Join us for our best ever ukulele festival! Back by popular demand are awesome ukulele master duo Craig and Sarah, ukulele masters Bryan Tolentino and Kalei Gamiao from the Aloha State and our very own Jason Colannino!
Folks you don’t want to miss this uke fest! Great workshops are planned to elevate your playing level. Imagine playing to an audience that greatly appreciates your newly discovered style all because you attended the workshops! First 100 purchased ticket includes a FREE raffle ticket to WIN an UKULELE!! Come to the uke fest and join the FUN!!!
Meet the Artists:
Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel
Craig Chee was born and raised on Oahu yet matured as a ukulele musician on the mainland. A graduate of the University of Oregon Craig focuses on teaching different styles of music on the tiny instrument. Craig has had the honor of working under Jake Shimabukuro and Troy Fernandez and is a renowned instructor and performer. He infuses his energetic and fun style into many genres of music and is known for his collaborations at music events.
Sarah Maisel was born and raised in Alabama and worked in San Diego CA as the Lead Female Draper for the La Jolla Playhouse and University of California San Diego. On walking into a local uke jam Sarah was fascinated by the ukulele and the joy surrounding the instrument. Studying under Frank Leong she dove into the jazz stylings of golden age Hawaiian songs and arrangements inspired by ukulele legends Lyle Ritz, Benny Chong and Byron Yasui. Sarah found a passion for teaching and performing and was quickly featured at ukulele festivals worldwide.
Craig and Sarah discovered a similar passion and work ethic and were married in September 2015. With their complementing vocals and harmonies they’ve made an incredible splash in the ukulele scene. They have been featured at ukulele festivals and events including Cairns and the Sunshine Coast (Australia), Cheltenham and Huddersfield (United Kingdom), Vancouver (Canada), Tokyo (Japan), Reno (NV), Bend and Eugene (OR), Morristown (NJ), Ft Lauderdale and Tampa Bay (FL), Seattle (WA), Honolulu (HI) and more. Both feel very fortunate to have been featured on the cover of Ukulele Magazine. Their love of teaching has blossomed into a successful Online Ukulele School with Artistworks.
Bryan Tolentino
Bryan Tolentino is a self-taught ukulele player who began playing the instrument at age 10. His early influences were the musical groups The Sons of Hawaii and The Sunday Manoa. After graduating from Saint Louis School in 1979 Bryan and some friends formed a musical group called The Side Order Band. Bryan’s repertoire is a mixture of Hawaiian, contemporary, and original songs. He has performed with the late Aunty Genoa Keawe, Karen Keawehawai’i, Jerry Santos and Olomana, Natalie Ai Kamauu, Napua Greig, Kuana Torres Kahele, Aaron Sala, Weldon Kekauoha, Hoku Zuttermeister and many more. In 2005 Bryan released the solo album, Ka ‘Ukulele Lele and in 2015 a duet recording with Herb Ohta, Jr., Ukulele Friends.
Kalei Gamiao
From Hawaii’s sleepy North Shore town of Haleiwa Kalei’s adventure with the ukulele began at age 13. While recovering from a sports injury his parents suggested he take ukulele lessons to keep him busy. After the first strum, Kalei was hooked. His exposure to a wide variety of ukulele masters including Alfred Canopin, Gordon Mark, Byron Yasui, Benny Chong and Kimo Hussey motivated him to embrace a range of styles including jazz, rock, pop, classical, blues, flamenco, and funk, as well as music of his cultural roots, Hawaiian and island contemporary. In less than a dozen years, Kalei's passion and dedication to his craft helped bring the ukulele sound into the twenty first century. Kalei’s albums include Contemporary Ukulele (2008), Redefined (2012), Merry Ukulele Christmas (2013) and These Moments (2016). He has performed in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the U.S mainland. Award winning ukulele master Herb Ohta, Jr. summed it up best when he declared, “Kalei's music and ukulele prowess will take the ukulele to new heights!”
Jason Colannino
Jason Colannino, singer songwriter entertainer, was born in New Jersey and resides in Boynton Beach, Florida. A local favorite in the South Florida music scene since 1990 Jason performs songs from the singer songwriter era of the 1970's known as mellow rock. His repertoire includes material from Neil Young, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Harry Chapin. After several visits to Hawaii Jason added ukulele to his act and now includes songs from the Hawaiian music renaissance featuring artists such as Cecilio and Kapono, Kalapana, Ka'au Crater Boys, Olomana, Keola and Kapono Beamer. Jason says that although the songs he learned in Hawaii may not be new, the songs were new to him and gave him the ability to explore a different style of music and enhance his creativity. Through the songs Jason learned the stories and history of Hawaii and discovered its heart and soul.
Folks you don’t want to miss this uke fest! Great workshops are planned to elevate your playing level. Imagine playing to an audience that greatly appreciates your newly discovered style all because you attended the workshops! First 100 purchased ticket includes a FREE raffle ticket to WIN an UKULELE!! Come to the uke fest and join the FUN!!!
Meet the Artists:
Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel
Craig Chee was born and raised on Oahu yet matured as a ukulele musician on the mainland. A graduate of the University of Oregon Craig focuses on teaching different styles of music on the tiny instrument. Craig has had the honor of working under Jake Shimabukuro and Troy Fernandez and is a renowned instructor and performer. He infuses his energetic and fun style into many genres of music and is known for his collaborations at music events.
Sarah Maisel was born and raised in Alabama and worked in San Diego CA as the Lead Female Draper for the La Jolla Playhouse and University of California San Diego. On walking into a local uke jam Sarah was fascinated by the ukulele and the joy surrounding the instrument. Studying under Frank Leong she dove into the jazz stylings of golden age Hawaiian songs and arrangements inspired by ukulele legends Lyle Ritz, Benny Chong and Byron Yasui. Sarah found a passion for teaching and performing and was quickly featured at ukulele festivals worldwide.
Craig and Sarah discovered a similar passion and work ethic and were married in September 2015. With their complementing vocals and harmonies they’ve made an incredible splash in the ukulele scene. They have been featured at ukulele festivals and events including Cairns and the Sunshine Coast (Australia), Cheltenham and Huddersfield (United Kingdom), Vancouver (Canada), Tokyo (Japan), Reno (NV), Bend and Eugene (OR), Morristown (NJ), Ft Lauderdale and Tampa Bay (FL), Seattle (WA), Honolulu (HI) and more. Both feel very fortunate to have been featured on the cover of Ukulele Magazine. Their love of teaching has blossomed into a successful Online Ukulele School with Artistworks.
Bryan Tolentino
Bryan Tolentino is a self-taught ukulele player who began playing the instrument at age 10. His early influences were the musical groups The Sons of Hawaii and The Sunday Manoa. After graduating from Saint Louis School in 1979 Bryan and some friends formed a musical group called The Side Order Band. Bryan’s repertoire is a mixture of Hawaiian, contemporary, and original songs. He has performed with the late Aunty Genoa Keawe, Karen Keawehawai’i, Jerry Santos and Olomana, Natalie Ai Kamauu, Napua Greig, Kuana Torres Kahele, Aaron Sala, Weldon Kekauoha, Hoku Zuttermeister and many more. In 2005 Bryan released the solo album, Ka ‘Ukulele Lele and in 2015 a duet recording with Herb Ohta, Jr., Ukulele Friends.
Kalei Gamiao
From Hawaii’s sleepy North Shore town of Haleiwa Kalei’s adventure with the ukulele began at age 13. While recovering from a sports injury his parents suggested he take ukulele lessons to keep him busy. After the first strum, Kalei was hooked. His exposure to a wide variety of ukulele masters including Alfred Canopin, Gordon Mark, Byron Yasui, Benny Chong and Kimo Hussey motivated him to embrace a range of styles including jazz, rock, pop, classical, blues, flamenco, and funk, as well as music of his cultural roots, Hawaiian and island contemporary. In less than a dozen years, Kalei's passion and dedication to his craft helped bring the ukulele sound into the twenty first century. Kalei’s albums include Contemporary Ukulele (2008), Redefined (2012), Merry Ukulele Christmas (2013) and These Moments (2016). He has performed in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the U.S mainland. Award winning ukulele master Herb Ohta, Jr. summed it up best when he declared, “Kalei's music and ukulele prowess will take the ukulele to new heights!”
Jason Colannino
Jason Colannino, singer songwriter entertainer, was born in New Jersey and resides in Boynton Beach, Florida. A local favorite in the South Florida music scene since 1990 Jason performs songs from the singer songwriter era of the 1970's known as mellow rock. His repertoire includes material from Neil Young, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Harry Chapin. After several visits to Hawaii Jason added ukulele to his act and now includes songs from the Hawaiian music renaissance featuring artists such as Cecilio and Kapono, Kalapana, Ka'au Crater Boys, Olomana, Keola and Kapono Beamer. Jason says that although the songs he learned in Hawaii may not be new, the songs were new to him and gave him the ability to explore a different style of music and enhance his creativity. Through the songs Jason learned the stories and history of Hawaii and discovered its heart and soul.
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South Florida 2016 Uke-Fest Photo Gallery
