Led and Mike on the Mainland

Welcome to Kaleponi Records, my musical home on the web. My name is Fran Guidry, and I play kika ki hoʻalu or Hawaiian slack key guitar.

Kaleponi is the Hawaiian word for California, where I live. Ki hoʻalu, or slack key, has a direct link to California history. The guitar was carried to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi by vaqueros from California. You can read more about the history of slack key guitar on the Dancing Cat Records web site.

Slack key guitar is named for the retuning that characterizes the style. Most of these new tunings feature loosened, or slackened, strings which give a deep rich sound.

My personal slack key history goes back to 1999 and my first visit to Hawaiʻi. When we turned on the TV in our Waikiki hotel room I was captivated by the playing of Keola Beamer. I knew in an instant that I had to learn to play this beautiful music. Over the years I've learned from great players and teachers like Ozzie Kotani, Keola himself, Patrick Landeza, Kevin Brown, Cyril Pahinui, Kawika Kahiapo, Raymond Kane, Dennis Kamakahi, and Ledward Kaapana.

Thursday, September 20th, 2018

Hopefully you know that you can always keep up with Led’s schedule at his website. If he’s home in Kane`ohe he’ll be playing most Saturday evenings at Honey’s at the Ko`olau Golf Course. First Wednesday of the month he usually headlines George Kahumoku’s Slack Key Show on Maui. On the first Thursday he heads to the Big Island of Hawai`i and the Kona side, where he plays at Don’s Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Kona Resort.

But luckily for those of us who won’t be in Hawai`i for a while, Led is leaving the islands and headed to the mainland and he’s traveling with Mike Kaawa.

Sunday, Sep 30 Seattle, WA: Triple Door
Time TBA
Tuesday, Oct 2 Portland, OR: Alberta Rose Theatre
Door 7:00 PM
Show 7:30 PM
Friday, Oct 5 National City, CA: Sweetwater Union High School
Door 7:00 PM
Show 7:30 PM
Sunday, Oct 7 Phoenix, AZ: Musical Instrument Museum
Door 6:30 PM
Show 7:00 PM

Once they get to California I will be joining them for a few shows.

Wednesday, Oct 10 Nevada City, CA: Miners Foundry Cultural Center
Door 7:00 PM
Show 8:00 PM
Thursday, Oct 11 Mill Valley, CA: 142 Throckmorton Theatre
Door 7:30 PM
Show 8:00 PM
Friday, Oct 12 Winters, CA: Palms Playhouse
Door 7:30 PM
Show 8:00 PM
Saturday, Oct 13 Pacifica, CA: Mildred Owens Concert Hall
Door 7:00 PM
Show 7:30 PM
Sunday, Oct 14 Saratoga, CA: Montalvo Arts Center
Door 6:30 PM
Show 7:00 PM

It’s great to catch one of Mike’s shows and it’s great to make it to one of Led’s, but seeing the two of them together is a special occasion for the musicians as well as the audience. If one of their shows pops up your neighborhood it will be an opportunity for some big fun.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2018 at 10:06 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.