In mid-November, 4,900 miles away in New York City, Pat Simmons was on stage with the Doobie Brothers for two historic, sold-out shows performing its classic albums “Toulouse Street” and “The Captain and Me” in their entirety.

Now back home on Maui, the Doobies’ co-founder will take part in another unique event joining his son, Pat Simmons Jr., at two intimate “Generations” concerts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 and 22 (just added) in the McCoy Studio Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului, which will draw from Doobie Brothers’ history and Pat Jr.’s Na Hoku Hanohano Award-nominated album, “This Mountain.”

Looking forward to playing with his son, Pat says, “It will be fun, we will have a good time. We’ll put some of our best tunes at the beginning and some of our best at the end, and he has some new songs that I really want to contribute to. We’ve been rehearsing, and I’ve been practicing on my own to get Pat’s stuff together. It’s been challenging for me to come up with parts for the tracks that I helped him record, and it’s been pretty challenging for him to come up with parts (for Doobie songs).”

Ever since he can remember, Pat Jr. spent time on the road touring with his dad and the Doobie Brothers, eventually opening some shows for the legendary rockers.

In time, he began composing his own songs, and in 2017 released his impressive debut, “This Mountain,” which featured stellar backing by blues rocker Elvin Bishop, Doobie’s guitarist John McFee, Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne, Bonnie Raitt bassist Hutch Hutchinson, Keali’i Reichel, Willie K and his dad (Pat Sr.) — who also produced the recording.

“I always knew Pat would enjoy playing music,” says his father. “He’s really got serious the last few years and is really enjoying it. He’s writing some good songs right now, which we will feature.”

As far as the recent New York shows, which were filmed and recorded for future DVD and CD release, Pat reports: “We played “Toulouse Street” and “The Captain and Me” back-to-back, and had a horn section with a couple of guys from Steely Dan’s horn group and that was cool. A lot of the tracks we had never really played since the records. It was kind of like being in the studio again with the songs, though I think we are better players than we were back then. I think we improved in some ways on the songs, updating and adding some cool sections, adding bridges and extending things with solos. It was fun and challenging.”

Were any particular songs more challenging to update?

” ‘The Captain and Me’ (title track) was a tough one,” he notes. “On the record it gets foggy in places with cross-faded stuff, and we had to figure out who was singing what and rearrange the vocals. ‘Evil Woman’ (from “Toulouse Street”) was tough for me because I had to play the riff through the entire song and try to sing it. No one else originally played the riff, so everyone had to figure out what I was playing.”

So we probably won’t hear that at the MACC?

“I thought about doing it as a blues thing,” he says. “The riff is continuous so it would be fun to make it a rootsy blues thing.”

At the Maui show, dad and son will be joined by two of the musicians who played on “This Mountain” — bassist Hutchinson and Doobie’s multi-instrumentalist McFee, “who can play some solos on my stuff, with dobro and banjo,” along with drummer Marty Fera who has worked with Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Joe Cocker.

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Having sold out their Saturday show at the MACC, Amy Hanaiali’i and Willie K will likely pack the Castle Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Friday with a second “A Ho’onanea Holiday Concert.”

Drawing from Amy’s Hoku Award-winning holiday album, “A Hawaiian Christmas,” which featured her stunning version of “Silent Night,” and “Willie Kalikimaka,” which was crowned by Willie’s sublime version of “O Holy Night,” the two musicians will help get everyone in a festive mood.

“It’s going to be a blast,” says Amy. “We’re going to have a lot of fun. We’re looking forward to it. Willie’s doing good; we just did the CD release party for Kaleo Phillip’s, playing a couple of songs, and we’re gearing up for the MACC. I’m stoked we’ve added Friday as Saturday sold-out.”

The two celebrated musicians have played on and off together since 1993, winning seven Hokus for their collaborations. In 2005, their album, “Amy & Willie Live,” was nominated for a Grammy in the first year of the Best Hawaiian Music Album award. And their most recent partnership, “Reunion,” won the Contemporary Album Hoku in 2015.

Apart from their amazing musicianship in concert, the dynamic duo are also loved for their “kolohe,” or “mischievous,” on-stage repartee, which cracks audiences up and led to them being dubbed the “Sonny and Cher of Hawaii.”

“For me coming out of musical school, which was very disciplined, it was odd for me to wing it,” says Amy. “It’s easy for Willie because he can play anything and he’s such a showman, but it was hard learning that out of the gate with him because I was just not used to it. It adds a different spark to the show. We both just let go.”

Amy just returned from performing in Japan accompanied by guitarist Jeff Peterson.

“It was fabulous,” she says. “I’ve been playing the Blue Note and Cotton Club there for years. I took Jeff because I wanted to do all kinds of music — jazz, Portuguese and whatever I was in the mood for — and he’s right there, so we had a great time.”

Such is her popularity in Japan that she is currently recording a new Hawaiian music album for the Japanese market.

“I’m in the studio now finishing the album for the tour next year,” she notes. “It needs to be done by March. Ninety percent is originals, and I’m doing a couple of cover tunes.”

After the holiday show, Willie will return to the MACC on Jan. 5 for his annual “Willie K & Friends Bluesfest,” in the A&B Amphitheater with Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Tavana and John Akapo. Tickets are on sale now.

* The Ho’onanea Holiday Concert with Amy & Willie K will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the MACC’s Castle Theater. The Saturday show is sold out. Opening musicians include Kaleo Phillips. Preshow festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. with local craft vendors and live music in the courtyard. Tickets are $35, $45, $55 and $65 (plus applicable fees). A 10 percent discount is available for MACC members, and tickets are half-price for kids 12 and younger. For tickets and more information, visit the box office, call 242-7469 or go online to www.mauiarts.org.

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Having won a Grammy Award for his debut album, Maui’s Kalani Pe’a has just been nominated again in the Regional Roots Music category for his follow-up album, “No ‘Ane’i.” Maui musician Ikaika Blackburn also received a Grammy nomination as a member of the acclaimed group Na Hoa and its album “Aloha From Na Hoa.” Six groups or individuals were nominated including zydeco, Native American and Mardi Gras Indians.

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Grammy-nominated slack key guitarist Jeff Peterson, shakuhachi master Riley Lee and taiko master Kenny Endo will team again as Island Breeze playing at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the McCoy Studio Theater at the MACC.

The first non-Japanese to attain the rank of grand master of the shakuhachi bamboo flute, Lee has enthralled audiences with his mesmerizing playing for more than three decades. A multiple Hoku Award-winner, Peterson is known as an accomplished guitarist in various styles. Endo’s career has included time with the renowned San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the first kumi daiko group outside of Japan.

The trio’s debut album, “Island Breeze,” earned them Hoku nominations for Instrumental Album of the Year and Instrumental Composition for “Na Pali.”

* Tickets are $30 and $45 (prices increase on day of show) plus applicable fees. There is a 10 percent discount for MACC members. For tickets and more information, visit the box office, call 242-7469 or go online to www.mauiarts.org.

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The Maui Chamber Orchestra celebrates the holidays with two performances of Handel’s magnificent “Messiah.” A perennial Christmas favorite, Handel’s great work debuted in Ireland just after Easter in 1742. It describes the foretelling of Jesus Christ’s birth, his sacrifice and resurrection from the dead.

With the MCO Chorus and a quartet of vocal soloists, the orchestra will perform almost the entire oratorio, omitting just a handful of movements from Part 2.

* The “Messiah” is presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Historic Iao Theater in Wailuku. A “Talk Story” with the artists will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday for all ticket holders. Tickets range from $27 to $55, and are available by calling 242-6969 or visiting online at www.mauionstage.com or www.mauichamberorchestra.org.