Harris Center Masters of Hawaiian Music Boasts An All-Star Lineup

Three masters of Hawaiian music, featured regularly at Maui's renowned "Slack Key Show," bring Hawaii's unique folk styles and the delightful experience of k?-h?'alu (slack key guitar) over to the mainland. On Stage One will be four-time Grammy-winner, master slack key guitarist George Kahumoku Jr; multi-instrumentalist Nathan Aweau (a member of such award-winning groups as HAPA, Ka'eo, and The Ali'i) and slack key guitarist David "Kawika" Kahiapo (winner of two 2015 Na Hoku Awards).

George Kahumoku Jr. And Masters of Hawaiian Music With Nathan Aweau & Kawika Kahiapo takes place on Friday, March 10, 2017 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $19-$39; Premium $45. Students with ID $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

The accolades tell part of the story. "Kahumoku was an affable raconteur, mixing his dialogue with passionate renderings of material" (Los Angeles Times). "Nathan...on electric bass and acoustic guitar, shows an...advanced understanding of harmony and orchestration...his singing style is effortless" (New York Times). "Kawika Kahiapo's first solo album in more than a decade emphasizes his strength as a solo vocalist ... who is also talented slack key guitarist. The songs ... show him to be a guy with broad musical horizons." (Honolulu Star-Advertiser).

With over 25 solo, collaboration, and compilation CDs to his name, GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR celebrates over 10 years of his famed weekly performances, the Slack Key Show on Maui, which in itself has produced four Grammy-winning CDs. 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 Hawaii. George 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.

NATHAN AWEAU was born into a musical family. His early years consisted of piano lessons, learning the guitar and 'ukulele, combined with the natural ability to sing. He then moved on to the saxophone, and in college, performed in the jazz ensemble as a bass player, and the wind symphony as a percussionist. His passion for the electric bass made it rise to the top as his main instrument. He started his professional career while still in college, accompanying such performers as Gabe Baltazar, Henry Kapono, Loyal Garner and Nohelani. He was a member of the Na Hoku Hanohano (Hawaiian Music) Award winning group Ka'eo and the award winning group The Ali'i's. He also did a 15 year stint with the legendary Don Ho, as bass player and back-up singer. Since 2002, he has released six solo CDs, which have won him multiple Na Hoku Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Jazz Album of the Year. In 2002, Nathan also became part of Hapa, with musical colleague guitarist Barry Flanagan, and chanter Charles Ka'upu, for what became an 8-year creative collaboration.

Born on the windward side of O`ahu, DAVID "KAWIKA" KAHIAPO finds a never-ending source of inspiration in the breathtaking Ko`olau mountain range, lush, green valleys and the magnificent ocean views. His interest in music began at an early age, when, inspired by his father, he spent many hours practicing guitar alone, then learning from "garage" jam sessions, when "Pops" Gabby Pahinui would show up at their house to play, further igniting his passion for ki-ho`alu, Slack Key guitar. At age17, Kawika entered the professional music scene and has since contributed to more than 84 recording projects and performed with numerous artists both on stage and as a studio musician, and is a regular at slack key festivals. Kawika's most recent solo releases won 2 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii's "Grammy") in 2015 - one for Best Slack Key Guitar for Ku'u '?ina Aloha, the other for Best Island Music forHo'omaluhia. Kawika is also featured on George Kahumoku's compilation CDMasters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, vol 2 which won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album.

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

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