Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku Jr., Led Kaapana & Jeff Peterson

There’s a reason he’s been called Hawaii’s Renaissance man: George Kahumoku Jr. is a multiple Grammy Award & Hoku Award winning master slack key guitarist, songwriter, world-traveling performer, high school and college teacher, artist and sculptor, storyteller and writer, farmer and entrepreneur.

George has amassed an outstanding body of work over the years, with more than 25 albums, including collaborations with Bob Brozman, Daniel Ho, and the late Norton Buffalo, and three Grammy-winning compilations of slack-key performances culled from a weekly concert series he hosts in Maui. We’re lucky to have George bring his earthy vocals and unique 12-string slack-key sound to California for a celebration of the unique music and culture that is Hawaii.

A master of the slack key guitar and National Heritage Fellow, LED KAAPANA has been one of Hawaii's most influential musicians for four decades. His mastery of stringed instruments, his exceptional picking style on slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, and his extraordinary baritone to leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) vocal range, have made him a musical legend and earned him multiple Na H?k? Awards.

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 his deep knowledge of multiple open tunings as well as standard tuning, and his ability to both read music and play by ear, has given him the opportunity to collaborate with a wide variety of solo artists, groups, and orchestras. His focus on Slack Key guitar, classical, and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage. He has contributed to two Grammy Award-winning recordings and has been honored with three Na H?k? Hanohano Awards in Hawaii. ?His latest solo CD, Maui on My Mind, won a hoku for Slack Key Album of the Year in 2010 and was nominated for a Grammy. His most recent release features his songwriting, performing, and producing on Amy Hanaiali`i and Slack Key Masters of Hawaii, which also won Hoku Awards and another Grammy nomination.

Born on the Island of Maui, Jeff Peterson grew up on the slopes of Haleakala where he was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, on the Haleakala Ranch.

As a performer, Jeff has had the honor to work with such prominent artists as Eric Clapton, James Galway, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Aaron Neville, Boz Scaggs, the Honolulu Symphony, and with many others. He has four recordings with Riley Lee: Maui Morning, Bamboo Slack Key, Haiku and Haleakala. He also released five solo slack key guitar CDs: Maui On My Mind, Kahealani, Slack Key Jazz, The Artistry of Jeff Peterson, and Pure Slack Key.

He has traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, and across the US. He has performed for former president Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton. He performs regularly in Waikiki, at Maui's Slack Key Show and elsewhere in both solo and group settings. He taught the guitar at the University of Hawaii and is one of the premier instructors at George Kahumoku's Annual Maui Slack Key Guitar & Ukulele Workshop.

He attended the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005, when a recording featuring Jeff and other island artists, Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2 (Palm Records), won the first ever Grammy Award for best Hawaiian recording. He is also featured Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Vol 2 (Daniel Ho Creations) which won the 2010 Grammy.