Slack Key Ohana
With all that blue ocean and blue sky, Hawai’i is not for everyone. That was lap steel guitar player Rand Anderson’s conclusion after overhearing someone visiting the island complaining about the sparkling sea and majestic backdrop overhead. The Hawaiian transplant teamed up with his Pacific Records labelmates Slack Key ‘Ohana on a new single, “Slack Key Blues,” which arrives on April 11. The single, produced by Anderson, Chris Hobson, and Slack Key ‘Ohana’s Brian Witkin and Joe Witkin, will be available digitally and via a limited-edition run of CDs and numbered vinyl discs.
“Slack Key Blues” is a tropical slice of Hawaiian culture and American blues that offers a glimpse into Slack Key ‘Ohana’s third album, “Mai Tais in Paradise,” which is expected in late summer. The single is a light and breezy sway on a hammock guided by the soulful voice of Kela Sako, a native Hawaiian and the newest member of Slack Key ‘Ohana. Sako’s exquisite lead vocals surf the guitar groove crafted by Anderson and Brian Witkin and augmented by Carol Witkin’s ukulele. The performance tales place in the Stella Artois Lounge
