Years ago I made my first trip to Hawaii, and fell in love with this music. The album Guava Jam is a classic, and worth getting if you like this. Cazimero brothers and Peter Moon.
The second video is Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Braddah Iz) who died in 1997 at the young age of 38. I only recently stumbled on Iz’s music.
Hell, I fell in love with the real thing! Guava Jam, on an English Muffin, slathered with butter. It just doesn’t get much better.
Bill, when I was there we used to get up early in the morning and pick guavas along the roadside, and bring them home where our host would blend us up a guava smoothie with breakfast, those are great memories.
On my first and only trip to Oahu, tuned the rental car radio to a Hawaiian music channel for the whole visit.
There’s something very relaxing and peaceful about ukulele, slack key guitar and Hawaiian vocals.
I’m a fan of Peter Moon and Iz.
When I need some random variety, I tune into “Hawaiian Radio” on Pandora.
Hapa has a unique sound.
Give a listen to Kapena and Hapa. There is an FM station that broadcasts over the internet on Maui. I’ll look up the call sign for you. Best way to wet your whistle old and new.
Would very much like to have that Maui FM internet radio link.
Marchia Morey turned me on to Peter Moon and Guava Jam on Facebook.
Hawaii is unique. Being a small place, many of us natives have only 1 or 2 degrees separation.
I was lucky to have gone to the same school as the Caz brothers. They are a bit older, but the Sunday Manoa would come and play when they first started. Over the years I’ve been lucky to get to know Robert. Several of my friends and classmates dance hula for him, and he often participates in my high school class events.
Peter Moon died recently. He was messed up from a stroke and wasn’t seen for years. Roland Cazimero died last year, he was also sick for several years. When Roland got sick Robert cut back his live performances. He only plays on Full moon nights now, at least that’s what he told me. My classmates often go down and will do impromptu hula for him. Always a great time when we have a class reunion and go see him.
It has been on my list to go to Merrie Monarch at least once before it gets too late.
There is a guy in Oakland, Ca. that has a Halau that is pretty impressive. His name is Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu. He has some interesting hulas and a very powerful voice in a semi-traditional style. Love to listen to his chants and beats. It’s like listening to cadence…can’t keep still. Ledward Kaapana is a favorite too. Thumbs up to Hapa for some nice blends.
My wife’s cousin dances for Cazimero…
Small world.
Bet we know some of the same people.
Robert started his Halau (hula studio) when I was still in High School. I think he only taught men. Quite a few if not all of the original members were friends from school. My wife took lessons from Robert’s teacher for a short while, but when we moved, she quit. We used to live a block away from the hula studio. My family has a connection to the hula dancers going back to the early '30s maybe late '20s.
Mark is awesome! He is a rebel and often gets heat for his style. Led is da man! Probably one of the last of the great slack key players. Ledward and Nedward (twins) are from Kalapana on the big island. It was a very remote area when they were young.
They used to have a group called Hui Ohana with their cousin Dennis Pavao. Hui Ohana was a great group, worth checking out.
I saw Ledward K. perform at the Westwood, Ca. Veteran’s Hospital several years ago for many of the critically wounded and infirm. It was the single most moving thing I had witnessed to that point. I’m typing with tears in my eyes remembering. There weren’t any dry eyes that day. He came early for a show to play for those hospitalized. A huge example of compassion and caring. Aloha at it’s best and biggest. Amazing.
Sometimes various Slack Key and Hawaiian performers will do a quick West Coast Mainland tour. Starting in Seattle or Portland and going South. Hitting various clubs and venues. Quite a few years back I saw Hapa at Mother’s in SLO complete with a single Hula dancer and a chanter. Quick $$$$ down 101 to SAN Diego and then Home. Kapena could easily play a Club in a Place like Branson for a month. But they get homesick. There are several world class musicians on the Islands. They don’t leave Home very long and have NO desire to transplant to Hollyweird. I was in a club once in Kihei to see Willie K and Stephen Stills was in the audience and later joined Willie on stage. Willie can do “Old Style” with the best of them(falsetto too), but he is a world class guitar player. Never makes Rolling Stones “Top 100” though. Speaking of “Willies”; Willie Nelson’s son is the man every time someone like Boz Skaggs comes to the Islands and needs a lead guitar. Saw Boz once at the MAC. Every member of his over size band was local Island talent including the horns. Willies Son did the riff on “Lend Me a Dime” and didn’t miss a lick. Willie Nelson puts on a once a year benefit for the Maui Waldorf School that features every musician that’s ever called Maui home.
If you really want to treat yourself; plan a trip to the Islands late summer when the Slack Key Festival is on at Ala Moana. (If they still have it). Ran into Santa Cruz local George Winston there one year. He promotes Slack Key and has recorded a lot of unknowns and gotten them the recognition they deserve. Ray Kane being one. Yeah I know I’m name dropping. But all in an effort to to turn Sways Bros onto great music.
The original Kapena was Kelly boy De Lima and Tiva and Timo Tatofi. I think that Kelly Boy was one of the people responsible for the resurgence in the popularity of the Ukulele as a lead instrument. Those boys could jam, but they got too much into the Jawaiian style. The Tatofi brothers left and Kelly’s kids took over. Kapena is now a family band. When I went to San Diego last year Kelly Boy and his family were on the same flight, so I had a chance to say hi. Thought they were doing a tour, but he said they were going holoholo (holiday) and enjoy.
Sadly Raymond Kane passed away a while ago.
Willie K just finished Chemo for lung cancer. There were benefit concerts on Maui and Oahu last week to help raise funds. Willie is a great musician, he can play Hendrix, country, and Hawaiian slack key. He’s a good composer too. Willie’s brother John and I are HS classmates, Willie is a year younger. The whole family as raised as entertainers. John would often play guitar and sing with 2 other guys at school. Willie can blow your socks off, he’s that good.
We’re losing a lot of the great musicians right now. Many to age, and others to cancer. Martin Pahinui, son of the great Gabby Pahinui recently died from Cancer, his brother Cyril is in bad shape. Martin played with Peter Moon in several of his bands.
I’m not sure if the slack key festival is still at McCoy Pavillion at Ala Moana Park. It’s been held at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center recently. Maui has very good music festivals, much more there than on Oahu.
Right now the kids a generation or 2 behind me are stepping up, and they are playing music, not Jawaiian, the reggae influenced crap that my generation started in the late '70s. Many have jazz chops and really understand their instruments well. Hopefully they won’t forget the old style I grew up listening to.
If you want to see cool guitar playing check out CandyRat records on youtube. Lots of creative virtuoso solo guitar players.
The original Hapa was Keli’i Kaneali’i and Barry Flanagan. Barry moved to Hawaii to learn Hawaiian style slack key. My cousin’s ex-wife Wailani is Keli’i’s niece and she met Barry first. She was a hula dancer and her family are all in the entertainment business. She was the one who got the 2 of them together, and that eventually became Hapa. Those 2 broke up a while ago, but the original songs are still very popular. Barry is another gifted guitar player.
Wailani’s mother was with Hawaiian Airline’s promotional band, and they toured all over the world promoting Hawaii. Wailani and Kyle’s wedding reception was incredible. 4 or 5 good local groups played and a lot of girls she danced with came up to dance. They moved to Lahaina where my Aunt has a home on the water next to Puamana. Sadly like Hapa, they are not together anymore, but they still live on Maui in the Hawaiian Homes area in Waehu.
Thanks for that tidbit Shark Country. More than one romance has either started or ended at Puamana. Barry’s guitar looks like something he bought second hand from Willie Nelson.
Thank you and sorry to here this bad news. God Bless them all. So much great Aloha.
These three stations stream from Maui and offer a wide variety of music from the “Old Hawaiian Style”. To what is known as “Jawaiian”. I think 93.5 was the one I listened to most. These three will offer you something to your liking and exspose you to the wide range of Hawaiian music. — KPOA 93.5 — Kiss FM 99.9 and Island 98.5. They may have changed formats, don’t know. I think Island 98.5 is an Ihart station so they are always subject to some form of BS. lowel