Joe on the Go: Ukulele Underground Retreat on Kauaʻi
Joe on the Go: Kanileʻa ʻUkulele’s master luthier and company co-owner Joe Souza jumped in on an impromptu performance of the late Reverend Dennis Kamakahi’s classic “Wahine ʻIlikea.” This moment took place at Ukulele Underground’s (UU’s) first ever retreat on the island of Kauaʻi in February 2020.
Mahalo to UU’s Aldrine Guerrero and special guest Kalei Gamiao for the jam session. Also, lots of aloha to UU’s behind-the-scenes crew Ryan “the Wizard” Esaki, Aaron “The Voice” Nakamura and Kahai “The Legend” Furugen. They work to bring you the Ukulele Underground Aloha Friday Live Jam every week as well as the awesome free and subscriber-accessed (UU+) content on YouTube and through ukuleleunderground.com.
Meet the Players
Aldrine Guerrero is truly one of the world’s most talented ʻukulele players and instructors. With the beautiful island of Kauaʻi as his home, Aldrine reaches across the world online to elevate his students’ and fans’ playing abilities. He is always encouraging, fun and at the same time very focused in his teaching style. Find out more about Aldrine here.
Kalei Gamiao hails from Haleiwa on Oʻahu’s famed North Shore and is an incredibly gifted ʻukulele player. Don’t let his quiet, soft-spoken demeanor fool you – he is a powerhouse of talent who can command an audience as a soloist or step into any group player session with a unique style and finesse. His genre? Everything and anything. Find out more about Kalei here.
Joe Souza is one half of the dynamic husband-wife team who founded Kanile`a `Ukulele in July of 1998. Joe apprenticed under master luthier, the late Peter Bermudez in 1990 learning “Uncle Pete’s” traditional Hawaiian building techniques while integrating today’s 21st century technologies. This mash up of old and new has proven effective in creating a full-bodied, rich sound that is distinctive of these playable masterpieces. All Kanile`a instruments are handcrafted in the Souzas’ hometown of Kāne`ohe, Hawai`i. His wife Kristen oversees administrative operations while their sons Kaimana, Iokepa and Kahiau are hands-on in production, marketing, retail sales and dealer support. Together, the Souzas employ a team of expert artisans, retail salespeople and admin staff members. Joe on the Go follows the adventures and experiences of Kanile`a `Ukulele’s master luthier.
Did You Know…?
Kanileʻa ʻUkulele is proud to lock arms with Ukulele Underground (UU). UU has provided top-quality online ʻukulele instruction for over 10 years with lead instructor Aldrine Guerrero. Many guest instructors have stopped in over the years to provide additional learning techniques, styles and advice.
Every new Kanileʻa ʻukulele purchase, direct from the factory or through any Kanileʻa authorized dealers worldwide, comes with unlimited access for 30 days to UU+. This is the Ukulele Underground subscription portal. It is perfect for the beginner looking for a good place to start or the advanced player wanting to take his/her playing to the next level.
To purchase your Kanileʻa ʻukulele with its 30 day unlimited access to UU+, click here on the Kanileʻa Shop.
To find out more about Ukulele Underground, click here to access ukuleleunderground.com
