Nahenahe is the Hawaiian word for music which is soft, sweet and gentle music – music to relax the mind and fulfill the soul. Nahenahe is the mood created by the slack key artistry of George Kuo. On this debut album, he plays all the instruments heard: slack key guitar, rhythm guitar, ‘ukulele, and electric bass. The most important element in playng ki ho‘alu (slack key) is the feeling for tempo and melody. The thumb plays the bass strings and sets the tempo. At the same time, the index finger plays the melody. The simultaneous playing of tempo and melody provides the full sound of ki ho‘alu and little or no accompaniment is required. Whether you are a newcomer to the nahenahe sounds of ki ho‘alu, or an old hand at it, you'll enjoy these musical reflections of a more relaxed Hawai‘i in the soft, sweet and gentle moods of George Kuo. Comments regarding George's selections and a further description of slack key are included.
Album Tracks:
(press play to hear samples)
