Former Kaua‘i resident and two-time Grammy winner, Taj Mahal will perform April 18 at Kilohana Plantation with his Hula Blues Band, featuring slack-key guitar and ‘ukulele virtuoso Ledward Ka‘apana. The Hula Blues Band formed when Taj Mahal lived here in
Former Kaua‘i resident and two-time Grammy winner, Taj Mahal will perform April 18 at Kilohana Plantation with his Hula Blues Band, featuring slack-key guitar and ‘ukulele virtuoso Ledward Ka‘apana. The Hula Blues Band formed when Taj Mahal lived here in 1981.
“Fishin’ with the guys and jammin’, enjoying life. We eventually got together and did a few shows,” Taj Mahal is quoted saying in a press release.
“First with Napali (Carlos Andrade, Patrick Cockett, Pancho Graham, Fred Lunt) on ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ and eventually with the rest of the band on Maui and O‘ahu. Our first road trip (albeit a short one) was on the Ultimate Rhythm and Blues Cruise down in the Caribbean to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Grand Bahama Island. We played a few more times and in 1997, recorded the album, ‘Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues Band, Sacred Island.’”
“Sacred Island” is a blend of Hawaiian music and blues.
Born Henry St. Claire Fredericks, Taj Mahal changed to his musical alias while attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the early ’60s. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Taj Mahal is a prominent blues and roots composer whose musical scope includes explorations of West African, Caribbean, Latin American and Hawaiian flavors, according to his Web site.
What ties it all together is his insatiable interest in musical discovery. Over the years his passion and curiosity have led him around the world, and the resulting global perspective is reflected in his music today, his Web site states.
Ledward Ka‘apana will bring his blend of old and new Hawai‘i. Born in 1948 in Kalapana, Ka‘apana rates among the top musical artists in Hawai‘i and, increasingly, on the world circuit. A master of ki ho‘alu (slack-key guitar), he is also accomplished on ‘ukulele, autoharp, bass and steel guitar. His baritone and traditional “leo ki‘eki‘e” (falsetto) singing couple with an infectious joy for performing and a rascally sense of humor. Hard work and an easy-going attitude have made him one of Hawai‘i’s most beloved traditional musicians, with multiple Grammy nominations and Na Hoku awards, including Favorite Entertainer Award at the 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40, advance; $50, door; $55, gold circle tables. Tickets are available at the following outlets: Kaua‘i Music and Sound, Kapa‘a; Hanalei Strings and Things; Progressive Expressions, Koloa; Scotty’s Music, Kalaheo; Aloha -N- Paradise, Waimea; Kaua‘i Harley Davidson, Puhi, and for tables of ten, Kilohana Plantation, Puhi. To charge by phone call, 808-896-4845
For more information visit lazarbear.com or call, 337-9234.
