JEROME KOKO & DANIEL HO

With preshow by Jim G and hula by Nā Pua O Hawai'i Nei

Monday May 13, preshow 6:30 PM, show 7:00 PM

Wildish Theater, 630 Main St. in downtown Springfield

Tickets: $12, $17, $22 at wildishtheater.com or at the door

Hawaiian music at its finest! One of the islands' most revered musicians joins with an uber-talented young gun. With preshow music and hula, of course. Great Mother's Day present!

Jerome Koko founded one of Hawai'i's longest running and most revered bands, The Mākaha Sons. Its most famous member, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, was with the group 17 years before starting his brief solo career, which included the iconic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". The Mākaha Sons recorded 22 CDs, received numerous Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards (Hawaiian Grammys), and in 2013 were inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. They played at Carnegie Hall, for presidents, in movies, on TV, and all over the islands.

With the passing of Israel and other band members, Jerome has explored a solo career. He has released two solo CDs, produced and accompanied by Daniel Ho. The most recent, released last fall, is described as an "eclectic blend of beautiful ballads, songs of love, songs of spiritual uplift, and of course a song about eating."

Daniel Ho, a generation younger than Jerome, is a Hawaiian music superman. He is a consummate multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, member of several bands from rock to Hawaiian to classical, instrument designer, music producer, and winner of six Grammys for producing a series of slack key albums. The guy can do everything, and does.

These two talented and deeply rooted Hawaiian musicians will be joined by hula dancers from the Eugene hula school Nā Pua O Hawai'i Nei. There will be a short preshow by the Jim G band, playing songs from the "Hawaiian Renaissance" of the 1970s.

This concert is produced by Pacific 'Ohana Foundation of Gig Harbor, WA, and supported by the Hui Ho'onu'a network of Eugene/Springfield. Look for more Hawaiian music concerts at Wildish in the coming months!