Kani Ki Ho'Alu
Solo, using a nylon-string guitar that distinguishes his sound from other slack-key guitarists, Kotani sets up mesmerizing bass drones over which he plays improvisations and bright melodies that seem to echo themselves; his chord progressions are often unique to slack key, and because he never sings, he often phrases the guitar like he would vocal lines. His four-finger picking method has led some to conclude he's classically trained, which he isn't. He can also sound too precious, or New Agey, for some, but his peers consider him to be in a class by himself. --John Morthland