Guest Artists & Workshop Instructors Bio Page
From his simple beginnings in Honolulu to his life amid the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, Daniel Ho has worked over the years as a musician, producer, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, engineer, and record company owner. The most compelling of these roles has been as a five-time GRAMMY Award winning producer, featured slack key guitarist, and artist in the "Best Hawaiian Music Album" category.
Daniels musical inclinations were apparent at an early age. His first instruments were organ and ukulele, from which he graduated to classical guitar, piano, electric guitar, bass, drums, and eventually, voice. His passion for music led him to study composing, arranging and film scoring at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles. He began his professional career as the leader, keyboardist, composer, and producer for Kilauea, a contemporary jazz group he formed in 1990. By 1997, Kilauea had released six chart-topping albums, two of which hit the Top 10 on Billboards jazz charts.
As momentum of the smooth-jazz genre waned, Daniel set his sights on starting an independent record label. His interests in photography and graphic design complimented the requisite responsibilities of marketing and production. In 1998, he launched Daniel Ho Creations. Slowly, the releases grew into collaborative projects that featured himeni (Hawaiian hymnody), hula, ukulele, and slack key guitar. To date, Daniel Ho Creations has released over fifty acoustic and Hawaiian-themed CDs by many of Hawaiis most respected artists, who are first and foremost friends. Daniel has received numerous Hawaiian music industry accolades including three Na Hoku Hanohano awards and ten Hawaii Music Awards.
In recent years, Daniel has been able to remain true to his craft and focus on what he loves most: the music. He is an accomplished singer and songwriter who has shared his music as a soloist throughout the U.S., Japan, Europe, and even Tasmania. He has been featured with the Honolulu Symphony; toured as a keyboardist and guitarist for Grammy Award-winning vocalist, Peabo Bryson; guest-lectured at Stanford University; and authored instructional books on ukulele and slack key guitar. On a behind-the-silver-screen note, he performed the Hawaiian-language cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" which can be heard during the end credits of the 2008 feature film, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Daniel is a Yamaha guitar artist and plays KoAloha ukuleles.
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Artistic Recognition:
51st GRAMMY Awards Winner, Best Hawaiian Music Album 2008 (`ikena)
50th GRAMMY Awards Winner, Best Hawaiian Music Album 2007 (Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar)
49th GRAMMY Awards Winner, Best Hawaiian Music Album 2006 (Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Live from Maui)
48th GRAMMY Awards Winner, Best Hawaiian Music Album 2005 (Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, vol. 1)
Hawaii Music Awards - Contemporary Hawaiian Album of the Year 2008 (`ikena)
Hawaii Music Awards - Folk Album of the Year 2008 (Sunny Spaces)
Na Hoku Hanohano Award - Religious Album of the Year 2005 (Hymns of Hawaii, vol. 2)
Hawaii Music Awards - Inspirational/Gospel Album of the Year 2005 (Hymns of Hawaii, vol. 2)
Hawaii Music Awards - Adult Contemporary Album of the Year 2004 (Simple as a Sunrise)
Hawaii Music Awards - Slack Key Album of the Year 2004 (Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, vol. 1)
Hawaii Music Awards - Slack Key Album of the Year 2003 (Slack Key Guitar Collection)
Hawaii Music Awards - Studio Musician of the Year 2003
Hawaii Music Awards - Adult Contemporary Album of the Year 2002 (Coolest Drop of Rain)
Hawaii Music Awards - Studio Musician of the Year 2002
Hawaii Music Awards - Adult Contemporary Album of the Year 2001 (Finding My Way)
Na Hoku Hanohano Award - Song of the Year 2000 (Saving Forever)
Na Hoku Hanohano Award - Religious Album of the Year 1999 (Hymns of Hawaii)
#1 Radio & Records National Airplay Charts 1991 Antigua Blue
#1 Radio & Records National Airplay Charts 1992 Tropical Pleasures
#1 Gavin National Airplay Charts 1992 Tropical Pleasures
#3 Radio & Records National Airplay Charts 1993 Spring Break
#4 Radio & Records National Airplay Charts 1994 Midnight on the Blvd.
#4 Radio & Records National Airplay Charts 1995 Diamond Collection
#4 BRE National Airplay Charts 1995 Diamond Collection
#11 Billboard National Sales Charts 1991 Antigua Blue
#10 Billboard National Sales Charts 1992 Tropical Pleasures
#10 Billboard National Sales Charts 1993 Spring Break
Young Keyboard Artists International Piano Competition 1986 Semi-Finalist
Selected Performances:
51st GRAMMY Awards Pre-Telecast performance with Tia Carrere
Musikmesse 2008 performances for YAMAHA Guitars, Frankfurt, Germany
Summer Sonic Rock Fesival, Tokyo
World Trade Center New York, New York Noontime Concert Series
Blaisdell Concert Hall Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu Symphony Pops Series 2001
Blaisdell Concert Hall Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu Symphony Pops Series 2003
World Expo Hannover, Germany Slack Key Guitar Festival
Gotanda U-port Tokyo, Japan Ukulele Festival
Jazztrax Cruise Ensinada, Mexico
Aloha Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii Bowl Halftime Show
Stergrove Festival San Francisco, California
Juan De Fuca Festival Port Angeles, Washington
Pleasure Isle, Disneyworld Orlando, Florida
Southern California Jazz Festival Irvine, California
Berks Jazz Festival Reading, Pennsylvania
Fox Theater Detroit, Michigan
Symphony Space New York, New York
Spirit Square Charlotte, North Carolina
Gillys Dayton, Ohio
Bakersfield Jazz Festival Bakersfield, California
Culbertson Winery Temecula, California
Scottsdale Performing Arts Scottsdale, Arizona
St. Marks Venice, California
Flagstaff Jazz Festival Flagstaff, Arizona
Blues Alley Washington D.C.
Glendale Jazz Festival Glendale, California
Thornton Winery Temecula, California
Tower Theater Fresno, California
Pre-Playboy Jazz Festival Van Nuys, California
Aloha Festival Heritage Square, Phoenix, Arizona
Glam Slam Minneapolis, Minnesota
Honolulu Academy of Arts Honolulu, Hawaii
Mamiya Theater Honolulu, Hawaii "Finding My Way" TV special
Carrowinds Raleigh, North Carolina
Jersey Jazz Festival Camden, New Jersey
Penns Landing Philidelphia, Pennsylvania
Congregational Church Deep River, Connecticut Slack Key Festival
The Palladium Las Vegas, Nevada
Caravan of Dreams Forth Worth, Texas
Fort DuPont Washington, D.C.
Pacific Jazz Festival Monterey, California
Tower Theater Modesto, California
Las Vegas Hoolaulea Las Vegas, Nevada
Birdland Tokyo, Japan
Spring Mountain Jazz Festival Las Vegas, Nevada
Luther Burbank Center Santa Rosa, California
Mountain Winery Saratoga, California
Street Festival San Jose, California
KKSF Listener Party Mountain View, California
Chateau St. Michelle Winery Seattle, Washington
Kimballs East Emeryville, California
Carter Baron Amphitheatre Washington, D.C.
The Bastille Hanford, California
Riverfront Park Reading, Pennsylvania
The Wave on Stage Santa Monica, California
Catalina Jazz Festival Avalon, Catalina Island
Marsee Auditorium El Camino College, Torrance, California
Japan American Theater Los Angeles, California
Main Street International Music Festival San Bernadino, California
Oak Leaf Festival Thousand Oaks, California
Yosemite Jazz Festival Yosemite, California
Lotus Festival Echo Park, California
The Front Row Cleveland, Ohio
Humphreys San Diego, California
Wild Animal Park San Diego, California
Rodney Strong Winery Santa Rosa, California
Taste of Salt Lake Salt Lake City, Utah
KKSF Listener Party San Francisco, California
Cubby Bear Chicago, Illinois
Century City Marketplace Century City, California
New Orleans Room, The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco, California
Freedom Plaza Washington, D.C.
JACL Los Angeles, California
KIFM Anniversary Party San Diego, California
Club Jazz San Jose, California
Michaels on Main Santa Monica, California
Concerts by the Bay Monterey, California
San Jose Jazz Festival San Jose, California
Yodler Pavillion Mammoth, California
Irvine Barclay Theater Irvine, California
St. Johns Presbyterian Church Berkeley, California
Taylor Meade PAC Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon
Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, Minnesota
Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, Illinois
The Ark Ann Arbor, Michigan
Rams Head Tavern Annapolis, Maryland
Wolf Trap Barns Vienna, Virginia
Somerville Theater Somerville, Massachusetts
Crystal Cathedral Garden Grove, California
Palookaville Santa Cruz, California
Freight & Salvage Berkeley, California
Aloha Festival San Rafael, California
Blue Jay Jazz Festival Blue Jay, California
Ruth B. Shannon Center Whittier, California
Coombs Riverbend Ranch Madera, California
Belly Up San Diego, California
Sebastopol Community Arts Center Sebastopol, California
KKCR Kauai Community College Kauai, Hawaii
Mauian Napili, Maui, Hawaii
Hyatt Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe, California
Unity Christ Church Tucson, Arizona
Unity of the Southwest Tempe, Arizona
Aloha Concert Cruise Long Beach, California
Aloha on the Island Alameda, California
The Dance Palace Point Reyes, California
19th & Broadway Fairfax, California
Henflings Ben Lomond, California
NCCA Northern CA Arts Center Grass Valley, California
Sylvans Santa Cruz, California
Fox & Firkin Corvallis, Oregon
Unity of Portland Portland, Oregon
San Jose Repertory Theater San Jose, California
The Wharf Santa Cruz, California
Unity Palo Alto Palo Alto, California
Stanford University Palo Alto, California
The Artvark Café Aptos, California
Pacific Rim 2000 Conference Burlingame, California
The Block Orange, California
Real Orange Orange, California
Maui Ocean Center Maalaea, Maui, Hawaii
Naniloa Hotel Hilo, Hawaii
Taste of Honolulu Honolulu, Hawaii
Pacific Islander Festival San Diego, California
California State Fair Sacramento, California
OCA Image Awards Los Angeles, California
OC-16 Christmas Mele, Ihilani Hotel Honolulu, Hawaii
Takanawa Prince Hotel Tokyo, Japan
Ebisu Ninnikuya Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Japan
Yamano Music Tokyo, Japan
Iolani School Honolulu, Hawaii
Bon Appetite Westwood, California
East West Players Theater Los Angeles, California
PVT Nanakuli, Hawaii
Asian Pacific Womens Center Pasadena, California
May Day in Las Vegas at the Cal. Las Vegas, Nevada
St. Georges Church Waimanalo, Hawaii
Waikiki Aquarium Honolulu, Hawaii
Waikiki Bandstand Honolulu, Hawaii
The State Room South San Francisco, California
Dayton Street Festival Dayton, Ohio
Ward Theater Honolulu, Hawaii
Dragon Boat Festival, Ala Moana Honolulu, Hawaii
KSCI-TV Harvest Moon Festival Arcadia, California
Island Legends Gardena, California
Surfers Table Harajuku, Japan
Shonan Beach FM Kamakura, Japan
Camarillo Community Center Camarillo, California
Cherry Blossom Festival Pasadena, California
Fashion Island Newport Beach, California
Coronado Island San Diego, California
Birdland West Long Beach, California
Grenada Jazz Festival Grenada, West Indies
Benedum Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Bradley Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Farish Street Festival Jackson, Mississippi
BB King New York, New York
Mohegan Sun Uncasville, Connecticut
Ballys Casino New Orleans, Louisiana
Pleasantdale Chateau West Orange, New Jersey
Wyndam Hotel Palm Springs, California
Congress Center Atlanta, Georgia
Yvonne Kennedy Auditorium Mobile, Alabama
De Moines Civic Center De Moines, Iowa
Aronoff Theater Cincinnati, Ohio
Lyric Theater Baltimore, Maryland
Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, Connecticut
Proctor Theatre Schnectady, New York
Eisenhower Hall University Park, Pennsylvania
Palace Theater Columbus, Ohio
Memorial Auditorium Dayton, Ohio
DuPont Playhouse Wilmington, Delaware
Sheas Theatre Buffalo, New York
MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada
Macon Auditorium Macon, Georgia
The Dell East Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Miami Convention Center Miami, Florida
Wisconsin State Fair Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Blue Note, Fukuoka, Japan
Blue Note, Osaka, Japan
Blue Note, Nagoya, Japan
Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan
Constable Jack's, Newcastle, California
Hukilau, San Jose, California
Templebar, Berkeley, California
Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California
Berklee Performance Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Kahului, Maui, Hawaii
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo, New York
Aloha Theater, Kona, Hawaii
Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, Maui
Raddisson Ballroom, Lihue, Kauai
Atherton Theater, Honolulu, Hawaii
Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine
Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel
Hilton Hotel, San Francisco, California
Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.
Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Almansor Court, Alhambra, California
Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville, Kentucky
Ridgecrest, California
5th Avenue Theater, Seattle, Washington
San Francisco Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, California
AT&T Wildest Show in Town, Honolulu, Hawaii
Parc Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii
34th Annual Ukulele Festival, Honolulu, Hawaii
Yoyogi Koen Hawaiian Festival, Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan
Blue Moon, Hayama, Yokohama, Japan
Ten Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania, Australia
Jazz on the Green, New Haven, Connecticut
Grand Casino, Tunica, Mississippi
San Diego Ukulele Festival, Coronado Island, San Diego, California
Club Quattro, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Chigasaki-kan, Kanagawa, Japan
Thumbs Up, Yokohama, Japan
Mahana, Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan
Yakult Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Bubble Over, Yokohama, Japan
Tokyo FM Spain-zaka Studio, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Summer Sonic music festival, Tokyo, Japan
Hawaii Theatre, Honolulu, Hawaii
I was raised in Käne'ohe by my parents Alexander Kapilialoha Hewett and Alice Pualeilani Känae Hewett in the home of my maternal grandparents, Frank Kaaialii Känae and Eva Wahinealii Rowan Känae.
My grandmother was my first inspiration in the learning the hula. She loved to sing and she loved to dance. I was her punahele and I went every where with her tugging at her muumuu. Her signature song at all family events as well as when she performed in public was, "Mauna Loa."
Ölelo Häwaii was spoken regularly in our grandparents home especially by my grandmother's sisters and brother. When I began to compose poetry, it was my grandmother who first scrutinized my mele to make sure all was done correctly.
My grandmother encouraged me to pursue formal training of the hula and in 1972 I became a student of Kahuna Emma deFries. Aunty Emma was a practitioner of the healing traditions of laau kähea, laau lapaau, hooponopono and lomilomi. Aunty Emma also went through the ceremony of uniki with the renowned hula master Keaka Kanahele. I trained with her for nine years in the healing traditions and the hula until my own uniki with her in November of 1980.
In 1977 Aunty Emma introduced me to Gerry Santos and Robert Beaumont of "Olomana." That day I danced for them the song, "Mele O Kahoolawe," written by Uncle Harry Mitchel. That was the beginning of a relationship that would last 28 years. I became a part of the "Olomana," family as a featured soloist and continue to perform with them regularly at the Hilton Häwaiian Village at the Paradise lounge.
Besides performing regularly with Olomana for the past 26 years I have also performed with Aunty Genoa Keawe. It was Aunty that first took me to perform with her in Japan over 10 years ago. Both Aunty and I traveled to Siberia in Russia to be the first Häwaiians to perform the mele and hula on Russian National T.V.
While performing with Olomana in the late 70's and early 80's at the Tropics at the Ala Moana Americana Hotel, I also performed nightly in the same hotel in the Alii Room with Palani Vaughn. Ironically, the same time that I became Olomana's hula soloist, I also became Palani Vaughn's. I was doing then, four shows a night, two with Olomana and two with Palani Vaughn.
Between the years of 1972 and 1977 I performed with a group known as, "E HooHäwai'i Käkou," based out of Kona Häwaii. I performed with the Äala and Mikahala Roy. We performed solely Hula Kahiko. "E Ho'oHäwaiiKäkou was instructed and mentored by Hula Master Iolani Luahine.
In 1975 I attended the University of Häwaii at the Hilo Campus. It was there that I became acquainted with Aunty Edith Kanakaole. Aunty Edith became my kumu for Ölelo Häwaii and tutored me in poetry. I also learned Hula and Chanting from her. I graduated in 1977 with a degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on the Häwaiian Culture.
A highlight of my hula career was when I was asked to perform for Mikhail Barishnokov. He came to Häwaii to perform and a special dinner was arranged for him at Black Point. There was a large crowd of people there and everyone was busy talking as I performed the hula. No one was really paying attention to us at all. He walked in and immediately placed his chair directly in front of me. He spoke to no one but intently fixed his eyes on me as I danced. The people stopped talking, everyone sat down and all became silent following his example.
At the end of our performance he gave me a standing ovation which again everyone followed. He told me then that I was the most spiritual and captivating dancer that he had ever seen. I told him that I was a great fan of his dance. He replied that now he was a great fan of my dance.
Got into recording way back in the 70s when Teresa Bright and I at the request of K.C.C.N. disc jockey Braddah Kelly asked us to come into the studio and do a couple of demo tapes. With Teresa on the guitar, Mapuana Ringler on the wash tub base and I on the ukulele we recorded Lehua Makanoe, Ka Moaÿe, and a medley of traditional songs. The recordings became very popular and that was the beginning of my recording career. Between then and now I have recorded 7 CDs and have made guest appearances on several others to include John Cruz, Tommy Tokioka and Malia Rosa.
My newest release is titled, Ulu Kau, or Unexplained Knowledge. It was released in December of 2004. This CD is dedicated to all the entertainers in Häwaiÿi who have recorded my music over the years. The list includes, Aunty Genoa Keawe, Teresa Bright, Del Beazley, Olomana, Gerry Santos, Haunani Apoliona, The Brothers Cazimero, Palani Vaughn, Loyal Garner, Israel Kamakawiwoÿole and the Makaha Sons of Niÿihau, Melveen Leed, The Lim Family, Lorna Lim, Three Scoops of Aloha, The Peter Moon Band, The Makaha Sons, Ellsworth Simeona, Raÿiatea Helm, John Cruz, Hawaiÿian Heart, Aleÿa, Keola and Kapono Beamer, Kawai Cockett, Sonny Chillingsworth, Sean Naÿauao, Kamalani Kia, Hoÿokena, Kuÿuipo Kumukahi, Leilani Rivera Bond, Mele Ohana, Kunia Galdeira, Agnes Kimura, Maki Inouye, Antion, Tommy Tokioka, Malia Rosa, Lydia Bliss, Lau Loa and Koji Hirai.
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Tenative Workshop Schedule
Dates and times are subject to change
Saturday Sept 18th
10-12:30
Hula with Loea Hewett
1-3:30
Beginning Ukulele with Daniel Ho
3:30-5
Advanced Ukulele with Daniel Ho
Sunday Sept 19th
Slack Key Guitar with Daniel Ho
