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Henry Kapono Ka’aihue is an award winning and Grammy nominated singer/songwriter. He has taken home numerous Na Hoku Hano Hano Awards (Hawaii’s equivalent of the Grammy’s) including Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year, and Album of the Year. He is also the author of the award winning children’s book, A Beautiful Hawaiian Day, has appeared in the films, Damien and Waterworld and has made many television appearances. Known as “Kapono”, the Hawaiian word for righteous, Henry was christened “Henry Kapono Hosea Ka’aihue” and is a pure Hawaiian born and raised in Kapahulu, a small town located just outside Waikiki, Hawaii.

Although Henry has had no formal musical training, he started singing in a children’s church choir at the young age of 5. “I was, and still am, a very shy person, but I loved singing especially in a choral situation,” says Henry. “My Dad taught me how to play the ukulele. He would come home from work and sit in his easy chair and play the coolest stuff. I saw a friend of mine play a guitar one day and fell in love with the sound of it. He taught me a few chords and I’ve been hooked ever since. After that, I taught myself how to play by listening to records, radio and watching other guitarists play.”

Henry’s athletic abilities earned him a baseball scholarship to the highly regarded Punahou Academy in Honolulu. After high school he earned a football scholarship to the University of Hawaii with dreams of being a professional football player. Although injuries prevented him from fulfilling his dream as a football player, in a profound way it moved him toward his passion for music and allowed him to fully realize his potential as an artist.

Henry’s professional career started as a solo artist in little joints around Waikiki. This led to a short stint playing rock in a local island group called “Pakalolo.” The group played the islands and the far east where a defunct tour company left them stranded in Vietnam. Putting their situation and talents to good use, the group performed for the troops at fire bases throughout Vietnam and eventually made their way to Thailand. The 2 years that Henry spent overseas turned out to be a personal and professional odyssey that profoundly affected his music, his appreciation of life and his love of all people.

Returning to Hawaii, Henry’s career kicked off in a big way. Forming a collaboration with Cecilio Rodriguez, from California, the duo, known as “Cecilio & Kapono” became an instant phenomenon that took Hawaii by storm. Blending together their distinctive and individual talents, they gave contemporary and folk rock a new perspective. Within eight months Cecilio & Kapono had a recording contract with Columbia Records, a first for a Hawaii group, crowning them the largest recording artists to come out of Hawaii.

Continually evolving, in 1981 Henry pursued a solo career with the extremely successful release of “Kapono – Stand in the Light.” Since then he has created an incredibly broad range of musical expressions through 17 solo albums to date.

Kapono has become a household name throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. His music has taken him all over the world and his fan base is very diverse. His musical journey has been a very Bohemic collage of innovation and creativity continually evolving in a way that very few artists are able to sustain. His influences, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Sting and Stevie Wonder, to name a few, are reflected in his musical tapestry that is exclusively Kapono. His music transcends his Hawaiian Heritage which he prides so much and embodies the spirit of Aloha that he has for all people.

Henry has the gift that most great artist share: The ability to enable us to gaze upon their painting or ponder their work or listen to their music and find new meaning and purpose in our lives. Henry touches the soul with the simple honesty of his lyrics and music, and the gift of an evocative, plaintive balladeer’s voice that haunts you long after he leaves the stage.

“Ottmar’s guitar playing is reminiscent of many of the greats: Andres Segovia, Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin. Like a true virtuoso, his playing is original, gently aggressive, and most importantly, heartfelt and beautiful.”   -  The Tripwire

Santa Fe, New Mexico – Five time Grammy nominee guitar virtuoso Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra start a rigourous touring schedule for the Spring and Summer of 2009.  In these difficult economic times, experiencing this up lifting performer is a live music experience not to be missed.  Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra’s concerts continue to break attendance records and we invite you to enjoy these concert events, support live music and bring your family and friends to an inspired evening of music by one of the truly great modern flamenco guitar players.

Current releases by Liebert include “Scent of Light” and “Up Close” which are being continuously played on over 90 smooth jazz and specialty stations around the country.  The music mix in these recordings blend provocative sounds from fiery flamenco, Brazil and Peruvian rhythm with a touch of texture from ambient electronics and the solid back ups from Jon Gagan on Bass and Stephen Duros on some blazing electric guitar.

In February 2009 Ottmar Liebert received the Silver award for Best Flamenco Guitarist from Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Gold went to Paco de Lucia and bronze to Vicente Amigo.
With 15 Gold Awards and 23 Platinum and Multi-Platinum awards to his credit, Ottmar Liebert is surely one of the most popular guitarists of our time.

In addition to his performance and recording talents, Liebert is an accomplished photographer and savvy in the graphic communication arts. His release of the limited edition box set of ‘La Semana’ has received the 2006 Gold Star Award for CD/DVD packaging (beating HBO’s DVD package for Deadwood and Universal Home Entertainments DVD package for the Marx Brothers). ’Creativity’ is an annual publication by Collins Design, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, and one of the oldest and most established graphic design competitions.

Come join us and feed the heart and soul with an wonderful evening with Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra.

http://www.ottmarliebert.com/

21 and over
Dinners in the back bar area. All tables reserved for dinner. Call (805) 962-7776 for reservations.
Advance dinner tickets available at sohsob.com after 10am on Monday 5/14

Everything you have ever heard about ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) being a fun band to go see live is true. The American folk-rock quartet from the Bay Area plays to mixed crowds of college students, young bohemian couples, close friends looking to hang out, and those who just came off from work and wanted to unwind. These random groups of people who have little in common with each other all have a common connection to ALO’s. Their audience always seems to know the material, and immerse themselves into the music with very little coaxing from the band. ALO’s music speaks for itself, it has a naturalness likened to Phish and The Dave Matthews Band which the audience took to immediately.

The band creates a liberating ambience with expansive harmonies and waves of melodic pleasantries. Clad in ready to wear street clothes, the band looks as com- fortably dressed as their audience. Their sound is surprisingly full with simply the four members on stage – Zach Gill (vocals/keyboards/accordion/ukulele), Steve Adams (bass/vocals), Dan Lebrowitz (guitar/vocals), and David Brogan (drums/ vocals). For “Plastic Bubble”, Gill will pull out his ukulele while for “Girl, I Want To Lay You Down,” he graces the audience with a heady solo on the accordion. Though Gill proves to be a very versatile musician, ALO truly is a band that depends on their teamwork in the live setting as well as on their recordings, with the other members chiming in with their complementary instrumental parts and vocals.

The band members get into a groove that carries their audience away with them so it doesn’t matter if your a fan of folk or jazz or roots rock or light reggae/ funk, the music feels positive and uplifting. Whatever style audience members do not like before the show, they have newfound appreciation for by the ending. Many of their fans describe their concerts with folk/roots rock artists as being a spiritual experience, because the music brings people together into a perfect union who under any other circumstances would not be. In that way, ALO achieves what few other humans can.

As for their new album…ALO is not a band that dwells in the past. They are always moving forward. Always striving to discover new ideas. Always looking to go on new adventures. Their latest adventure, Man of the World (to be released February 9, 2010 on Brushfire Records), finds the Cali collective flexing their considerable creative powers to craft their finest album yet. Recorded almost entirely live, the 11-song collection is the sound of four players who have truly found their groove together. This is ALO at their most natural, their most organic and their most pure. Man of the World is the next level for ALO.

Blue Suns
We are a hard working, three piece band from Santa Barbara California, heavily influenced by British Indie/rock/pop, but our sound is absolutely our own, fused, and wrapped in Californian sun. We are devoted to writing, playing and recording our own music, but we also have our favorite covers that are gems too.

Sam Kulchin
-Vocals, Guitar
Carly Powers
- Vocals, Bass, Piano
Harry Menear
-Vocals, Drums, Shaker

Dinner reservations ensure priority seating.

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Twin Shadow is the stage name of American musician George Lewis Jr. Lewis was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Florida, before eventually relocating to Brooklyn and adopting the Twin Shadow moniker.

In 2010 he released his debut album Forget, produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear. The album has been described as “steeped in 1980s new wave”, “building from streaks of haunting synth textures” and “hazily new wave-tinged pop”. Twin Shadow was the Rolling Stone ‘Band of the Week’ on October 7, 2010.

Doors at 6:30pm
Dinners in the back half of the Stage Room (Dancing in front).  All tables reserved for dinner.  Call (805) 962-7776 for reservations. Dinner reservations require a $15 per person food minimum.

During the 1970’s, the Santa Barbara based band, Shades of Soul, left its strong, dynamic, musical footprint throughout the greater Santa Barbara county area. During these years, “Shades” performed at numerous special events, concerts and nightclubs. If you were there, you no doubt enjoyed dancing, romancing and all-around groovin’ to Shades of Soul’s musical impressions of songs by artists such as Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, The Spinners, Issac Hayes, Al Green, Santana, War, The Staple Singers and Sly & the Family Stone.

The “SOS” 15-piece band includes a “sizzling” 8-piece horn line-up supported by a very “fat and funky” 6-piece rhythm section. Lead vocals are masterfully led by Luther Richmond and the fresh, new Santa Barbara vocal talent, D’Adra Peart. Make no mistake. Shades of Soul are back in force, and delivering an exciting, fresh, powerhouse of a sound!

Advance tickets available at www.sohosb.com or at SOhO box office (cash only)

Visit MySpace: Israel Vibes

Israel Vibration is a reggae harmony trio, originating from Kingston, Jamaica. Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin, Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig, and Cecil “Skeleton” Spence all overcame adversity in the form of childhood polio and went on to be one of the most successful roots groups to form in Jamaica in the late 1970s.

After going their separate ways, and each converting to the Rastafari movement, they reunited in Kingston and formed a vocal group. Funding for their first album came in the form of a grant from the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of Rastafari after Hugh Booth, a member of the Twelve Tribes, had overheard the three men singing in a wooded area outside Kingston. Apple and Wiss were living in the area, which they had converted into a home.

Israel Vibration recorded three albums; “The Same Song”, “Unconquered People”, and “Why You So Craven” before temporarily disbanding in 1981 after recording sessions for the latter were left incomplete. The three men moved to the United States to seek professional health care and escape the growing Dancehall movement in Jamaica. In 1988, Gary “Dr. Dread” Himmelfarb, founder of RAS Records, urged the trio to reunite and record an album. Skelly, Apple, and Wiss were flown to Washington, D.C. to record a new album at Lion and Fox Recording Studios. Strength Of My Life, the group’s fourth album and first of 18 CD releases on the RAS label, was met with great praise and is considered one of the few post-golden era touchstones of the roots reggae genre.

In 1997, Apple Gabriel left the group to pursue a solo career. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics.

In 2007 they released Stamina. This album was a big comeback for the group. Almost 5 years after their last release, they reunited with long-time associates of Roots Radics, strengthened by the presence of Sly Dunbar. The basses are still there and Wiss & Skelly’s voices are sharper than ever. Conscious lyrics, the perfectly roots rhythm section of the Radics are alive and well on this album.  There are also the beautiful back vocals by the female singers who used to back up Burning Spear in the mid-nineties.  Stamina proves that after all these years, Israel Vibrations still has the magic they started with!

Tina Sicre
www.tinasicre.com
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“Tina Sicre (pronounced SEE-cray) has a great voice (pronounced WOWIE!)…Sicre, who isn’t very big, sings big. She wades into her gritty songs with all the fervor of Godzilla finding a Yugo under his Christmas tree.”
- Bill Locey, LA Times