World renowned guitarist and singer Keola Beamer and his partner Moanalani Beamer will present a night of traditional Hawaiian music and dance at the Kirkland Performance Center at 8 p.m. on March 29. The concert is presented by UpWest Arts and marks Keola’s first visit to Kirkland in seven years.

Keola is a slack key guitarist and his partner, hula dancer Moanalani Beamer, create music that incorporates ancient Hawaiian musical instruments into inventive arrangements of both well-loved Hawaiian music and contemporary songs for something entirely new.

Keola is a Hawaiian music legend. One of Hawaii’s premier singer-songwriters, arrangers, composers and masters of Hawaiian slack key guitar, his breadth of talent springs from five generations of one of Hawaii’s most illustrious musical families – one that pre-dates Western contact. Keola’s mother, Nona Beamer, a hula dancer and teacher, exposed her son to non-Hawiian music as well; at the age of four Keola was listening to traditional island music and also to the music of Chet Atkins, the Kingston Trio. The marriage of cultures has resulted in a style of slack key composition that is singular, Keola’s own sound. Texas-based singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is a huge fan, calling Keola’s guitar playing “the best slack key guitar anywhere on the planet.”

Keola’s music was recently featured in the soundtrack for the Oscar-nominated film “The Descendants,” starring George Clooney. That music has just been nominated for a Hawaiian music Grammy Award.

Tickets for the concert are available online at www.kpcenter.org, or by phone at 425-893-9900. Tickets are $25 each, and will also be available at the door on the night of the show.

The Kirkland Performance Center is located at 350 Kirkland Ave. in Kirkland.

For more information about this event email upwestarts@gmail.com