KILAUEA — Music lovers are in for a rare treat as three masters of their crafts on three very different instruments join forces for two concerts in early December.
Dubbed the Island Breeze Concerts, the events bring together shakuhachi grand master Dr. Riley Lee, taiko drum master Kenny Endo and slack-key guitar virtuoso Jeff Peterson for what should be two magical concerts, Saturday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. at Anaina Hou Community Park in Kilauea, and Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. in the Jasmine Ballroom of the Kaua‘i Beach Resort near Hanama‘ulu.
Tickets for the Saturday show are $45 for pavilion seating and $30 for lawn seating, available at islandbreezeconcert.eventbrite.com and at the door.
Tickets for the Sunday show are also available at islandbreezeconcert.eventbrite.com and at the door, $45 apiece for general admission.
The three artists linked up during a week-long residency in Honolulu in 2012. Each conducted intensive workshops and also sought to skillfully blend their individual styles to create an inspired sound distinctive to the Hawaiian Islands.
They presented their sound in concert at the University of Hawai‘i Orvis Auditorium. In 2014, the trio recorded “Island Breeze,” nominated in 2015 for Na Hoku Hanohano awards — Hawai‘i’s version of the Grammys — for Album of the Year and Instrumental Song of the Year.
Lee, a frequent visitor to the islands known for providing soothing music for the Lawa‘i International Center’s Pilgrimage of Compassion among the 88 Buddhist shrines in Lawa‘i Valley, has been playing the shakuhachi — bamboo flute — for over half a century. In 1975, he became the first non-Japanese to be honored with the rank of dai shihan (grand master).
He has introduced the shakuhachi to a diverse audience as a soloist, with other performers, and through his teachings. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and his doctorate degree from the University of Sydney in Australia.
Lee has released more than 70 albums since his first in 1980. His latest three solo albums are entirely of the music of the 12th century mystic, Hildegard von Bingen.
Endo is at the vanguard of the taiko genre, continuing to explore new possibilities for this ancient Japanese instrument. A performer, composer and teacher, Endo is a consummate artist, blending taiko with original music through collaborations with artists from around the world.
In 2022, Endo toured across the U.S, performing concerts, conducting workshops and lecturing. He recently received the Honpa Hongwanji Living Treasures of Hawai‘i Award, and in January 2022 was awarded the United States Artists award.
Peterson was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a paniolo — Hawaiian cowboy — on Haleakala Ranch on the island of Maui. Today, he’s at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene and is recognized as one of Hawai‘i’s most versatile musicians.
His passion for the guitar has allowed him to shine as a solo artist, and has given him the opportunity to collaborate with a wide variety of artists from Hawai‘i, across the U.S. and abroad. His focus on slack-key guitar, classical and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage.
The concerts are hosted by the Garden Island Arts Council. For more information, email giac05@icloud.com or phone 808-635-3039.
