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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
 Posted - 12/04/2006 : 1:58:28 PM
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In a nutshell, I was hiking with a group that included a women who I didn't know. She inquired about my boots, indicating that since she was raised in Hawaii, her feet were really wide from not having worn shoes very often. She's about my age (59). We got to talking about her childhood on Oahu and I mentioned that I dabbled in Hawaiian music, particularly Slack Key. She told me that when she was in college, she was a coctail waitress at this place called the Sty and that she knew some Hawaiian musicians in the 60's. "Had I ever heard of the Sons of Hawaii?" My response was, "which version"? She said, "the one with Gabby". Anyway, apparently she knew them all and actually went with them when they left the Sty for the Noodle House. She told me lots of stories about hanging around after closing when all these other guys would show up to jam - C & K, Makaha Sons of Niihau, Brothers Caz, et al. I told her she was killing me. She claimed to still have "original" posters from the Sty, advertising the entertainment. Stay tuned.
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2006 : 09:41:15 AM
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crack me up Terry
tell me more |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2006 : 10:14:56 AM
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| Hi Chunk. Sounds cool. |
Andy |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 10:27:12 AM
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we're still waiting
geesh . . all retired and no time to talk story . . |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 1:20:25 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mika ele
we're still waiting
geesh . . all retired and no time to talk story . .
Kden. Today is my last class for the advanced students. It's the end of the semester-- I was never good at math -- I think its about my fiftieth semester here. For me this posting brings back a lot of good memories of when the Hawaiian Renaissance in music was just beginning -- late 1969 early 1970s. So I guess I'd better write it down before I forget. Although slack key was being played within the community, usually back yard style at the homes of the guys who knew how to play, there were was an absence of places that would showcase Hawaiian music and locally written music in general. If you worked in a club the pay was $25 to $50 a night and nobody was listening accept for your friends and family, and they couldn't come every night. It was and still is a hard way to make a living.
On Oahu's east side, The Sty Restaurant in Niu valley was located between Aina Haina valley and Hawaii Kai. It was one of three restaurants on that side of the island that featured entertainment and it catered to the locals. The other two were the Ranch House in Aina Haina and Chuck's Steakhouse in Hawaii Kai where Jerry Santos of "Olomana", as well as Cindy Combs and other solo artists played. Jerry, who was a friend and classmate would eventually team up with Bob Beaumont and form the group "Olomana" and would relocate to the Black Angus located behind the International Market Place in Waikiki. Because Hawaii is a small place, and the close proximity of these clubs we for the most part knew each other and would often sit in during a set.
The Sty is important because one of the Hawaii's most influential contemporary groups "Country Comfort" from Waimanalo got its start there and played there for several years As a footnote, Bla Pahinui would play there on the off nights. After releasing their first album they moved on to the Territorial Tavern in downtown Honolulu -- where Keola and Kapono used to play. "Country Comfort" was originally comprised of five local boys from Waimanalo. Chucky Lee -- the leader and lead guitarist; Randy Lorenzo; Billy Kaui; Billy Freudenberg and Gene Matsumura. Chucky, Billy Kaui and Gene Matsumura have all passed away. Randy is still active I don't know what Billy Freudenberg is doing now.
"Country Comfort" is best known for recording the song "Waimanalo Blues" which was penned by Thor Wold and Liko Martin. "Waimanalo Blues" is one of the most recognized songs from this period. The song was originally called "Nanakuli Blues" as a protest of development on the west side of Oahu. It captures the feelings, and longing for an earlier much simpler time where the Hawaiian Homesteads and the local way of living were not being threatened by commercial development. The intro uses a capoed up version of "Silver Threads Amongst Gold". I've worn a number of hats in my long relationship with Liko and during this period of time I was one of Liko's lead guitarist. It was one of the primary songs that we would play at the Diamond Head Crater Festivals.
Now that I'm looking at the record label I just realized that this album and all of the songs on it were ejected into the public domain, there is no date of copyright or publication, notice of copyright symbol ©. These omissions automatically forfeit the copyrights under the 1909 Act, which was in effect when this album was recorded.
In 1969 through 1971 there were no class A showrooms featuring Hawaiian music. The main showrooms at the Moana, Princess Kaiulani and International Market Place in Waikiki featured Polynesian reviews -- a variety act -- basically a Tahitian revue (oteas and aparimas), the obligatory Samoan fire knife dancer, and the sprinkling of Hawaiian music and hula. The most prominent was Tavana Anderson's show.
Hawaiian musicians were used primarily during happy hour to provide background music -- providing a so-called atmosphere of aloha for the tourists. As I recall there were only a few places where you could really hear the authentic music of Hawaii; the Royal Hawaiian with Kahauanu Lake Trio at happy hour; the Blue Dolphin Room with Myra English and Sonny Chillingworth. The Maluna Lounge with Bill Kaiwa and the Sons of Hawaii. The House Without a Key at the Halekulani during happy hour with Alice, Linda, and Sybil (the Halekulani Girls), Bill Lincoln, Ray Kinney. Halekulani main restaurant at that time featured Maddy Lam during the dinner hour. She was a family friend got me a part time job there. She was a well-known Hawaiian composer who with my Mom's calabash cousin and scholar, Kawena Pukui penned some of Hawaii's most beloved songs from the late 1940s thru the 1960s.
From Wednesday thru Saturday just half a block from where I worked was Chuck's Cellar on Lewers St. featured a group called the Sunday Manoa and was composed of three truly virtuoso artists who would lead the charge during the Hawaiian Renaissance. They were Peter Moon on ukulele and slack key guitar, Roland Cazimero on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Bobby Cazimero on vocals and standup bass. In 1972, the album Guava Jam was released Hawaiian music changed forever. I'll never forget Bobby's quip to a standing room only crowd on the day of the album's release "Where were you guys?" Because I worked just up the street I would stop by after work often and except for a few tourists it was usually an empty club. Where there had been just a handful of friends occupying the tables there were now lines of locals extending down the block every single night. Within a few months they were working at the Primo Garden in the Ilikai Hotel and their audience would continue to grow. And after a couple years of years the new Sheraton Waikiki's Prow Lounge became there venue until they broke up New Years Eve 1975. They have continued on since then as The Brothers Cazimero and The Peter Moon Band. These are the guys who have been the primary architects of contemporary Hawaiian music and have assured that it will be perpetuated way into the future.
PM
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Edited by - Peter Medeiros on 12/06/2006 8:34:11 PM |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 4:33:17 PM
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| Mahalo, Uncle! It seems that in any genre, the torch is kept burning by only a few, mostly unrecognized. My Dad told me (after years of playing gigs) that music is best between friends. It is communication. It takes almost losing something valuable to see how precious it is. |
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dr. cookie
Lokahi
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2006 : 6:32:15 PM
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Mahalo for the stories, Peter! For years we've always spent at least one evening enjoying Olomana when visiting Honolulu...usually with my wife's college friend from UH Manoa. Last spring I finally got them to tell Jerry Santos about how in the early/mid 70's they were often the only two people listening to Olomana at the Black Angus (as college students they went a lot because there was no cover, no minium... AND great music!).
We owe those renaissance pioneers for their diligence that resulted in the strength and diversity of Hawaiian music that we're so fortunate to enjoy today. Honolulu is now a veritable candy-store of musicians to enjoy...still a shame, though, that in spite of the present popularity and respect for Hawaiian music, it still takes a day job for most musicians to survive. Too bad we couldn't have revived the practice of patronage from the European Renaissance along with the Hawaiian Renaissance...but such is the state of the arts in contemporary society...
Don |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2006 : 07:48:41 AM
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Yes Peter,
Thanks so much for the history. It is very good to know some of this to better appreciate the context of the present.
Mahalo nui...
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2006 : 08:09:56 AM
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Peter,
Mahalo Nui!
Sure would love to sit down with you and listen . .
Maybe Keith could get you on the mainlaind as a guest lecturer at UCSD. Most of the Colleges at the University have fine arts class requirements. Keith teaches ukulele to the mostly engineering and pre-med students.
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E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2006 : 4:43:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mika ele
Peter,
Mahalo Nui!
Sure would love to sit down with you and listen . .
Maybe Keith could get you on the mainlaind as a guest lecturer at UCSD. Most of the Colleges at the University have fine arts class requirements. Keith teaches ukulele to the mostly engineering and pre-med students.
There is a possibility that might happen. When I publish next year I will be doing the obligatory book tour perhaps with a concert or two -- most likely after the middle of the year. Although I can take sabbatical, I don't know if I will because I'm at that age where I can retire. But then again there's the part where my daughter will be going college next year. So retirement is really not an option -- it was a nice thought anyway.
PM |
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2006 : 10:16:58 PM
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Aloha Uncle Peter, mahalo for sharing your walk down Memory Lane...
I'm wondering if the Tahitian Lanai by the Ala Wai Harbor played a role in those musical days. I had heard that lots of old aunties and uncles would show up late at night at the piano bar there. Although I never got to experience that in the early 70's, I have these visions in my head of people lovingly and joyfully singing their old songs.
(Funny thing, on the wall behind the bar at the Lanai hung a painting of an island lady, nude. The first time I went in there as a young gal, I sat at the bar and looked incredulously at that painting, which appeared to be me! It wasn't long before a grandly proportioned gentleman sidled up to me, looked at the painting, looked at me, and started a conversation.  )
Uncle Peter, are you writing your stories down to be put into print someday? I think they would be priceless.
Me ke aloha, Julie |
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