John Cruz grew up in Hawai‘i in a home immersed in music. He performed with his father and brothers from a young age and moved to the East Coast in 1983 to develop his own style as a singer songwriter. He performed everywhere from New York’s coffeehouses and bars to clubs and local haunts from Martha’s Vineyard to the Boston area, as well as venturing into both theater and dance. He was leading member of the prestigious New World Theater. Returning to Hawaii, John released his first album, Acoustic Soul, in 1996. It was followed by radio hits “Shine On,” “Sitting in Limbo,” and “Island Style,” which won two Na Hoku Awards, including one for “Most Promising Artist,” and has become iconic in Hawai’i. In 2005, John added a Grammy Award® – the first to be awarded for Hawaiian music – to his list of honors, as part of the compilation CD, Slack Key Guitar Volume 2.
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Faith Ako has been the Bay Area’s premier female artist in traditional/contemporary Hawaiian music for over three decades. Faith has graced stages on the West and East coasts and in Japan, Hawai’I, and Pacific Northwest cities with her powerful, sultry vocal harmonies, charismatic personality, and passionate performances.
Faith portrays a fine representation of her Polynesian culture, especially the stories that get shared through her music. With her newest album, Ho’okanikapila, Maui, out in September 2024, she is ready to share her first jazz genre album, as well as her close brother and musician Tarvin Makia of Kihei, Maui.
Venue:
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
www.lutherburbankcenter.org