Hawaiian Style Band, Ultimi swing into Kahilu Theatre

WAIMEA — Kahilu Theatre is proud to present the legendary Hawaiian Style Band.

They’ll perform at the Kahilu Theatre 7 p.m. Jan. 17.

In the early ’90s, Hawaiian Style Band, led by Bryan Kessler and Wade Cambern, redefined contemporary Hawaiian music.

They offered a fresh musical perspective on local culture with original compositions about living Hawaiian style—about island romance, talking story, ohana, and sovereignty. Their interpretation of Hawaiian language songs re-acquainted music fans with these important compositions.

The multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning band was conceptualized as a revolving band, a collaboration of more than fifty musicians over the course of its three albums: Vanishing Treasures, Rhythm of the Ocean, and Ohana.

Now, in the 27th year since the release of Vanishing Treasures, Robi Kahakalau joins Kessler and Cambern in delivering the distinctive vocal harmony of Hawaiian Style Band.

She has since released five solo albums, earning her multiple Hoku awards, including Female Vocalist of the Year. Her collaborative project with Sean Na‘auao was among the finalists for a Grammy Award. Kahakalau has appeared as Featured Guest Vocalist more often than any other Hawaiian recording artist and has toured and performed with Hawaiian music legends as well as performed twice at Carnegie Hall.

Kessler and Cambern wrote and produced Hawaiian Style Band’s first three albums.

Kessler has gone on to produce and perform on 12 albums in Japan and Hawaii. He contributed a selection to the 2005 compilation album Slack Key Volume 2 which went on to win Hawaii’s first Grammy Award.

Cambern has enjoyed a rich career as composer and lyricist of beloved songs such as “Let’s Talk Story,” “Rhythm of the Ocean,” “Live A Little,” and “Love and Honesty.” Wade Cambern has collaborated with many of Hawaii’s iconic musical figures, including Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole with whom he and Bryan co-wrote “Living In A Sovereign Land.”

Tickets are $65/$35 and can be purchased at kahilutheatre.org, 885-6868 or at the Kahilu Theatre Box Office, 67-1186 Lindsey Road in Waimea.

Three Operatic Tenors of Ultimi

Kahilu Theatre is also presenting three operatic tenors, Ultimi, at 2 p.m. Feb. 2.

Ultimi (pronounced “ool-tee-me”) combines the vocal and instrumental talents of three professional opera singers, Isaac Hurtado, Tyler Nelson and Brian Stucki.

First joining forces in February 2014, the three charming vocalists from Utah have separately performed well over 100 operatic tenor roles combined and numerous concerts across the US and abroad. The name “Ultimi” means “Latest” and has a connection to the Italian name of the shared Mormon faith of Isaac, Brian and Tyler.

Hurtado specializes in full-lyric Italian and French repertoire, including the leading tenor roles in La Boehme, La Traviata, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, Romeo and Juliette, and Werther.

Nelson is a true “tenore di Grazia,” a tenor with clean, bright high notes and lightning fast agility. He specializes in Rossini and Mozart roles and has breath for days. He is also a professor of voice.

Stucki, also a professor, not only has a voice of both power and nuance, but he plays the cello like Yo Yo Ma and often does it while singing. He has a vast repertoire of concert and opera roles and is known for his complete mastery of dynamics and vocal shading.

Tickets are $50/$25 and can be purchased at kahilutheatre.org, 885-6868 or at the Kahilu Theatre Box Office.