Joe and Kristen were both born and raised in Kailua on the island of O'ahu. Joe is the youngest of eight, and Kristen is an only child. Kristen’s background is in customer sales and accounting. For Joe, the 'ukulele has always been part of his life. He can recall, from a very young age, going to family parties and everyone sitting in a circle and jamming Hawaiian music on their 'ukuleles and guitars. "In elementary school is when I first got exposed to the 'ukulele. It was a requirement for music. Hawaiian language class in High school is when I really started showing serious interest in the 'ukulele, although, it wasn’t until after I graduated that the 'ukulele started to influence my life."

"'Ukulele playing became very natural. Once I got good, everything started to open for me. In 1990, I was given the chance to apprentice under a master luthier. His name is Peter Burmudez, or "Uncle Pete" as I affectionately call him. I was only twenty, and didn’t know the true significance of what I was getting into."

In 1997 Joe was invited to the island of Kaua'i for a Hawaiian falsetto contest titled "Na Himeni Ki'eki'e", which means “from majestic heights a hymn". The competition was very stiff. Therefore, when the winners were announced, Joe was very surprised to hear that he had taken top honors in the amateur division. What a highlight in his life! "Next to my wedding day, that has to be the most exciting day of my life."

Through all of this, Joe was still building 'ukuleles. On January 11, 1998 he was married to his lovely wife Kristen "baby blue" Slavish. They decided not too long after purchasing their house that they would finally set up their 'ukulele shop. It was then that Kanile'a 'Ukulele was born, along with "their three sons". (Chuckle)

"It has been over fifteen years since I first started sweeping the sawdust from Uncle Pete's shop floor. Wow, how time flies! He and I still share information, constantly improving our craft."

Joe says he has a hard time accepting Uncle Pete's admiration when he says; "now you are the master". Joe just laughs and continues his duties.

Just another incredible accomplishment, Joseph Souza “Master Luthier".

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Thinking Inside the Box- Ukuleles can be a beautiful site to behold. Sometimes they're even a work of art. But there's even more going on inside the box... the part you usually don't get to see. All stringed instruments need a support structure to keep them together. The support comes from internal bracing, kerfed lining, bridgeplates, thickness of the top and back plates, and any radius that the top and back may employ. It's actually quite simple to build a ukulele strong enough to not fall apart under the stress of string tension. But what makes a huge difference in tone and volume is building a ukulele with enough strength, yet light enough to allow a healthy amount of volume, resonance, sustain and what we perceive of as good sound overall up and down the fingerboard. I refer to this as thinking inside the box.

Building Philosophy- Build light, build loud, build often! Kepasa Ukuleles are designed to have a full and warm tone. I prefer this sound for fingerstyle ukulele and chord/melody style ukulele. If you prefer a different tone, I can adjust the building technique to accomodate your sound goals.

I enjoy studying the art of tap-tuning the top and back. Part of this is done by paying attention to wood thicknesses and strengths for each wood type, and shaping the braces to get the sound that is the most optimal from each particular ukulele. I start with a certain plan for each ukulele and I adjust accordingly along the way by communicating with the ukulele in progress. Sometimes the wood whispers to me...

More information available on listing's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.

Alvin Okami has been called by many a modern day "Renaissance Man." He is an inventor, an innovator, a composer/arranger, a singer, an accomplished oboist, an industrial designer, graphic designer, and overall brilliant conceptual and spontaneous idea man.

His musical background has provided him with all the necessary experiences to enable him to design and create an ukulele of unsurpassed quality. From the very beginning, he has been obsessed with the pursuit of producing the finest ukulele available in the market today. As a musician and craftsman, he would accept nothing less than handcrafting the most beautiful and best sounding instrument.

Alvin Okami started his musical career as a singer. With Frank Sinatra as his idol, he found success at local high school song assemblies. He also ventured into musical composition, writing and recording his own songs. This matured inot a career as a vocalist, accompanying ukulele virtuoso, Herbert "Ohta-san" Ohta, in the Waikiki nightclubs. Alvin garnished praise for his vocal talent from the likes of Matt Monroe (Born Free) to Doc Severenson (The Tonight Show).

As night life did not suit him well, he turned to one of his loves, the oboe. One semester away from his degree in music, he left college to join the Royal Hawaiian Band, as the band's oboe soloist. Between performances, he found the time to launch a career writing tracks for commercials. One of his commercials was featured in a national advertising campaign, for a large retailer.

Ever the adventurer, he left the band to start his own manufacturing business in 1981.

Late in 1994, his old friend Herb Ohta Sr. suggested crafting a miniature ukulele for his sister's store. Alvin was not satisfied to complete a simple minature; therefore, he embarked on a mission to make a tuneable, playable miniature. Six months later, he had an ukulele measuring no more than 5 1/2 inches in length! Playable and tuneable! Exact in every detail, painstakingly done by hand.

This reunited him with another old friend, Roy Sakuma. At Roy's invitation, Alvin performed "Hilo March" and "Jingle Bell Rock at the 1995 Ukulele Festival. It was a total hit! KoAloha Ukulele was officially born.

Due to the high demand for good quality ukuleles, Alvin began a quest to craft full sized instruments. With the unfailing support of Roy and Kathy Sakuma, the production of the regular sized instruments began.

More information available on listing's web site.