Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Slack Key DVD Documentary by Eddie Kamae

A few days ago I received my copy of Ki Ho'alu: Slack Key The Hawaiian Way, a DVD documentary of Hawaiian slack key guitar, Hawaii's gorgeous, indigenous fingerpicking guitar style. I've really been enjoying it! You'll recognize some of the names and faces that have appeared at the Southern California Slack Key Festival like George Kahumoku Jr, Ledward Kaapana and Dennis Kamakahi. Gary Haleamau, who was a part of the 2008 Aloha Falsetto Festival, is also in there and you'll get to see him again at the 2011 Slack Key Festival in Redondo Beach January 23. Lots of great interviews and music from Gabby Pahinui (Cyril's father), Raymond Kane, George Kuo, and even my UH college professor Lisa Smith!

I never would have thought - back when I was attending the Slack Key Festival in Hawaii (when it used to be held at the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana park) - that I'd be hiring these people for my shows and becoming friends with them.

This film premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., during a special day of screenings at the American Film Institute honoring Eddie Kamae's Legacy Series. Jim "Kimo" West says he was there on Maui back when they had just wrapped up the filming and remembers them partying it up at the local restaurant/bar. Lots of great playing techniques that you just don't see anymore like the sewing needle hanging from the mouth and banging up against the string and right hand tapping. I'm sure you'll enjoy this documentary as much as I am.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

An Ukulele Wedding In SoCal

Summer is definitely getting into high gear - I can tell from all the fun party and wedding events I've been playing for!

This past weekend I was hired for another summer wedding event - this time, ukulele-only music was requested for the ceremony. The bride was actually someone I met through the new ukulele class I started on Mondays at the South Bay Adult School and she had some special requests like my What A Wonderful World for the bridesmaids, Pua Lililehua for the Processional, and since the groom's parents are from England, my arrangement of Here Comes The Sun for the Recessional. You know, given his love for the instrument, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that George Harrison wrote the song on an ukulele. Here's a fun video of George with his uke, hanging with Ringo and Sir Paul.

Got a few more ukulele weddings happening this summer so I'll have a chance to whip out some new arrangements of I'm Yours, Summertime, Sway, Top Of The World and some other fun stuff I've been working on.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

September Wire & Wood: Australian Fingerpicker Nick Charles

Don't miss Australia's hottest guitar fingerpicker Nick Charles!
September 9, Saint Rocke, Hermosa Beach
Purchase tickets
Watch a YouTube Video

With five critically acclaimed albums to his credit and numerous awards, Nick is an artist who is in high demand for concert appearances and workshops.

"Australia's virtuoso of acoustic roots guitar"
- The Age

"The best picker on the scene"
- Artstreams Magazine

Nick has been a performing and touring acoustic musician for over 25 years on the Australian and international acoustic music scene. Averaging over 200 shows a year from Perth to Sydney and LA to Kansas City - including many major guitar, folk, blues and jazz festivals - the eclectic nature of Nick's music continues to delight and captivate his audiences. With five critically acclaimed albums to his credit and numerous awards, Nick is an artist who is in high demand for concert appearances and workshops. His musical influences are many and varied and include the seminal blues of Big Bill Broonzy and Blind Blake, the countrified picking of Doc Watson and Merle Travis and the infectious swing and melody of Django.

The prestigious Melbourne newspaper, "The Age", has declared him "Australia's virtuoso of acoustic roots guitar" and Artstreams Magazine states emphatically he is " the best picker on the scene".

Click here to purchase tickets

Wire & Wood: A brand new solo acoustic guitar concert series in the South Bay! Past featured artists include celebrated flamenco guitarist Adam del Monte, Hawaiian slack key musician Jim "Kimo" West and surf guitar legends the Duo-Tones!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

A Slack Key Wedding In SoCal

Recently I had a great time down in La Jolla where I was hired to play for a beautiful outdoor wedding at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa. The lovely couple had wanted to tie their ceremony to the time they shared in Hawaii and was looking for a slack key guitarist to provide the right mood.

For prelude music I played tunes like Moe Uhane by Sonny Chillingworth.I actually learned this one a long time ago when the transcription was printed in Acoustic Guitar magazine. I also played a couple of hymns I arranged: Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art and I have to give credit to John Keawe for the inspiration for this. When I first saw him play live back in like, 1995 (I think), he was the featured artist for the Make Music Festival's opening night at the Honolulu Academy of Arts theatre. I went on in the beginning of the evening with my flamenco performance group Flamenco Pacifico. When I heard him play Amazing Grace I said ok that's it, I'm going home to figure this out tonight!

So back to the La Jolla wedding, I did my slack key version of What A Wonderful World for the bridesmaids and my own ki ho'alu arrangements for Richard Wagner's Bridal Chorus for the Processional and Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clark for the Recessional. I'd already had these worked out from a long time ago for my cousin' wedding back in Hawaii several years ago. All tunes were in Taropatch tuning (open G) mostly because I'm too lazy/busy to work out a lot of stuff in other keys.

The whole thing was a lot of fun, everyone dug it and everything went super smoothly. Did I mention Diana Ross was there and gave me major props?? I'm kind of kidding - Diana Ross was the name of the wedding coordinator. Oh and while I was playing ukulele at the cocktail reception, a guy came up to me and asked me if I knew Peter Moon - that was very cool!