Busy busy busy!

So much going on, haven't been blogging much - 2010 Southern California Slack Key Festival was killer, 1st Annual Los Angeles Flamenco Festival was a blast, new ukulele classes at Torrance Adult School, El Camino College and South Bay Adult School and a new acoustic guitar series at Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo starts next month! No Aloha Falsetto Festival this year because I'm waiting on final approval from the city for a big outdoor Hawaiian event I'm planning for October which will be a lot of fun! Stay tuned and be sure you and your friends are signed up on the Kala Koa email list to stay informed of not only Kala Koa events but other community happenings as well.

More to come soon!

2010 Los Angeles Flamenco Festival

2010 Los Angeles Flamenco Festival
I feel good about this event!

I'm grateful for the opportunity to put together this first annual event that will bring together some of the best flamenco artists from across the U.S. and Los Angeles. It's the intention of the Festival to create awareness of the wealth of talent we have right here in our own backyard and to present an authentic program celebrating one of the world’s richest musical legacies. It's going to be a great couple of shows!

Here's the thing: when the Festival is over, people need to know that there are lots of opportunities to enjoy live flamenco all over the city and throughout Southern California - dinner shows like at Alegria, El Cid and Tapas and regular theatrical presentations like the Fountain Theatre. I hope people will leave the Festival anxious to sign up for a flamenco dance or guitar class and to know that whether they live in Santa Monica, Orange County, Sherman Oaks or Covina, there is someone there who can teach them. They should know about online resources like Flamenco World, Jose Tanaka's online lessons and Beth Nesbitt's email list, as well as fascinating and informative books by Paco Sevilla. They can visit La Espanola Meats in Harbor City for their specially imported foodstuffs and try their hand at tapas and paella cooking classes taught by my friend Annette at the South Bay School of Cooking.

At the end of the day, this sense of community is the spirit behind the Festival and I'm counting on your support to help make this first year a success, the first of many more to come. There are so many dedicated individuals who've worked so hard over the years to bring flamenco to the greater public who deserve proper respect and recognition. I hope to get to all of them eventually.

Please help spread word about the Festival to all your friends, work colleagues, fans, and students.

Seattle Slack Key Festival

Had a blast up in Seattle at the 1st Annual Seattle Slack Key Festival organized by Cyril and Chelle Pahinui November 21-22. It was definitely nice to not have to worry about anything personally and just sit back and enjoy the sweet sounds of Hawaiian music as played by the masters of slack key!

They followed the format of the Southern California Slack Key Festival and held a dinner reception the night before the show and featured the artists jammin' together - Leabert Lindsey, Donald Kaulia and Kunia Galdeira jammed together in one of many different configurations that night. Makana and Jeff Peterson played together with Cyril on bass and that was a blast too! They had a great time and decided to work out something together for the show the next day which turned out to be a huge highlight of the Festival!
You can see photos of the event here - hope more people can make it out next time, please be sure to let your friends and family know what they missed! Photographer was a nice guy and the pictures turned out great! That's me in pic #200 and that's Aya dancing for Dennis Kamakahi at the dinner reception - the only one that got up to dance an impromptu hula to Uncle D's "Pua Hone".

Many of the artists that were there in Seattle will be returning for the 3rd Annual Southern California Slack Key Festival: Cyril and his band which will probably be Sonny Lim, Kunia, Peter Moon Jr and Greg Sardinha, Jeff Peterson, Makana. And this year will also feature Ledward Kaapana and John Cruz. More news and info to come!

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!