20th Annual Ki-Ho’alu Guitar Festival

By Kristin Hashimoto

Brother Noland, photo by Aubrey Hord, image courtesy of the MACC

On June 26, over fourteen slack key guitarists, will take the stage at the Maui Arts ad Cultural Center. This free event will take place on Maui, O’ahu, Kaua’i and the Big Island.

From 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., slack key musicians such as: George Kahumoku, Jr. & Friends, Stephen Inglis, Paul Togioka, Bobby Moderow, Ola Hou with Kevin & Ikaika Brown, Michael Ka‘awa, Brother Noland, John Cruz, LT Smooth, John Keawe, Keale, Dennis Kamakahi, Keoki Kahumoku and Makana, and others, will soothe, incite, delight and inspire the audience with finger-play and string strokes that will seem so effortless, but is in actuality, an amazing talent to behold and listen to.

Craft and food booths will speckle the lawn. Bring lawn chairs and blankets and spread out. Make camp for more than a few hours with the family, and

John Cruz, image courtesy of MACC

enjoy the friendly atmosphere full of local grinds and one of a kind, made on Maui type goods.

Slack key master, Gabby “Pops” Pahinui, inspired the Ki-Ho’alu (Hawaiian slack key) Guitar Festival back in 1982. It was rooted on O’ahu, but quickly spread to the outer islands. For more information, visit http://slackkeyfestival.com, or www.mauiarts.org.