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Ray Sowders
Akahai
USA
96 Posts |
 Posted - 04/20/2007 : 10:21:30 AM
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Aloha Kakou,
Like most performing musicians I have many memories....definitely don't need to take that stroll down memory lane here and now. 2 popped into my mind that are appropriate here. The first time I played the O'ahu slack Key Guitar festival with Ray Kane in 1994. There were several students that performed that year. Ray treated us all equally, and everybody sang and took a pa'ani. Even though years later I would perform on my own, it was great to share the same stage that year. In May 2000 I was invited to France to play a 2 hour gig at the American Embassy. and share some Hawaiian music. My friend who I stayed with kept emailing me asking me "are you sure you want to go through with this?" I told him sure, it will be fun. Ends up the Embassy was packed, standing room only (must have thought somebody else was coming!)and folks really had a great time. Some of the drinking female crowd became the most...."unique" French/Hawaiian dancers you ever saw. Wish I had a video...would have been pricesless...or blackmail! Ooo la la!
A hui hou,
Ray
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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 04:38:23 AM
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 Aloha Keith! Ha! ha! ha! I had forgotten all about that! How much did we make!  I did really enjoy our first jam at KBH . Hey! when you and Susie arrive on Maui, give me a buzz! I would love to join your "Kanikapila".
Call me at 579-8576, and if I'm able to pick-up the call you can leave a voice message' or you could also get me on my cellphone in case I'm out and about. The number is 276-7314.
"Ua Noho Wau A Kupa", is still my favorite in the tune of C . Just a moment ago, I heard my alarm-clock. I didn't realize I was up so late! The time as I type is 4:30 Saturday morning 4/21/07
I really look forward to see you and Susie again..Oh BTW! Do you want me to bring anything for the "Kanikapila"? I could bring my guitar! Ha! ha! ha! See ya when I see ya! A Hui Hou!!!!!
slackkey Bill |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2007 : 06:23:43 AM
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I could say some of my gigs have been interesting, but not always in a good way.
There was the gig in Gdansk, (Poland) where someone let off tear gas and we had to evacuate the place. There was the gig in a local park where we were below a puppet show on the bill (serious Spinal Tap vibe!), There was the time that I was playing for a wedding and we worked out that they'd spent more on the cheese than they had on the band ('Cheaper than Cheese' was not an appealing slogan for us!). There was the time when we were about 10 miles from the Russian border and the audience was passing me over their heads all round the room while I hit a cowbell, the time in Germany where we played a biker bar, and when we finished they set up a karaoke until about four in the morning, and someone rode a motorbike onto the stage while someone else was singing. There was the time in Barcelona where a trombone player who never played with us before or since joined us for the whole gig, and it got recorded. The gigs we've done on the train - I'd better stop now before it gets out of hand.
It's all part of life's rich pageant though, isn't it? |
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Bwop
Lokahi
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2007 : 8:05:02 PM
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| Well,I got asked to do a sound track for a film. It was an instructional yoga film, set in Fiji, and they wanted ki ho'alu. Unfortunately, the producers were greenhorns and had never worked with musicians before. Also, my bad, I'm no professional. So when they started with, "we want a two minute, twent one second original piece with the emphasis here with the boat coming in" I was dumb enough to say, "sure". Playing to a tape was weird, but the engineer was great. He said, "you may know a guy who was just in here -- Led...". The biggest stretch was a fifty minute stretch of improvised music that had to work out to the second with the correct emotional interludes, but hey, isn't that what we do. I'd do it again, AND get big bucks. |
Bwop |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2007 : 1:46:14 PM
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OK, since we're pulling stuff outa the memory banks...
Back in 1976 or '77 I worked as a stagehand from time to time to pick up some extra cash. This particular concert was a jazz deal with Grover Washington, Jr.. then at the top of his popularity, and a then small-time opening act named Bobby McFerrin.
After loading in and setting up, the crew broke for dinner. I walk in my front door only to hear the phone ringing -- it's this guy from United Concerts, the show's producer, telling me to get my *ss back to the theatre on the double. "And, oh yeah... bring your dulcimer, McFerrin can't make it."
So here I am, a hippie with an Appalachian dulcimer, for gawd's sake, waiting in the wings at a sold-out jazz show listening to the announcer introduce me without a word about the change in acts. I walk onstage to stunned silence.
Here's the funny part: I go into my schtick, playing jaw harp, wanging on the dulcimer and telling corny jokes to this uber-sophisticated, well-dressed urban jazz audience of 2500... and they eat it up!
My guess is they were all so shocked they didn't have time to hate me and then they just decided I was totally out of my freaking mind.
It was an amazing experience.
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2007 : 01:18:27 AM
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Hi Mark! What a great story!
Perhaps Mr McFerrin had a sore throat? With his act, he's not got anything else up his sleeve if his singing goes kaput.
I'm sure you covered it with style. And I bet you're not the weirdest act that jazz audiences have seen! |
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