After a fall hiatus, the series will resume Dec. 30 and continue every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Napili Kai Beach Resort in West Maui.

The CD nominated in the 52nd annual Grammy Awards is "Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2," a compilation of live performances from weekly concerts at Napili Kai Beach Resort.

Producers of the album are Daniel Ho, show host George Kahumoku Jr., Paul Konwiser and Wayne Wong.

"I was, of course, delighted at the news. Each of our five CDs has been nominated. It's a wonderful confirmation of the quality of the music in our Maui shows," said Konwiser.  "Like our other albums, it consists primarily of vocal tracks in the Hawaiian language. I believe that this is the best album we have produced."

The CD features performances by master slack key artists George Kahumoku Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Owana Salazar, Sonny Lim, Keoki Kahumoku, Jeff Peterson, Kawika Kahiapo, Daniel Ho and special guest performers Richard Ho‘opi‘i and Bobby Ingano.  Also featured are young, next-generation nephews and show regulars Peter DeAquino and Sterling Seaton.

The Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar have previously been honored with four nominations and three consecutive Grammy Awards for their compilation CDs at the 48th, 49th and 50th Grammy ceremonies: "Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 1;" "Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Live on Maui;" and "Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar."

The popular series was founded in 2003 by Konwiser, Wong and Kahumoku Jr. They developed the successful show concept of traditional Hawaiian music combined with personal stories to provide an expanded view of Hawaii's culture and musical heritage in a dignified concert setting.

George Kahumoku Jr. is the musical host of every show and welcomes a different guest artist each week. The guest on Dec. 30 will be Ledward Kaapana.

"We are indeed excited about restarting the show on December 30. This fall was the first time in six years that we did not have a weekly show. We'll be very glad to get back on track," Konwiser said.  Fans of the series can expect to see some new facets but no major changes.

"When we begin the concerts, we hope to add some elements to keep the shows exciting and lively, and also to enhance the story telling that our audiences have grown to love over the years," Konwiser explained.

"Most of our audience are folks who have been to the show before. Some people have told us they plan their vacation around our show schedule. Any changes we make will be subtle and will not change the overall theme of the show."

The slack key concert series is recognized nationwide as the home of slack key music in Hawaii. For more information and a schedule, visit www.slackkey.com

Copyright © 2009 The Lahaina News. All rights reserved.

Going to Maui? Experience our live show where these Grammy winning compilations were recorded...
Every Wednesday at 7:30pm at The Napili Kai Beach Resort, on Maui.

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Show tickets $39.99 (plus applicable taxes and fees).
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