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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
 Posted - 10/27/2007 : 08:49:36 AM
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OK everybody, it's storytime! lol
I found out that traditional Hawaiian music with vocals in it is music in 'olelo and not hapa haole songs in Hawaiians' minds when I first heard about Keali'i Reichel on the Travel Channel. When I tried to google him on the Internet afterwards, I didn't know how to spell his name and thus spelled it Kaiali'i Rochelle. Close, but no cigar! Google then responded with, "Did you mean Keali'i Rochelle?" All that came up was links to websites that had lists of people on them, some of which had the first names Keali'i and Rochelle.
I finally found out how to spell his name correctly when I came upon the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards website. When I typed it into Google and looked at the search results, a website came up that had MP3's of three or four of his songs. At first, I didn't really like his music much, but it was probably because I had chosen to listen to the chant-like "Melelana" instead of the beautiful "E O Mai." However, I started to like him better when I heard his cover of Bette Midler's "Every Road Leads Back to You." I bought the CD's when I went to Hawai'i, and now, obviously, all that has changed. Getting exposed to Hawaiian music resulted in me becoming much more open-minded in my musical tastes. Now I think I have over 1000 CD's of almost every style you could think of!
So for malihini over here on the mainland like I was back then, how did you guys find that out?
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He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
Edited by - alika207 on 10/27/2007 09:14:10 AM |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2007 : 3:41:24 PM
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Growing up in Iowa, all I knew of "Hawaiian" music was hapa-haole stuff from "Hawaii Calls" and the like. When I started working in public radio while attending college, I started learning about ki ho`alu - so that (combined with the previous) became my mental definition. Then, I moved to Seattle in 1984.
Along came Momi (in 1995), creeping her way ever-not-so-subtly into my heart and my life, which led to regular visits back to her family on O`ahu. Exposure to KINE-FM (Hawaiian 105) pried my ears open to the wide range of Island sounds, her father (being a big Hawaiian music fan) played much more for me and told me stories of past performers - there was no stopping me after that.
Additional exploration led to my joining a halau in 1999, learning to dance hula, learning to play `ukulele (and eventually, bass guitar), getting invited to co-host Hawaiian music shows on radio, talk about it on cable TV, and write about it for the newspaper, as well as programming it for Muzak for several years.
Hundreds of CDs, countless gigs, a few recording sessions, and many emcee opportunities later, the region's Hawaiian community has welcomed me warmly and continues to teach me regularly.
I be a most lucky fella!  |
Edited by - Retro on 10/28/2007 05:28:58 AM |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2007 : 8:48:42 PM
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When I was growing up I thought Hary Owens was hawaiian. Not! Actually when you are around it so much it is like Chinese food it is just music. Like Shoyu chicken is just chicken. I'm gladf some people can discover Hawaiian music. Just like Capt. Cook discovered Hawai'i. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
Edited by - noeau on 10/27/2007 8:49:07 PM |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2007 : 9:23:25 PM
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I had the good fortune to have some guys from Kaua'i to work around in the early mid-1970s. I was playing Bluegrass mandolin at the time. In talking story with those guys, I found out about ki ho'alu. I learned to play it before I heard any records, then I heard Leonard Kwan, The Sunday Manoa, Hui Ohana, Ray Kane, Gabby Pahinui and the rest is history. I finally plugged into the Hawaiian community in the Seattle area and things just blossomed. You have to keep turning th rocks over to find the good stuff.
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Edited by - thumbstruck on 10/27/2007 9:25:00 PM |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2007 : 02:51:32 AM
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| About ki ho'alu, I had first heard it listening to KHUI, known as The Breeze back then. I thought it was okay but didn't like the fact that slack key albums had received the Grammy for the first two years of the Hawaiian music album award. As I kept listening to Hawaiian music, however, I grew to like the style more. I think I used to not like it as much as I do now because I had preferred music with vocals at the time, rather than instrumental pieces. Now I love listening to everything. |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2007 : 08:20:19 AM
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| My introduction was listening to Gabby play on Ry Cooder's "Chicken Skin Music" LP. Of course, my parents had Bing Crosby's "Blue Hawaii" and "Sweet Leilani". I started playing pedal steel in 1974 and was fully involved in the "outlaw" country scene in LA. Then in 1978 my brother-in-law gave me "The Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band V1" for Christmas. I loved it and played it often, but didn't really get into the music much. Then, I believe it was in 1999 or 2000, Kory Tideman came to the Seattle Folklore Society picnic at my house, and he convinced me that I could play Hawaiian steel. He was right. My pedal steels have been in their cases for a couple of years. As Retro said, the Hawaiian community took me in as one of their own. When I was learning by playing gigs with Uncle Danny Kaopuiki and Friends, Iwalani Kamahele would stand next to me and hum the melody of a tune I hadn't heard before so I would sound good on my solos. Trips to Hawaii, lessons from Alan Akaka and Henry Allen under my belt, and spending my paychecks at Mele.com have all helped. I'm studying to become a broadcaster so I can join Retro and the ohana at KBCS. I'm playing with Uncle Danny, the expanded "Da Oddah Guyz" (Thumbstruck, me ,Noeau, Mike Bristow, Gary Mederos, and Retro). Life is good up here in Seattle! |
keaka |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2007 : 3:02:11 PM
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| Wish I lived where you guys are! How come you can't move somewhere near where I live? No, jk. Hahahaha! |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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Podagee57
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2007 : 08:33:13 AM
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Although we had been to Kauai for our 10th anniversary back in '87, it wasn't until I got to know my mother around '99 that I really got exposed to Hawaiian Music. She loved everything about Hawaii, it's culture, it's beauty, and it's music. On a trip to North Shore Oahu, she put on an Iz CD. I was blown away! I started a modest collection of Hawaiian music CDs, mostly of Iz. A few years later we were staying in a house in Puako. There was a complimentary CD left at the house as a gift. It was all slack key. That was my first real exposure to this style of guitar. I have loved the sound of acoustic guitar my whole life, but this was something new and beautiful...I was hooked and perplexed, not nowing how they got those beautiful sounds. At this point I could only dream of making this beautiful sound myself. Slack Key remained a beatiful mystery.
Then we moved to Central Oregon, going on 4 years ago, and became a regular at Bill Keale's "Aloha Fridays" performances, also taking in our first Bill Keale Luau. Coincidentally this is also when I decided to become more serious about playing guitar. Then I found this forum and through the information and many links found here, I was able to learn the basics to get me started with this unique art form.
Through Bill and information I have found from sources such as T-Patch, I have broadened my Hawaiian musical spectrum considerably, realizing that there is sssssoooo much talent in the Hawaiian music community.
The music and the friendships I have since enjoyed are so precious to me. |
What? You mean high "E" is the TOP string. No way dude! That changes everything! |
Edited by - Podagee57 on 11/03/2007 08:35:02 AM |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2007 : 4:56:20 PM
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Aloha,
It's really nice to read all your stories. Mahalo for sharing.
A hui hou! |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2007 : 01:12:44 AM
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Aloha mai e 'Alika! I been exposed to Hawaiian music in high school but I didn't actually learn the language and the culture except when I entered college. I had the opportunity to hear some 'olelo Hawai'i from my hoaaloha here on O'ahu and I got interested and I wanted to learn more about 'olelo Hawai'i and the culture and that's how I got into Hawaiian music. I also had the opportunity to meet some Hawaiian musicians/artists who are now my close friends.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2007 : 02:23:37 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by hawaiianmusiclover06
Aloha mai e 'Alika! I been exposed to Hawaiian music in high school but I didn't actually learn the language and the culture except when I entered college. I had the opportunity to hear some 'olelo Hawai'i from my hoaaloha here on O'ahu and I got interested and I wanted to learn more about 'olelo Hawai'i and the culture and that's how I got into Hawaiian music. I also had the opportunity to meet some Hawaiian musicians/artists who are now my close friends.
Alana :)
He mo'olelo maika'i kela! So what had you listened to before you got into Hawaiian music? Pop? Classical? A little of everything? |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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kaniala5
Akahai
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 6:11:50 PM
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| I listened to cassettes when I was a child in the late sixties early seventees. My father who lived far from me, used to send my brother and me tapes of pidgen english (Kent Bowman). When I visited him on his boat in the Ala Wai, he had a small cassette player and three tapes - two were Hawaiian (Two Slack Key Guitars [Gabby and Ohta San] and Hui Ohana - Young Hawaii plays Old Hawaii). I didn't learn about slack key as a unique style until about 15 years later in the 80's. I met or traded the stage with many of my favorite musicians as a professional in the 90's but alas, I didn't play slack key yet. It wasn't until I came to California, got homesick and found an oppurtunity to learn that I actually started playing. Now, I am hooked. |
Look for reasons to be happy rather than excuses to be miserable. |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 3:05:00 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kaniala5
I listened to cassettes when I was a child in the late sixties early seventees. My father who lived far from me, used to send my brother and me tapes of pidgen english (Kent Bowman). When I visited him on his boat in the Ala Wai, he had a small cassette player and three tapes - two were Hawaiian (Two Slack Key Guitars [Gabby and Ohta San] and Hui Ohana - Young Hawaii plays Old Hawaii). I didn't learn about slack key as a unique style until about 15 years later in the 80's. I met or traded the stage with many of my favorite musicians as a professional in the 90's but alas, I didn't play slack key yet. It wasn't until I came to California, got homesick and found an oppurtunity to learn that I actually started playing. Now, I am hooked.
E Kaniala e,
Mahalo nui for sharing! Hoe to talk to you soon.
A hui hou! |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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Honopo
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 08:45:30 AM
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How I found Hawaiian:
I have lived in the Chicago area all my life. At age 8, I found out how great an instrument a guitar is. I then heard Eruption by Eddie Van Halen and said, that's it, I gotta learn to play. Yeah sure, Metal music normally leads to Hawaiian Slack Key, doesn't it?
There is a radio guy in Chicago named Steve Dahl. I have been a fan of his since 1979 or so. Very early in the 80's, he started to go to Maui once a year and take listeners. For one week, he would do his show live there, sit next to a pool or the ocean, and have all the Hawaiian greats on his show. At first, I would turn it off, mainly because it wasn't rock, but one day, I remember hearing someone just play this absolutely killer slack key and I was blown away. Steve would then have "Aloha Friday" on the station and I was introduced to all the new hawaiian music he would get and I became addicted. I started to buy any Hawaiian CD I could find. Being in the midwest, there was not much to choose from though, but once the internet started to kick in, I became a regular at mele.com and others. A visit to Maui in 2005 sealed my complete addiction to Hawaiian music, and of all the genres of music I listen to (I think I own about 17k CD's), Hawaiian music takes up about 90% of my music listening time now. I am a lover of all types of music, but Hawaiian music is the one I always turn to no matter what mood I am in.
So I owe it all to Steve Dahl. He is normally called a "shock jock" in the industry, but he was and still is cutting edge when it came to music. He would always play whatever he liked and would never follow the stations guidelines or play lists. Thank you STEVE DAHL! |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 10:10:42 AM
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Honopo - how lucky you are that there is a radio guy with a radio station that will let him do out of the box music. I cannot hardly abide radio any longer because it seems you can set your watch by the time they play certain songs. Same songs, same commercials every day. Afraid to play anything that is not pre-programmed. Otherwise, it is very difficult for us mainlanders (especially in the mmid-west) to hear any Hawaiian music.
I'm very glad that you were introduced to the music and that you fell in love with it. Much worse things a man can fall in love with, yeah? |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Honopo
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 2:36:21 PM
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you got that right wcerto! Hawaiian music calms me every hour on the hour at work. My laptop has a photo of a lone palm at Waianapanapa beach and I have either KAPA, KPOA or KINE playing at all times. There is no better way to get through a work day. And seriously, I have not listened to radio other than Dahl and a wonderful Jazz station (WDCB in Glen Ellyn, IL) for years. The music that the industry is forcing down our throats via radio and video is horrible. Keep the faith though, there will always be great music out there, as long as you are willing to search for it!
Steve Dahl is on WJMK in Chicago ( http://www.iknowjack.com/ ) and his website is www.dahl.com . Check him out on the web. It is normally 95% talk, but he will play music mostly on Fridays. |
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