Aloha Friday: Kaapana, Landeza CD release & David Ka‘io

Halau Makana performing at last year’s Alameda Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Festival

Master slack key guitarist, uke player and falsetto singer Led Kaapana, interviewed in this space yesterday (and appearing in Mill Valley, Berkeley and Redwood City tonight through Saturday, respectively), isn’t the only performer bringing the Aloha Friday spirit to Northern California this weekend.

Besides Kaapana and Academy of Hawaiian Arts’ “KaHulaHou” (previewed earlier by Emily Tuupo) on Saturday, our local guitar hero Patrick Landeza and his frequent “mandolele” collaborator Bill Griffin will be joined by the dancers of  Hālau Makana for  an Island Arts Festival at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda, this Friday night (Feb. 1.) Tickets are $15 in advance ($12 students/seniors) or $20 at the door. Landeza will also be releasing his new CD, “Slack Key Huaka‘i,” at the event; tracks include new interpretations of classics such as “Sanoe” and “No Ke Ano Ahiahi” and lively originals such as “Holoholo Kī Hō‘alu” (featured along with Landeza’s “Ahuimanu” on the Jan. 13 Hawaiian Concert Guide podcast with Steven Espaniola and Matt Sproat of Waipuna. Landeza’s journey (“huaka‘i”) also includes producing two more shows by Kaapana, Feb. 9 at the Strum Shop in Rosebille and Feb. 15 at Live at the Cue in Concord, the latter with a separate dinner option; see landezapresents.com for ticket information.

Also save the date for, among other performances:

• David Ka‘io, Feb. 1 at Pono Hawaiian Grill in Santa Cruz and Feb. 2 at Da Kine Cafe in Sunnyvale (with slack key workshops there on Feb. 3)
• Kapala, Feb. 21 at Club Fox in Redwood City and Feb. 23 at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln
• Richard Ho‘opi‘i, George Kahumoku and Keoki Kahumoku, Feb. 23 at Wells Fargo Center in Santa Rosa, Feb. 24 at Freight Salvage in Berkeley, Feb. 25 at Santa Clara University, Feb. 26 at Don Quixote’s in Felton and Feb. 27 at Harlow’s in Sacramento
• Makana, March 1, Villa Montalvo in Saratoga
• Maunalua, March 1,  Pono Hawaiian Grill
• Anuhea, March 5, Harlow’s (the closest show to the Bay Area on her current tour, which then heads to Southern California.)

Aloha Friday: Kaapana, Landeza CD release & David Ka‘io