Rachael Yamagata will perform a concert at the Maui Theater in Lahaina on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.

LAHAINA – Mana’o Hana Hou Radio, 91.7FM (manaoradio.com) – Maui’s eclectic, commercial-free, listener-supported and volunteer-staffed community radio station – in conjunction with Buffalo Records is pleased to announce a special evening with recording artist Rachael Yamagata.

The concert will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Maui Theater in Lahaina at 878 Front St.

Yamagata began her music career with the band Bumpus before becoming a celebrated solo artist in 2001. To date, she has released four EPs and three studio albums on the Arista, RCA Victor, Warner Bros. and Frankenfish Records labels.

Her songs have appeared on numerous television programs, and Yamagata has been a frequent collaborator with Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals, and Ray Lamontagne.

“Yamagata’s draw is a combination of richly-textured adult pop compositions and her unique voice – a ball of honeyed, expressive honesty, a real storyteller’s instrument,” noted Richard Tafoya of Soundspike Magazine.

Her first time touring and performing in the islands, Yamagata is known for varying her stage lineups and playing with fresh arrangements, ever calling her loyal fan base back for new interpretations of her songs.

For her Hawaiian dates, she will tour as a trio, but don’t expect anything traditional. She jumps from piano to guitar while her multi-instrumentalist comrade Michael Chaves (John Mayer/Adam Cohen) holds down the rhythm, bass, guitar and keyboard samples. Zach Djanikian (Amos Lee) joins on keys and guitar, as well as making a lush soundscape that is devastatingly intimate one minute and then electric cool the next.

All three take on intricate harmonies, and the current cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” showcases this beautifully. Her set is sure to include crowd favorites like “Be Be Your Love” and “Worn me Down” as well as lovelorn ballads like “Duet” and “Elephants.”

Early next year, Yamagata will release her new album, “Tightrope Walker,” so expect a few new tracks to be premiered as well. (Think Roberta Flack meets Tom Waits with a bit of Rufus Wainwright and Led Zeppelin thrown in.)

Opening the Maui show will be Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning singer-songwriter Gail Swanson.

Tickets are now on sale at the following locations:?Maui Theatre Box Office at 878 Front St. in Lahaina (808-856-7900) and Requests Music at 10 N. Market St. in Wailuku (808-244-9315).