Get Intimate With Shimabukuro, Cazimero, And Reichel

By Madeline Ziecker

Image courtesy of the MACC.

On October 8th the MACC is launching their second season of “Solo Sessions” featuring legendary Hawaiian musicians Robert Cazimero, Keali‘i Reichel, and Jake Shimabukuro.

The series is designed to offer Maui residents intimate access to the Hawaiian artists they know and love. Solo Sessions is intended to have the same effect as VH1’s “Storytellers,” giving audiences the opportunity to encounter premier artists in their musical forte; Hawaiian music in this case.

Kealii Reichel. Image courtesy of the MACC.

Robert Cazimero will lead Solo Sessions on October 8 in the McCoy Studio Theater at 7:30 p.m. Cazimero has successfully combined the beauty of traditional Hawaiian music with dance since the 1970s. Some hold him partially responsible for the renaissance of Hawaiian music that has spanned the past few decades. He performs with an all-male halau, perhaps to emphasize the strength and endurance of the Hawaiian arts.

Legendary singer-songwriter and kumu hula Keali‘i Reichel will be next to perform in the series on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. Reichel has performed all over the world, including such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. He has earned an international fan base for his unique performances and he has opened concerts for artists Bonnie Raitt, LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion and Sting.

Jake Shimabukuro. Image courtesy of the MACC.

Our beloved ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro will conclude Solo Sessions on Thursday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m. Shimabukuro gained global fame in 2007 when a video of him playing the Beatles’ “As My Guitar Gently Weeps” on ukulele went viral. Since, he has acquired a global following and has raised a lot of attention around the small but mighty ukulele at events such as the Monterey and Playboy Jazz Festivals, TED conferences, and before the Queen of England with Bette Midler. At Solo Sessions, Shimabukuro will perform selections from his 2011 release, Peace Love Ukulele. To sum up his artistic talent, he’s the Hendrix of the uke.

Tickets for Solo Sessions are $25 standard and $45 premium seating with a post-show artist meet. Call the MACC Box Office at 808-242-SHOW (7469) or order online at MauiArts.org.