June 24, 2009

Aloha kakou!
In today’s newsletter:

• This week on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis – Abrigo Ohana and Kalei Gamiao
• King Kamehameha Hula Competition (O’ahu)
• Ried Kapo Ku, Jim "Kimo" West and Raynard Kawika Dacoscos in concert (Denver)
• Maunalua free concert (O’ahu)
• Natalie Ai Kamauu free concert (O’ahu)
• Steven Espaniola in concert (Stanford, CA)
• Patrick Landeza Project in concert (Eugene OR and Kenmore WA)
• Ledward Kaapana, John Cruz (Grass Valley, CA)
• Ledward Kaapana (Copper Mountain, CO)
• Ukulele Festival (Waikiki)
• Makaha Sons (Florida, Chicago area, Spokane, Toronto)
• Willie K and Makana (CA)
• Kalama Heritage Festival (WA)
• More on Andy Bumatai

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week’s guests on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis are the ever-popular Abrigo Ohana (6 p.m.), and 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominee Kalei Gamiao (7 p.m.).

The Abrigo Ohana consists of Timi (age 14) on vocals, slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, Emily (age 11) on vocals and ‘ukulele, and Quinn (age 6) on pakini bass. These talented keiki are a hit wherever they perform, and their beyond-their-years-skills invoke a common refrain of: “They’re how old?” Influenced and inspired by guitar masters old and new, including Gabby Pahinui, Ledward Kaapana, George Kahumoku, Jr., Chino Montero and more, Timi continues to build upon his mastery of slack guitar on a daily basis. Emily’s biggest inspiration is the late Aunty Genoa Keawe, who she considers the best vocalist in Hawaiian music. A self-taught leo ki’eki’e (falsetto) singer, Emily’s performances of classics such as “I Kona” and “Alika” are sure to bring chicken skin! Young Quinn plays the bass line for his brother and sister, and more recently has been known to add a few vocals to the mix.


Kalei Gamiao - who at the age of 20 released his debut album “Contemporary ‘Ukulele,” which garnered both a 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nomination and a live performance at the awards ceremony - is another young musician who inspires awe in those hear him play, especially for the first time. I like to tell the story of his performance at a large outdoor concert some months ago, where hundreds of people had gathered and were talking, laughing, eating and having fun – and not necessarily paying close attention to the musicians onstage. However, when Kalei began to play solo, a noticeable quiet descended over the crowd as they stopped to listen to him share his phenomenal musical talents. A composer and arranger who writes much of his own material, Kalei’s talent is quickly being acknowledged not only by fans, but also by some of the greats in Hawaiian music and beyond – a true compliment to any musician.

Please join host Tony Solis for Pakele Live! this Thursday, June 25 from 6-8 p.m. HST at the Pakele Lounge in the Ala Moana Hotel (410 Atkinson Dr., Honolulu). It’s free, and free parking is available next door at Ala Moana shopping center. Drinks are available for purchase, but as I’ve mentioned previously, the hotel is no longer serving food.

You may also watch live online at: http://www.pakelelive.com/

Those in Japan can watch at: http://www.j-wave.co.jp/

(If you watch online, don’t forget to email the show at pakele@lava.net to say hi and let us know you’re watching – and from what part of the world!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 36th Annual King Kamehameha Hula Competition takes place at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27. For ticket information, visit the State Council on Hawaiian Heritage website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ancient Hawai'i meets the New Age! Ried Kapo Ku, Jim "Kimo" West and Raynard Kawika Dacoscos will be playing at the International New Age Trade Show’s ho'olaule'a in Denver on Saturday, June 27, 6-9 pm. There will also be drummers, hula dancers and a fire-knife dancer. For general information, please call 800-710-8859.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Maunalua is this week’s guest at the free Summer Concert Series at Pilila’au Army Rec. Center in Waianae (O’ahu). The Series runs every Saturday from 7-10 pm during the months of June, July, & August. The Center is located at 85-010 Army Street (heading Makaha, turn left after Aloha Gas Station) – there’s free parking in front or to the side of the club. Dinner is served nightly until 9pm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natalie Ai Kamauu is the guest at this Sunday’s (6/28) free Na Mele No Na Pua
concert on the Waikiki Beach Walk’s Plaza Stage. The concert begins at 5 pm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steven Espaniola will be in concert at the Reller Summer Concert Series at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto on Tuesday, June 30 at 12:30pm. (There will also be hula!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Patrick Landeza Project (Hawaiian Slack Key and Beyond) will be in concert at the WOW Hall in Eugene, OR on July 1. Patrick made his WOW Hall debut in December 2002 supporting Cyril Pahinui. Patrick has returned to teaching high school in Oakland, CA, but continues to play ki ho’alu (slack key) concerts and teach ki ho’alu throughout the U.S. and beyond. Tickets for this concert are $14 advance, $15 door, and $20 for front row reserved (available only at WOW Hall). Doors open at 7:30 pm and the show starts 8:00. For more information please call (541) 687-2746. TICKETS.

Patrick and his band will also perform from 6-8 pm at the Summer Concert Series in Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore, WA on July 2. Admission is FREE, and so is parking. You can either bring food or buy some there, but no alcohol is permitted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a reminder that in addition to the tour I previously mentioned with Ledward Kaapana, John Cruz and Hapa, Led and John will be playing separate sets at the CA WorldFest (July 16-19) in Grass Valley, CA

Here is the schedule for each – it looks like event organizers have them playing together for the final set!

Ledward Kaapana, Sunday, July 19: 11:30 AM Oak Grove Stage, 2:00 PM Discovery Stage, 6:00 PM Spotlight Stage

John Cruz, Sunday, July 19: 12:30 PM Sierra Stage, 3:30 PM Discovery Stage, 6:00 PM Spotlight Stage

KVMR 89.5 FM Nevada City will again be broadcasting live (radio and internet) from the festival, but as has been the case in years past, there’s no guarantee the artist you want to hear will be playing on one of the broadcast stages at the time that stage is on the air…

There’s always a lot of great music at this Festival – and you don’t have to buy a 4 day pass. You can do anything from camping out for the entire festival to buying a one day pass. Other performers scheduled to appear at WorldFest are Joe Craven, Tommy Emmanuel, Indigo Girls, Jackie Greene, Los Lobos, and dozens more!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ledward continues to add other (solo) appearances to his mainland tour. In addition to those I’ve mentioned previously, he will also play a free concert at the Guitar Town Main Stage in Copper Mountain, CO on August 8 at 1 pm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The lineup has been announced for the 39th Annual Ukulele Festival in Waikiki (July 19, Kapiolani Park Bandstand, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm). Among those scheduled to appear are:

Kenneth Makuakane
Palolo (Troy Fernandez, Nathan Nahinu and Chino Montero)
Bill Tapia (now 101 yrs old!)
Holunape
Natalie Ai Kamauu
Ohta San
Taimane Gardner

There will also be performers from Japan, Canada, San Diego and… Sweden!

One of the amenities I like about this festival is that unlike many other large events held in Kapiolani Park, this one offers free parking and shuttle service at nearby Kapiolani Community College! If you’re going, get there early – dozens of Roy Sakuma’s young students make up the ‘Ukulele Festival Band, and entire families are there to support each student – so it can get very crowded, very quickly!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For my friends in Florida, Chicago area, Spokane and Toronto, the Makaha Sons are heading your way this summer!

On August 1 they will be at the Hilton in concert at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista FL) as part of the Ho’ike Hawai’i 2009 Hula Competition PURCHASE TICKETS.

They will be in Naperville IL on Saturday August 8 (7 pm, No. Central College, Wentz Concert Hall PURCHASE TICKETS.

On August 27 they’ll be at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane WA at 7 pm PURCHASE TICKETS.

On Sept. 18 and 19 they’ll be in Toronto at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre at 7 pm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The CA appearance last year by Willie K and Makana was such a big hit, they’ve decided to do it again! They’ll be performing at Rancho Nicasio (Nicasio, CA) Sunday August 23rd. Tickets are $20 and a lu’au is included.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Makaha Sons are the headliners for this year’s Kalama Heritage Festival, which takes place August 28-30 in Kalama WA. The Sons concert takes place Saturday Aug. 29, and also includes Keahi Conjugacion and Cyril Pahinui. For festival information and the link to purchase tickets to the concert or lu’au, please visit the Festival’s website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And finally.... need more reasons to follow @AndyBumatai on Twitter or go see him when he performs live in San Francisco? I recently saw a headline on Twitter that said “Journey to a Cure” – it was about kidney disease, but those who know me best won’t be at all surprised to learn my first thought was “GREAT CONCERT!” I posted the following tweet: “Saw headline 'Journey to a Cure' & thought "great concert!" Like a lineup the late, great Bill Graham would put together...”

Andy saw that and “retweeted” it (reposted on Twitter, making it available for all his followers to see), and then began the following series of tweets that had me laughing out loud (music fans will appreciate them):

(from Andy) @LynnPiccoli News/Rock Headline: Cars ignore White Stripes.
(from Andy) @LynnPiccoli News/Rock Headline: Killers find Oasis
(from Andy) @LynnPiccoli News/Rock Headline: Carpenter Disturbed with Nine Inch Nails
(from me) I've created a monster? ROFL - keep 'em coming! RT @AndyBumatai: @LynnPiccoli News/Rock Headline: Carpenter Disturbed with Nine Inch Nails

(the rest are from Andy): News/Rock Headline: Doobie Brothers Kiss Goo Goo Dolls
Fake Rock Headline: Limp Bizkit Korn with Pearl Jam
Fake Rock Headline: Los Lobos Misfits with Melvins
Fake Rock Headline: Rolling Stones Smash Mouth No Doubt
Fake Rock Headline: Grateful Dead Ramones The Replacements
Fake Rock Headlines: Motley Crue No Doubt Nobody's Angel
Fake Rock Headlines: 10,000 Maniacs Talking Heads NSync
Fake Rock Headlines: Porno For Pyros Goldfinger Pussycat Dolls

(Andy will be appearing live at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco on August 8. See my last newsletter for details.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pau for now - e malama pono a hui hou!