Slack Key Show Masters Of Hawaiian Music

Amazing show! The hospitality, and reverence the musicians showed — genuine «heart» made me think wow — I am at the Hawaiian «Grand Olé Opry»!
Steeped in tradition with a touch of extra flavor as music is passed on to the new generation. My husband and I enjoyed each performer in tonight’s line up
Ken Emerson, Peter deAquino, Wainani, Sterling Seaton and guest mc– Kevin Brown.
Very cool that they all played together to close the show!

Tried this out on a whim and wow this is not to be missed. We were lucky that we attended on this night as this was All Star show: George Kahumoku, Ledward Kaapana, Brother Noland, Kevin Brown, Stephen Inglis, David Kamakani., Peter deAquino, Sterling Seaton, Jason Jerome, Paul Togioka, and Joel Katz. Two one hour sets with the best slack key you can get from the masters. David K was outstanding on the ukulele, and each piece had an opportunity for the others to «solo» so it was more like a jam session. Wainani Kealoha performed several hulas (one with Peter D) and Uncle Wally also danced hula — great to see men dancing hula to tell story with joy and enthusiasm. The whole atmosphere was like a local gathering to have fun.
The venue is a little difficult as the chair are auditorium (not stadium) seating so if you are short and near the back it is hard to see. Get there early for a good seat or stand. Water and POG available (probably could have had some snacks for sale) and plenty of CDs for sale from the artists. This is not your usual hotel luau. This is real music from people who obviously love their culture, music, and community.
Dinner at the Sea House is a good lead it and a few steps from the venue. Will definitely come againl

What a treat… every performer was great… the venue was comfortable and the seating good. We choose to sit on the side so no one was blocking us. The skill level of the playing was wonderful… I totally would recommend this show to anyone.

We saw Jerry Santos, along with Uncle George and Da Ukulele Boyz last night at the Slack Key Show. It was a wonderful, very fun time. I love the way that the show keeps a very local flavor to it, everyone is helping to put the show on including selling the tickets, taking the tickets, selling the merchandise, doing the sound and lights. We have seen the show many times but this was the first time we had the dinner before the show at the Sea House Restaurant. The food was very good and was relaxing to do before the show, we did not feel rushed at all. It is nice to have this level of great entertainment so close.

I’m a musician, and I have been a fan of traditional Hawaiian music since the resurgence in the ’70’s. I met Moe and Led on a few occasions, so it was natural that my husband and I would began attending the slack key concerts when they first began at Kapalua. I have purchased a ton of the CD’s and passed them on to professional guitarists that marvel at the artistry of the slack key masters.
However…
I would love to give the concerts more than 3 stars, but I really dislike the venue… like, a LOT. It just lacks any common sense to me to take the musicians and the audience AWAY from the sky, stars, and water and stick them in a tent. Heck… it’s sacrilege.
When they moved into this tent (which they call the «pavilion)» — I really thought it was temporary. It looks temporary. It isn’t part of the actual hotel… its a tent in the parking lot. There is a stage, a few potted plants, and uncomfortable chairs.
I find it hard to immerse myself in the music in this venue. It isn’t «Hawaii’ and the fact that Maui is just outside the door distracts me. Other people have expressed the same, and I don’t think we will return during this year’s trip.
So, with that said — the BEST concert of my Maui visits was one on the south lawn of the Intercontinental. The Brothers Caz, sitting on the lawn with a bento box, watching the sun go down, a cruise ship sailing by with its lights just starting to twinkle. THAT is how one should hear, see, smell, and be a part of a Hawaiian concert.
The Napili Kai needs to class these concerts up and set up on the lawn with a view, because currently that tent makes these concerts look like an afterthought.

SO FUN! I love Hawai’ian music and «Uncle George» was a lot of fun in addition to being really talented and putting on a great show. It felt like a really small town, local experience with world-​class musicians – best of both worlds. Waipuna was the special guest attraction, and they were amazing. I’d never heard them before, but I’m following them now – LOVE! And The Ukulele Boyz were a lot of fun and sang the Hawai’ian version of «12 Days of Christmas» (I went to a mid-​December show) which was great. At the end of the show all the musicians jammed together and that was really great.
The setting felt very small town — conference chairs, a simple stage, basically in a tent… which was perfect. Some giant, impersonal venue with a zillion people would’ve felt really wrong. Part of what I love about Maui is the small-​town feel and welcoming atmosphere, which was definitely a lovely part of this show. The lady who took our ticket money danced Hula later in the show, for example. This was the best mix of super talented professional musicians in a really small venue – perfect.
I’ll go to this show every time I visit Maui!

My wife and I went to the Slack Key Show on the last night of our honeymoon. It was definitely a worthwhile visit and worthy of the last night of a honeymoon, but there is room for improvement in the show.
The music was great, and George and The Ukulele Boyz were awesome. They really put on a great show, as did the Guest Master Ledward Kaanapa. No complaints there. The areas where the show can improve:
Staging: The backdrop is literally just a mural of the view from in front of The Sea House restaurant. I feel like almost anything else would be a better choice for that. A plain curtain, an image of Haleakala, anything but the image we literally just saw half an hour before.
Seating: The chairs are incredibly uncomfortable. Midway through the first half of the show I leaned over and told my wife that if she wanted to we could leave at intermission, because she looked like she wasn’t enjoying the show. Her response was that she WAS enjoying it, she was just uncomfortable. My wife suggested having tables with chairs around them to create a more relaxed seating arrangement, which leads to my last suggestion…
Refreshments: Currently they only offer water and POG at the show. It’s free, but I feel like offering even a limited bar (beer and wine) or even soft drinks and desserts/​snacks would add a lot to making the show feel more like an event.
George said at one point during the show that when he was younger he would play shows at one of the hotels and the could literally play the same song for 3 hours straight to perfect it, because the people weren’t paying attention, they were just sitting at tables chatting and drinking, so I understand why he might not want to have that set up, but it seems like there’s a middle ground between the two.
Overall, the music gets a 5, but the ambiance only gets a 2.

Lot’ of fun. Saw the show for the 2^nd time on my trip to Maui last week. Great sense of family and camaraderie among the musicians. Guest master Sean Na’auao was a stand-​out. I can’t wait to get a bunch of his music on I-​tunes. Definitely a taste of authentic Hawaii in both the songs, instruments, styles and love of the islands. Highly recommended.

Wow — I was able to attend with my wife and parents last week. Uncle George, Ledward, Jeff Peterson, Da Ukulele Boyz, and the rest of the Masters were awesome! I only wish we lived closer. We will certainly plan our vacations around shows in the future. Go early and have dinner and drinks at the seaside restaurant. Thank you for such a great experience. Mahalo!

Fantastic show for the whole family! I have not enjoyed a live show this much in many years.

Great show. It really doesn’t get any better! This is a wonderful show for the whole family offering a timeless experience of the gamut of Hawaii’s music, from the best of traditional slack key to the hottest contemporary ukelele. The open air venue is the perfect spot to be a part of George and company’s authentic Hawaiian jam session. It was the highlight of our recent trip. Having lived on Maui for several years, and now as frequent visitors, we plan to make the Masters of Hawaiian Music show a regular stop on our future trips to Maui.

This is one of the best things to do in the evening after a day at the beach or sightseeing. The music is so beautiful. We have been every time we go to Maui and now we usually buy our tickets as soon as we know the dates we will be in Maui. NOT TO BE MISSED. The resort grounds are also lovely and the sunsets can’t be beat before the show starts.

If you are thinking of attending a luau, may I recommend this instead. Mr. Kahumoku and friends welcome you personally. Their show is personally given to its audience by the artists. I felt like I had joined the family when I was there.
Don’t go expecting to eat (food is distracting). Do go expecting to fall in love with hawaiian music. Since attending this show, I purchased a few ukuleles, bought many (many, many) CD’s of slack key and steel guitar. I even took a slack key lesson from George’s son Keoki (thanks, Keoki!).

Aloha,
This show with the sights that we encountered on our visit made it a complete experience. We will be back in Maui and Uncle George’s show is at the top of the list.
It’s fun as well as an experience. You will get more than music here. You really feel Aloha at George’s show. It is enlightening and inspiring. Life is good!
Mahalo

If you are in town, and want to have an ‘authentic Hawaiian’ experience… GO HERE! George is called the «Hawaiian Renaissance Man», and for good reason! He has spent his life gathering around him the greats in this uniquely Hawaiian craft, Slack Key guitar. A sweet acoustic sound, uniquely Hawaiian.
His collaborative efforts of taping these incredibly unique live shows, with flown in talent from across the Islands, has won them multiple Grammy Awards.
Come see what everyone is raving about, do yourself a favor, take in this show!!!

This was a fantastic show! I went a few nights ago when Kimo West was the guest. The music was great & I really enjoyed. I recommend this show for everyone & is a great alternative to a luau for «an evening plan» while on a Hawaii vacation. Will be back each time I return to Hawaii & will be fans for life! My new dream is that my bf learns how to play his ukulele (he already has one & I bought him the learner’s book while at the show) and I learn hula~ :) 4 not 5 stars because the seats were not very comfortable for me & it would be nice to have some snacks or something while there. Just a thought, but maybe have photo stream of past shows or George’s farm or samples of the tea/​coffee etc. Or a free Hawaiian flower for the girls wouldn’t hurt :)

I have been going to Uncle George’s slack key shows when they were still at the Ritz Carlton but I have grown to love the space at Napili Kai as well.
The great thing about this concert is you can literally go again and again and it will never be the same, whether it is the rotating guests of which we had the pleasure of seeing Cyril Pahinui, Owana Salazar, Makana, Kawika Kahiapo, Sonny LIm, Bobby Ingano and Sean Naauao over the years in Maui, kinda making me wish they had a «frequent buyer» program, to the humor and humbleness of these super talented musicians. You will almost forget you are the presence of Grammy winners and feel like you are a privileged guest in one of their backyard jam sessions. The talented ukulele boys of Garrett Probst (no relation to survivor host Jeff Probst, at least not that I’m aware of), Peter D’Aquino, and Sterling Seaton lightens up an already fun time for almost any age, although adults will definitely appreciate this more than kids.
This may be your only chance to not only take a pic with the Grammy winner but the Grammy itself as well. This year, it has expanded to two nights now (Wed and Th vs. the original Wed nights only). Herb Ohta Jr. here we come!

Plan your entire trip to Maui around this show, as I do. Every Wednesday and Thursday night at the Napili Kai, the best of the best Hawaiian musicians join the incredibly joyful George Kahumoku Jr. and put on a show that will leaving you smiling. This music is sublime and you will be captivated by the performers, who play slack key guitar and ukulele and sing with the voices of angels. The featured musicians always perform some songs with Uncle George and the Ukulele Boyz too and the jammin’ is rollicking good fun! It’s always a highlight when such gifted and enthusiastic players like Led Kaapana and Kevin Brown play at the Slack Key Show — thank you George Kahumoku Jr., for putting on this show every week!