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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
 Posted - 10/16/2007 : 02:38:58 AM
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TP = Andy (Taropatch.net)
DK = Donald Kauli`a
TP: Seem like just yesterday when you were living on Maui, going to the Waihee jams, and we were all at the Blue Marlin. Time flies, can you give us a quick update?
DK: I live in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island since my company moved me from Maui in July 2003. There I made friends real fast and did a CD called 'Slack Key in the Key of Aloha' with local producer Richard Harrison of GrassShack Records. I have been a manager in the construction industry for the last 22 years but been slack keying since 1976...31 years whew! Thank you Grace Pacific Corporation.
TP: Tell us about Sweet Wahine? How does this CD compare to your previous recordings?
DK: The title track 'Sweet Wahine' is an original spinoff from my 'Bikini Slack Key' track from the solo 'Freehand' album I made back in 2000 on Maui with Chance Gardner of PureSoundCd. I rearranged the music and added lyrics to the track since all of the guitar works was done on Taylors which sponsors Rhythm & Roots Records which is owned by Milton & Chris Lau. I originally wrote this piece to honor the Vaqueros whom introduced the guitar to Hawaii some 170 years ago. I wrote the lyrics to match the latin format, to honor the guitar which is shaped like a lady. So when you flip the cd cover you'll find the taylor nylon stringed guitar on the sand instead of the 'wahine'. The girl on the cover is Milton Lau nephew Che Capili's girlfriend. I never met the girl but you know Milton has a marketing mind of selling by using a photograph of 'Diamond Head', an asian girl dressed in red, blue ocean and sky and sand. I only went in the studio four times and never got the chance to sit down for mixing or album cover decision...this was all Chris & Milton. The real Sweet Wahine is my wife Wendy. The concept of this Sweet Wahine project was to show where slack key has taken me since 1976 until now. I also featured my new friend and student of Slack Key...LT Smooth.
TP: What was it like working with LT Smooth and how did you guys get together?
DK: LT Smooth, Leon Toomata is a natural born talent. We met at Island Breeze Luau Productions. Back in 2004, my kids worked there as dancers part time after school at the King Kamehemeha Hotel a mile from our house. One night my Son came home and told me that the luau show needed musicians and that there was this one guy from New Zealand that did everything and that I might be a big help to him. I didn't respond to my son's request until a year later in 2006 when I applied in the morning that evening they needed a musician that could play bass guitar or lead guitar. So I show up and there is this dude from New Zealand sound checking and asking me "Dude, what axe you want to play? Bass or Lead Guitar?" I hesitated because he had his FenderTele in his hand riffing away...I mean literally riffing the fastest progressive scales I've heard in years. So I said: 'bass man'. That was it, we have been glued like you wouldn't believe. I asked LT to sit in with me at the 2006 Slack Fest in Kona and we just blown everybordy away. Milton had me and LT in the studio one week later pounding out Sweet Wahine in September 2006. On the third session, Milton offered LT his own solo album. LT plays every instrument; sax, trumpet, drums, piano...everything with grace.
TP: You live in Kona now. Where did you grow up and how did you learn your slack key style?
DK: I live in Kona now. I was born on the island of Oahu back in 1962 and was immediately adopted to some relatives named Pete and Toni Batino of Waianae. My natural parents Peter and Flora Kaulia were from Damien Trac and back then times were very hard and I was the eighth child. Flora Kaulia hailed from Hana, Maui from the Makahilia-Hoopai clan. Peter Kaulia was born in Naalehu, Big Island. So, for me I found my roots in Maui and now I'm planted for good on the Big Island. I learned slack key back in 1976 when Raymond Kane sold my mom his 12-string Arias guitar for $25...actually a bowling debt to my Mama Toni a former Kalihi Bowl Champion with Raymond. My mom told me to learn this slack key stuff because it was a dying art like hula back in the 70's. Her son Norman 'Baba' Batino was an avid slack key fanatic along with Bossey Chee & Wendell Kahaleoumi whom used to jam in the backyard. I was too young to join them so I formed my own band called the 'Makaha Menehunes' and me cuz'n Fred & Carl Willing did our own slack key rocknroll stuff. Baba Pang, a pianist at Chin Ho's Makaha Resort used to visit frequently to teach me piano and theory. I grew up with Delwyn Beasley, Walter Aipolani, Kaleo Sniffen ... we all used to cruz at Waianae lunch period doing jam sessions until Israel showed up for school the jam sessions turned into mini concerts with P.A. systems and the whole works. In high school I had several bands: choir, jazz ensemble, rocknroll and slack key band. The music director Bruce Dunnell gave the keys to the bandroom and all the instruments. In school I learned as much as I could but then I ventured into the 1970's stuff until 1980's meeting with Fred Punahoa...that changed my view of slack key. He is why I play slack key music as a primary venue.
TP: I know you've performed at the many Slack Key Festivals and Pakale Live recently. Are you performing anywhere regularly? Any other special events coming up?
DK: Regular gigs on the Bodyglove Party Sunset Sails and/or the Spirit of Kona, BlueSea Cruise from the pier in Kailua-Kona. Every night is a different schedule where it's either me & LT or me & Gene or me & Charley...it varies according to the sail each evening between Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next festival is in Kauai on Sunday, November 18, 2007.
TP: Anything else that you'd like to share with your fellow taropatchers?
DK: I have a bunch of students now...some 30 plus. I created a SLACK KEY ACADEMY. The Kona class is held the first two Saturdays each month at the Kona International Market Place right in Kailua Kona next to the HPM Store makai side of Kmart. 9:30 a.m. is for the beginners and from 10am -10:30am is slack key lessons then jam session from 10:30am until too hot.
The other class is held in Waimea one Saturday a month at the Waimea Music Exchange across from the Kahilu Theatre.
Any time taropatch members are visiting the Big Island check out my website www.kaulia.com and join us for a jam at one of my classes at the Slack Key Academy.
TP: Sound great, Don. Thanks for your love and perpetuation of this music. Taropatchers will surely look you up on the Big Island. Mahalo!
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Andy |
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