Herschel Freeman Agency

Princess Owana Salazar, Cindy Combs
& Ku'uipo Kumukahi

There’s a new breeze blowing from Hawaii as the ladies take center stage.  Princess Owana Salazar, a member of the royal family, is best known for her beautiful vocals and jazzy playing.  Cindy Combs is a master of traditional and contemporary Slack Key guitar, and Ku’uipo Kumukahi is a beloved cultural ambassador throughout the Islands.  All are multiple Hoku Award winners (Hawaii’s equivalent of the Grammy), and represent the best of Hawaii’s proud tradition of female musicians. 

Born into a family well versed in music and deeply rooted in Hawaiian history, Princess Owana Salazar possesses the ability to reach out in song to intimately embrace her audience. Her profound interpretation of Hawaiian classics, traditional and contemporary music and jazz standards, is truly a reflection of her ancestry and upbringing in knowledge and culture. No matter what genre of music Owana performs, she will bring the listener an unforgettable experience. Owana has performed in many different parts of the world: Japan, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, America and, of course, Hawai`i. In January 2000, Owana was the first woman to tour with the Hawaiian Slack Key Festival along with George Kahumoku, Jr., Keoki Kahumoku and Daniel Ho. They enjoyed numerous sold out performances at theaters and concert halls.

The music scene on Kaua'i, though not as well known as those on the bigger and more populated Hawaiian islands, has always produced more than its share of talent. Some, like slack key guitar master Ray Kane, have left for the bright lights of O'ahu. Cindy Combs is one of the many who stay put, sharing her slack key music on the Garden Isle. "I've been playing this cute little vegetarian restaurant, the Hanapepe Cafe, Friday nights for years," she says. "Since November 2000 Michael Barretto and I have been sharing Saturdays at the Kaua'i Coconut Beach Hotel in Wailua." And there's always lots of music at special occasions, including the wonderful private music made at home, which has always been at the heart of slack key. Cindy was the first female artist to record for George Winston’s Slack Key label, Dancing Cat Records, and has also toured the mainland as a member of the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival.

Ku’uipo Kumukahi is a self-taught musician influenced by family songs, Hawaiian singers and her parents.  She learned to play the ukulele at a young age, and was  encouraged to learn guitar and bass.  Formal music training began with private voice lessons and college music classes.   Ku’uipo’s debut recording won her “Most Promising New Artist” from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts.  Her first solo recording garnered nine Hoku (Hawaiian Grammy) nominations and an astounding five awards including “Female Vocalist Of The Year” and “Traditional Hawaiian Album Of The Year.”  Her second record, four years later, earned another three nominations and an award for “Excellence For The Use of the Hawaiian Language in Compositions.”   On the heels of her third release, the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts nominated Ku’uipo for “Female Vocalist of the Year.”  Beyond her music, Ku’uipo is well known for her charitable service and work in education and is sought after as a lecturer focusing on the values of “Hawaiian families.”

OwanaOwana Salazar

Born into a family well versed in music and deeply rooted in Hawaiian history, Owana possesses the ability to reach out in song to intimately embrace her audience. Her profound interpretation of Hawaiian classics, traditional and contemporary music and jazz standards, is truly a reflection of her ancestry and upbringing in knowledge and culture. No matter what genre of music Owana performs, she will bring the listener to an unforgettable experience.

Woven in the fabric of her life, is the presence of her Hawaiian ancestry. Throughout her years as a performing artist, Owana often involves herself with projects relating to Hawaiian history, culture and sovereignty. As a descendant of Hawaiian royalty, Owana lives her life in commitment to upholding the standards of a great cultural legacy. Born and raised on the beautiful island of O`ahu, Owana is of Spanish, Hawaiian, English and French descent. Her early years were immersed in music and family history as taught to her by her mother, the High Chiefess Helena Kalokuokamaile Wilcox Salazar. At the age of nineteen, Owana was initiated into the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors, a society committed to the genealogical descent of the ruling chiefs of Hawai`i. Under the tutelage of Kumu Hula Ho`akalei Kamau`u, Ho`oulu Richards and Winona Beamer, Owana studied the art of Hula. Her growing talents were shaped at The Kamehameha Schools and further education was received at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa as a music major. In addition to music theory, Owana continued her study of hula, pursued private voice study with Elizabeth Cole, piano, string methods, guitar, Javanese dance and gamelan. At the start of her public career, Owana shared the stage with Hawai`i headliners such as Don Ho, Ohta-San, Ed Kenney and Charles K.L. Davis.

It was at the U.H. Manoa that Kiho`alu (Slack Key), a Hawaiian style of playing the guitar intrigued her musical mind. She was introduced to the world of Kiho`alu one day by friend, Nelson Hiu. Combining rudiment music theory with her wide repertoire of Hawaiian songs and her newfound friend, Slack Key, Owana developed her playing skills. The sharing from others such as, George Kuo, Bla Pahinui, Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, George Kahumoku, Jr. and the late great Sonny Chillingworth helped to shape Owana’s Slack Key skills. Other strong musical influences include Joni Mitchell, Johnny Mathis, Connie Francis, Stevie Wonder, Genoa Keawe, Gabby “Pops” Pahinui, Lena Machado and Marvin Gaye.

Her first recording in 1986, “Owana and Ka`ipo, In Kona” was final ballot nominee in the category of Most Promising Artist in the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, an island music industry salute. The following year, her second recording, “Owana”, was final ballot nominee for Contemporary Hawaiian Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year.

Be sure to look at the lyrics and translations available on this site. “Pupukea” describes different characteristics of the ocean on the renowned North Shore of O`ahu; “Kula Morning” takes you upcountry Maui, gazing from mountain to the sea; “Na Wai” a playful poetic expression of loves different experiences, full of Hawaiian kaona (hidden meanings); “Kalamaula” celebrates the early homesteading movement of the Hawaiian people; “Silhouette Hula” a sultry hapa-ha`ole piece, nestled in the early jazz years of Hawaiian music.

Throughout the 1980’s, Owana sang Hawaiian classics with the Royal Hawaiian Band and performed at many venues in Waikiki and Japan. Destiny took the reigns in 1990 when renowned musician Jerry Byrd, accepted Owana as his student for formal study of Hawaiian steel guitar. Eventually, Owana received a full scholarship from the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association, a world organization whose mission is the love of Hawaiian music. In 1992, Owana became the only female student ever graduated by Jerry Byrd.

Even during these musical times of her life, Owana remained involved with political and cultural pursuits. She served for seven years as Kuhina Nui (Regent) to Ka Lahui Hawai`i, an organization branched throughout the Hawaiian Islands committed to Hawaiian sovereignty. Owana also served as family liaison to the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts for two years, whose goal was the planning, commissioning and ultimate unveiling of a life-size bronze statue of her great grandfather and Hawaiian patriot, the Honorable Robert Kalanihiapo Wilcox. His statue is located at Wilcox Park in downtown Honolulu, on the corner of King and Fort Street.

Owana has performed in different parts of the world: Japan, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, America and, of course, Hawai`i. In January 2000, Owana was the first woman to tour with the Hawaiian Slack Key Festival along with George Kahumoku, Jr., Keoki Kahumoku and Daniel Ho. They enjoyed numerous sold out performances at the theaters and concert halls.

Owana is currently completing her new CD, “Wahine Slack n’ Steel” set for release in late summer 2002. This recording showcases her skills and pure love of song, slack-key and steel guitar. Undoubtedly, the release of her new recording will be celebrated during the October 2002 Slack Key Tour when she tours for one month with Slack Key great, Led Ka`apana.

Aloha pumehana!

Owana Salazar uses the following tunings: Guitar: Taro Patch G; D; D6; C9 and Standard.
Steel Guitar: C6 and B11.
Ukulele: Standard GCEA.

Cindy CombsCindy Combs

Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar is a unique and beautiful style of music sending a message of aloha on the winds of the world. One of the world’s finest players is Hawaii’s Cindy Combs. Her style is innovative and unique and influenced by her early exposure to Hawaiian music and from a few lessons with Keola Beamer in 1971. www.kbeamer.com A gifted composer and vocal stylist as well as guitarist, Cindy is now enjoying the 35th year of her musical career and the music just keeps getting sweeter! For more on Cindy and Hawaiian Slack key Guitar check out www.dancingcat.com/artists/Cindy_Combs.php & www.dancingcat.com/about-hawaiian.php

Her two solo efforts, “Land of the Endless Summer” (produced by Berry Andelin) now on her own label Moonrise Music, and “Slack Key Lady” (produced by George Winston www.georgewinston.com ) on Dancing Cat Records www.dancingcat.com/recordings/08022-38041-2.php exemplify Cindy’s talent at both the instrumental execution as well as the vocal presentation of each particular genre she chooses to present. Traditional Hawaiian music meets with contemporary composition and jazz styling to create a sound all her own.

Cindy’s guitar artistry and compositional prowess is featured along with Ken Emerson www.kenemerson.com on his recent release “Ken Emerson and Friends; Hawaiian Tangos, Hulas, and Blues” on the Cord International / Hana Ola Records label. www.cordinternational.com/ken_emerson.htm Ken and Cindy cover her instrumental composition “Ka Mele Nahenahe O Ke Kai” in a sweet blending of slack key and steel guitar. The tune was also released on the Hawaii Music Awards ‘Compilation of the Year 2003’ CD entitled “A Place Called Hawaii” www.cordinternational.com/a_place_called_hawaii.htm produced by Aloha Joe www.alohajoe.com and Michael Cord and is also on the Cord International / Hana Ola Records label.

Combs’ vocal talent was recently demonstrated on a backing vocal performance with Norman Kaawa Solomon doing Cindy’s Na Hoku Hanohano Awards ‘Song of the Year’ nominee, “I Love Kauai”. Originally recorded on Jerry Santos’ 1990 Hoku winning ‘Album of the Year’ “Expecting Friends” (Better Days Records www.olomanamusic.com ), the song reappears on the recently released “Na Mele O Kauai; The Best Songs of Kauai Volume 1” produced by John Scott and Allan Thomas on the Songs of the Islands label. www.songsoftheislandsmusic.com

Cindy recently opened for Rickie Lee Jones at the Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center with an ecclectic set of music performed by Combs on piano and guitar accompanied by Pancho Graham on bass, Phil Watts on sax. The set featured the debut of Jessi Jardin’s hula choreography to Combs’ composition “Moonlight.” lead by Jessi with members of her hula school called Ha’awi Hemolele ‘O Ke’akawaiola. www.kaimi.org/kauai.htm

Cindy is a featured artist in the “Talk Story Series” presented by KKCR Community Radio, Kauai’s community radio station. It is an hour long CD of Cindy telling stories of her experiences over the years coupled with some previously unpublished music. Check it out at www.kkcr.org/news/talk_fund.html .

Ku'uipo Kumukahi

Ku'uipo Kumukahi is a true artist of Hawaiian music. From her family come the deeply rooted traditions, knowledge and values which she presents with the voice that has made her known throughout the State of Hawai'i, the continental United States and abroad. She is "The Sweetheart of Hawaiian music."

Ku'uipo has been featured at the finest hotels and show places in the State of Hawai'i and has premiered in quality concerts and special events across the state, the nation and abroad. Among her credits are regular appearances on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and on Fridays at Duke's at the Outrigger Hotel Waikiki On The Beach.

Ku'uipo has appeared in special performaces such as: the Aloha Festivals; the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival; the Mokihana Festival and the Waiki'i Music Festival. Other prestigious concerts include the Na Wahini O Hawai'i Concert featuring select female artists, the Bank of Hawai'i Ki Ho'alu (slack key) Concert featuring select slack key players, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Concert, and the Honolulu Festival. Other performances has taken Ku' uipo to the private homes of some of Hawai'i's high profile socialites, businessmen and women as well as Washington Place, the home of Hawai'i's governor and 'lolani Palace.

Each year The Hawaii Academy of Recording Art presents The Na Hoku Hanohano Awards 0 The "Grammy's" of Hawaiian Music. Her first effort gave her a single nomination and named her the most promising new artist. Her solo premiere recording gave her 9 nominations and an astounding five awards which oincluded the Female Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Hawaiian Album of the Year. Her second recording effort, after a four-year rest, gave her 3 nominations and an award for the excellence of the use of the Hawaiian language in compositions. In 1999, The Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts nominated her third effort in recording for the Female Vocalist of the Year Award but garnered the Traditional Hawaiian Album of the Year by the Hawaii Music Awards.

Ku'uipo is a self-taught musician influenced by family songs, Hawaiian singers and her parents. She learned to play the 'ukulele at a young age and through encouragement learned to play the guitar and bass. Formal music training began later when she began to privately study voice and by enrolling in music classes in college.

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