If you haven’t heard Hawaiian slack key guitar, here’s your chance to listen to legendary Maui musician George Kahumoku Jr., his son Keoki Kahumoku with Richard Ho’opi’i play at the lovely Fox Theater on February 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Hawaii’s Renaissance Man, George Kahumoku Jr, is a multiple Grammy & Hoku Award winning master slack key guitar and vocalist, songwriter, performer, teacher, artist and sculptor, story-teller and writer, farmer and entrepreneur.George is known for playing slack key on a jumbo12-string guitar because he loves the full sound and the lower bass tones of this guitar.

Go to the Fox website (click here) for tickets, starting at $20. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

George Kahumoku Junior’s website: http://www.slackkeyshow.com/

Fox Tucson Theater is at 17 W. Congress St. (between Stone Ave. and Church Ave.)

And if you want to hear Hawaiian music (and George’s) tune in tomorrow to the Mele O Hawai’i radio show by John Putnam on KXCI Community Radio 91.3 FM, Saturday mornings from 6 to 8 a.m. John’s a “local haole” from Honolulu who loves Hawaiian music and plays a wide variety of “all kine stuff” on his show. I’ve called a few times to request my favorite songs, 520-622-5924.

If you really want to get in the Hawaiian mood, eat authentic “grinds”/dinner first at Lani’s Luau, 2532 S. Harrison Rd. (NW Corner of Golf Links and Harrison) out east. They’re open till 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursdays, 9 p.m. on Friday & Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. Lani is from Kona on the Big Island and cooks food that is indeed “some ono” (delicious). Both the owners Zane and Leilani (Lani) know George and have a photo of him with them during his last visit to Tucson.

British born guitarist, composer & folk singer Jamie O’Brien is releasing a new CD entitled “Chasing Ghosts”. Most of the songs are melodious and “jazzy”, and some are yearning songs of lost love, perhaps the “ghosts” of his past. Jamie asks that we mark Thursday, May 5 on our calendars. That is the release date for this new CD album. Musicians will be flying in from the East Coast & celebrating the release with Jamie at Boondocks that evening (3306 North 1st Avenue at 6:30pm).

Jamie on his guitar, courtesy of the musician

My favorites from this particular CD are #1 “Don’t Look Back”, #7 “See You Sometime” and #15 “You Only Wish”. The titles probably reveal the theme of the song’s lyrics. Jamie composed the 18 songs on this CD, and seven in collaboration with Stephen Roud, Ernest Hone, Peter Cooper, or Peter Morson.

He (and Bob Lee)will be performing at Lani’s Luau restaurant (NW corner of Harrison and Golf Links) on Friday April 29 at 6:30 p.m. Call ahead at 520-886-LUAU (5828). And he and some friends are also performing the next day at Lani’s for a fundraising luau (click here for the flyer).

Website: www.launies.com, email jobrien@launies.com to order this CD and others.

I’ve heard Jamie perform at 2nd Saturdays Downtown as well as at Himmel Park branch library and Bookman’s. He performs a lot of Irish Celtic music as well as Hawaiian slack key guitar and on the ukulele. “Uku” is flea and “lele” means jumping in Hawaiian, which is indicative of the lively music of this instrument. He’s also the winner of the 2011 Hawaiian Music Awards Anthology of the Year.

The local musicians accompanying Jamie on this CD are:
Dillon Barr (trumpet)
Phil Borzillo (guitar)
Bruce Campbell (bass)
Jenny Ford (vocals)
Ryck Kaiser (fiddle)
Henry Koreztky (vocals, mandolin, guitar)
Gary Mackender (accordion, Hammond organ)
Paul McKeown (guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals)
Jon Villa (trumpet)
Dede Wyland (vocals)

Please come to Lani’s Luau for an Hawaiian hula show/fundraiser luau:

Saturday April 30, 2011, 4-8 PM

Delicious authentic dinner buffet:

Kalua Pig, Teriyaki Chicken, Steamed rice, Macaroni Salad, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Poi (upon request), Haupia, Pineapple Upside down cake, Hawaiian Punch/water

Dance performances by Hula Mai Ka Pu’uwai and Pacific Islanders Dance group.

Entertainment: Ukulele & slack key guitar by Jamie O’Brien & company, and Sierra Vista’s own Pat Tinnell & Company.

Cost: $25 for adults, $12.50 for children (12 and under)

Lani’s Luau is at 2532 S. Harrison Rd. (NW corner of Harrison and Golf Links).

Call Lani’s Luau for tickets at 520-886-5828 (LUAU) or 520-405-1212.

All proceeds go to Lani’s Luau to pay off their debt from rental of kitchen equipment.

One of my previous blogs on the fundraising efforts (click here). Please kokua (help).

UPDATE: This terrific luau raised over $7,500 and now Lani’s Luau only owes about $250 to Arizona Restaurant Supply. Mahalo plenty (as we say back home) to all you participated to “save” Lani’s Luau!