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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
 Posted - 07/14/2005 : 4:20:45 PM
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I remember Sonny telling me back in the mid 70s how Ledward would call him up and challenge him to play Wheeha and he would just laugh and laugh. I was never there when this occured, but it must have been something. Anyway here are some exerps from my text.
It is clear (to me at least) that each one of these tunes is a derivative of another earlier tune which was perhaps popular from somewhere near the late eighteen hundreds to early nineteen hundreds. Each one of these derivative pieces has taken on a life of its own. All three of these pieces have a number of points in common. The artists use the same tuning. A substantially similar melodic line is given in the opening portion. Although there are slight differences, the same left and right hand techniques are also used in this opening portion. The variations on theme after that opening statement are what distinguish the derivative nature of these pieces.
If you listen to the late Aunty Alice Namakelua' recordings you will hear the G wahine, it is being played in the real real old style. If you speed up her playing, you can hear the melodic contour of the late Uncle Fred Punahoa's slack key styling, which is what Ledward is playing, Ray Kane's Punahele and the late Sonny Chillingworth's Wheeha Swing. Aunty Alice's slack key predates the others.
Obviously the same tuning is used by Ray, Ledward and Sonny -- the G wahine tuning: G Major 7 = D G D F# B D. Sometimes called double slack or the cowboy tuning. It is an older and much more common tuning than I originally thought. Although it can be played real nahenahe it is often used to exhibit the flair and mastery of the guitar. The F# on the third string is what makes this a wahine tuning and not a G major tuning. The closest G major tuning in this case would be taropatch: D G D G B D.
One characteristic that identifies this as a wahine tuning is the preference and predominance of the hammer on as a technique for chord movement rather than just a plain function of ornamentation. Wahine tunings have a lot of twang in them, but that twang has a purpose. That half step from F# to G, marks movement from the G maj 7 to G as well as movement from D7 to G.
Another characteristic of wahine tunings is a very simple chord structure. Chord progression is usually limited to either V7 > I or I >V7.
All of these pieces are in strophic form.
Although I may have made a case for wahine tuning, I have seen Uncle Fred play the original tune in C Maunaloa with a package on his hand, so that kind of throws a wrench into any idea that the original tune was played exclusively in G wahine.
Peter Medeiros
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2005 : 5:17:18 PM
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Great post!
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2005 : 04:08:46 AM
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Thanks, Peter. If this is a peek at your book, I can't wait to get it.
I just listened to Aunty Alice's "Paniolo Slack Key" on my computer, speeded up by 40% (140% in Adobe Audition lingo)with pitch preserved, and your description becomes quite clear. Actually, she didn't vary her figures much (or at all) for "Ka Manu" or most of the others, either :-)
About Uncle Fred playing it in C Mauna Loa - just a conjecture:
I take it the C Mauna Loa you are talking about is CGCGAE, "Ni`ihau". George Winston says that tuning "can be effectively played in the key of G." If Uncle Fred had barred at the 2nd fret, he could have gotten a hammer back to the tonic from the 7th on both the 2nd and 1st strings. The latter would be in G (F# to G) and the former would be in C (B to C). G and C are both at the 3rd fret. Also, a full barre at the second fret would give Ds on both the 6th and 4th string, just as in Double Slack or Taro Patch. And he could get the bass G with the 5th string open, after lifting off. I could believe that playing with a bag on your hand (although I never could do it, but saw it done) would be conducive to a barre. So maybe Uncle Fred really was playing in a disguised Double Slack.
As I said, just a guess.
...Reid
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Keone
Akahai
50 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2005 : 07:59:08 AM
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Aloha,
Thank you Peter for your insightful post. I have an uncle who used to take classes from Auntie Alice and he loves to play in Double Slack. He play in the old style, slow and nahenahe, but sometimes when he's just fooling he plays faster and I can hear hints of Punahele or Whee Ha swing (for sure the hammer on/pull off on the F# so characteristic of the tuning). I've only heard a old tape of Auntie alice though and was wondering Reid where you picked up the Auntie Alic song on your computer. Mahalo.
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Keone |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2005 : 09:33:12 AM
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Keone,
Sarah and I bought a pristine copy of her only vinyl LP at Jelly's in Honolulu (for about $7). Then I made a very good semidigital tape of it and recorded that, via my soundcard, into my PC. Then I used Adobe Audition 1.5 to clean up pops,clicks,tape hiss and other noise. And burnt a CD of it. It is kind of a reference work for Sarah.
If you haven't already, you can hear a kinda crude recording (but kinda nice performance) of Sarah playing and singing Ka Manu at:
http://www.soundclick.com/pro/default.cfm?BandID=38765&content=lyrics&SongID=1661658
Click the "Play Hi-fi" link on the page.
...Reid |
Edited by - Reid on 07/15/2005 10:55:05 AM |
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Keone
Akahai
50 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2005 : 07:07:32 AM
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Reid,
Thank you Reid for the info. I'll have to keep my eyes open for the LP and tell my uncle (who studied with Auntie Alice) about it. In fact, Ka Manu is a tune that he often plays. Anyways, Sarah sounds great! Mahalo.
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Keone |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2005 : 03:59:41 AM
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I have finished Radio Hula and Punahele...and feel like takling led Kwan's Opihi MoeMoe. Is this tabbed out anywhere? Perhaps Led Kaapana's solo vesion?
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2005 : 07:56:28 AM
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Aloha Mike,
FYI, As for now, Opihi Moemoe can only be found in Leonard Kwan's now out of print Slack Key Instruction Book, Tradewinds Recording, Honolulu, HI c. 1980. A friend Dennis Ladd put this endeavor together; he also did the tab of Oz's book. Every now and then a copy will pop up on EBay.
This transcription of Opihi Moemoe has a problem in terms of its time signature 12/8; it is too difficult to read for most, it should be 4/4. My thinking is that the choice of 12/8 rather than 4/4 is because of the instrumental hook played on strings 3 & 4. However, if you don't read music nomenclature anyway, than there's no problem-- Just follow the numbers.
Overall most of the transcriptions are from Leonard's first album, known as the Red Album (the color of the record jacket). The Red Album is one of the best slack key albums of all time. It came out about 1961-62? Unfortunately, most of the songs (with the exception of My Yellow Ginger Lei) were ejected into the public domain as soon as the album was published and put out for sale. It was published and first put on sale during a period when the 1909 Copyright Act was in effect.
The 1909 Act was punitive. If an author or publisher did not secure statutory copyright (Federal) or provide statutory copyright notice (date of publication, with c in a circle or the word copyright), both the common law rights and statutory right to protection were forfeited -- and the work was ejected into the public domain.
Opihi Moemoe is I what I consider a classic slack key composition. I use my own transcriptions of the Red Album for classes and include Opihi Moemoe as part of the performance repertoire for my university ensemble.
Peter Medeiros
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2005 : 4:45:08 PM
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Ke'ala's Mele? Is that the name of the "Red album"
Thanks,
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2005 : 4:48:57 PM
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The Legendary Leonard Kwan is another one I found, has My Yellow Ginger Lei on it. But its not a red jacket.
I guess I will just get both!!!
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2005 : 09:51:36 AM
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Aloha Mike,
To expedite your purchase go to either http://www.mele.com/v3/info/2765.htm or http://www.cordinternational.com/leonard_kwan.htm. The CD "The Legendary Leonard Kwan" is a compilation of his vinyl recordings from 1957-1974. Most of the compositions are taken from "Slack Key" (the Red Album) and "The Old Style".
Notice that there are two listings for Opihi Moemoe; the first recording was called Opihi Moemoe, this is the one that is in public domain, it was released in 1960 -- this is the version that I use with my own transcription in 4/4. You will also find it in Leonard and Dennis Ladd's method in 12/8. Tradewinds Records released the second recording of Opihi Moemoe in 1974; it is entitled the New Opihi Moemoe. The album's inner jacket contains Leonard's copyrighted transcription of the 1974 release. Out of the complete body of the composition, only the new additions, which are substantially different from the original public domain piece, are protected under this 1974 copyright. This is the transcription you will find on Dancing Cat's site.
In Hawaii, the public bought the New Opihi Moemoe with about as much enthusiasm as the New Coke received a couple decades ago. It didn't get any airplay whatsoever. But in my opinion I think it was great, because I have a tendency to look at a great artist's recordings as a page from their diary. The production was very minimal, so you hear everything raw and for me as an artist and ethnomusicologist, unless I'm at the actual recording session, or jamming with these guys, it doesn't get much better. It's like looking through a window in history; it tells a story that only this artist at that particular time in his life was capable of telling.
HAWAIIAN CHIMES
‘OPIHI MOEMOE
MY YELLOW GINGER LEI /
E HULI HULI HO’I MAI
‘OPIHI BOUNCE
‘OPIHI MOMONA NUI
NAHENAHE
PAU PILIKIA
KANE’OHE / ALOHA KU’U HOME KANE’OHE /MAMA E
MANINI
SILVER THREADS AMONG THE GOLD
MAORI BROWN EYES
‘OPIHI MOEMOE
AIA HIKI MAI / KONA AU / PALISA
NEW ‘OPIHI MOEMOE
MI NEI
KI HO’ALU
PALOLO
GRANDFATHER’S CLOCK
‘AKAKA FALLS / ‘IMI AU LA ‘OE
‘OPAE TUMATUMA
SASE
KE ALOHA
‘UHE’UHENE
HULA BLUES
OLD MAUNA LOA
PO MAHINA
HAWAIIAN LOVE
NOHO PAIPAI
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2005 : 10:05:05 AM
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I listened to a sample of the "New" Opihi and got a similar thought.
Thanks,
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Keone
Akahai
50 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2005 : 1:42:49 PM
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Aloha,
I must say I love Leonard Kwan's playing and style. In particular I love the red album. I also love Keala's Mele because its just Leonard Kwan playing a martin guitar. It's nice to hear him playing the acoustic because all the earlier recordings are on the Gibson F-holed electric, usually with an accomaniement (e.g. a bass, etc)... I have to go back and listen to the new Opihi moemoe as Peter suggested because I agree I love the feeling of sitting in the recording studio with him as well.
Anyways, I know on Keala's Mele he plays a third version of Opihi moemoe (this time in the G Wahine tuning); whereas, the first version was in taro, the second, I believe, was in B wahine. Each version of Opihi different (reflecting a different sentiment & artistic intention...a page in a diary as Peter Medieros said). Perhaps Peter can expand on that more.
P.S. I also really enjoy John Keawe cover of Opihi moemoe from Mana`Olana and Led Kaapana's cover from Led Live. It seems I've spent many hours trying to figure out different version of just the same song. |
Keone |
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