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2015 Berkeley Hawaiian Music Festival
Friday, October 2Kawika Kahiapo, Mailani Makainai, Project Kuleana (Ho'a)
Saturday, October 3Na Hoa, Ian O'Sullivan, John Cruz
2-Day Passes
Love the sounds of slack key guitar? Can't get enough of the ukulele? Prefer the harmonies of a Hawaiian Band and hula dancers? No matter what your pleasure, you'll find it in the 4th Annual Berkeley Hawaiian Music Festival! Hosted by Patrick Landeza.
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Kawika Kahiapo is a legend in the making. Growing up in Kane’ohe on the windward side of Oahu, he learned slack key from the great man himself, Gabby Pahinui. In the decades since then, Kawika has contributed to more than 90 recording projects and has collaborated with Jack Johnson, Na Leo Pilimehana, and Cyril Pahinui. His 2015 release, Ku`u Aina Aloha, won two Na Hoku Hanohano awards (the Hawaiian equivalent of the Grammy), Slack Key Album of the Year and Island Music Album of the Year. Kawika currently lives in Waimanalo, Oahu, where he serves as an ordained minister, or kahu.
Mailani Makainai is one of Hawaii’s great talents, winning Na Hoku Hanohano awards for her debut album in 2001 with the pop duo Keahiwai, formed with a classmate from Maryknoll High School in Honolulu, and as Female Vocalist of the Year in 2010 following the release of her first solo album. Independent, sophisticated, modern, and timeless, Mailani conveys her love of music with every note she sings. Kumu Kaui Dalire, Miss Aloha Hula 1992, will make a special guest appearance. She and Mailani co-founded Ha Enterprises, a culturally based Hawaiian company that seeks to preserve and perpetuate the spirit of aloha, and breathe life into Hawaii's industries.
Project Kuleana is the creation of three Native Hawaiians, Sean Naleimaile, Kihei Nahale’a, and Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing, who share the belief that kuleana (responsibility) is the essence of Hawaiian music – kuleana to the ‘aina (land) and to the ancestors who developed their own powerful connection to the land. Project Kuleana uses Hawaiian music to inspire reflection and connection – what is your kuleana? Sean, Kihei, and Kamakoa call their band Ho'a. With over half a million YouTube views, their live location video recordings of Hawaiiʻs top musicians have made them a sensation. This evening, theyʻll share music, stories, and videos that honor the importance of kuleana. We welcome them to the mainland for the first time!
Na Hoa is one of Hawaii’s hottest bands. Individually, Ikaika Blackburn, Keoni Souza, and Halehaku Seabury are well-known in the Hawaiian music community as talented vocalists and musicians. Collectively, as Na Hoa, they elevate traditional Hawaiian music with their soaring falsetto harmonies. In 2013, they swept the Na Hoku Hanohano awards, winning Album of the Year, Group of the Year, Hawaiian Album of the Year, and Most Promising Artists of the Year. Tonight is Na Hoa’s first time performing for us here on the mainland.
Ian O'Sullivan, Hawaii’s newest guitar sensation, teaches Classical Guitar at the University of Hawaii and also plays slack key, as well as being an accomplished ukulele player. Classical Guitar Magazine describes his music as “thoughtful” and the Honolulu Advertiser calls it “delightful.” Ian earned a Master’s at Yale University’s School of Music and is currently based in Honolulu. His debut album, Born and Raised, received a Na Hoku Hanohano nomination.
John Cruz, winner of a Grammy and four Na Hoku Hanohano awards, is known for his soulful vocals, sensitive songwriting, and heartfelt slack key style, with hits like “Shine On,” “Sitting in Limbo,” and “Island Style.” His first album, Acoustic Soul, was a huge success, and Honolulu Magazine named his follow-up, One of These Days, one of the greatest albums of the decade. John has collaborated with Jack Johnson and Trey Anastasio, and has performed for President Obama.
Freight favorite Patrick Landeza, Hawaiian slack key guitarist extraordinaire, is the first musician based on the mainland to win the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Slack Key Album of the Year. Born and raised in Berkeley to Hawaii-born parents, Patrick studied slack key from masters like George Kuo, Ray Kane, and Sonny Chillingworth. Patrick is not only one of the top slack key performers in the world, he is also a musical bridge between Hawaii and California – he plays, in his words, “traditional Hawaiian music with a Berkeley twist.”
