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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
 Posted - 10/28/2002 : 3:26:01 PM
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Andy, and his parents, and Sarah and I attended Led's final mainland concert in New York City's Symphony Space last night (Sun.). It was fabulous, for several reasons. It made the 2 1/2 hour trip via car, train and subway well worth it (the nice dinner we had at a cozy French restaurant helped, too :-)
As we walked in from the lobby, we actually ran into Led who was just lounging near the door. Quick as a flash, Andy got out his autograph `uke and got Led to sign it and we gabbed with him for a few minutes until we were shouldered aside by a few of the standard, polite New Yorkers. Andy's `uke is a star studded instrument. About the only people he doesn't have on it are the Pahinuis. Andy fell out laughing when Led started playing it right there - and made it sound good, too.
Led is known for his chops, but he played gorgeously, meltingly, nahenahe. Especially the first few songs: Dennis Kamakahi's Koke`e and a medley of Ka Makani Ka`ili Aloha/Pua Tuberose. We were entranced. Of course, his fast fingers flew over all the show pieces, like Radio Hula, `Opihi Moemoe, Whee Ha Swing, Hula Blues, etc. The mystical thing about them was that we had heard his recorded versions lots of times, but these were all new and different, yet the basic song could be made out. It is a consequence of his ability to insert and modify on the fly and always make the song sound better than you ever heard it before.
His joy in playing always came through: he would throw in a couple of new licks and just chuckle about how neat it sounded and how amusing it was to him that it worked so well, no matter how inventive it was. It was one of the things that made you want to pick up the guitar and try some new stuff yourself. (Actually, this morning we did fool around with the cross-fretboard "walks" he was throwing in at 4/6, 6/7 and 11/12. Of course we don't have Led's speed or timing, but it is something that Sarah and I look forward to working on more.)
He did some fascinating stuff, one not heard before, on the autoharp, too.
During his Hana Hou, he played a totally made up version of an old time rock piece of the Avengers and that just slayed everyone in the audience.
After his gig, he just came out into the audience and we talked a little more about various things. He was totally unselfconscious and personable.
He told us that he was to fly back this morning (Mon.) to HNL at 5:00AM. Touring is tough, but he said he would be coming back in April. So will we.
...Reid
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Edited by - Reid on 10/28/2002 3:37:00 PM |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2002 : 3:58:24 PM
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Reid - you beat me to the punch so I get off easy. Just get to fill in the blanks now.
The event was the Hawaiian Slack Key Festival featuring Ledward Kaapana and Princess Owana Salazar. As usual, I was grateful to have nahenahe slack key in New York City. The format was different from other concerts we've had in that each artist performed solo only. In the past, artists would play a solo segment but would conclude with several or all players on stage.
Last night, Ledward opened the show and gave us an hour of signature Led... some nahenahe tunes with incredible falsetto in contrast to some blazing fast numbers that had the audience picking their jaws up off the floor. Ledward is so much fun to watch. Not only is his technical skill impressive, but it's a joy to see how much fun he is having on stage. Telling jokes, throwing in wild riffs, Ledward cracks himself up, and it's contagious. He played many songs that I wanted to hear and expected to hear, "Radio Hula, Ku`u Ipo Onaona, Opihi Moemoe, Whee Ha Swing, I Kona, Nani..." An hour went by way to fast. I could listen to Led all night.
Owana Salazar played some beautiful slack key along with great vocals. I always thought of Hawaiian slide guitar as solely an accompaniment kind of instrument, but Owana played solo - sometimes singing sometimes not. For those with little knowledge of the Hawaiian language, like me, Owana did a good job of inserting spoken translated versus to let us in on the lyrical beauty that we too often miss. Unfortunately, the show came an abrupt end with no hana hou. The evening was very enjoyable.
About my `ukulele... about 5 years ago I got this `ukulele from a friend only to find that is was more of a toy than an instrument... it has plastic frets. Since it's not particularly playable, I thought it'd be cool to get it autographed and keep it in my living room. Before signing it, Ledward asked me what kind of `uke it was. I told him, "Toy kind." So he picked it up and starts his lightning fast picking on the thing. I had never heard that toy `uke sound so good! |
Andy |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2002 : 8:50:55 PM
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Yeah, Led played your `uke and I told him "Ho! you played your dit-dit-dit". He knew exactly what I meant and chuckled and played some more.
I'm gonna say a few more things about Led when I recover (and maybe I can get Sarah to chime in too), because being with Led last night and listening to studio recordings *this* night just ain't the same thing. He was outtasight.
...Reid |
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Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2002 : 2:01:40 PM
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Aloha kakou,
Eia iho ku'u wahi mana'o ... at the risk of repeating a few things that have already been posted. This was the first time we've seen Led live, and boy, was it great.
He opened with a vocal version of Koke'e. Then he played, as best as I could keep track,
Ka Makani Ka'ili Aloha/Pua Tuberose medley (instrumental)
Nani (vocal)
Radio Hula (instrumental)
'Opihi Moemoe (instrumental)
Paoakalani
Wailani?
Whee Ha Swing (instrumental)
I Kona (vocal)
...and two autoharp pieces, one of which he composed and was striking in his use of individual high strings, and a percussive kind of use of the strings in the narrow space below the hammers. His encore was an arrangement (guitar, not autoharp) based on the Avengers theme, done with Led's style of musical humor. He'd watched the show as a kid.
I reflected later that Led is a man with a lot of intangibles hard to put into words: his talent, warmth, humor, openness... I was really impressed how he is a musician who just keeps getting better and better all the time. And as Andy said, his enjoyment of his music was contagious. He'd chuckle once in a while and look up at the audience, and man, you just had to laugh with him in delight. (Listening last night to Black Sand, itself a great CD, I thought only on Highway to Hana did I sense the kind of "presence" and "involvement" -- the vim-and-vigor -- close to his live performance. Also on the Highway to Hana track, after ending, there is a pause, and then a nearly inaudible little riff, and chuckles. You could tell he really liked that one.)
We were impressed, too, with Led's openness and accessiblility to the audience before and after his single long set. He hung around out front and talked with anyone who came up, and willingly posed for photos with anyone who asked; on the East Coast, not all people feel comfortable doing that. It made me aware of a vulnerability and a trust on his part.
This concert, he played more nahenahe style than is often the case for him. His opening number, Koke'e, was just ethereal. We were transported. But, that is another intangible about Ledward: he can do "hot stuff", he can make you laugh, and then he can make you melt.
It was an experience not to be missed. He'll be back in April, and so will we!
-Sarah |
Edited by - Sarah on 10/29/2002 2:02:52 PM |
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