December Livestream Steel Guitar Saturday

December 10, 2020 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

Happy Holidays! December's Livestream Steel Guitar Saturday presentation will feature steel guitarists Paul Kim and Ocean Kaowili. The event is part of an ongoing series of presentations of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase and will begin at 3 P.M. Hawaiian Standard Time.)

December's program is the first of a series of Showcases that will be supported in part by the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The showcase will be broadcast on December 19 to avoid conflicting with the holidays.

Paul Kim is a veteran of steel guitar festivals, having participated at the Windward Mall and Waikīkī festivals for several years. Prior to the pandemic he appeared with the Waimanalo Sunset Band at the Prince Waikīkī hotel. Since the pandemic he as appeared with the Band and with Mike Kaawa and Friends in weekly Facebook Live broadcasts. He has also appeared in HISessions broadcasts and virtual concerts.

In addition to his steel guitar expertise Paul is also known for his superb singing in the falsetto style. When not engaged in music, he is with the Hawai‘i Air National Guard as an aircraft mechanic, where he currently works on F-15 fighters.

Ocean Kaowili has a wide vocal range and is a master of many instruments including the guitar, 'ukulele, steel guitar, upright and electric bass.

Besides his music, Ocean is known for his acting. He appeared in "Princess Kaiulani," "Paradise Broken," "Ho‘omau," and in the Hawaii Five-O television series.

Ocean is also a Captain for the Honolulu Fire Department.

The livestream broadcast will again originate from the studios of Keala Records in Kailua, Hawai‘i.