the bold, daring improvisation of jazz into a beautiful musical form that can and will be appreciated by both Hawaiians and Non-Hawaiian music fans alike.
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Kalei Gamiao
Kalei's adventure with the ukulele began at the age of thirteen when he suffered a sports injury while playing baseball and needed to find an activity which would keep him busy while he recovered. Following a suggestion made by his parents he decided to try ukulele lessons. After the first strum, Kalei was hooked. His exposure to a wide variety of ukulele masters including Alfred Canopin, Gordon Mark, Byron Yasui, Benny Chong and Kimo Hussey, motivated him to embrace a range of styles - jazz, rock, pop, classical, blues, flamenco, funk, as well as the music of his cultural roots, Hawaiian and island contemporary.
With 3 completed nominated albums to his name Kalei Gamiao has been at the forefront of today’s ukulele revolution since 2008 when his debut album, “Contemporary Ukulele,” kicked up the demand for performances in the U.S market. After the release of his second album entitled “Redefined” in 2012 a greater demand for more of his music and performances exposed Kalei to hundreds of thousands of ukulele enthusiasts from around the world as he continues to tour countries such as Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and the U.S mainland. When his third album “Merry Ukulele Christmas” released in 2013 as a seasonal project it propelled and broadened Kalei’s repertoire to new levels as many web and social media sites provide instant access for his fans to stay connected to his music and the explosive world-wide popularity of the ukulele. With the release of his 4th latest album “These Moments” in 2016 he has already traveled and performed in different parts of the world to share his passion for music.
As a true ukulele virtuoso he sums it up by saying….. “My ukulele expresses every word and emotion. I love to create and share my musical journeys for everyone to enjoy”.
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Chris Kamaka（Team leader）
Chis Kamaka is a bass player for Hookena as well as Hema Paa and Side Order Band. Always enjoyed playing Hawaiian music. Currently production manager at Kamaka Hawaii Inc. makers of ukulele since 1916. I have been employed at Kamaka Hawaii since 1972.
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Uncle's Jukebox
Uncle’s Jukebox is an acoustic trio consisting of Kaohu McCabe, Chris Kamaka Jr. and Scott Imanaka. Their musical influences help to explain the name of their band. All 3 grew up in families where music was a big part of their daily lives. In their early years, they were introduced to some of their most influential musical artists, such as Kalapana, C&K, Ka’au Crater Boys, The Eagles and James Taylor(All artists you would most likely hear on an Uncle’s jukebox). This experience has shaped the way they play and sing and they hope to entertain crowds with their wide variety of genres and renditions of classic songs. |
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