About Danny
Danny, who is now 19 years old, started playing guitar at the age of 9. His first songs were learned from his dad, and his mom who was a student of Walter Carvalho and Raymond Kane.
After a few months of playing, he became a student of Ozzie Kotani. Ozzie taught Danny in the traditional style of “watch and learn”. He generously shared his time and adapted his teaching methods to Danny’s unique learning style. To further nurture his growth in the traditional art of slack key, he introduced Danny to a broad range of ki ho‘alu stylings, teaching Danny not only his own music, but the techniques and stylings of others as well, including that of his own teacher, Sonny Chillingworth. Later, he guided Danny in the development of his own style.
Danny has also learned much by watching videotapes of previous slack key festivals and commercial video tapes by Ledward Kaʻapana and Raymond Kane.
Currently, Danny is also studying music with the great composer and Kihoalu master, Dennis Kamakahi.
Danny produced his first composition in 2001, a sweet, sad, song in the key of A, which has since become known as “Booboo’s Lullaby” named for his pet dog. His first CD also has his composition, “Song For Allie”. His second CD has another composition called “Holoholo”. This song was composed as a musical interlude for the read-along CD in the book “Eddie Wen Go”, the story of Eddie Aikau, and the capsizing of the sailing canoe Holu’lea.
Danny has played at slack key festivals on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and in Hilo. He has also played at the Honolulu Academy of Arts Atherton auditorium with Ozzie, at the KHPR studio with Ozzie and at the Hawaii Theater with Makana.
In December 2004, Danny had the honor of becoming the first slack key artist to play ki hoʻalu on National Public Radio’s music program From The Top, broadcasted to a nationwide audience on February 26, 2005. The From the top link has his radio performances from that show online. Additionally, Danny’s performance was included on their recently-released CD “From The Top - Volume Three”.
In June 2006 Danny released his first CD, Slack Key Journey • On My Way. This CD was nominated for a Na Hoku Hanohano Award in the category of Most Promising New Artist.
In November 2006, Danny played on Garrison Keillor’s program A Prairie Home Companion , broadcast live nationwide, on Nov. 11, 2006.
In June 2008 Danny released his second CD, Somewhere. This CD has been nominated for a Na Hoku Hanohano Award in the category of Slack Key music.
In 2009 Danny played at libraries across the state in a summer tour. In November, he participated in the Kahilu Theater music festival in Waimea on the Big Island.
His primary guitar is a koa and spruce ‘000’ cutaway, custom-built for him by his dad, as was the custom-made ʻukulele used in track 7 on Slack Key Journey.
Danny (age 12) and Ozzie Kotani perform at the State Art Museum
