Hailing from the isle of O‘ahu, Makana is an internationally acclaimed slack-key guitarist, singer, composer, philosopher, activist, and one of Hawaii’s cultural ambassadors to the world. He is recognized as one of the top guitarists in the United States by Guitar Player magazine, and has been honored in Hawai‘i with the prestigious Kī-Hō‘alu (Slack Key) Foundation Legacy Award. In 2018, he was invited to showcase at SXSW.

Virtuosic and versatile, Makana’s music defies description. Makana uses over a hundred tunings to fashion a massive, resonant, symphonic sound without use of loop pedals or gimmicks. His live performances are an exhilarating ride through the breadth of slack key, folk, rock, bluegrass, ethnic and jazz and his distinctly original songs are infused with the spirit of Hawai‘i. His current show – Makana: The Gift of Slack Key Guitar –  is a tribute to the rich history and traditions of Hawaiian music, and an appreciation of his mentors, the early masters of slack key guitar, including the legendary Sonny Chillingworth. Through stories ancient to contemporary, historical and cultural context, and songs direct from the masters, Makana brings his phenomenal guitar and vocal skills to honor the history of Hawaiian slack key traditions. He has supported acts ranging from Santana and Sting to Jason Mraz, Joe Walsh of The Eagles, Bad Company, Leon Russell, Chris Isaak, Elvis Costello, Gotye, Jack Johnson and many others. His music has been featured on 3 Grammy nominated records including the soundtrack for Academy Award-winning film The Descendants.

Makana’s music and performance style transcend category and trend. His ability to convey his roots from Hawai‘i in the context of a modern sound shatters stereotypes and engages audiences in a way that is fun and transformative.