Bill Buley The Garden Island
Share this story

E Kanikapila Kakou, a Hawaiian music program, will wrap up the season Monday when guest artist Makana takes to the stage in the Jasmine Ballroom of the Aqua Kauai Beach Resort.

Makana, known statewide and on the Mainland for his compositions and performances on ukulele, guitar and piano, will be the highlighter.

“Born and raised in Hawaii, Makana grew up on the shores of Waikiki amid the likes of legend Don Ho and young Elvis-impersonator Bruno Mars,” said a press release.

Makana, whose name means “a gift given freely,” began singing when he was 7-years-old, took up ukulele at 9 and began learning slack key at 11. By 14, he was performing professionally, and before long he was playing five nights a week. His reputation as the youngest virtuoso of slack key spread throughout the islands.

Makana recently co-headlined a music festival with Nahko and Medicine for the People, scored the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s entire 2016 TV campaign for Hawaii and was awarded a PELE advertising award for his score, composed a song honoring the historic pier of the coastal town of Cayucos (after helping raise funding for its restoration), and produced three tribute concerts honoring his late mentor, slack key legend Sonny Chillingworth.

In the summer of 2016 he was invited to open a U.S. national arena tour for rock legends Bad Company and Joe Walsh, and debuted his newest album, “Introducing Slack Rock.”

The concert is a benefit for EKK, a program of the nonprofit Garden Island Arts Council.

General seating tickets are $25 at http://bit.ly/2tZ5nYK.