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PearlCityBoy
Lokahi
USA
432 Posts |
 Posted - 09/14/2005 : 2:55:15 PM
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Greetings Andy and the Taropatch Ohana,
After lurking on your unique Web community for some time (OK, three years), I’ve finally gotten around to registering and becoming an official member. I’m a slack key player in the San Francisco Bay Area (East Bay). I grew up in Pearl City on the island of Oahu, and hence my Taropatch name, “PearlCityBoy.”
I’ve already met many of you Taropatchers through Uncle George Kahumoku, Jr.’s Hawaiian Slack Key Workshop or through various get-togethers and events here in the Bay Area. Through slack key, I’ve met so many wonderful people, including Andy, our Taropatch Administrator, and his lovely wife Lynette. Andy, mahalo for all of your time, effort and especially your aloha in creating and maintaining this site. Not only is it a remarkable learning resource, but this site is also very informative, supportive, inspirational, and just plain “good fun.”
When I was growing up in Hawaii, I loved the sound of slack key, especially Keola and Kapono Beamer. However, because I didn’t have any relatives or friends who played slack key and there were no teachers or instructional materials back then, I wasn’t able to learn it. During my high school days, I fell in love with “Ku’u Home ‘O Kahalu’u” by Olomana (Jerry Santos and Robert Beaumont) when it first came out. However, no matter how hard my friends and I tried, we couldn’t figure out how to play the song just like Olomana-- i.e., how to get that Hawaiian sound and “play ’em exact, brah.” The problem was we were trying to play it in standard tuning, while Olomana’s version is in Open D.
Anyhow, fast forward about 25 years later, and I’m sitting in my office in San Francisco and a colleague of mine, who also grew up in Hawaii, called me and said, “Doug, come down quick—get some slack key players here.” I replied, “Clyde, down where? Where are you?” Clyde answered, “down here in the lobby of our building.” Not really believing him, I zoomed down to our lobby and sure enough, George Kahumoku, Jr. and Daniel Ho were playing there as part of a Friday music series with artists of various genres.
During one of the breaks in the songs, George mentioned a slack key workshop he was putting on the following month. I thought to myself, “Awesome, finally a slack key workshop in San Francisco—I have to do this!” So after the concert, I chatted with George about the workshop and found out it was not going to be in San Francisco but on Maui. At first I was pretty bummed, but George really encouraged me to go and, if you know George, he can be very persuasive. So I called my wife to let her know my intentions and then I rushed into my boss’s office to get permission to take vacation. Fortunately, my boss OK’d the vacation on such short notice and off I went to George’s workshop.
That year, 2000, was George’s 3rd annual workshop, and the slack key instructors, in addition to George and Daniel Ho, were Keola Beamer, Ledward Kaapana, Ozzie Kotani, and George’s son, Keoki. Not too shabby. This was basically Fantasy Baseball Camp for slack key guitarists. Needless to say, the workshop was a life changing event, not so much because of what I learned musically (I was really a hack back then—I’m a better hack today!), but instead because of what I learned about the Hawaiian culture and the importance of giving, sharing, helping, and caring.
At first I didn’t understand why we had to go to Lahainaluna, where George teaches, to help him weed his taro patch, pick ti leaves, and clean luau leaves—I thought we were supposed to learn slack key, not get our hands dirty. But I realized later that George was giving us a sense of what it was like to work and respect the land (aina), teaching us the importance and meaning of taro to Hawaiian culture, and instilling Hawaiian values--working together and being part of a family (ohana), helping each other (kokua), and most importantly giving and sharing from the heart (aloha). George emphasized that slack key is just a small part of Hawaiian culture, and that in the old days, playing music was done only after all the day’s work was pau.
So, what does slack key mean to me? For me, slack key is really about sharing aloha. In fact, all of my teachers have said when you play slack key, they want to feel your aloha. To me, that’s what makes plucking these open tunings sound Hawaiian—it’s the feeling. That’s what makes strangers in the park come up to you and say, “What kind of music are you playing?—it’s so beautiful.” That’s what makes the aunties cry. It’s a lot easier said than done, but when you get it, it sounds so sweet and it touches your heart.
I am very grateful to all of my teachers, especially George Kahumoku, Ozzie Kotani, and Mel and Vince (my slack key buddies on Oahu who studied under Ozzie), who have so graciously taught me slack key. I also feel privileged and lucky to have met many wonderful slack key guitarists and other Hawaiian musicians, especially here in the Bay Area, who have generously shared their songs and knowledge, opened their homes for kanikapilas, organized events such as open mics, and been great friends. Mahalo!
To the rest of the Taropatch Ohana, I look forward to meeting you someday and hearing your music. Oh, and don’t forget to pay attention to who might be playing music in your office building—it might just change your life!
Aloha,
Doug
P.S. It took me awhile (25 years), but I finally learned “Ku’u Home ‘O Kahalu’u” a couple of years ago in the Open D tuning that Olomana used (thanks Mel). I even mustered enough guts to play and sing it amplified for the first time at this year’s Kahumoku Workshop--thanks Kapila Kane for your sweet fiddle pa’ani and the rest of the gang for backing me up.
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2005 : 3:52:04 PM
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Hi Doug,
Wow, a personalized greeting. Well, aloha back to you! So great to read you here and thanks for sharing your story.
I've heard Doug play Ku`u Home `O Kahalu`u and he plays it just like Olomana! Had the privilage of hearing some of his O`ahu friends play too. Awesome. Seems like just yesterday that we were at camp on Maui trying to quietly play on the beach.
Hope to see you soon, Doug. |
Andy |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 03:36:11 AM
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Welcome, Doug! It'a about time, yeah? Hope to see you in June. |
Dusty |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 06:49:15 AM
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Welcome aboard Doug.
See you soon in the Redwoods!
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 07:34:21 AM
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| Glad another lurker is "outed." Welcome |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 08:36:23 AM
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RJS, (aside)...
Well you could count down from 17 at this point, but then you would no longer be "comfortable".
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 09/15/2005 08:36:57 AM |
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Kiwini
Lokahi
USA
203 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 09:27:03 AM
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E komo mai, Doug. What a great addition to da hui ohana! Looking forward to hearing you play again.
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Me Ke Aloha,
Steve |
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MahinaM
Lokahi
USA
389 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 6:12:20 PM
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Aloha Doug!
Nice to see you "coming out of Lurkerville" and on to the "Patch!" I have also been practicing Ku'u Home'O Kahalu'u (your version at camp was a knockout) and hope that I will be able to play it with you one of these days on the beaches of Napili again. I think I am almost there! Doug, you are one fine person and awesome player and wish we lived closer to each other so that I could jam with you more often. I think I am due to come to the Bay Area soon to get together with all you folks down there! So much talent!
A hui hou,
Maggie
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2005 : 7:52:35 PM
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Aside to Lawrence.
I'm thinking of permantly retiring from the site at 999 |
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PearlCityBoy
Lokahi
USA
432 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2005 : 09:12:08 AM
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Aloha Andy, Dusty, Raymond, Lawrence, Kiwini, Maggie, and Art,
Great to hear from all of you. Lawrence, it was fun seeing you and Cynthia yesterday at Aloha in the Redwoods in La Honda, along with fellow Taropatchers Allan G., Julie and Larry, Hiram and Kit, BWOP and Melinda (did I miss anyone?). Andy, Dusty and Maggie, I miss playing with you all at midnight on Napili Beach—or until we get chased away by the hotel sprinklers! Maggie, let us know when you come to the Bay Area and we’ll round up the gang here. I still can’t believe we had the gumption to play “‘Opihi Moemoe” together in front of Ozzie. Go for it, yeah?
Art, thanks for your e-mails introducing yourself. Nice to meet another East Bay musician. Raymond and Kiwini, it was great seeing you at Espresso Gardens a couple of weeks ago. Mahalo Raymond for organizing the open mic every month—there’s nothing like playing amplified in front of a live audience. Yikes! Kiwini, congratulations on your first open mic. I’m new at this open mic stuff too, but the Espresso Gardens crowd and fellow performers are so supportive.
A hui ho,
Doug
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2005 : 1:29:00 PM
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Aloha Doug,
Welcome.
My wife (Puaho) is from Waipahu, right next door!
Aloha,
-slkho |
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PearlCityBoy
Lokahi
USA
432 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2005 : 1:02:03 PM
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Hi Slkho,
Thank you for your greeting. Sorry for the delayed response--I was busy working on my Taropatch CD submissions! I just checked your profile and you look just like Uncle Cyril--oh, unless you're the guy on the right.
Nice to hear your wife is from Waipahu, the sister town to Pearl City. In fact, my oldest brother graduated from Waipahu High School since Pearl City High wasn't built yet back then.
Aloha,
Doug
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2005 : 1:48:28 PM
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...yes, that would be me on the right.ha. What year did your sis graduate? Did you all know the Ibous family?
-slkho |
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sob
Akahai
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2005 : 08:19:33 AM
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Aloha mai Doug! What a wonderful introduction of yourself to da "Patch". I live in Mililani now, but my parents still live in Pacific Palisades, PC.
Welcome!
-Bryan |
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PearlCityBoy
Lokahi
USA
432 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2005 : 6:25:07 PM
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Hi Bryan,
I'm from Pacific Palisades too! Small world. Don't know if we've crossed paths before, but I'm sure we know a lot of the same folks. I go back at least once a year and stay at the family home.
I believe Makana grew up in Palisades also. Just curious, do you know other musicians from Palisades or Pearl City in general? I know Sonny Chillingworth lived on Ho'omalu St. in lower P.C., which is where the song, "Ho'omalu Slack Key," came from. Do you know my PCHS classmate, Ramon Camarillo, another awesome ukulele player (now on the East Coast).
Anyhow, hope to meet you the next time you're in the Bay Area.
Aloha,
Doug
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2005 : 7:17:57 PM
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Hey Doug,
I've seen Ramon perform before with the Aloha Boys. Didn't know he's your classmate. |
Andy |
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