Music for a Hawaiian holiday season

Thought I'd share with you a few ideas for Christmas music - island style! Bring the spirit of the islands to your home and holiday parties or give as gifts to your friends and family.

Guest artist at last year's Slack Key Festival, two-time GRAMMY® nominated Amy Hānaiali`i gracefully wraps it up in red and green with A Hawaiian Christmas. Featuring songs beautifully arranged by Jeff Peterson, Amy's first Christmas CD takes you back to the simple days in the islands, when holidays were all about family and friends. Invite Amy Hānaiali`i to share her holiday memories with your `ohana (family) this Christmas.


Great stuff on this here Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas CD including Keola Beamer's version of Away in a Manger and Bob Brozman tearing things up with Ledward Kaapana on Jingle Bells. Joanie Komatsu, one of my all-time favorite island entertainers, performs O Holy Night with her sister Ruth playing recorder; as a kid, Ruth was a huge influence on me and is, without a doubt, one of the reasons why I got into music in the first place. Both Keola and Bob will be appearing for the first time at the Festival this January!

And don't forget Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas CD by my good friend Jim "Kimo" West. A warm and soothing collection of Hawaiian slack key guitar arrangements of traditional and contemporary Christmas songs.

Hawaiian Music Survey

Earlier today I sent out a survey to those who have been coming to my shows - did you get the invitation email?

One of the big questions on the survey is "Thinking back to the Kala Koa concerts you've attended thus far, who has been your favorite artist?"

The responses so far have been in favor of:

Cyril Pahinui, Makana (2008 and 2009 Southern California Slack Key Festival participants)
Ledward Kaapana (Did a solo show for him in April of last year)
Raiatea Helm (2008 Aloha Falsetto Festival)

Another question - "Name one artist you would love to see in a future Kala Koa concert on the mainland" - got these names (top responses so far):
Koala Beemer (I think they meant Keola Beamer, not some cute little bear)
Cazimeros
Keali'i Reichel
Amy Hanaiali'i

Makana also scored high on this list too. It would be totally surreal to have Keola someday as he was one of the ones I really listened to a lot but have never had the chance to meet. Amy would be awesome to have as part of the Falsetto Festival but the Cazimero Brothers actually already come to California every year, as part of the Aloha Series at Whittier College and have been coming for oh, 15 years now? So I find it hard to believe that there are still a lot of people out there who don't know this.

If you've been coming to the shows but aren't on the email list yet please follow this link to participate in this survey and you might even win tickets for the July Festival!