Slack-Key Guitars and Ukuleles

Slack-Key Guitars and Ukuleles

You may not think about Hawaii's music until you step off a plane on the Islands, and then there's no escaping it. It's a unique blend of the strings and percussion favored by the early settlers and the chants and rituals of the ancient Hawaiians. Hawaiian music today includes Island-devised variations on acoustic guitar—slack key and steel guitar—along with the ukulele (a small, four-string guitar about the size of a violin), and vocals that have evolved from ritual chants to more-melodic compositions.

This is one of the few folk music traditions in the United States that is fully embraced by the younger generation, with no prodding from their parents or grandparents. Many of the radio stations on Maui play plenty of Hawaiian music, and concerts performed by Island favorites are filled with fans of all ages.

One don't-miss opportunity to hear Hawaiian music on Maui is the outstanding Masters of the Slack-Key Guitar Concert series, weekly concerts held at the Napili Kai Beach Resort. You can catch Grammy-winning slack-key legends in an intimate setting. The mellow ki hoalu(slack key) music will show you to a bit of Hawaii's paniolo (cowboy) history and knee-slapping banter among the musicians as they tune their guitars. Call 888/669-3858 for reservations, orcheck at www.slackkey.com.

Check ads and listings in local papers, and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, for information on concerts, which take place in indoor and outdoor theaters, hotel ballrooms, and cozy nightclubs.