July 28, 2009

Aloha kakou!
In today’s newsletter:

• This week on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis - Kamuela Kahoano
• Natalie Ai Kamauu on Hawaiian Concert Guide
• La’ie Days – Weldon Kekauoha (O’ahu)
• Jerry Santos – San Francisco
• Cecilio and Kapono Tour
• Billy V/Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (IZ)
• "MC Lina Girl, Beat Master Davey & Carlton V"

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This week’s guest on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis is Kamuela Kahoano.

Son of long-time radio and TV personality Kimo Kahoano, Kamuela began playing the ‘ukulele at age 6. He subsequently learned other instruments, including guitar. Kamuela spent much of his childhood mastering the compositional techniques of artists like Ka’au Krater Boys, Dave Matthews, U2, the Beatles, Bob Marley, and countless others. His performances feature a wide variety of genres, from traditional Hawaiian to folk, reggae/ska, rock, pop, R&B and more. He’s also known for his wit and spontaneous banter on stage.

A self-taught composer until age 20, Kamuela entered the College of Music Composition at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on scholarship and with no prior training. Less than 3 years later he had evolved into a classical music theory buff. He also entered the University of Hawaii Chamber and Symphony Choirs, and had completed four large-scale symphonic works by age 23. He has composed over 200 songs, is the creator of Green Light Go/Kahoano Productions company, and his first Green Light Go CD was nominated for a 2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Award in the Best Rock Album category.

You can find Kamuela playing nightly at a variety of venues in the Waikiki area, either as a solo artist, with a band, or with Hawai’i Music Award winner and Na Hoku nominee Tahiti Rey. He’s also in demand as a performer at weddings! When he’s not performing or composing, his production company keeps him busy. Here’s an example of a great music video he produced (and performs in) to promote summer fun for keiki in Hawai’i.

And here he is performing his original song “Manalani” at the Kani Ka Pila Grille.

(Fun fact: one of Kamuela’s brothers is Ikaika Kahoano, an original member of the group O-Town, from the first season of MTV’s “Making the Band.” He makes a brief appearance in the “Lenny and the SKIM” video above.)

Join host Tony Solis for Pakele Live! this Thursday, July 30, from 6-8 p.m. HST in the Pakele Lounge at the Ala Moana Hotel (410 Atkinson Dr., Honolulu). It’s free, all ages are welcome, and free parking is available next door at Ala Moana Shopping Center. (The hotel no longer serves food, but drinks are available for purchase.)

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

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

You may email the show at pakele@lava.net

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Natalie Ai Kamauu, the 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner for Female Vocalist, did a wonderful, one hour interview with Piko and Puni on Hawaiian Concert Guide Sunday night. (Those of us who listened live had a great time in the HCG chat room!) Nat tells wonderful stories, both funny and poignant, but during this interview (conducted by phone), she alternated between accidentally hitting the “mute” button on her phone and doing something that caused a loud screeching noise – which had us all laughing so hard we were crying (and made for several hilarious comments in the chat room, by one listener in particular…) If you have a moment, the show is well worth listening to – it was one of the best HCG interviews ever! Here’s the link to the podcast.
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The La’ie Days Summer Bash will be held Friday, July 31 from 6-10 pm at La’ie Shopping Center. This free, annual event features entertainment, carnival rides, and more. One of this year’s featured performers is multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner Weldon Kekauoha, who is scheduled to perform from 7-8 pm.


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Earlier this year, I mentioned that Jerry Santos (founder of Olomana) would be making a rare concert appearance in San Francisco. Tickets are now on sale! Presented by Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne & Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, the concerts (with hula) take place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Saturday, October 17 (8pm) and Sunday, October 18 (2pm). Tickets are $35/$40 reserved, and are available at City Box Office.
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Cecilio & Kapono have announced the tour dates and venues for the C&K Tour 2009. They recently spent several days in Japan, and will begin the U.S. portion of tour with three dates at the Hawai’i Theater August 27-29. They then move to the mainland to play Colorado, Oregon, California and Nevada, with more cities to be added. See their website for specific dates/venues.
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Several days ago, our own Billy V (Hawaiian 105 KINE, KGMB9 Sunrise, Voice of UH Athletics, and MC of the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and a good portion of all the other events happening on O’ahu) posted a video taken from a very special moment in Hawaiian music. In case you didn’t see the post on Twitter or Facebook (or the repost by many other people), here is the link. And here is the comment Billy posted with the video:

"OK people. I know it’s Sunday, time to rejoice and rest, but this video going make you cry and smile with love and pride. Found this when one of my "friends" updated their status - I was working the Na Hoku Hanohano Award this special night while Israel Kamakawiwo’ole was singing, and was joined by the Makaha Sons Moon, John & Jerome. It’s one of the defining moments of Hawn Music, of Ho’oponopono..."

Billy expressed concern that this video might not be available much longer, as he’d noticed that others of Israel’s (and others in Hawaiian music) that had been part of any live television broadcast had been taken down. (Warning: have tissue available when you view it! Although you may have seen it before, it never fails to touch your heart.)
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To lighten things back up a bit, here’s a hilarious video of “MC Lina Girl, Beat Master Davey & Carlton V” (a.k.a. radio hosts Lina Girl, Davey D and Billy V), from last weekend’s Birthday Bash here in Hawai’i (kala mai - I don’t know if you can view the video if you don’t have a Facebook account).
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Pau for now! E malama pono a hui hou!