Hawaii Next Generation featuring Waipuna

These are the young guns of Hawai’i who are cleaning up at all the major music awards.

In a few short years, Waipuna has leaped to the forefront of Hawaiian contemporary music. Winner of 7 Na H?k? Hanohano (Hawai‘i’s “Grammys”) Awards including Group of the Year, Island Contemporary, and Single of the Year.

The band is an exciting collaboration of three talents: Kale Hannahs, Matthew Sproat, and David Kamakahi, all from celebrated Hawaiian musical families. Their eclectic musical backgrounds, yet similar tastes in music, have led to their unique sound that draws comparisons to their name, “waipuna”, or spring waters – resource, life force, connecting to ancestors and nurturing generations to come.

Their music mixes Hawaiian classics and original songs in a style all their own — they are upbeat, technically superb, and share a sense of fun that makes them an immediate audience favorite.

Kawika Kahiapo is an award-winning slack key guitarist and vocalist from Oahu. His original song “Life in These Islands” was named Song of the Year in 2007.

Maui guitar virtuoso Jeff Peterson is a fast-rising star of the next generation of slack key players. A 2-time Grammy winner, Jeff is stretching the art of ki-ho’alu through his amazing command of his instrument. Five of Jeff’s songs are featured in the in the George Clooney film, The Descendants.