It’s the sixth of 10 Monday nights in the heritage Hawaiian music program, E Kanikapila Kakou, now in its 36th season. This Monday’s guest artists at EKK are three men who comprise the group known as “Mauna Hape.”
The program runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Aqua Kauai Beach Resort near Hanamaulu.
Mauna Hape members will do a breakout group from 6 to 7, teaching a Hawaiian song to those who want to join in.
Later in the evening, those who learned it will sing it to the audience.
From 7 to 9, the group takes to the stage and, in keeping with this year’s theme, “Music is our Mo‘olelo (Story),” Mauna Hape will sing and talk story.
Mauna Hape’s Adam Asing, who comes from Papakolea, Oahu, has a formidable repertoire and command of the acoustic upright bass.
The eldest of the group, he has played alongside and learned from musicians of the “Hawaii Calls” era.
Jeff Au Hoy comes from Mo‘ili‘ili, Oahu, and, mentored by Bobby Ingano, has been playing the steel guitar for the past 17 years with a keen interest on the masters of the Territorial era.
Kapono Lopes is from Kauai, having graduated from the Kamehameha Schools in 2015.
Playing with talented musicians, listening and watching his favorite artists and family musicians, Lopes was all ears, soaking it up.
“I first started learning upright bass in elementary school when I joined the orchestra class,” he says.
In middle school, Lopes started listening more to pre-’60s Hawaiian music and taught himself to play the ukulele.
After graduating high school, Lopes worked as a musician at the Polynesian Cultural Center, trained by talented artists to play guitar and bass guitar.
In March 2018, he acquired a Rickenbacker Bakelite steel guitar from Ingano and began his training on the instrument from Ingano and Au Hoy.
A suggested donation in the calabash is $10 to $15 or more.
A no-host bar and food concession in the ballroom operates throughout the event.
Next Monday at EKK, week 7, March 4: Mark Yamanaka returns to EKK with friends.
