Halemanu is among Hawaii’s most sought after musicians. He is a constantly giging musician who has done over 4500 live and studio performances thoughout Hawaii, Japan, and North America. He is a prodigious vocalist, ukulele player, and guitarist who works as soloist and sideman. In recent years he has been teaching students guitar and musical concepts. On the island of Maui, Halemanu has become one of the islands premier wedding musician. In 2003 Halemanu was featured on a segment of the Travel Channel which was filmed at the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa. He has also done performances for local and west coast television stations. He has played on several local artist’s albums and most recently his debut album, which will be released in 2008. Halemanu is currently working on a DVD that will feature the different guitar styles of his native Hawaiian music.
In 2002 Halemanu opened Sounds Like Hale Recording Studio on the island of Maui, a modern recording facility with multiple isolation features. He has engineered projects for local and mainland talent, writing music arrangements, creating commercials, and movie trailers. In 2007 Halemanu has expanded his business to provide sound and lighting for large shows and concerts.
With the desire to give back to his community, Halemanu has also started a nonprofit agency called Mele Kakou ( music for all ) which offers his approach in music education to schools, host monthly concerts on Maui, and provide free music by professionals for the benefit of elderly care facilities and other nonprofit groups.
Born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Halemanu is a Kanaka Maoli (indigenous person of Hawai’i) whose family heritage of the islands goes back over 800 years. Ancient Hawaiians did not have a writing system in place, so stories and chants were passed through the generations by spoken word and memory. Similar to the ancient Hawaiians, as a child Halemanu would play music by "ear" and from memory.
Halemanu first picked up the ukulele when he was 6 years old. He was first inspired and encouraged to play music by his Dad Halemanu Sr. and his uncle, who were playing mainstream 50’s, 60’s, Hawaiian, and local music. Throughout his childhood and high school years Halemanu has performed in talent shows, local events, and parties. His transition to guitar was a not so typical evolution.
“Before I got into guitar I was strictly playing different types of ukulele. I worked for a while for a local ukulele maker and I would modify my ukulele. Due to the music I was listening to at the time 50’s-70’s rock, The Ventures, etc. and trying to emulate that, I came to the conclusion that my acoustic ukulele had some limitations and wasn’t going to cut it. So I began modifying and assembling Tele and Strat style guitars that were strung with just 4 strings like an ukulele. I would change the nut spacing, build my own bridges, build my own necks. I could modify the electronics for different pickups and wiring schematics. I could easily change the neck or body for sustain and tone characteristics. The options were plenty and not permanent.”
Halemanu played these modified ukulele with the local bands he was a part of at the time. The transition to guitar was an easy one being that his father was a guitar player. Halemanu started learning guitar in his early 20’s and by this time he was already playing 5 nights a week in the local clubs, resorts and Luau shows. As he was learning his instrument, Halemanu was influenced by Buddy Guy, Michael Bloomfeild, Boston, The Ventures, Credence Clearwater Revival, Grand Funk, and SRV. Later on he would be influenced by the Jazz stylings of Jobim, Jimmy Bruno, Lenny Breau, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Joe Pass and many others.
Frustrated with his local music scene and his abilities, Halemanu devoted his time to studying music theory with world famous music educator Dick Grove and his School without Walls Program. In 2000 he moved to Los Angeles to study guitar and recording engineering at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
“I was frustrated at home because all the guitar players would show me things that I couldn’t use, just bits and pieces with no structure. When I moved to Los Angeles, I was humbled. I hung out with great musicians and the people I studied with were all world class players. I would have sessions with Scott Henderson, Sid Jacobs, or Jamie Findlay that just blew my mind. I had never seen such high level of guitar skills before that. Also, the live music scene there was off the hook.”
