In this week’s newsletter:
- This week on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis - Keahi Conjugacion
- Faith Ako in concert – Reno
- Some 4th of July events in Hawai’i
- New CD by Mailani Makainai
- Hawai'i Volcanoes' 29th Annual Cultural Festival
- Hawaiian Cultural Center in Midvale, Utah
- Kona Kitchen Restaurant, Seattle
- Makana/slack key article
This week’s guest on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis is Keahi Conjugacion. A Grammy-nominated international jazz recording artist, Keahi is a member of the well-known Conjugacion family (Tony C and Brother Noland). Growing up, her home was filled with music and dance, and at a young age Keahi fell in love with the sounds of Dinah Washington and other great jazz vocalists like Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, Carmen McRae, Etta James, and Phyllis Hyman.
She started her singing career at the age of 17, singing with local Top 40 and R&B bands and recording as a background vocalist. In an effort to expand her musical horizons, she moved to Seattle, where she began appearing and recording as a jazz artist, and performed with some of the Northwest's finest jazz musicians. She returned to Hawai’i for a time, but in 2003, Keahi was asked to be a part of “Hawai'i's Legends” and to perform in New York City's Carnegie Hall. During her visit to New York she also performed in some of Harlem's legendary clubs. Inspired by the response of the audiences there, she moved to New York in 2004 and lived there for one year, performing in many of the clubs in Harlem and the West Village.
Keahi has a distinct musical personality: a true jazz singer's spontaneity and freedom mixed with a reverence for the music of Hawai`i and the bluesy stylings of the classic singers she loves so much. Her love for Hawaiian music can be heard in the way she sings a lyric and in her sensitivity to the nuances of the Hawaiian language.
Please join host Tony Solis for Pakele Live! this Thursday, July 2 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. Those in Japan can watch on J-WAVE.
(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!)
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Faith Ako will be in concert at Trader Dick’s Lounge in John Ascuaga’s Nugget, Reno, from Thursday, July 2 through Saturday, July 4, 8-11 pm.
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There are lots of events happening in Hawai’i this 4th of July weekend! Here are a few:
O’ahu
Aloha Tower Marketplace
Atrium Stage (free)
5:00 p.m. Ukulele performance by TJ & Micah and KINE Radio giveaway
6:00 p.m. “Red, White and Blue Jeans” Fashion Show by New Media Productions
Harbor Fireworks Stage, Pier 9 (free)
7:00 p.m. Pacific Fleet Band
8:00 p.m. HAPA concert
8:45 p.m. Hawaii Explosives and Pyrotechnics Fireworks Show
Throughout Aloha Tower Marketplace (free)
5 – 9 p.m. Juggler on stilts, patriotic hair art and temporary tattoos, spin art, voter registration and other activities
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant 9 p.m. 10 Feet
Chai’s Island Bistro 7 – 8 p.m. Willie K
Don Ho’s Island Grill 5:30 – 8 p.m. Mihana Souza (From 6:30 p.m. BBQ Buffet on the Harbor) Bikini Cantina 9 p.m. Johnny Rock Society
For more information, call (808) 566-2337
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Ala Moana Center 4th of July Entertainment Schedule (fireworks start at 8:30 pm at Magic Island… many thousands of people go to this one, so get there EARLY! EARLY! EARLY!):
Centerstage
12-1pm: Maunalua
2-3pm: Touch of Gold
4-5pm: Taimane Gardner
Main Stage (Makai-‘Ewa parking lot near Sears)
5:00-5:30: Anita Hall
5:35-6:05: Hoku Zuttermeister
6:10-6:40pm: Natalie A Kamauu
6:45-7:15pm: BET
7:20-7:50pm: Pali
7:55-8:30pm: Manoa DNA
And on Sunday, July 5
Centerstage
12-12:45pm: Aloha Monday Band
1:15-2pm: Peter Apo and the Rainbow Nation Band
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Maunalua Bay is holding their 2nd annual 4th of July festivities from 2-9 pm on the 4th with music by... Maunalua!
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The free Summer Concert Series at Pilila’au Army Rec. Center continues on July 4 with Darren Benitez performing from 7-10 pm. The Center is located at 85-010 Army Street in Waianae.
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Schofield Barracks - The public is invited to the 38th annual Fourth of July Spectacular on Schofield Barracks' Sills field. This is an all-day event which begins at 8 am (the fireworks start at 8:30 p.m.). The band Kansas will perform. Please see this article for important info.
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Kailua has the only 4th of July parade on O’ahu. The parade begins at 10 a.m. starting at Kainalu Elementary School and continuing on Kainalu to Kailua District Park. This year's Grand Marshal is Wally Amos, who has promised a Kazoo Band and a supply of his favorite cookies along the route. The parade will have marching bands, veterans from the armed forces, clowns and more.
A tradition in Kailua since 1948, the Annual 4th of July fireworks display had been cancelled this year. However, a group of local citizens pulled together and, with the help of local media, in just two weeks raised enough money from local businesses, the community, and supporters as far away as Germany, Japan and mainland locales such as New York, North Carolina, Maryland, California, and Oregon to put on an even bigger and better show!
The air show (stunt flying show) begins at 6 pm. The Fireworks show begins at 8 pm.
The best places to watch the fireworks: on the beach - Lanikai to Kalaheo, Kalama Beach Park or at Kailua Beach Park. (Parking will be available at Lanikai Elementary this year.)
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Turtle Bay will have a celebration for guests and locals alike on the west end lawn beginning at 3 pm. There will be games, food, booths, fireworks, etc.
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Events on neighbor islands:
MAUI
July 4th Fireworks in Lahaina – Starting at 5pm, Lahaina will begin celebrating with a free concert followed by a waterfront fireworks display at 8pm. You can see the fireworks free of charge from the waterfront.
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Trilogy (a tour boat company) will have a special July 4th fireworks excursion, with dinner. Space is limited, so reserve now!
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The Pacific Whale Foundation has several special 4th of July cruises as well. You will be able to view the fireworks displays from either cruise.
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The 44th Annual Makawao Paniolo Parade also takes place on July 4th, from 9 AM to 10 AM. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Statehood.”
KAUAI
Slack key artist Cindy Combs will be performing on July 3 at 05:30 PM at the Hanapepe Cafe in Hanapepe.
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The 20th Annual Concert in the Sky, featuring music by HAPA, will take place beginning at 4 pm at Vidinha Soccer Field in Lihue. There will be games, food, live entertainment and fireworks. (Please note: This event is a fundraiser for Kauai Hospice, so an entrance fee is required.)
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Kekaha (on Kauai’s west side) will host a free Independence Day celebration beginning July 3 at 5 pm and resuming at 6 pm on July 4. There will be games, crafts, food booths, cultural displays, live entertainment and music, and a fireworks display in the sky on the west side of Kauai. Free.
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The Kaua‘i Museum will host ‘Ohana Saturday on July 4. There will be special presentations, and admission is free for the whole family. Call (808) 245-6931 for more information.
BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
The Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Kohala Coast is hosting a number of events on July 4, including the Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race & 4th of July Extravaganza –a great line up of events all day on July 4th. They’ll have games, bands, the rubber duckie race, and fireworks set to live music.
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The Rotary Club of Kona presents the 14th Annual Kailua-Kona Independence Day Parade on July 4th starting at 5:30 p.m.
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The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Kohala Coast hosts the 20th annual Turtle Independence Day celebration on July 4th from 10:30 am until noon. This annual event features the release of young honu (sea turtles) into the wild. (The honu are received from Seal Life Park on O’ahu, and are raised in the saltwater ponds of the hotel. They are cared for until they grow to a size and weight that are deemed appropriate for release into the wild. This release occurs every July 4th at the ocean’s edge fronting the hotel.) There will be live entertainment, an educational display about green sea turtles, and a barbeque.
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Mailani Makainai’s (Keahiwai, MighTy J) long-awaited debut solo album (“Mailani”) dropped yesterday. (YAAAAY! Oh, kala mai – little editorial comment there…) The album consists of Hawaiian standards and several original compositions in both Hawaiian and English. Mailani has appeared several times on Pakele Live! (with Mighty J band mate Jenn Wright), but for those who missed those appearances, here’s video of her appearance last week on KGMB9‘s “Sunrise.” And for a review of “Mailani,” see Billy V’s recent article!
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Hawai'i Volcanoes' 29th Annual Cultural Festival is set for July 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held on the lawn fronting Kilauea Military Camp on Crater Rim Drive. The festival and park entrance are free.
This year's theme is "E Ola ka Wahine o Halema'uma'u, Pele Lives." For many native Hawaiians, Halema'uma'u crater is the sacred home of Pele, deity of volcanoes. Located at the summit of Kilauea volcano, about two miles from the festival grounds, Halema'uma'u has been in eruption since March 2008.
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Utah readers – did you know about the Hawaiian Cultural Center in Midvale? There are hula classes for all ages (with Kumu Hula Kawika Alfiche and student teachers), a library of books, CDs, and DVDs, a small store, and cultural activities of all kinds.
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Seattle area readers:
From the “Holoholo Northwest” blog of Uncle Danny (formerly of the Northwest Hawaii Times):
“They call it “Da Spam Jam” and it happens at the Kona Kitchen Restaurant in Seattle the second Saturday morning of each month….it’s a gathering of musicians who love to play Hawaiian music! They gather around 9 a.m. and eat breakfast (eggs ovah easy wit Spam and Rice is a favorite but if you real hungry, get the Kona Kitchen Hawaiian style fried rice with eggs and a side of Portagee sausage…auwe broke da mouth ono plus enough left ovah to take home fo lunch) and the musicians kanikapila until noon or so! Drop by, bring your musical instrument if you like and jam too! Good fun music and great food!”
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And finally, I found this article about Makana, with a nice explanation of slack key (details re “how it’s done”), and pictures of Makana playing in a subway station in New York City!
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Have safe and happy 4th, everyone!
E malama pono a hui hou!
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