Makana is a singer, composer and master of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar tradition. The New York Times calls him "dazzling."  His original music has been featured on three Grammy-nominated albums, including the soundtrack of the Academy-Award winning film The Descendants. Guitar Player Magazine ranked him as one of the top three guitarists in America, and the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts recognized his contributions to the art with the Slack Key Legacy Award. Makana has supported many musical icons in concert, including Sting, Elvis Costello, Santana and Joe Walsh of The Eagles, and he has performed at the White House as well as opera houses from Europe to Asia. In 2018 while at SXSW Makana was featured as a top 100 “must see” by NPR. His performances are riveting, emotionally profound, educational and engaging through a blend of stunning guitar playing, haunting vocals and spontaneous stories of and from Hawaiʻi.

 

Makana celebrates the release of his new album Pūlama: Legacies of Hawaiʻi. Created to honor the broad traditions of Hawaiian music, Pūlama explores the rich heritages of kī hō’alu (slack key guitar) and leo (voice) in the uniquely Hawaiian style. Drawing from legends of the Hawaiian music renaissance like George Helm, Gabby “Pops” Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi and The Sunday Mānoa, Makana invites us to immerse our spirits in the sound of “old Hawai’i” as he offers song in the “nahenahe” (sweet sounding) fashion of his kūpuna (elders). Always honoring his kumu (teachers) like the late slack key master Sonny Chillingworth, Makana weaves a lei of songs celebrating both the past and emerging frontiers of slack key guitar. The album and concert offer heartfelt homage to the genuine spirit and sound of Hawai’i.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase in the McCoy Courtyard from 5:30 - 7:30pm. See menu HERE.