The Left-Handed Guitar Players That Changed Music By John Engel
JAMES ‘BLA’ PAHINUI


guitar
Plays Guitar Left Handed Upside/Down.


A member of the illustrious Pahinui family and the second son of Gabby Pahinui, one of Hawaii’s greatest musical figures, James ‘Bla’ Pahinui has built a solid reputation as a slack-key guitar master and a soulful singer, arranger and composer, steeped in the island’s traditions yet highlighted with modern mainland colors.

A deeply spiritual musician, Bla Pahinui fuses ki ho’alu (slack-key) and his country’s melodies with Latin, African-American, and Anglo-Saxon influences into a sensitive and one-of-a-kind form. He has played and recorded with many notable artists, such as Ry Cooder, Randy Travis, Sonny Chillingworth, Peter Moon, and Kawika Crowley.

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Find out more about Bla's spiritual connection to music in the book Uncommon Sound.