Kalapana coming to Los Angeles December 5th!

Who from Hawaii does not have fond memories of growing up listening to the amazing music of Kalapana? "Naturally", "Nightbird", "The Hurt", and SO much more - Kalapana is by far one of the most original and endearing bands Hawaii has ever seen.

FINALLY - now they're coming to Los Angeles to celebrate their 35th Anniversary with a concert extravaganza at the USC Galen Center, with special guests Ten Feet and Three Plus - all together in ONE SHOW December 5th! Hawaiian Island Creations presents "Go Barefoot in Paradise

Purchase your tickets using the code KALAKOA and you'll be entered to win a pair of tickets to the 2010 Southern California Slack Key Festival ($90 value). If you've already purchased your Slack Key Festival tickets, you will be eligible to win the equivalent value of merchandise at the new Turtle Beach store in Gardena which carries the largest selection of Hawaiian Island Creations surf apparel anywhere in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

Got fun memories of watching/listening/growing up with Kalapana? Submit your stories here - we all have some!

Click here or on the screenshot above to watch Malani singing the band's classic hit "Naturally" on YouTube

For more concert info click here

Leokane Pryor's Maunahele CD Re-released

The Honolulu Advertiser's Wayne Harada writes, "He's blessed with a gorgeous falsetto that soars where rainbows arch the skies..." A limited release in 2001 created quite a stir in the Hawaiian music world. The Mountain Apple Company is proud to re-release Maunahele and share the talents of this exciting newcomer with fans new and old. If you didn't get your copy of the CD at the 2009 Aloha Falsetto Festival in Redondo Beach, be sure to order one HERE

It was such a pleasure having Leokane at the last Aloha Falsetto Festival - what a warm and pleasant person to have around, not to mention, a GREAT entertainer! Definitely one of the highlights of the show, it makes me proud to have him as a friend. Do yourself a favor and check out his music today!

E Hula Mau - Hawaiian Hula Competition this weekend!

This Friday through Sunday, it's the 15th annual E Hula Mau Hula and Chant competition, the only one of its kind in Southern California. It's three days of hula, mele (song), arts, crafts, food, and fellowship, held in the beautiful Terrace Theater of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center - participating halau come from all over the mainland United States.

Friday is dedicated to solo performances, Saturday focuses on "kahiko" hula (which is the traditional, chanting kind and Sunday is filled with "'auana", or modern, performances, which means non-traditional instruments like guitar, piano, etc. accompany the dance. You might not have realized that there was a traditional and a modern style to hula - that's why you should come check this out!

Cool thing about E Hula Mau is that there are also vendors outside in the courtyard area and lobby so you can browse/shop/eat without needing a ticket to go in the auditorium. There are also live performances outside in the courtyard as well as lei making workshops and other arts and crafts activities. Parking isn't cheap, I think it's 10 bucks to park in the structure but, well, what are you gonna do, it's downtown Long Beach.

The Beatles Uke CD now out

My buddies over at Solid Air Records have a cool new CD out - Greg Hawkes (keyboardist for the Cars) recorded a CD called "The Beatles Uke" which "blends multiple ukuleles and studio wizardry to create magical interpretations of Beatles classics". Everyone i've played it for loves it and it's got a lot of songs you don't normally hear like "Piggies", "Blue Jay Way" and "Honey Pie" - i have to admit that i am totally unfamiliar with these tunes.

THE BEATLES UKE
Perhaps the freshest take ever on the fab four...Greg Hawkes, the keyboard wizard from The CARS, creates wonderfully amazing and magical interpretations of Beatles classics...on ukulele! from the artist... "What's that, you say? A collection of Beatles songs played entirely on ukuleles? Are you crazy? Well, that may be, but here it is, an album of Beatle songs played in Ukesymphonic style, using multitracked ukeleles to create a ukulele orchestra. Perhaps it's not such a far-fetched idea after all, George Harrison as a well known ukulele enthusiast, and could be considered teh spiritual leader of the current wave of interest in the instrument. I saw Paul McCartney play a very touching tribute to George on his most recent tour (using a ukulele that had been given to him by George). I've seen pictures of all four Beatles holding ukes. I was part of an entire generation that grew up with The Beatles. My first concert was seeing the Beatles in 1964. They changed my life. Indeed, they changed the world." ...Greg Hawkes All you need is Ukes!

Hawaiian music e-newsletters now archived and accessible

Just figured out how to set up an archive for past e-newsletters for those who read this blog but might not be sure if you'd like to sign up on the email list. Please click on this link to view past e-newsletters and if you have any ideas, suggestions or comments on what you'd like to see, be sure to let me know!

Newsletters contain info on upcoming events covering not only the Hawaiian community but the Redondo Beach and South Bay areas as well. Subscribe to read about new events, stores, restaurants, enter to win cool prizes, try some delicious island recipes...from time to time you can also enjoy interviews with some of Hawaii's top performing and recording artists who appear in various Kala Koa Entertainment events such as Cyril Pahinui, Jeff Peterson, Makana, Jim "Kimo" West, Owana Salazar, Dennis Kamakahi, Bobby Moderow, John Keawe and many more!

Pictured L to R: Jeff Peterson, Torie Brown (our #1 fan!), Steven Espaniola

KPCF presents the Kilohana Dance Company in Na Ali'i: Hawaiian Monarchy

Ke Po'okela Cultural Foundation

Na Ali'i: Hawaiian Monarchy

Sat. August 29, 8:30 p.m. at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood - a Hawaiian music & dance extravaganza!

My good friend kumu hula Rolanda Reese will be debuting her Kilohana Dance Company at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood this month!

Na Ali'i: Hawaiian Monarchy is a tribute to the Kings and Queens of Hawaii - from King Kamehameha to Queen Lili’uokalani - whose saga will be eloquently expressed in mesmerizing dance movement as performed by the Kilohana Dance Company, choreographed and directed by Kumu Hula Rolanda Reese and set to live music by renowned Hawaiian Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning musicians: Horace Dudoit III, Chris Kamaka (as in Kamaka 'ukulele) and Glen Smith.

This special performance marks the debut of the Kilohana Dance Company at the Ford - 35 beautiful hula dancers performing traditional and contemporary dances, plus a special choir from the First Samoan Congregational Christian Church singing traditional 5-part harmony. Kumu hula Patrick Makuakane, whose dance company has performed at Carnegie Hall, will narrate the event.

This event is presented by the Ke Po'okela Cultural Foundation and is a part of the Target Dance Series in the beautiful outdoor Ford Amphitheatre nestled in the Hollywood Hills.

Tickets: Adults $35, Student/child $5

To purchase tickets:

Phone: 323-461-3673

email: mjbenrahm@aol.com

http://www.fordtheatres.org/en/events/090829_2030.asp

Please feel free to post any thoughts or comments and be sure to sign up on the email list so we can keep you informed of future events

2009 Aloha Falsetto Festival on the Hawaiian Concert Guide

If you haven't listened to the Hawaiian Concert Guide podcast yet, you've been missing out on some great Hawaiian music and artist interviews! Take a listen to this past episode where HCG host Piko catches some of the performers at the 2009 Aloha Falsetto Festival like Bryan Tolentino, Richard Ho'opi'i and Leokane Pryor and also gets a few bootleg recordings from inside the auditorium with his iPhone (which sounded great!)

Piko created the podcast with the main purpose of getting the word out about Hawaiian entertainers performing off-island and around the world while at the same time getting their music out there for new listeners to discover. He likes to play an artist's whole CD a few tracks at a time from week to week. His co-host Puni is a wonderful companion to the show - a wealth of information on Hawaiian legends, hula personalities and island music, she adds a lot of depth to the show, for sure. 

Check it out! They record the podcast every Sunday evening starting at 8pm PST and you can tune in at that time and listen live. Watch a live video feed and join other listeners/viewers in the live chat room where you can even send in a request for a song!