Masters of Hawaiian Music, with George Kahumoku Jr, Daniel Ho & Tia Carrere

Four-time Grammy-winner, master slack key guitarist GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR, known as “Hawai‘i’s Renaissance Man” is a multiple Na Hōkū Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Award winner, a vocalist, storyteller, songwriter & author, teacher, sculptor, farmer, and chef. He is the producer and star of the weekly Slack Key Show© on Maui, now celebrating nearly 20 years.
GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR. lives on Maui with his wife, Nancy, maintaining their 3-acre farm, growing fruit and vegetables, dry-land taro (for his famous home-made poi) and tending goats, chickens, ducks, and miniature horses. With over 25 solo, collaboration, and compilation CDs to his name, George celebrates over 15 years of his famed weekly Slack Key Show on Maui, which produced 4 Grammy-winning CDs.
In December 2022, he is being honored with a Na Hoku Lifetime Achievement Award. He founded the Hawaiian Music Institute at University of Hawai‘i-Maui College to preserve the legacy of Hawaiian music and to prepare the next generation for careers in music. A renowned storyteller, George collaborated on the book A Hawaiian Life with long-time friend Paul Konwiser to capture his hilarious, entertaining on-stage stories. This project led to his film biography Seeds of Aloha.
For the last 15 years, George Kahumoku Jr.’s Annual Maui Slack Key Guitar and ‘Ukulele Workshop creates one of the great musical learning experiences in the Islands today, and embodies George’s belief in sharing, celebrating, and perpetuating the unique music and culture that is Hawai‘i.

Maui’s renowned “Slack Key Show®"

...this group shares the uniquely Hawaiian styles of slack key guitar, ‘ukulele, and songs both traditional and new. Their music’s origins reach back to the early 19th century when Portuguese immigrants brought the ‘ukulele and Mexican cowboys brought guitars to Hawai‘i along with their ranching knowledge. Since then, Hawaiians made these instruments their own and these dynamic musicians reflect the best of traditions, musical virtuosity, and sparkling compositions.
GEORGE KAHUMOKU’S MASTERS OF HAWAIIAN MUSIC tours have been lauded as “Virtuosic keepers of a cultural flame…Bringing folklore & cultural memory into a performance that unfolded as breezy entertainment.”
--The New York Times

From his simple beginnings in Honolulu to his life amid the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, Daniel Ho has worked over the years as a musician, producer, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, engineer, and record company owner. The most compelling of these roles has been as a six-time GRAMMY Award winning producer, featured slack key guitarist, and artist in the "Best Hawaiian Music Album,” “Best Pop Instrumental Album,” and “Best World Music Album” categories. Ukulele Magazine calls him “Hawaii’s greatest contemporary musical ambassador.”
Daniel's musical inclinations were apparent at an early age. His first instruments were organ and 'ukulele, from which he graduated to classical guitar, piano, electric guitar, bass, drums, and eventually, voice. His passion for music led him to study composing, arranging and film scoring at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles. He began his professional career as the leader, keyboardist, composer, and producer for Kilauea, a contemporary jazz group he formed in 1990. By 1997, Kilauea had released six chart-topping albums, two of which hit the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz charts.
In 1998, Daniel set his sights on starting an independent record label and launched Daniel Ho Creations. His interests in photography and graphic design complimented the requisite responsibilities of marketing and production. Slowly, the releases grew into collaborative projects that featured himeni (Hawaiian hymnody), hula, 'ukulele, and slack key guitar. To date, Daniel Ho Creations has released over eighty acoustic and Hawaiian-themed CDs by many of Hawai'i's most respected artists, who are first and foremost friends. Daniel has received numerous Hawaiian music industry accolades including three Na Hoku Hanohano awards and fifteen Hawai'i Music Awards.
Daniel has toured throughout the U.S, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Brunei, Thailand, Europe, and Australia. He has served as an American Cultural Ambassador at U.S. Embassies; been featured with the Honolulu Symphony; performed as a keyboardist and guitarist for GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist, Peabo Bryson; guest-lectured at Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA) and Todai University (Tokyo, Japan); authored nine music books; and toured as a clinician for YAMAHA Guitars. On a behind-the-silver-screen note, he sang the Hawaiian-language cover of Prince's “Nothing Compares 2 U” which can be heard during the end credits of the 2008 feature film, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
With the continued popularity of the 'ukulele, Daniel's original song, “Pineapple Mango (The Breakfast Song),” has risen to fame as an instrumental anthem plentifully covered by 'ukulele enthusiasts around the world on YouTube. Currently, Daniel's Spalted Mango Tiny Tenor 'ukulele is on display at the GRAMMY Museum.   In addition, he continues to collaborate with world renowned luthier Pepe Romero in designing instruments for Romero Creations, including the Tiny Tenor, XS Soprano, and ST Concert 'ukuleles.
In 2014, Daniel’s album Our World In Song (An Odyssey of Musical Treasures) with Luis Conté and Wu Man was nominated for a GRAMMY in the World Music category. In 2017, his album Between The Sky and Prairie, with The Grasslands Ensemble, won two Golden Melody Awards (Taiwan’s Grammy) for Best Crossover Album and Best Arrangement (“Daur Love Song”).
Hailing Daniel as “one of the most prolific and successful musicians Hawaii has ever produced,” Ukulele Magazine featured him on the cover with an extensive article and interview for their Spring 2020 issue.
 
Daniel is a YAMAHA artist/instructor with a comprehensive online music curriculum taught through their Musician’s Creativity Lab. He endorses 'ukuleles made by Romero Creations, and uses Shubb capos.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tia Carrere is an accomplished actress in motion pictures and television as well as a two-time Grammy award-winning musical artist. 
Since she was discovered in a grocery store for her first movie role in “Aloha Summer”, she has shown her range of acting talent and versatility starring in numerous blockbusters- - “Wayne’s World 1 & 2” with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, “True Lies” opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Rising Sun” with Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes. Tia also voiced the character of Nani in Disney’s classic animated film and tv series “Lilo & Stitch”.  
In television, Tia launched her acting career in Los Angeles with a regular role on the daytime drama “General Hospital”.  Since then, she has been seen in numerous TV programs including: “Nip/Tuck”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Warehouse 13”, “Hawaii 5-0”. “Relic Hunter”, her own action/adventure television series continues to play in syndication all over the world.
Tia and her long-time friend, artist/producer Daniel Ho share four nominations and two Grammy awards for their acclaimed CDs consisting of all original Hawaiian language compositions.  Their record, ‘hawaiiana’, reached #10 on Billboard’s World Music Chart. Tia also performed on the double- platinum movie soundtrack for “Wayne’s World”, had the end title song on “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm”, as well releasing her Warner Bros. record “Dream.” 
Tia continues to seek out projects that showcase her talents and challenge her abilities.