O'Neill Entertainment
Presents

HAPA in Concert
in New York City

Saturday, March 20, 2010
8:00 PM

Award winning group HAPA with Barry Flanagan and Nathan Aweau, featuring Malia Ann Kawailanamālie Petersen, Miss Aloha Hula 2002, returns to New York City for a special engagement. Special guests include, Tupulaga O Samoa, Samoan dancers with a contemporary flair and other performers, to be announced.

The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College
68th St. btwn Park & Lexington Aves., New York City

Tickets: $40 in advance/ $45 at the door

To get tickets, call Kaye Playhouse at 1-212-772-4448 or visit online at http://kayeplayhouse.hunter.cuny.edu.

Also visit HAPA online at www.hapa.com.

HAPA draws from a wellspring of Polynesian traditions, but with a sure-footed pop sensibility." ----The New York Times

"...Hawaii's musical rainbow warriors...they captivate your heart and soothe your soul." ----Kenny Loggins

“I realized when I first heard HAPA's music that this was my modern-day Bali Hai...they blew my mind!” ----Peter Fonda

“Masterful...” ----Stephen Stills

About the Artists:

Founder of the internationally acclaimed, contemporary Hawaiian music group HAPA in 1983, Barry Flanagan is an evolving musical visionary. Born in New York City and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, Barry Flanagan came to the Hawaiian Islands in 1980 to study and explore the art of Kiho Alu, or slack-key guitar, and Haku Mele, Hawaiian poetic song composing. Inspired by slack-key master Gabby Pahinui, Flanagan eventually moved to Maui.

In 1994, the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts honored Flanagan, and Hawaiian language instructor/translator S.H. Kiope Raymond, with the prestigious Haku Mele award for “excellence of song composition in the Native Hawaiian language,” for the now classic Hawaiian love song “Lei Pikake.”

Flanagan’s production and composing accolades included Single of the Year for the hauntingly beautiful “Ku‘u Lei, Ku‘u Ipo” and the Producer’s Award for HAPA’s initial CD release. Produced, composed, and arranged by
Flanagan, HAPA, the debut CD, swept all six categories it was nominated for at the 1994 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawai‘i’s Grammy’s).

Both follow-up HAPA recordings, 1997’s In the Name of Love and 1999’s Namahana, produced and arranged by Flanagan, debuted in Billboard’s Top Ten World Music chart. In 2000, Flanagan co-composed a song with friend
Kenny Loggins for the Grammy nominated More Songs from Pooh Corner. The song, “Hana Aluna Lullaby,” includes a chorus in the Hawaiian language, the first song utilizing Hawaiian lyrics to earn this distinction.

At the 2006 Na Hoku Awards HAPA’s CD Maui received four awards, including Album of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year. Friend and fan, Peter Fonda, hosted a PBS Hawai'i special, HAPA Maui, currently available
on DVD.

Nathan Kawai Aweau was born in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. While growing up he was surrounded by music in his large extended family or ohana. At an early age Nathan was exposed to many different styles of music, taking piano lessons and being taught to play the ukulele and guitar by his dad. His college years were spent studying the saxophone, double bass, and voice. He played the bass guitar and saxophone in the University of Hawai‘i Jazz Ensemble and was a percussionist in the Wind Symphony. Since the early 1980’s, this world-renowned bass player and vocalist, has worked with a variety of acclaimed artists. He acted as musical director for the legendary Hawaiian icon Don Ho for fifteen years.

Nathan has also taught music at several Hawai‘i public schools, college level seminars and alternative learning centers on O‘ahu from 1988 thru 1996.

In May 2003 the Hawaiian Academy of Recording Arts awarded Aweau two of its highest honors for his E Apo Mai CD release: Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year. In June 2003, Nathan joined HAPA.

At the 2006 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, Nathan received six awards for his solo discs including: Male Vocalist of the Year for The Hawai‘i Classic Series Vol. 1, Vintage and Best Jazz Album for Bass Etude. In 2007, Nathan captured his 3rd. Na Hoku Male Vocalist of the Year award.

HAPA is presented by O'Neill Entertainment, Inc., a for-profit performance event promoter that is completely independent of Hālāwai. Hālāwai makes no representation regarding O'Neill Entertainment's products or services.