LAHAINA, MAUI--The Recording Academy has nominated Treasures of
Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar for Best Hawaiian Music Album at the
upcoming 50th Grammy Awards. It is the third consecutive time that
an album created by the producing collaboration of Hawaiian Slack
Key Guitar Productions and Daniel Ho Creations has appeared on
Grammy's list of nominees. Featured on the album are top slack key
artists Ledward Kaapana, Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, Martin
Pahinui, George Kahumoku Jr., Owana Salazar, Daniel Ho and Keoki
Kahumoku. Also performing on the album are Bobby Ingano on steel
guitar, Richard Ho’opi’i with Hawaiian falsetto, Peter deAquino and
Garrett Probst on ukulele, and debuting young Sterling Seaton on
guitar.
Like the first two Grammy winning albums of this series, Masters of
Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, vol.1 and Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key
Guitar—Live from Maui, which won in 2006 and 2007 respectively, the
current Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar CD is a compilation
of live performances captured at the weekly Masters of Hawaiian
Slack Key Guitar Concert Series now located at the Napili Kai Beach
Resort on Maui.
Producers of the album are George Kahumoku, Jr., Daniel Ho, Paul
Konwiser and Wayne Wong. “Even though it’s the third time for us,
the honor and pride in being nominated again are just as intense as
the first time,” Wong said. “We’re very happy with this new album
and we feel that we’ve taken the recording quality to the next
level.”
“This has been a very special week for us here on Maui,” said producer
Paul Konwiser. “Earlier this week we announced moving our concert
series to the Napili Kai Beach Resort. Now we also have this
wonderful Grammy nomination to celebrate as well.”
George Kahumoku was teaching at his son Keoki’s workshop on the Big
Island where he got the word. “We feel blessed and honored to be
nominated a third time,” he said. “We’re very grateful to Napili Kai
Beach Resort for hosting our show. Thanks to the special attention
from the resort staff, and the wonderful backyard feel of the Hale
Aloha Pavilion where we do our shows, we feel right at home there.”
Daniel Ho got the good news in Japan, where he is currently on tour,
and responded by e-mail: "We are thrilled to hear about the
nominations and are honored to be recognized among those wonderful
artists!”
The 13 artists on the “Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar”
compilation album range from Richard Ho’opi’i, at 66, the most
senior artist on the album to Sterling Seaton, the 19 year old Cyril
Pahinui protégé for which this is his first recording. “I thank the
audience for loving Hawaiian music, and I thank the world for
accepting us as part of the Grammys,” said Ho’opi’i, from his Maui
home. Dennis Kamakahi, one of Hawaii’s most prolific songwriters, is
featured on the opening track of the new CD. “I’m honored to be a
part of this project,” he said.
The producers and many of the artists plan to attend the Grammy award
ceremony in Los Angeles on February 10, 2008 –a unique experience
that shouldn’t be missed.
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About Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions, Inc
Founded for the love of the music and grounded in the concept of
aloha, Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions, Inc is dedicated to
perpetuating and preserving traditional Hawaiian music, especially
the unique Hawaiian acoustic guitar art form known as “Ki-ho’alu”
(Hawaiian Slack Key). The Hawaii corporation develops programs,
events and concert series to create a deeper awareness and
understanding of this authentic Hawaiian cultural art form.
The Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series has performed
every weekly on Maui since October of 2003. The weekly concerts are
held at the Napili Kai Beach Resort’s Aloha Pavilion every Wednesday
evening at 7:30pm. Toll-free Reservations can be made by calling
(888) 669-3858. Tickets are priced at $45. More information and the
ongoing performance schedule of artists are posted on the website at www.slackkey.com.
About Daniel Ho Creations
Daniel Ho Creations is an acoustic and Hawaiian record label founded
with an intent to provide artists with the creative freedom they so
deserve, and their audiences with high quality recordings. Each of
our albums is presented with utmost sincerity and artistry. More
information is available on the web at www.danielho.com. | 
