Hawaiian Moments in Seattle

Yes, it’s rainy and gray outside, but Sunday evening you can warm up with some fabulous Hawaiian music and entertainment in the first of three shows in the Perfect Moments in the Island of Hawai’i concert series.  The series kicks off with a Sunday performance by Makana, with special guest, Taimane Gardner.

Makana is a slack key guitar master and is considered one of the top three guitarists in the U.S.  Esquire Magazine had this to say:  “Slack key guitar music, indigenous to Hawaii, has been around longer than the blues, and Makana is considered the greatest living player.”  With six albums and several world tours, Makana has captivated audiences with his diverse style.  He has opened for artists like Sting and Elvis Costello, toured internationally with Santana and Jason Mraz, and recently performed for the President and First Lady at The White House.

Taimane Gardner is a ukulele virtuoso who has toured the world with a style that has led to her being referred to as the female Carlos Santana.  She was discovered at the age of 13, by Hawaiian entertainer Don Hon, when she was playing on the streets of Waikiki to raise money for the homeless.  Her style is eclectic, blending Led Zeppelin and Beethoven, Bach and Flamenco, Pink Floyd and Simon and Garfunkel into a sound that in uniquely her own.

• Location:  The Triple Door’s Mainstage, 216 Union Street, Downtown (map)
• Date & Time:  Sunday, January 9th, 2011, 7 pm
• Tickets:  $20 in advance/$25 at the door.  Purchase online or by phone.

The next two concerts are billed as Hawaiian Legends in Concert, and feature three of the island’s notables: Ledward Ka‘apana (a slack key guitarist and singer with multiple Grammy awards who is known for his beautiful harmonies), Nathan Aweau (a gifted young vocalist and bass player), and Dennis Kamakahi (a song writer and composer with multiple Grammy awards who was recently inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame).

• Date & Time:  Wednesday & Thursday, January 26-27th, 2011, 7:30 pm
• Tickets:  $30 in advance/$32 at the door.  Purchase online or by phone.

I’ll be going to the Makena and Taimane Gardner concert on Sunday, and recommend this wonderful opportunity for a little Aloha in the middle of our Seattle winter.  Before you know it, you’ll be planning your trip to the islands!

Photo credit:  Courtesy of HCVB