Cover Photo: Dana Edmund
Photo: Geoffrey C Lewis
Jeff Peterson
“Add the Peterson name to the top 10 list of slack key giants”…His manner is impeccable, his style exquisite… Brilliant . . Peterson raises the bar a few notches in both slack key and jazz” –Honolulu Advertiser
“…one of our leading, innovative exponents of Hawaiian slack key guitar. An exceptionally talented guitarist, fluent in a variety of styles from jazz and classical to slack key” –Maui News
Guitar virtuoso Jeff Peterson is a star of the next generation of slack key guitar players. A two-time Grammy-winner, Jeff takes the open tunings of Hawaiian slack key to explore multiple genres with confidence, flair, and impeccable style. His passion for the guitar shines through his solo performances and his deep knowledge of open as well as standard tunings has allowed him to collaborate with a wide variety of artists and orchestras. He has now been recognized with 16 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawai’i’s “Grammy”), in such categories as Best Slack Key Album (5 times), Best Instrumental Album (7 times), and Best Instrumental Composition. His most recent album, Mele Nahenahe, Soothing Sound of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, was awarded the 2022 Nā Hōku Award for Instrumental Album of the Year, and the lead track Halemaʻumaʻu won Instrumental Composition of the Year. His talent with slack key, classical, and jazz guitar styles has given him a unique and transcendent voice on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage. In 2018, he was awarded a Native Arts & Cultures Foundation fellowhip.
Jeff has written a Concerto for Slack Key Guitar and Orchestra, Malama ‘Aina, which premiered in 2016 with the Raleigh Civic Chamber Orchestra (Hawai‘i premiere with the Hawai‘i Symphony Dec 10, 2017), and is available to guest with orchestra and chamber ensembles. Five of his original songs were featured in the award-winning George Clooney film The Descendants.
Past Tour Dates
2025
Keola Beamer & Jeff Peterson, with Moanalani Beamer, hula
Thurs Jan 23, 2025 – Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Sat Jan 25, 2025 – Myron’s, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas NV
Tues Jan 28 & Wed Jan 29, 2025 – The Triple Door, Seattle WA
Thurs Jan 30, 2025 – Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Wed Feb 5, 2025 – Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, Bakersfield CA
Thurs Feb 6 2025 – Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga CA
Fri Feb 7, 2025 – Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley CA
Sat Feb 8 2025 – Green Music Center, Sonoma State Univ, Rohnert Park CA
Sonoma Guitar Series
2024
Keola Beamer & Jeff Peterson, with Moanalani Beamer
Sat Nov 23, 2024 – Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center
Benefit for The Mokihana Club of Kauai
Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku Jr, Led Kaapana & Jeff Peterson
Wed Sept 25, 2024 – Egyptian Theatre, Boise ID
Thurs Sept 26, 2024 – Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Fri Sept 27, 2024 – Federal Way Performing Arts Center, Federal Way WA
Sat Sept 28, 2024 – Blue Note Napa, Napa CA – 2 shows
Sun Sept 29, 2024 – Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley CA
Thu Oct 3, 2024 – La Paloma, Encinitas CA
Fri Oct 4, 2024 – Irvine Barclay Theatre, Irvine CA
Tues Oct 8, 2024 – Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Wed Oct 9, 2024 – Coconino Center for the Arts, Flagstaff AZ
Presented by Greenhouse Productions
Fri Oct 11, 2024 – Santa Fe Chapel, Santa Fe NM
Presented by Amp Concerts
Sat Oct 12, 2024, South Broadway Cultural Center, Albuquerque NM
Presented by Amp Concerts
2023
Masters of Hawaiian Music, with George Kahumoku Jr, Led Kaapana, & Jeff Peterson
Thurs Sept 21, 2023 – The Triple Door, Seattle WA
Fri Sept 22, 2023 – Lincoln Theatre, Mt Vernon WA
Sun Sep 24, 2023 – Egyptian Theatre, Boise ID
Tues Sept 26, 2023 – Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Wed Sept 27, 2023 – The Shedd Institute, Eugene OR
Thurs Sept 28, 2023 – Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Sat Sept 30, 2023 – Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque NM
Presented by AMP Concerts
Sun Oct 1, 2023 – San Miguel Chapel, Santa Fe NM
Presented by AMP Concerts
Mon Oct 2, 2023 – Private Event
Tue Oct 3, 2023 Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga CA
Thu Oct 5, 2023 – Blue Note Napa, Napa CA (2 shows)
Sat Oct 7, 2023 – La Paloma Theatre, Encinitas CA
2022
Keola Beamer & Jeff Peterson, with Moanalani Beamer, hula
Sat, May 7, 2022, Kaua’i HI
A benefit fundraiser for the Mokihana Club
Masters of Hawaiian Music Tour with George Kahumoku Jr, Jeff Peterson, & Sonny Lim
Thurs March 10, 2022 – Center for the Arts, Grass Valley CA
Fri, March 11, 2022 – The Historic Lobo Theater, Albuquerque NM
Presented by AMP Concerts
Sat, March 12, 2022 – New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe NM
Presented by AMP Concerts
Wed, March 16, 2022 – Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Thurs, March 17, 2022 – Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley CA
Fri, March 18 & Sat, March 19, 2022 – The Smith Center for the Performing Arts,
Las Vegas NV
Sun, March 20, 2022 – Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga CA
Wed, March 23, 2022 – Bing Crosby Theater, Spokane WA
Presented by SBL Entertainment
Fri, March 25, 2022 – Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center, Kent WA
Presented by the City of Kent
Sat, March 26, 2022 – Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds WA
Wed, March 30, 2022 – Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Thurs, March 31, 2022 – Tower Theatre, Bend OR
Presented by SBL Entertainment
Fri, April 1, 2022 – The John G Shedd Institute, Eugene OR
Sun, April 3, 2022 – The Egyptian Theatre, Boise ID
Presented by SBL Entertainment
With Keola Beamer, Uluwehi Guerrero & Moanalani Beamer
Sat, Apr 4, 2020, Kauai Beach Resort, Lihue HI
A benefit fundraiser for the Mokihana Club
2020 – Masters of Hawaiian Music – with George Kahumoku Jr & Nathan Aweau
Sat, Mar 7, 2020, Daniels Hall, Denver CO
presented by Swallow Hill Music
Sun, Mar 8, 2020, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Fri, Mar 13, 2020, The Guitar Sanctuary, McKinney TX
With Keola Beamer & Moanalani Beamer
2020
Sun, Jan 12, 2020, Harris Center for the Arts, Folsom CA
Tues, Jan 14, 2020, The Triple Door, Seattle WA
Thurs, Jan 16, 2020, Lincoln Theatre, Mt Vernon WA
2019
With Keola Beamer and Moanalani Beamer
Mon, Oct 14, 2019, Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Thurs, Oct 17, 2019, Kirkland Performing Arts Center, Kirkland WA
Across the Sea – with Tsun-Hui Hung & Greg Sardinha
Fri, Sept 6, 2019, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana IL
Ellnora The Guitar Festival
Sun, Sept 8, 2019, Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago IL
Wed, Sept 11, 2019, Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley CA
Thurs, Sept 12, 2019, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Keola Beamer & Jeff Peterson with Moanalani Beamer
2019
Sat, March 9, 2019, Kauai Beach Resort, Lihue, Kauai HI
2018
Mon, Oct 8, 2018, The Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Eugene OR
Tues, Oct 9, 2018, Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland OR
Sun, Oct 14, 2018, Columbia City Theater, Seattle WA
Presented by Brown Rock LLC
Thurs, Oct 18, 2018, Harris Center for the Arts, Folsom CAS
Sat, Oct 20, 2018, The Old Steeple, Ferndale CA
Sun, Oct 21, 2018, Blue Note Napa, Napa CA
Wed, Oct 24, 2018, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Fri, Oct 26, 2018, Daniels Hall, Denver CO
Presented by Swallow Hill Music
2018 – Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku Jr, Led Kaapana & Jeff Peterson
Sat, Feb 10 & Sun, Feb 11, 2018, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Vienna VA
Mon, Feb 12, 2018, WaR3House3, Swarthmore PA
Thurs, Feb 15, 2018, Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, Minneapolis MN
Fri, Feb 16, 2018, Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago IL
Sun, Feb 18, 2018, Music Box Cleveland, Cleveland OH
Fri, Feb 23, 2018, Café Stritch, San Jose CA
Wed, Feb 28, 2018, The John G Shedd Institute, Eugene OR
Fri, Mar 2 & Sat, Mar 3, 2018, The Triple Door, Seattle WA
Tues, Mar 6, 2018, The Sofia, Sacramento CA
Thurs, Mar 8, 2018, Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz CA
Fri, Mar 9 & Sat, Mar 10, 2018, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas NV
Sun, Mar 11 & Mon, Mar 12, 2018, California Center for the Arts, Escondido CA
Thurs, Mar 15, 2018, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix AZ
Fri, Mar 16, 2018, Irvine Barclay Theater, Irvine CA
Sat, Mar 17, 2018, Daniels Hall, Denver CO
Hawaiian Skies
Na Mele (PBS) – Jeff Peterson (full episode)
Kawai O Kaupo
Paniolo Soul
Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra