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Barry Flanagan

Main Stage, Saturday May 6, 4 p.m.

Barry Flanagan is a singer-songwriter, musician and founder of the acclaimed World Music group HAPA. Flanagan is known for his guitar and songwriting skills, vocal performances and ocean awareness projects. In 1980, Flanagan moved to Hawaii to research and study the art of Kiho 'Alu, or Slack Key Guitar and Haku Mele composition. It was after hearing the music of American musician and film score composer Ry Cooder with legendary Slack Key master Gabby Pahinui that inspired Flanagan's sojourn in Hawai’i to explore and learn these two art forms. Flanagan immersed himself in Hawaiian culture and art, seeking out native speakers, teachers and composers of Hawaiian songs, passionately studying indigenous art forms with Maui as the backdrop. In 1983 Flanagan founded a musical duo on Maui, naming it “HAPA,” the Hawaiian word meaning “half” and also used to describe people of mixed Pacific Island ancestry. During the next 10 years, to 1993, Flanagan raised $125,000 to write and produce what was described as “…a first-class recording that would change the way people out of the state of Hawai'i perceive Hawaiian Music.” (Lahaina News).

Reviews

“Flanagan's guitar style is like an iron fist in a velvet glove”…he explores the rich possibilities beyond Hawaiian music and then some, blending a variety of pop and world music styles.” — San Francisco Chronicle”
“HAPA is the most successful musical act from Hawaii in recent history” — The New York Times

“Flanagan showed off such a combination of dexterity and soulfulness that he brought to mind some midPacific amalgam of Mark Knopfler, Chet Atkins and Wes Montgomery... absolutely breathtaking.”
— Orange County Register

“One of the worlds premier Guitarists”
— Oregon Emerald

“Barry Flanagan in this 21st Century represents just how far Hawaiian music has traveled and how compelling its appeal is.”
— Honolulu Magazine

“Powerful, urgent, compelling, muscular, hypnotic!” -
-- L.A. TIMES

“It is not an overstatement that HAPA's music actually encompasses the past, present and future of Polynesian music.”
----SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER MAGAZINE

“Flanagan and Hapa explore the rich possibilities of Hawaiian music and then some, blending a variety of pop and world music styles.”
----SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE”

“Flanagan showed off such a combination of dexterity and soulfulness that he brought to mind some mid-Pacific amalgam of Mark Knopfler, Chet Atkins and Wes Montgomery... absolutely breathtaking."
--- THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

“Barry Flanagan in this 21st Century represents just how far Hawaiian music has traveled and how compelling its appeal is.”
----HONOLULU MAGAZINE

“Flanagan is Masterful”
----STEPHEN STILLS

“HAPA, they are Hawaii's musical rainbow warriors...they captivate your heart and soothe your soul. Flanagan is a brilliant Curator of hip Polynesian sounds”
---KENNY LOGGINS

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