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kealiiblaisdell
Akahai
USA
52 Posts |
 Posted - 02/19/2007 : 11:07:38 AM
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Wow, very interesting indeed. For me Kawehi, the Taropatch has nothing to do with Ki Ho `Alu or Traditional Hawaiian or anything associated with music. What the Taro Patch represents for me,is friendships, people reaching out to people from all over the globe and making a connection. It does not matter if we are Hawaiian, Caucasian, Filipino, Italian or German. We are all one race, here in the taro patch making friends and making a connection. I have made alot of friends here. Good people, great friends.
You see Kawehi, I found out about the Taro Patch from Timmy Hunt from Santa Cruz,CA, and once I came here, everyone welcomed me here like family. Why is it we only have to identify with the people we see on a daily basis, when here on the internet, you can meet more people from abroad and start building awesome friendships? Beautiful thing the internet...until it's abused.
Now, the word "choice" is a wonderful word. "Choice" is what and how we live and perform in our daily lives. I made a choice to continue our traditions thru originality of my songs. And I perform them, sharing them to whomever welcomes it. And if they love it, they will go out and buy the CD, and/or invite me to do a concert, which is exactly what happened in Sept. of 2006 in Santa Cruz, CA, which I did have the honor of playing my originals to people who truly loved and appreciated Traditional Hawaiian music. Oh, I can play Ki Ho `alu, and I can play it very very well, but it is by my "choice" that I don't. I do however add it in to my mele's on my CD's, but I do not do it as a full time thing.
In each and every concert that I do, before I perform a song, I always give a 2 to 3 minute explaination to the audience on what that song actually means and why I wrote it. I tell a short story if you will. I give them the entire meaning of the song. And then I perform. Yes Kawehi, I agree with you, there is a language barrier, but this is where we artists must be inovative. I know people may not understand what I am singing about, which is why I explain it to them before I sing it to them.
There is far more support and appreciation for Traditional Hawaiian Music in the mainland, than there is here in Hawai`i. As you said it yourself Kawehi, Hawaiian is dying. Your opinion only. For me, Hawaiian is not dying it's just begining to rock! People like Steven Espaniola, Ken Makuakane and myself to name a few, are doing whatever it takes to keep it going. My fellow artists should be proud and supportive of Ki Ho`alu in winning the grammy. I don't understand why they are even upset. I mean it opened the doors for Hawai`i to be recognized as having it's own category...and Traditional Hawaiian is having an impact on the mainland because of it...c'mon guys!
Okay different subject, hmmm I don't know too much from the Blaisdell side of the family Mika`ele. But I do know other family relatives of the Blaisdell's. My mother is the Blaisdell, I changed my name at the age of 18. I was born Keali`i Aken, my father is Woody Aken. He was a DJ for KAHU Radio back in the early 80's and if you all know anything about the syndicate here in Hawai`i he was one of the old timers, which was the main reason I changed my name.
Kawehi, all in all, the Taro Patch is a place of friends sharing each others mana`o. I love you my tita, but I have to say this okay? Just go easy in here, oh please by all means share your mana'o with everyone, just share it with a little more aloha.
Aloha-
Keali`i Blaisdell
PS- Oh Auntie Maria, I actually am signed to a major label now so I don't know yet about my distribution. But can you email me your phone number again, 'cause I lost it, Sorry! My new email address is : kealii @ faithmusicinternational.com
Thanks Aunty! Tell Ka`iu that Delaware says hi, she going know what i'm talking about, haha! |
Edited by - kealiiblaisdell on 02/19/2007 11:28:38 AM |
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naukilo
Lokahi
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 12:40:53 PM
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This is a very interesting topic and I've read some interesting observations from net members and fellow musicians. Let me interject my thoughts. The Grammy voting is purely based on membership into the National Academy of the Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and qualifications as a voting member are quite stringent. It is important to note that voting is done by one's musical peers. It is not a popularity contest.
Many influential musicians crossing many musical styles have become entranced with slack key music. Dennis Pepa of heavy metal band Death Angel, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Carlos Santana, Chet Atkins, Bob Dylan, and even Arlo Guthrie, to name a few, and many others too numerous to mention. We slack key players were the pioneers in Hawaiian music who traveled the folk music circuit to expose our Hawaiian craft of guitar playing, in combination with vocalizations, to the bluegrass festivals, folk festivals, and performing arts centers across all 50 states of the U.S winning fans wherever we played. From CA to NYC, from the deep south to Canada and even Japan, winning the hearts of true folk musicians, their friendships, and their fans, across all age groups, within the ideology that music is the universal language. We ate, slept, cried, and got sick on the road. We left our families in Hawaii, sometimes for extended periods of time, literally living out of a suitcase. We worked hard at what we were skilled in and the exposure paid off. And when we came home to Hawai’i, there were little or NO job offers for us. So we returned to the mainland to work and have been for the last 15 years.
I know for a fact that the key in the music business is exposure and that is EXACTLY what we slack key players did. We took the music to the people. Shunned by the music scene in Hawai'i we sought our own market and earned every bit of it with our blood. On February 11, 2007, George Kahumoku, Cyril Pahinui, Martin Pahinui, Ledward Ka’apana, Ozzie Kotani, Keoki Kahumoku, myself and others won the Grammy for the slack key CD compilation - Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar – Live in Maui, to honor our mentors Gabby Pahinui, Atta Isaacs, Sonny Chillingworth, Leonard Kwan, Raymond Kane, and Uncle Fred Punahoa, the past legends of slack key, and we did. Some of us even sang on the CD too.
As a vocalist and slack key artist celebrating 40 years in the music business in 2007, I certainly don’t feel left out. I rather think we earned the Grammy together. We sacrificed for it on the road together and we deserved it for our hard work together. Apparently, the vast majority of our music peers in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences across the United States, of which we are members, agreed.
Rev. Dennis Kamakahi, 2007 Grammy Winner
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 2:02:27 PM
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quote:
They are not going to come and sit for an hour and listen to songs in a language they don't understand a word of. No matter how well a person sings. In other words you can't just show up and sing anymore.
Sorry, I gotta disagree with this one. Audiences will happily go to concerts - and buy recordings - even if they can't understand the language. Look at the careers of Salif Keita, Baba Maal, The Gypsy Kings, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ali Farke Toure, Te Vaka, Musikas.... and the list goes on and on.
And it goes pretty far back... I'm old enough to remember a hit song called "Volare."
For that matter, does anyone really know the words to "Louie Louie?"
What is important is that the music reaches your heart.
Mark
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 2:16:05 PM
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I would bet that Richard Ho'opi'i is another Vocalist that is not feeling left out.
(He was also on this last Grammy winning CD)
Not to mention that 8 of the 12 recordings on this last Grammy
winning CD are vocals and are mostly in the Hawaiian Language!
There is not a much more "vocal driven" song that Hi'ilawe is there?
(first cut on last year's disc, very chant-like & the music just needs two
chords)
The disc just happens to have the words "slack key" in the title.
(for the third year in a row)
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/20/2007 06:45:03 AM |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 3:20:29 PM
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Funny you should mention Ladysmith, Mark. Last time they came to New Haven, Sarah and I were at their 'seminar' in which they called up, on stage, kids of various races and got them to sing as they themselves did. As Zulu. It is one of the highlights (we are blessed, we have many highlights) of our lives. They come back to visit us next month and we will be certain to have yet another highlight. As Keola said in Puna in the 2001 Q&A session(if I can remember correctly), "It isn't the color of your skin that matters, it is what is in your heart that matters".
...Reid |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 4:00:41 PM
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Mark, Reid,...
Which is why I believe "Hawaiian" should be in "International" not "folk."
Uncle D,
I respect your work very much, as I do Keola's, Led's, Uncle Ray's, and George K, and the others. When I was studying with George while he was out here, I saw how hard he busted his but - he had a concert schedule that was almost impossible. Makaha Sons, Cazimeros and Hapa also played a lot here. Other Hawaiian musicians want the recognition, they have to come out here, too. Can't change life or demographics.
I also still think that HARA, as the "trade association" can use the net very effectively, and the bugaboo about "giving it away" wouldn't really apply if you have to have a NARAS number to get onto the site.
Last I say about this stuff. |
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naukilo
Lokahi
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 4:09:59 PM
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Hey Mark,
Re: VOLARE, I'm old enough to remember Domenico Modugno who wrote it and sang it.....okay enough said now that's showing my age....LOL
Uncle D |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 4:55:33 PM
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Hah--and I'm even older than Dennis and recall the original French version of "Autumn Leaves." On the steam-powered radio. Waist-deep in snow, uphill both ways.
Sorry, just got lost in the past for a second--there's so much of it.
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 6:19:53 PM
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| I don't know how NARAS nominates the recordings for grammy consideration. I'm lucky if the local coffee shop lets me play on their stage. However, I have to wonder at some of the grammy winners over the years.Several years ago Eric Clapton won for"Best Traditional Blues Album" His post 50's electric blues is anything but traditional; even Muddy Waters was borderline traditional the last part of his career. Clapton's work is much too modern for the catagory. That doesn't take away from his ability, or the value of his albums. I'm particularly glad Hawai'ian music was given it's own catagory. To have been pigeon-holed as "World Music" would have been worse. That's where the local Borders store puts Iz's recordings. They don't carry much else from Hawai'i. Thank God for mele.com, Hanalei Book& Video, Buy Hawai'ian Music.com, etc. Wanda and I would't know where to spend our dough! When Gabby recorded "Vaya Con Dios" he didn't suddenly become a Spanish singer. When Iz did "Wonderful World" he didn't become Louis Armstrong. And, as Louis himself said"It' s all folk music- I ain't never heard a horse sing."'Ledward Ka'a'pana and Friends' has a wide range of musical styles on it.Eat it up, it's all good. |
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 02/20/2007 1:36:02 PM |
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naukilo
Lokahi
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 6:28:13 PM
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LOL @ Russ.....how you doing?....it's been a long time
Aloha,
Dennis |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 6:42:58 PM
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Paul, the process for nomination is like this:
Any artist or their label submits the album/song with the suggested category. If it matches the entrance criterea and the category criterea it gets put on the preliminary ballot. All NARAS members can vote for the prelims, although the number of categories in which you can vote is limited. On the preliminary ballot you can choose 5 or 6 (I always forget) albums/songs. The bean counters prepare the final ballot - each category is narrowed down to 5 or 6 "finalists." Members vote for only 1 finalist in each category that they vote, again every one can vote for the "biggies," e.g. album of the years, etc., and there is some limitation as to the number of other categories in which you can vote.
In sum, as a NARAS member, you or your label can "enter you," NARAS members vote in a two step process.
FYI, HARA process is basically similar, but you vote for almost all of the categories. |
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naukilo
Lokahi
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 6:46:35 PM
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| That's a cool observation Paul and interesting revelation to me of things I didn't know. I actually got to meet Muddy Waters when he played in Hawai'i at what use to be the KOOL JAZZ FESTIVAL held at the Waikiki Shell back in the late 1970's. I was with the Sons of Hawaii then and a fan of Muddy Waters. After our portion of the show, I sat down with him after he gave his performance and he said "looks like Hawaii needs no blues....you got your oceans and beaches that chase them away".....of course I laughed but I came away a better musician for having the chance to talk to a legend. |
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Slackhead
Aloha
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2007 : 8:39:09 PM
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Aloha from Maui.
Interesting conversation going on here. At our Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series here our mission is to give these wonderful Hawaiian artists a well-paying gig (without having to go to the mainland) and an opportunity to play music in a theater setting. For so many of these musicians their only option has been to play in a bar or restaurant setting when at home. I remember the first time I saw George Kahumoku Jr sitting in a corner with his guitar and small sound system playing for the seafood buffet at the Westin Hotel in Kaanapali. I had previously only seen him play before large theater audiences on the mainland, and here he was, his performance pretty much ignored by people walking back and forth with their crab legs. G.K. Chesterton once said (I'm paraphrasing a bit) "Music with food is an insult to both chef and musician." My thoughts exactly.
After a few months doing our concerts here on Maui we decided to assemble a selection of songs recorded live so that we would have something new to sell at our shows. We weren't thinking about Grammys. Indeed, at that time there was no Hawaiian Grammy. We submitted our CD to the Hokus (we were nominated but did not win), the Hawaiian Music Awards (we were selected as best slack key album), and to NARAS when they announced that there would be a Hawaiian Grammy. We were shocked when we were actually nominated. I figured that would be the end of it, and I did not go to the Grammy ceremony because it was on the same night as our Maui show and we had never missed doing one. We ending up winning the Grammy that year and also this year.
That's a little background for anyone who is interested. Wayne Wong, George Kahumoku, Daniel Ho and I are just a bunch of guys who love slack key music, simple as that. In our show you will not hear "Tiny Bubbles" (nice tune, but not our thing) and you will most definitely never (over my dead body) hear "Jawaiian."
A couple of items in this thread that I would like to respond to:
First, although our concert series and our CD's have slack key in the title, we often feature other forms of Hawaiian music, such as ukulele, Hawaiian steel guitar, and Hawaiian falsetto. Some of our non-slack key guest artists have included Ohta San, Auntie Genoa Keawe, Da Ukulele Boys, Bobby Ingano (steel), and Uncle Richard Ho'opi'i. Our CD this year, "Legends of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar - Live from Maui," includes ukulele, falsetto and steel guitar, in addition to slack key.
Secondly, as someone else pointed out, 7 of the 12 tracks on our CD are vocals, sung in the Hawaiian language.
Supporting traditional Hawaiian music is our reason for existence. Our music will always be mainly vocal and Hawaiian. We label our albums as slack key because that is what the concert series is called and it is our primary emphasis. We feel good about our role in supporting Hawaiian music and musicians. We hope we'll be able to continue doing this for years to come, Grammies or no Grammies.
Paul Konwiser |
Slackhead |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 12:06:43 AM
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Aloha Keali'i and Uncle Dennis, Mahalo nui loa for sharing your mana'o on this subject. I totally agree with what Keali'i said that he loves to educate people who are learning about the culture and the customs of Hawai'i. This was a very interesting article and I have to say that I am appreciating Traditional Hawaiian Music and I do support the various artists even though I am not Hswaiian. I like learning more about the culture of Hawai'i, the language, and the different customs that we hawe in Hawai'i.
Alana :)
P.S. Keali'i can I have your new email address? |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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naukilo
Lokahi
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2007 : 08:26:57 AM
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Hey Paul K,
See you Wednesday. Read about the fire in Lahaina in the paper this morning.
Aloha,
Dennis |
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