Ken Emerson, George & The Slack Key Show Ohana

George Kahumoku Jr. is a master Hawaiian slack-key guitarist. Born in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, he was labeled Hawaii's Renaissance Man by Nona Beamer. He received the 4 Grammy Awards for Best Hawaiian Music Album for compilation CD produced at his Slack Key Show on Maui.

Ken plays both Hawaiian Slack Key and laps steel guitar and switches easily between them during his performance, laying his guitar on his lap and picking up a steel bar for an instrumental interlude. This requires a special finesse and light touch because the slack key guitar has lower action than a dedicated lap steel guitar.nnHe has developed his unique style through many musical genres. He has played his special blend of Blues/Jazz Hawaiian guitar for 40 years. Born into a musical family, Ken grew up with his fathers’ extensive record collection of jazz, swing, Hawaiian, and world music styles.nnLiving in the San Francisco Bay Area, He played the folk and blues songs of the early ‘60s, learning right-hand fingerstyle techniques that led to his development as a fingerstyle picker.nnWith the explosion of the San Francisco sound of the mid- later ‘60’s Ken also immersed himself into rock and electric blues styles. He was particularly drawn to bottleneck and slide guitar.nnIn 1968 Ken’s family moved to Hawaii. Absorbing the Hawaiian culture, Ken began studying Hawaiian language and music emulating the players of the 1920’s and ‘30s era by listening to vintage Hawaiian 78 rpm records, zeroing in on the jazz and blues styles of Sol Ho’opi’i and Sol K. Bright.nnSoon Ken was playing alongside such legendary performers as Gabby Pahinui, Genoa Keawe, Raymond Kane, and Moe Keale.nnDividing his time between Kaua’i and San Francisco, Ken plays many Hawaiian venues and festivals and frequently tours the east coast of the United States as well as Europe and Asia.nn“Emerson writes pieces that update the classic sounds of Hawaiian Slack Key guitar. His unaccompanied songs have an open, relaxing quality to them, moving forward in a gentle rhythm..”nnJessy Terry, Rolling Stone Magazinenn“Ken Emerson’s style reflects the Hawaiian guitar’s grassroots origins of a century ago. He taps into classic jazz and blues influences as well as Latin styles, completing a cultural circle from the first vaquero guitarists through jazz steel guitar virtuoso Sol Ho’opi’i and into new unexplored musical territories”

Max is an exceptional ukulele player & vocalist and a real stage personality. He is currently a student at UHMaui College majoring in Hawaiian Studies. He is a graduate of the Hawaiian Music Institute at the same school. He is currently recording a new CD with Herb Ohta Jr producer.

JJ Jerome comes from a strong musical family and plays ukulele, drums, bass, and a wide variety of other instruments. He has become an important part of George Kahumoku Jr.'s Slack Key Guitar and Ukulele Workshop both in the Kitchen Hui and as an assistant teacher. He has recently become the newest member of the Slack Key Show Ohana. His passion for music is what drives him to perfect his musical abilities.