Patrick “Paka” Whitehead
Bio
Patrick “Paka” Whitehead is an American musician and designer from Ann Arbor, MI. He received a jazz piano scholarship from the University of Michigan where he studied with Geri Allen and achieved a B.S. in Architecture. After graduating, he spent time in Pittsburgh, PA recording with the alto sax legend Richie Cole and gigging under the mentorship of Tony Campbell and Roger Humphries Sr. He discovered that many of his influences such as Erroll Garner, Ahmad Jamal, Mary Lou Williams, George Benson, Ray Brown, and many others were all from Pittsburgh!
Growing up, he looked forward to annual visits to Honolulu, his mother’s hometown. Thanks to his uncle, who was in the Royal Hawaiian Band, he had the opportunity to listen to and play with local legends, such as Gabe Balthazar and Betty Lou Taylor. He’s grateful for the opportunity to now bring his son to events like Abe’s jam and Noel’s Ohana Jazz at Studio 909. He is a proud member of the Local 677 musicians union.
Before moving to Hawaii, Paka and his wife lived in California, where he had the privilege to perform with world class artists, including Mohini Dey, Marco Minnemann, and the legendary Funk group “Slave.” He currently performs locally with artists such as Common Kings, Kimie Miner, Little Albert, Keilana, and many others.
Patrick “Paka” Whitehead on Piano/Keys with DeShannon Higa & Quadpod