Wailau Ryder & The Slack Key Show Ohana

Wailau Ryder is a multi-talented artist who enjoys playing slack key guitar, ukulele, bass, standard guitar, and piano. He grew up in a musical family. His mother, Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, kept Hawaiian culture strong, and his father played guitar and ukulele. In his early years he played guitar with Uncle George Naope, Kumu Ray Fonseca doing Hula Shows, and in his teens he met Kehau Tamure and Kuana Torres Kahele forming a trio that backed up Akoni Malacas and was known as Akoni and the Palalapalai Patch, a predecessor of the band Na Palapalai. Later he switched to playing with The Lim Family of Kohala for some years. He now currently plays guitar & bass with such prominent artists as Amy Hanaialii, Raiatea Helm, Napua Greig, Kamaka Kukona, and Grammy winner Kalani Pe’a.

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.