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Honopo
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
 Posted - 01/11/2008 : 08:23:52 AM
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Question:
I have been a Hawaiian music fan for years, but living in the midwest is a real hinderence when it comes to hearing all that is going on in the islands music wise. I am also a gigantic Reggae fan. After finally visiting Hawaii for the first time and listening to the Hawaiian stations while there and on the internet, a question keeps running through my mind. When did the influence of Reggae music start creeping into Hawaiian music? I did not notice this until visiting a few years ago. Can any of you give me a background of when and why this happened? I love it, so I would like to know some history on the combination of influences. My favorite was sitting on the beach at Nukuele Point and listening to the wide range of music being played by a few people that had jam boxes. From Brutha Iz, to Bob Marley, to Henry Kapono to Jimmy Cliff and I was loving it! If anyone has any info on this, I would greatly appreciate it.
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 08:42:51 AM
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| when pakalolo started creeping in |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Honopo
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 08:52:34 AM
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| So was that recently? Is this more of a younger Hawaiian movement? I know HAPA did Redemption Song, but when I was there, it seemed like the "kids" were the ones sporting the Marley shirts. How is the Hawaiian music scene handling this? Are they embracing it or do they not like other influences like this coming into theirs? Even the new Barefoot Natives CD has some Reggae hints to it. |
Edited by - Honopo on 01/11/2008 08:54:37 AM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 09:42:49 AM
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It's called Jawaiian music and it it's been around for more than 25 years. Reggae is a worldwide phenomenon found on every continent. Jawaiian, like Hawaiian jazz, country and hiphop, has ingrained itself in the culture in Hawaii. You can hear reggae beats with Hawaiian language, but mostly it's a happy sort of pop music from groups like Three Plus, Kekai Boyz, Keahiwai, Oshen and others. It often incorporates the strummed uke in the groove.
Jesse |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 10:27:43 AM
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Maybe 15 years ago Annie and I found ourselves at a Ziggy Marley Concert in Waikiki. The kids in line thought we were real cool cuz we'd seen Bob Marley several times-- Annie on his first US tour -- so they took us under their wing. (That meant we help carry their coolers, and they supplied us with beer...)
Anywho, the opening act was a local reggae band who's name I forgot. Drums, percussion, bass, a Hammond B3 organ... and a guy duck walking across the stage playing a `ukulele! They were incredible--- someone later said it was Troy Fernandez on uke. Anyone know the band?
I have a soft spot in my heart for Jawaiian music, even if I find it funny to hear Island kids toasting in phony Jamaican accents. And even funnier when they do it in phony Indian accents like the British bands.
And, yeah, reggae took over across the world starting in the 70s. Bob Marley was an international cultural hero and his music fueled liberation and identity movements.
I'll be teaching "Three Little Birds" at Aloha Camp next month.
Cool runnings! |
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Momi
Lokahi
402 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 11:08:43 AM
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I know Troy used to belong to the Ka`au Crater Boys, but don't know much beyond that.
I think Brother Noland is widely credited as being the first to incorporate reggae into local music. Listen to his "Coconut Girl" and you'll hear the influence. Knowing Peter Moon's eclecticism, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it from him too.
I first noticed Jawaiian in Kapena's music. Their version of "Red Red Wine" got (and still gets) lots of airplay on KINE. |
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sm80808
Lokahi
347 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 11:31:26 AM
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I wasn born in '80 so I may be a little off time wise, but I think the earliest Jawaiian music I can think of so I might be guys like Bruddah Noland, Butch Helemano, and Kapena. I think early 80's but I am probably wrong. I know that even the Peter Moon Band did a few very un-reggae Bob Marley covers (Guava Jelly, Waiting in Vain) in the 80's that were inspirations to the Ka'au Crater Boys.
Anyways...
The present trend among the cool kids and club scene here is to reject music labeled Jawaiian and opt instead for the harder earler (1970-1985) Studio 1/Dub/Roots sounds. The emphasis is less poppy, more "conscious" lyrics, slower tempos, more real horns, fewer cheesy synth patches, more effects. Less "One Love/Stir It Up" and more "Soul Rebel" Of course you'd probably neve believe me if you based it on what you hear on 98.5 or 100.3 which is still heavily dominated by "Jawaiian" bands (Opihi Pickers/BET/etc.) (But even on those stations there is the occasional roots/herb/420 block here and there.) Some good roots artists down here are Ooklah the Moc, BW, THC. The best examples of this sound would probably be found here site: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=125045653
By some strange turn of events I ended up playing in a very, very popular and influential local band that helped cultivate the roots/dub sound here in the early 2000's. I stuck with them a few years and for a guy in his early 20's it was a great experience(and profitable... a lot more so than when I played Hawaiian music). I can tell you first hand that reggae music is loved by the kids here. As is the herb. And the bud. Did I mention marijuana? And weed...Yeah, that too... |
Edited by - sm80808 on 01/11/2008 11:33:05 AM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 11:49:54 AM
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We had the Rolling Stones in concert at the Naval Academy in Annapolis when I was a midshipman in the mid 70s. The opening act was Bob Marley and the Wailers -- that was my first taste of reggae and I promptly purchased their only album at the time. By the time I reported to my first destroyer in Pearl Harbor three years later, Reggae was starting to take hold in the islands and local bands were trying to incorporate the reggae beat into their songs.
I always worried when I went to the Diamond Head Crater concerts that I would fail the Navy drug tests because of all the ambient smoke from the Kona Gold and Maui Wowie (pakalolo) which was very much a part of the Rastaman Vibration. In the 70s, Maui Wowie was the #1 cash crop (told to me by the local police chief while I was on shore patrol in Lahaina while the ship anchored offshore -- somebody had to pull that duty). |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 1:19:12 PM
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Mike - funny that about the Rolling Stones. When was at Kent State in 1970, the homecoming bands were Jefferson Airplane and Sha-Na-Na.
I must tell you, though, that those who partake of the pakalolo or other chemistry thinking it will enhance their musical experience or assist in writing songs/composing music, are wrong, wrong, wrong! If they were straight and sober, they would hear that it sounds like some jerk who was higher than a kite and knew not what he was doing. As Emily Dickinson wrote "...inebriate of the air am I and debauched of the dew..." No need herbs/chemicals to make beautiful music or appreciate the lovely world.
The pakalolo as regards Reggae is a religious thing, much as peyote is to certain Native American peoples. It is not just blanket permission to smoke dope. The whole Rastafarian thing is not understood by many of the younger folks. I mean, if you ever listen to Iz singing about Pakalolo tickling your feet, well, sheesh. I'd much rather hear him sing "E Ku`u Morning Dew" or "E Ala E" or "Hi`ilawe". |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Honopo
Aloha
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 2:27:52 PM
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Thanks for the great info everyone! So basically it caught on at the same time as the rest of the world then. That is cool. Maybe since I am listening to all the Hawaiian stations 10 hours a day now (every day), I am hearing more of it. One of my all time favorite Reggae artists is Lucky Dube, if any of you want to check him out, please do so. He has the greatest female background singers I have ever heard! He newer albums feature them more and more and on a few songs, I don't even think he sings, he just sits there and listens to them! He has a guitar player that is amazing as well.
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 2:49:47 PM
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The Year was 1972. There were two big hits that brought Reggae and Ska into Hawaii consciousness. The first was the song “I Can See Clearly” by Johnny Nash. The back up band was Bob Marley and the Whalers. Bob Marley produced it but I don’t believe he received credit. The second was the release of the film soundtrack “The Harder They Come” also released in 1972 by Island Records. This is the perfect soundtrack. It features Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, the Slickers, Desmond Decker & the Aces, the Melodians. These releases received a tremendous amount of airplay back then on Hawaii FM radio.
The Puerto Rican Katchi-katchi bands were the only local musicians up until that period who were playing on the back beat – 2 & 4. They played the more uptempo and high energy seis. Reggae is more layed back with fewer chord changes. It fit right into the simple 2 & 4 ukulele strum that was taught as part of the fourth grade curriculum in Hawaii’s elementary schools. Although there were other rhythms taught this stroke was clearly the easiest to master. In the ‘70s a lot of local pick up bands would play this style but they didn’t have a clue as to how to give it an edge and show any kind of virtuosity.
The first Hawaiian reggae hit was a cover of Bob Marley’s “Guava Jelly” off of the Cane Fire Album by the Peter Moon Band. This was in 1982. Among the band members were Randy Lorenzo, Cyril Pahinui, Martin Pahinui, Steve Wofford, Bobby Hall, Merv Ching and Peter Moon. All of them first class musicians. These were the guys who set the bar that no other group has as of yet passed.
The term Jawaiian was coined by John Chang in about 1986, a classmate of mine who was also a recording engineer and record company owner. With the help of several key disc jockeys he started promoting some of his groups island wide doing a lot of concerts and freebies in the early thru mid ‘90s. The genre dominated the local airwaves for several years. Thankfully that time is now behind us.
PM
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Bill Neubauer
Aloha
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 5:37:31 PM
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W'op? (Jamaican for "Howzit?") The first time I heard "Jawaiian" music was on my first trip to Hawai'i back in 2001 (when I brought my Jamaican wife to learn the Hula while I studied Slack Key - what kind of irony is that?) We both just loved it. But not the boom-box, dub-style stuff - we just thought it was really cool to hear the Jamaican ska and reggae rythyms played on acoustic guitars and ukuleles; gave it a more "folky" appeal. BTW, after 8 trips to JA, I've yet to find people sitting around playing instruments and singing together like Hawaiians do - there doesn't seem to be a Jamaican equivalent to "Kanikapila".
What you will most likely find, no matter where you go in the world, is Reggae music. George Coulinet (sp?), host of "Afropop" has said, "If music is the universal language, then Reggae music is its most widely spoken dialect."
Erica has found an internet radio station from Africa called "Coco-Radio" and they play Reggae music from all over. She said it's a real blast to hear it sung in German! (I'll have to ask her if she's ever heard Bagpipe Reggae - I would think she'da mentioned that!)
Well, Aloha to everyone! |
Kika Pila |
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sandman
Lokahi
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 7:21:13 PM
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Hitting (if you will pardon the expression) on something which has popped up in the above threads: Pakalolo is one of the great runs on Blackcomb Mountain. Of course, it probably is connected with BC Bud, which is allegedly a very high quality weed endemic to the area. Must try the run next week when I get up there. As an asthmatic, I'll pass on inhaling anything but big air on a very interesting drop.
But not the first run of the season,
Sandy |
Leap into the boundless and make it your home.
Zhuang-zi |
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kaniala5
Akahai
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2008 : 10:57:08 PM
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The earliest "Reggae" song I ever heard recorded was Billy Kaui who wrote "Mr. Reggae" (70's) Then Melveen Leed did "Shave Ice" (early 80's).
The next recording I know about is Butch Helemano's full album of Reggae and Ska---"Sugar and Spice" (85). I was in the band that played in the Ala Moana Hotel to celebrate the album's release. Macho and Cool Connection were the warm up band.
Butch put together a lot of bands and worked for years going bankrupt in the process trying to make a foothold with the music. A lot of sweat and hard work helped create the Reggae music scene you see today.
I remember the Jawaiian music was an outgrowth of our success with playing live and getting the music exposed to the youth. I played and recorded with Butch until 1992. In the late 80's Reggae started getting larger venues when Ziggy and other large acts started to arrive on the scene. We were real popular with the youth and young groups like Kapena started playing Reggae with bass, 'uke, guitar, and percussion. When we rehearsed on Mohihi Street in Nanakuli, we saw musical trios come by and listen to the sound we had before we got to big and loud to practice in the neighborhood.
I believe the music speaks to feelings and emotions we as islanders feel and it gives us a modern medium to express ourselves that has a beat and you can dance to. |
Look for reasons to be happy rather than excuses to be miserable. |
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sm80808
Lokahi
347 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2008 : 12:09:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
I must tell you, though, that those who partake of the pakalolo or other chemistry thinking it will enhance their musical experience or assist in writing songs/composing music, are wrong, wrong, wrong!
You're so right aunty.
Being the "straight edge" guy in the band (their term for me, not mine), I can confirm all of that to be true. Luckily for me, they mostly burned AFTER band practice was pau so it was all good. Live shows.. that's a different story. Good times. :)
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2008 : 04:48:16 AM
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“The Harder They Come” was what got Sarah and me into reggae. We saw the movie and we still have a tape of the soundtrack and listen to it every once in a while. It has wonderful pieces. *Simplisticly*, the movie had as its basis a kind of shoot 'em up ghetto gang warfare which culminates in the winner becoming a reggae star.
Just one bit of Jamaican linguistic and religious clarification, which mystified me and which became clear when I watched a 3 or 4 hour long marathon of reggae history videos:
One of the bases of Rasta is veneration of Haile Selassie who made a tour of Jamaica in the 1920s (IIRC). He was greeted by enthusiastic crowds who had never thought of a black man as capable of power and fame, and were entranced. His name at the time was Ras Tafari The last "i" is long). You can hear it said in that way on the track "By the Waters of Babylon". So, the name got transmuted, over time, to Rasta in some unknown way.
...Reid
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