Jeff Peterson, Slack Key Guitarist and So Much More

It was a weekend of wonderful and inspiring performances by Jeff Peterson here in SoCal. What an incredibly diverse repertoire - he played everything from original slack key guitar - "ki ho'alu" in Hawaiian - arrangements of standard Hawaiian tunes like "Koke'e", "Hawaii Aloha" and "Kaimana Hila", slack key renditions of jazz songs like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Begin the Beguine" and "Blue Hawaii", original compositions like his "Kukui Nut Run", "Kahealani" and "Let's Ride" and even pop tunes like "Every Breath You Take" by the Police.

Don't hesitate to checkout out one of the most diverse guitarists you'll ever hear - Jeff can do it all! Jazz, classical, pop and, of course, slack key guitar. Everyone's anxiously waiting for his next CD to come out which should include beautiful new tunes he wrote, which he previewed for everyone over the weekend - watch this video of his new tune "Lilinoe" - some Facebook comments from fans: "Just watching you play the instrument is something to behold", "Beautiful! Jeff is truly gifted! Mahalo for sharing this!"

Be sure to catch Jeff Peterson as he performs in the house band for the upcoming Aloha Falsetto Festival this July in Redondo Beach and, of course, in the 2010 Southern California Slack Key Festival.

Let us know what you think of his music!

This weekend in Malibu and Redondo Beach

I am so looking forward to Jeff Peterson's "Slack Key Jazz" performances this weekend! Not only will everyone really enjoy his music but there are some "value adds" with this event - delicious food on the waterfront (at both places) at sunset!

After the Darlene Ahuna concert the other day in Torrance, I stopped by Delzano's By The Sea at the Redondo Beach Boardwalk next to the pier. I talked with Chef Rafael Solorzano about the menu and it sounds absolutely delicious! Included in the $40 admission price will be a rotating buffet mix of fresh fruits, cheeses and veggies, teriyaki salmon, baked macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi, ahi tuna spring rolls, chicken satay, tamarind chipotle filet mignon skewers, roasted pork tenderloin with pineapple bbq sauce and more!

And that's not all - at the Saturday night event at Duke's Malibu in the Moana Room, the same cheap price of 40 bucks gets you Babyback Pork Ribs in Sweet Mango BBQ Sauce, Hawaiian Style Poke, Korean Style Marinated BBQ Sirloin Beef Satay, Thai Chicken Pizza, Moana Sushi Rolls, Primo Beer specials & More!!



Is that a great deal or what! Beautiful live Hawaiian music, a mouth watering buffet, gorgeous waterfront views of the sunset...I hope to see all of you folks there - it'll be a really fun time, I promise.

www.kalakoaconcerts.com to reserve your seat (space is limited)

What is "Slack Key Jazz"? pt 2

Who are some of your jazz influences?

Jeff: I am influenced by many jazz guitarists including Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Tuck Andress, Pat Metheny, and Larry Koonse. There are many other artists I enjoy including John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, Ray Brown, and Ella Fitzgerald. Jazz music has left an incredible legacy of innovative artists. The music continuously evolves and covers a tremendous range of sound and style from Blues to Dixieland to Swing to Bebop to fusion. I am particularly found of jazz from the 50s and early 60s.

Why does slack key guitar and jazz sound so good together?

Jeff: Swing and jazz music had an impact on Hawaiian music during the big band era in the 20s, 30s and 40s. Hawaiian musicians took the swing feel and harmony and adapted it to their own music. You can hear it in many hula classics and hapa haole songs like Puamana, Sophisticated Hula, Alika, Hula Blues, and Little Grass Shack. The swing feel is there and the chords progressions follow
patterns and cycles that were common in jazz at the time. Slack key guitarists play these songs and use the same chord progressions. What makes slack key guitar playing unique is not just the tunings but the feel and phrasing of the music. Although it is not exactly like swing music, it uses similar scales, syncopation, and chromatic notes.
A very important link is also improvising. Playing in the moment is the heart of jazz and is very common is slack key. You play how you feel. It keeps the music fresh and exciting.

Don't forget to join us for three wonderful evenings in Dana Point, Malibu and Redondo Beach with one of Hawaii’s most gifted and respected musicians! From Hawaiian slack key guitar to classical to jazz, Jeff Peterson’s versatility makes him an artist highly sought after by Hawaii’s top recording and touring artists!

Jeff Peterson has performed at a variety of venues from Symphony Space in New York City to the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australia. He appeared on Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2 which won the first ever Grammy Award for best Hawaiian recording in 2005. Jeff was a featured artist in the 2008 and 2009 annual Southern California Slack Key Festival in January 2008 which included Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, George Kahumoku Jr, Ozzie Kotani, Owana Salazar, Makana, Kimo West and Steven Espaniola.

What is "Slack Key Jazz"?

Jeff Peterson answers some questions about the relationship between Hawaiian and jazz music and what is behind his unique blending of the two.

Has anyone combined ki ho'alu (slack key) guitar and jazz tunes together before?
Jeff: Leonard Kwan played in many different slack key tunings on archtop jazz guitars and was definitely influenced by swing music. Gabby Pahinui and Atta Isaacs both loved jazz and played songs in a jazz style like "I'm-A-Livin'-On-A-Easy". Many early slack key guitarist who recorded had a strong ragtime and swing feel like Tommy Solomon and William Namahoe.

How did you come to develop this style?
Jeff: I took this concept a little further by arranging songs by Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Cole Porter, Glen Miller, Miles Davis, and other jazz greats in slack key tunings with phrasing from both Hawaiian music
and jazz.

to be continued.......for audio samples of Slack Key Jazz, click HERE

Hawaiian Jazz Nights with Jeff Peterson

Tickets available now for three wonderful evenings with one of Hawaii’s most gifted and respected musicians! From Hawaiian slack key guitar to classical to jazz, Jeff Peterson’s versatility makes him an artist highly sought after by Hawaii’s top recording and touring artists!

Coming up next week Friday through Sunday (May 15-17), Jeff Peterson will be performing his unique brand of "slack key jazz" as the featured artist in Kala Koa's Hawaiian Jazz Nights Series! Friday May 15 he will be performing at Lord of the Strings in Dana Point, Duke's Malibu in the Moana Room on Saturday night and on Sunday evening at Delzano's By The Sea in Redondo Beach.

The Lord of the Strings concert series features the best guitarists from around the world and focuses on acoustic styles. Past performers include Muriel Anderson, Andrew York, Laurence Juber and Ledward Kaapana.

The performance at Duke's will include an awesome appetizer reception with ono (delicious) food like Babyback Pork Ribs in Sweet Mango BBQ Sauce, Hawaiian Style Poke, Korean Style Marinated BBQ Sirloin Beef Satay, Thai Chicken Pizza, Moana Sushi Rolls, Primo Beer specials & More!

At Delzano's you get to enjoy great music and the price of admission here also includes award-winning cuisine prepared by Chef Rafael Solorzano with a gorgeous sunset oceanview from the Redondo Beach Boardwalk.

Jeff Peterson has performed at a variety of venues from Symphony Space in New York City to the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australia. He appeared on Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2 which won the first ever Grammy Award for best Hawaiian recording in 2005. Jeff was a featured artist in the 2008 and 2009 annual Southern California Slack Key Festival in January 2008 which included Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, George Kahumoku Jr, Ozzie Kotani, Owana Salazar, Makana, Kimo West and Steven Espaniola.

The son of a Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy), Jeff grew up on Haleakala Ranch on Maui. His fluency in a variety of guitar styles, including jazz and classical, has distinguished him as a prominent young artist with his own personal approach to slack key.

Peterson has performed with Eric Clapton, James Galway, Michael Feinstein, the Honolulu Symphony, Ledward Kaapana, Dennis Kamakahi, Hawaii Opera Theatre, jazz bassist Rufus Reid, shakuhachi master Riley Lee, and soprano Dana Hanchard. He has appeared in Europe, Asia, Australia and the US at countless venues, including the Symphony Space in New York City, and has also performed privately for Bill and Hilary Clinton.

Jeff Peterson has studied with David Russell, Carlos Barbosa Lima, Benjamin Verdery, Ozzie Kotani, Larry Koonse, and Joe Diorio, and has performed in master classes for Scott Tennant, Antigoni Goni, Ricardo Cobo, and Dusan Bogdonovic. Jeff currently lives in Honolulu with his wife, Kahealani.