Jeff Peterson, the extraordinary Grammy-winning ki ho'alu artist, will be performing with Tony Award-winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell at New York City's Feinstein's club Nov. 11-15. The show, "Songs I Wanna Sing," could be a breakthrough gig for the Islander.

"I met Stokes (as the singer is called) at the Romance Festival here in Hawai'i," said Peterson, a solo artist and accompanist. "We did a number of duos together during the festival at the Hawai'i Theatre and really hit it off."

Peterson will join Gary Haase on bass and Bashiri Johnson on percussion, a pair of top New York-based studio and jazz musicians. The trio have a presence (meaning they're named) on Stokes' concert poster.

Peterson earlier performed with Stokes at Cipriani in New York in a Lighthouse International fundraiser.

Kona-based luthier James Goodall made Peterson a new guitar, which he will use for the first time in Saturday's Kahilu 'Ukulele and Slack Key Festival concert in Waimea, on the Big Island. "I will then take it up to New York the next day for the shows with Brian Stokes Mitchell," said Peterson. ...

'TIS THE SEASON: Keith and Carmen Haugen's third annual "Peace on Earth" Christmas concert, a freebie from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand, has a growing roster of participants. Like The Thursday Night Band, providing big-band sounds, with vocalist Jamie Hope. And the father-dad duo of Dennis and David Kamakahi, who provide slack-key and 'ukulele tunes. ...

Watch for more Christmas CDs. James Kimo West's "Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas" features classics and a new tune — and boasts a stunning hand-colored block-print cover image by Caren Ke'ala Loebel-Fried, who illustrated the just-out "Naupaka" book by the late Auntie Nona Beamer, which features Hawaiian translations by Kaliko Beamer-Trapp and music by Keola Beamer — a volume suitable for all seasons. ...

And Na Leo's "Hawaiian Holidays," a digitally remastered reissue, dons a new cover, with a bonus track of "Twelve Days of Christmas," the local-style fave, plus a bonus video, "Hosana (Ua Mau)." ...

And while a Nov. 15 concert, at 7:30 p.m. at Atherton Performing Arts Studio, may be a tad early for holiday tunes, don't be surprised if Kohala, whose "Kohala Christmas" is a hottie, shares selections from the album. The group is composed of Charles Michael Brotman, Hawai'i's first Hawaiian Grammy Award winner, plus Charlie Recaido and Rupert Tripp Jr. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Noly Paa, one of the regulars at Lewers Lounge at the Halekulani, found singer-composer- pianist Randy Hongo in the audience one night, and tapped Hongo to sing, wowing the crowd. Paa joined Hongo on a four-hand version of "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawai'i." Look for a new Paa CD of Hawaiian piano solos dubbed "From the Heart," due this month, including an original composition, "Manoa." ...

Melveen Leed has been doing her "Sunday Sunsets With Melveen" from 5 to 8 p.m. Sundays at the Elks Club. It's one of those you-never-know-who'll-show-up haps. ...

SHOW BREEZES: Opening nighters didn't get to see two acts in Cirque du Soleil's "Saltimbanco," at Blaisdell Arena through Nov. 16. The "Hand-to-Hand" duo, Andrey Zhadan and Gabor Czivisz, demonstrate awesome hand power, do a variety of handstands (like, one hand on the other's head) in a display of balance and strength, testing their bodies to the max. One of the duo was sidelined. But when we went back to a 5 p.m. matinee performance Sunday, the pair — which elicited some excitement from females, thanks to sleek physique (and no masks) — regained its spot, demonstrating dexterity and intensity. ...

ALSO NEW: "Parody," a bit of business between the Ringmaster and the Dreamer. While crowds have been spotty early in the run, the final week is shaping up like sellouts, so if you want to see this Cirque marvel, don't delay. ...

The Cirque family will make an appearance at Lanakila Pacific at 1 p.m. today to visit 125 seniors and folks with disabilities. Since Cirque "speaks" to a diverse audience, without benefit of a common language, the performers will be in full costume and makeup. The Lanakila Teaching and Learning Center's Hands in Harmony group of 12 will offer a song in sign language. ...

FINALLY: We took in a closing-weekend performance of Paliku Theatre's "Miss Saigon," which was packed to the gills, and can happily report that the show had the sizzle of a touring company: Brittany Browning, Leonard Villanueva, Michael Bright, Kawika McGuire, Jade Stice, Les Ceballos, Erin Wong ... and Ron Bright, too — take a bow!

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.