Born blind on the island of Maui, Dayan Kai is a phenomenal singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a spirit that touches the depths and heights of our humanity. Versed across an array of musical traditions, including Americana, jazz, blues, world, folk, bluegrass, Hawaiian, and rock, Kai’s compositions reflect his vast musical experience. An extraordinary artist who weaves between worlds, Dayan Kai continually brings new insights, interpretations, and reflections to a vast array of music utilizing instruments across the keys, strings, winds, and skins families.
Formally trained since the age of 2, Dayan Kai has studied extensively under the finest of musicians spanning classical, jazz, and world traditions. A partial list of performers he has played with includes Keith Greeninger, Joe Craven, Freebo, Martin Simpson, David Grisman, Nina Gerber, Tiran Porter, Marty Dread, Jenna Mamina, Allison Russell, David Jacob-Strain and Bob Beach, Wilmont Kahaialii, The Rockabilly Space Force, Joel Raphael, Jimmy Dillon, Mark Johnstone, Hot Club of Spokane, Chuck Broadsky, Alice diMicele, Dennis McGregor, Bakra Bata, Harmony Grits, City Folk, El Teatro Campesino, Melissa Crabtree,, Water, Steve Uccello, Juan Sanchez Ensemble, and many others.
After many years on the west coast, Dayan returned to the island of Maui in 2013 where he performed for the Ulalena Lu'au and then served as the Musical Director and multi-instrumentalist for "BurnNLove," an Elvis Presley tribute show and top tourist attraction on Maui (2014-2018). He did this all while maintaining an international performance schedule. In his spare time, he self produced a weekly world music podcast called Ohana Kai on Indie Air radio.
In the past few years, Dayan has toured extensively on the West Coast of the US and to Australia. Amidst the pandemic, he performed online regularly and participated in a number of musical video collaborations with musicians from around the world. In summer of 2021 Kai conducted a five-state tour, and released three new singles: two from an upcoming album, and one with recent collaborator, Jimmy Dillon. Dayan’s latest full album release is a solo acoustic album entitled “To Be Free.” In 2022 Kai has continued to tour California and Oregon, while maintaining a busy performing schedule at home on Maui. He has also started an exciting new collaboration with world renowned multi instrumentalist Joe Craven.
Multi-instrumentalist
A partial list of instruments Dayan plays includes keyboards (piano, organ, accordion), guitars (Spanish classical, six- and 12-string acoustic, electric, and resophonic), other strings (charango, ukulele, bass, 4- and 5-string banjo, mandolin, and fiddle), the single-reed woodwind family and flutes from around the world, trumpet and trombone, conchas, percussion, trap kit and hand drums (cajon, pandero, doumbec, tabla, and congas).
Discography
Dayan has self-produced and released three singles, "Think It Under Again," “Losing Our Way,” and “Can You Give It Back” as well as seven solo albums, "To Be Free," "Resonate,"Treat A Stranger Right," "Livin' Like A Rat Again," "The First Twelve Years," "All Kai," "Songs of Sunday," as well as three albums with his former band Water, "Scrape the Sun," "Look out the Window," and "Back to You" (with Keith Greeninger). In collaboration with Keith Greeninger he released“Make It Rain; ” the duo also appear on various collections from Blue Coast Records. Kai has contributed his talents on a wide variety of albums in the folk, jazz & world genres.
Dayan has produced albums for many artists including Chris McDougall, Mike McKinley, Steven Graves, Michael Gaither, Matt Conible, Russell Brusche, The Blue Flames, Monterey Bay Rockers Three, Nancy Cassidy, The Slac Dragons, Music for Nalio, and many more.
Performance Highlights
Festivals played at include: the Kate Wolf Music Festival (Laytonville, CA), the Sisters Folk Festival (sisters, OR), the Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey, CA), Cobargo Folk Festival (NSW, Australia), the Blue Mountains Festival (NSW, Australia), Juan de Fuca (Port Angeles, WA), The Kpig Fat Fry (SantaCruz Ca), the Kpig Humbug Hoedown (SantaCruz, )CA, the Kpig Locals Only festival (SantaCruz,)Ca, the redwood mountain fair (santacruz, )Ca,Bummershoot Festival (Seattle, WA), American River Music Festival (Lotus, CA), Strawberry Music Festival (Groveland, CA), , High Sierra Festival (Quincy, CA), Art on the Green (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), Sandpoint Music Festival (Sandpoint, ID), The Mystic Island Festival (Maui, Hawaii), The Trinity Tribal Stomp (Junction City, CA), The Mill Pond Festival (Bishop, CA), San Francisco Free Folk Festival (SF, CA), Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI), and many more.
Millions of satisfied audience members and clients agree there is no one else in the world like Dayan Kai.
To inquire about show bookings or to discuss production or session work, call (808) 856-5078 or send an email to dayan@dayankai.com.
