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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
 Posted - 02/14/2005 : 7:15:32 PM
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RJS, Thanks for saying what others might have been thinking. We should just leave it at that and not start second-guessing the category's voters and where they're coming from. The larger world of recording arts will never understand the nuances of Hawaiian history, both recent and ancient. And only one award leaves one winner and four nominees.
Today, it's three cheers for our favorite corner of Hawaiian music. Jesse Tinsley |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 7:40:15 PM
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Well said Jesse. The addition of the Hawaiian music category was no simple feat (nearly 20 years of lobbying.) From my perspective, Hawaiian music and Hawai`i won. The five nominees won the opportunity to share their music with the larger mainstream music industry. As Robert Cazimero said, "The secret is out about Hawaiian music." This is exciting.
RJS, I know your not dicounting what I've said. I'm just trying to follow Jesse's suggestion to leave it at that.
quote:
Originally posted by hapakid
We should just leave it at that and not start second-guessing the category's voters and where they're coming from.
No allusion intended on the Hawaiian grammy, but remember when Jethro Tull (with mandolin and flute) won the new category "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal"? Now that one defies understanding. |
Andy |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2005 : 11:53:34 PM
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Here's my two cents. I think it's a good thing that there is finally a Hawaiian category. Over the years I can remember attending several HARAS meetings at the Hawaii Musicians Union to examine the possibility of a Grammy for Hawaiian Music, the first meeting was over twenty years ago. It's taken that long to come this far.
I know that there are a lot of people here in Hawaii who are disappointed that their favorite artists didn't win, that's too bad. But the Grammy's epitomize all of those principles of successful business ventures as they are applied on a large scale. It is media driven, very high profile and comes with years of bragging rights. It represents for some the highest achievement within the entertainment industry. For Slack key in general this is great.
We already know that not everybody is happy, but Grammy voting does not occur in a vacuum, although it may seem like it. NARAS membership is around 18,000. Hawaii has 90 members. What may be the prevailing point of view in one region may not represent the view of all eligible voters in all the NARAS chapters.
The US mainland is the best market in the world to sell too, that's why there is almost always a trade deficit. Hawaii is a small market in comparison. Most of the record companies do not think on a national let alone global scale. When we compare the different artists and their particular sub grouping within Hawaiian music, with the exception of Jon DeMello's Mountain Apple Company, there is no thought beyond Hawaii's shores for sales. But when we start looking at influences on some forms of Hawaiian music from outside of Hawaii the picture changes and it becomes clear that one genre of Hawaiian music has been consistently marketed on the mainland for twenty years and that is slack key.
From the voter's point of view, Slack Key in general, as a genre of both Hawaiian music and guitar, has achieved a higher profile world wide, than any of the other candidates in the category of Hawaiian Music -- courtesy of George Winston. George as a good guy and fairly high profile artist has made a consistent effort for about two decades now to promote slack key worldwide and that is an advantage that the other artists in this category did not have. Charlie Brotman's Palm Records was able to benefit in this situation by riding on George's coattails. This I see as a good thing for slack key, because it represents a conscious validation of the genre within the marketplace -- it means that people are aware that Hawaiian music is so much more than just "Tiny Bubbles" and jawaiian.
For the other Hawaiian artists it becomes a matter of brand name recognition. If you do not have the benefit of advance PR, it means a tremendous effort must be made become a known entity. That is why successful bands and artists tour -- to build their market. You cannot achieve much without touring nationally, doing the necessary PR and trying to get airplay.
My vote though honestly was for the other artists -- they had better production value, and I really heard nothing new on Slack Key Volume II. Still, I think this is a major step forward for us.
Peter M
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 05:48:08 AM
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Excellent statement, Peter...and I heard another interesting comment from an island music industry member -- "by giving the Grammy to Brotman's CD, multiple musicians were acknowledged" (even though the Grammy goes only to the producer, not the musicians involved).
Ten "kudos" for the price of one award!  |
Auntie Maria
===================
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 09:50:05 AM
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I am happy, too, that Hawaiian music is getting some more Mainland recognition. Reminds me of when "Soul" music finaly got it's own Grammy and now there are several Grammy's for related music categories. This is a big improvement and can be improved upon even further next year if we keep our focus on the positive things.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 10:06:41 AM
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A big "Right on" for the "Hawaiian" Grammy category but I feel it the winning albums should have contain the Hawaiian Language. Slack Key guitar is kind of indigenous to Hawaii but the language is Hawaii. I consider myself a Slack key guitarist but I know to deeply understand the Hawaiian culture one must experience the language.
Slack key guitar instumentals can and should compete in all Grammy categories it may qualify for. Sadly, the success of Hawaiian Language albums will probibly be limited to one Grammy category. Alohas |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 11:40:46 AM
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I think the HARAS Board should consider lobbying for at least one other category -- something on the order of:
- Hawaiian music with at least 75% Hawaiian language
- Music steming from Hawaiian traditions, including instrumentals, as well as vocals dealing with Hawaiian themes or traditions but not having 75% in the Hawaiian language.
Keola D. had an intersting observation -- he thought that with the small number of voters and the high quality of a couple other entries, votes for the other albums "canceled" each other out.
For the record, I am grateful for the Hawaiian grammy, and for the extra publicity for slack key. I am also very happy for the artists who recorded the winning album. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 11:46:45 AM
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Come now Raymond, surely you're intelligent enough to realize that the Grammys have absolutely nothing to do with which album is most deserving of the win? Once this fact settles in let me know and I'll gently break the truth about the Oscars to you. 
Regardless, congratulations to both the winner and the runners up...all excellent albums deserving of the attention they received. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 02/15/2005 11:48:25 AM |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 12:05:16 PM
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Well said, I agree with CPatch. I'm just happy Slack Key, & Hawaiian music was recognized.
Everytime I tell people I play Hawaiian music, or that I love Hawaiian music. I hear the same stupid reply. "oh do you mean Tiny Bubbles?" (or some other hapa-haole crap) Nice to know the Mainland is getting exposed to quality Hawaiian music in general. Hopefully, it will continue to grow.
-slkho |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 12:23:08 PM
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Questions (and I apologise if the answers are hidden somewhere in this thread and I didn't catch them, and I admit to never, ever, having paid any attention to Grammys before): who is allowed to vote within a certain category? Is it the whole "academy"? Is it some "sponsoring" group, such as HARA? Or what?
I just learned today (from amh) that there has been about a gazillion minor categories, such as "Best female soloist in a Hair Band from Seattle who doesn't use foul language" or some such thing. So, who knows enough about these things to vote for them with *some* pretense of expertise?
And, maybe, Peter, can you amplify your comments on marketing, since the biz thing is a black hole to me: Why would I buy a CD that had a Grammy sticker on it? With so many categories, does anybody really pay attention to it? And, is the "Grammy" sticker nearly as important as a Dancing Cat imprimatur?
Finally, besides people who live in, or visit the Islands a lot, and people like us, who knows about the winner of the Hawaiian music category.
...Reid |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 3:51:41 PM
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For us in Hawaii, the Grammy’s represent the best opportunity to counter the stereotypical views of Hawaiian music as propagated by the media over many decades. The most prevalent view dates back ninety years to the 1915 San Francisco World’s Fair when Hawaiian music and the hula were first introduced to mass media. From that year Hawaii would be associated seemingly forever to the sound of the steel guitar. Another view is the linkage and unabashed commercialism of Tin Pan Alley to the development of Hapa Haole music at approximately the same period. These views would be reinforced through movies (Dorothy Lamoure, Bing Crosby, Elvis, etc.) and Hawaii Calls with Arthur Godfrey and Webley Edwards. Another view is the bundling of Tahitian oteas and aparimas with Hawaiian hula, as if all Polynesians are the same. Don Ho’s rise to the top of the charts in the mid 60’s is still imprinted on many people’s minds. And I know personally that Don is an advocate of change. It’s been forty years since Don Ho made his mark in popular music. These are the most prevalent views that have to be corrected. As members of this site you are already aware of then depth and breadth of Hawaiian music.
The thing that I have noticed over the years is that there are many different aspects to Hawaiian music and each one is vibrant and perpetuated by a dedicated group of artists and participants. Very little of this music has gotten airplay beyond these shores other than the aforementioned. What is it going to take to break this chokehold, or change the world’s perception of Hawaiian music? The answer is to appear on a world stage (such as the Grammy’s) consistently and through the use of mass media and the net, advocate through performance the other styles of Hawaiian music that have been overlooked. Can this be achieved I don’t know. It’s going to take some time, but at least with the Hawaiian Grammy there is now a catalyst for change.
As to how the votes are decided go to this URL http://www.grammy.com/awards/grammy/process.aspx
As to the business of music and marketing, I don’t want to even get started; it would take way more time than I am willing to give.
Peter M |
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Bill Neubauer
Aloha
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 4:59:19 PM
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AlohaMike, just checking my pocket dictionary - I'm not as erudite as some - but I would guess that the word you want for "peace" is "maluhia". Although that may just be a description of the state of peace - the act of wishing it to someone may take another form, or be a different word entirely. Maybe go to a Hawaiian church service and find out what they say when they "pass the peace"...
Bill |
Kika Pila |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 5:45:09 PM
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Reid,
Quick answer -- any voting Recording Academy member was allowed to vote for up to 9 categories, and all the subcategories within. The idea being that you wouldn't want to waste votes on a category you knew nothing about. About 90 HARA (Hawaiian Academy of Recording Arts) members became members of the Recording Academy. Don't know how many people actually voted in the Hawaiian category.
Also - a friend pointed out that I forgot to mention Ho'okena's album in my original post. Probably a function of taking too much anti-hypertensive medication, not representative of my feelings about the album.
Craig - sure. AND the grammy's, especially this one, do have symbolic value.
It's probably true that most things most people talk about most of the time aren't worth spending a lot of energy on. An important function of conversation is to keep the social wheels greased. Another important function is to allow venues for emotional expression and catharsis. Seems to me that's what a lot of computer chatting is also about. |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 05:36:41 AM
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| For the group - I sent Keoki Kahumoku a congratulatory email (he has two songs on the Grammy CD). He called me just to thank me for the thought. The emotion in his voice was overwhelming. Regardless of who we think deserved the first Grammy, to the individual performers, this was a watershed event for Hawaiian Music and Slack Key. |
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donkaulia
Lokahi
249 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 07:35:31 AM
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Aloha TaroPatch Ohana,
What a way to make history and open the doors for all of Hawaii's music. The votes casted in this category of the Best Hawaiian Album Grammy favored Brotman's album because of the content, the context and the pure traditional 'sound'. Slack key music can entice, capture and take you through a journey. We all know that...that is why we are here sharing our mana'o on this website. But the voting members listening for the first time don't know the feeling until they hear it. I know, I been around the world...we kihoalu pluckers don't need to sing to capture an audience. This is an awesome time for all of us who love slack key. It was so funny that Sunday night before the Grammy's aired in Hawaii...I was doing my Sunday gig at Huggo's on the Rocks in Kailua-Kona when in came Rany Lorenzo all smiles...I was kind of curious about his happiness because he was extra extra happy so when me and L.T. Smooth took our break I sat next to Randy at the Bar and he turned to me and said quietly...'Bradduh Don...our album won!...I said What???Oh Bradduh this calls for a celebration!!!" I hugged Bradduh so tight and we both had tears in our eyes. I tanked down 2 beers within a minute and went right back on stage and made the announcement and introduce Randy as one of the artists' featured on the Grammy winning album. And of course Randy came up and we jammed. Ohana...Randy Lorenzo is one of Hawaii's finest artist of not only slack key but entirely all kinds of music...he has performed and recorded with the Gabby Pahinui Band, the Peter Moon Band, Country Comfort (Waimanalo Blues was Randy's slack key trademark licks), Cecilio & Kapono and tours with us at all of Milton Lau's Slack Key Festival in the Hawaiian islands. You know, it was an awesome seeing Randy that night and sharing the happiness. His cellphone was going off with people from all over Hawaii calling congratulating him. And for the rest of the artist's on that album...Sonny, Ricaido, Kenny, Jeff, Keoki, Kevin, Charley...I know and play with these Bradduhs...it is so awesome and chicken skin. And for us here on TaroPatch.com...we too are sharing the happiness because we are all in the same world of slack key. I heard the opposition from people here at home...'oh the people voting are not Hawaiian and the album is not really Hawaiian'...'hello'...we are lucky that the non-Hawaiians invited us to the Grammys. We lucky we have people like Jody and her brother Charley Brotman making awesome recordings. And the album is Hawaiian...just look who the artists' are. You don't need to be Hawaiian to play Hawaiian music. After all, the Guitar is not Hawaiian. We lucky the Mexicans introduced the Guitar to us otherwise there would never be a Hawaiian Steel Guitar or Slack Key. Think about it. Don't Worry Be Happy.
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donkaulia |
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