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Ka'iulani is founder and Director of Gallery Kaua'i, Center for Hawaiian Studies & Performing Arts in New York State, and Kimo is Music Director.
Kimo and Ka'iulani are professional performers and teachers of Hawaiian Slack Key guitar, Ukulele, vocals and Hula. They are songwriters, recording artists, and lecturers.
Kimo has an extensive musical background. Originally trained as a classical musician, he studied flute at the Eastman School of Music. He then took up bass guitar and played with Jazz musicians in Rochester, New York. He started playing classical guitar in high school, and took up lute in college, playing with the Terpsichore Consort at the University of Rochester. Kimo feels that there are many interesting parallels between lute and Slack Key guitar, with the use of alternative tunings, deep bass notes and tablature that was popular in medieval and renaissance lute music. It was with this background that Kimo took up the Slack Key guitar style in 2001. Kimo also plays the ukulele, Ipu Heke, To'ere, and various other percussion instruments. Kimo has studied Slack Key guitar with Keola Beamer, John Keawe, Kevin Brown and others. He plays in over thirty tunings on six-string steel and nylon guitars as well as twelve-string guitar.
Ka'iulani performs songs, chants and Hula in Hawaiian and English. She plays various Hula implements. Ka'iulani has dedicated her life to perpetuating the Hawaiian Culture. She began her hula training in 1965 with Auntie Camille in New York State. In 1980, Ka'iulani became a Kumu hula with the blessing of her Kumu. Ka'iulani has also been influenced by other Kumu hula including: Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, Keali'i Ceballos, Sonny Ching, Charles Kaupu, Kealoha Kalama, Leialoha Amina Lim, and Michael "Keala" Ching. She also studied with Mapuana de Silva for two years.
From 1984-1991, Ka'iulani worked in NYC where she directed Off Broadway theatre. She taught acting and Hula at her NYC & Red Bank, NJ "An Actor's Place" studios. Ka'iulani danced Modern Dance with the Martha Graham School in NYC.
Kimo & Ka'iulani's concerts and musical presentations perpetuate the Hawaiian Cultural Arts. They share their love for Hawai'i's beauty and the Aloha Spirit at every event. Kimo & Ka'iulani produce and perform at over 100 public and private events per year in New York State, Canada and in Hawai'i. In 2008, they released their CD Pono, consisting of eight original songs and eight others.
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