 LEDWARD
KAAPANA has been a professional musician for over 40 years. His
mastery of stringed instruments, particularly slack key guitar, and
extraordinary baritone and leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) voice have
made him a musical legend. His easy-going style and kolohe
(rascal) charm have made him a favorite of audiences from Brussels to
his birthplace on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Like so many Hawaiians, Led grew up in a musical family. In the tiny
black sand bay village of Kalapana, there were few distractions. "We
didn't have electricity, not television, not even much radio," says
Led. "So we entertained ourselves. You could go to any house and
everybody was playing music."
Often everybody was playing music at a backyard party, many of which
lasted for days. "People played in shifts, taking over when somebody
went to sleep," Led recalls. "You'd fall asleep to the music, wake
up....and the music was still playing. That was the best alarm clock I
ever had!"
It was at these family gatherings that Led learned to play in the old
style, watching, listening, then imitating. Chief among his teachers
were his mother, Mama Tina Kaapana, and his uncle Fred Punahoa. "Even
today when I play, I still picture all the `ohana (family)
getting together and sharing their songs and their aloha."
Although isolated, outside influences did creep into Kalapana. Like
most kids his age, Led loved to rock and roll and also listened to
country, jazz, and Latin music. When he'd sneak a riff from a guitar
hit of the day, like Pipeline or Walk Don't Run, into
his music his dad would tease, "Hey, that's not slack key!" But nobody
ever stopped him, they just encouraged him to "play what you feel and
play with aloha."From the beginning, improvisation came natural to
him. "I was doing it before I knew what it was," he says. "Everything
you play, every time you play, there's a mood, an energy. If you plug
into it, the music just flows. Even in a simple song, there are so
many different ways to play the melody, the
rhythm, the harmony. It never stops if you stay open to it."
As teenagers, Led and his twin brother Ned and cousin Dennis Pavao
formed the Hui `Ohana, one of the hottest groups of the 70s and 80s
and now legendary among Hawaiian musicians. The 70s saw the blossoming
of the Hawaiian Renaissance, and Hui `Ohana was a key part of that
return to traditional Hawaiian culture and music. Young Hawaii
Sings Old Hawaii, the title of their first recording, was also
their statement of purpose.
The group produced 14 best-selling albums and made countless hundreds
of live appearances, proudly sharing Kalapana's musical traditions.
Led later formed another trio, I Kona, releasing 6 albums with that
group, including Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner, Jus' Press.
He has also released a number of solo albums, including two Na Hoku
Hanohano Instrumental Album of the Year winners, Lima Wela
and Black Sand.
Recording for Dancing Cat Records, Led has done a number of solo
projects, duets, and a project with Allison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, and
a number of bluegrass legends, Waltz of the Wind. He has
worked with Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, and many other Nashville
notables. Back at home, he has shared his talents on recordings with
most of Hawaii's top talents, including Aunty Genoa Keawe, Barney
Isaacs, The Ho`opi`i Brothers, Melveen Leed, the Pahinui Brothers, Amy
Gilliom, and countless others. His 2006 release:
Kiho'alu - Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar was nominated for
the 48th GRAMMY Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album and won the
2006 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Instrumental Album of the year. In addition,
Led also performs on the compilation CD,
Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Vol 1, which won the 48th GRAMMY Award for Best Hawaiian Music
Album.
Led is also featured on our compilation CD from last year:
Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar -Live from Maui
which was honored
with the 49th Annual
GRAMMY Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album. He
simultaneously released:
Grandmaster, Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar which earned him a
solo nomination for the 49th GRAMMY Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album.
Led is again featured on our newest compilation CD:
Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key
Guitar (Daniel Ho Records) which just won
the 50th Annual
GRAMMY Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album.
For more information, visit
www.dancingcat.com or Led's own website:
www.ledkaapana.com See
Ledward perform in The Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key
Guitar Concert Series at The Napili Kai Beach Resort on
September 10, 2008 and October 22, 2008.
(He last performed in the series on August 20, July 16, June 25, May 14, April 9, March 19, February 27, January 9, 2008 and in 2007 on December 5, November
14, October 17, September 26, August 8, July 11, June 27, May 9,
April 4, March 14, February 14, and January 17. And in 2006 on December 27, November 15, October 18, September 20, August 30, August 9, July 5, June 14, May 17, April 26, April 19, March 22, and February 22; and in 2005 he performed on December 28, November 30, November 16, October 19, September 27, August 23, August 9, July 5, May 24, April 26, March 29,
February 15 and January 4 of 2005 and December 14, October 12,
September 7, August 10, June 22, June 8, May 4, February 24, and
January 20, of 2004 and October 21, 2003). |
