KEOLA BEAMER
Keolamaikalani Breckenridge Beamer was raised on Hawai‘i Island, born into one of Hawai's most illustrious and beloved musical families. He established himself early as the family's youngest standard-bearer. A child of the rock & roll era, he was at the vanguard of Hawaiian contemporary sound. Yet he also helped drive what became the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance, recording many songs written by his ancestors, including his legendary great-grandmother Helen Desha Beamer and his mother Nona Beamer. Keola studied classical guitar, and went on to publish a slack key method book using a 16th-century lute tablature system as his starting point. He was one of Hawai'i's first recording artists to integrate Hawaiian chants and instruments, like the tiny gourd whistle and nose flute, into contemporary forms of music. Keola has recorded and produced more than a dozen albums, has won numerous Na Hoku Awards, Hawai'i's “Grammy”, appeared on Sesame Street and NBC’s “Today Show”, was honored by the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation and was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame.

Website

MOANALANI BEAMER
began her hula training at the early age of four with Kumu Hula (Hula Master) Johnny Hokoana, and continued training extensively with several different hula masters; she herself became a “Kumu Hula” in 2011, following a rigorous process of study and graduation (“‘uniki”). Her performing career included starring in several hula revues on Maui. In performance with Keola, she dances, chants, sings background vocals, and plays several ancient Hawaiian percussive instruments, including `ili`ili (river stone “castanets”), ka`eke`eke (cut bamboo) and Ipu (gourd drum). She also teaches, sharing her hula knowledge with students on Maui as well as in workshops across the U.S. and Europe.

JEFF PETERSON
Jeff grew up on the slopes of the Haleakala volcano on Maui, and was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music and to guitar by his father, a paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) on Haleakala Ranch. Early on, he began to pick up influences from such Hawai‘i slack key greats as the Gabby Pahinui Band, Leonard Kwan, and Sonny Chillingworth, then explored a wide variety of musical genres, studying jazz and classical guitar in college. He has been recognized by his peers with 16 Na Hoku Awards (Hawaii’s “Grammy”) in such categories as Best Slack Key Album (5 times), Best Instrumental Album (7 times), and Best Instrumental Composition, as well as a Grammy nomination. He is a featured artist on two Grammy-winning compilation CDs in Hawaiian Music, and has worked such artists as Benjamin Verdery, Eric Clapton, Led Kaapana, James Galway, Michael Feinstein, and the Honolulu Symphony. He has been honored with awards from the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation and First People’s Fund.

Website | Facebook