Pepper and Joe Samba

Ohana: The Hawaiian word for family, which is used to convey the sense of togetherness that transcends blood ties.

For Pepper paying homage to their roots is essential over a decade in to their celebrated career. The Southern California trio, who formed in 1997 and moved to the mainland from the three musicians’ hometown of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1999, know that where they come from should always be infused in the music they create. On Ohana, the group’s seventh full-length album (4/29/16, LAW Records), Pepper embraces the feelings and sounds that encouraged them to become a band in the first place.