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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
 Posted - 01/23/2008 : 09:37:59 AM
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Can anyone point me to information as to when the first Hawaiian Show with Hawaiian Guitar went to the USA mainland.?
And as to when the first recording of Hawaiian guitar was made..
Mahalo Nui Loa
Baz
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 2:06:03 PM
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Basil, the latter question is best answered by the Bishop Museum people. Sarah and I have a recording from them that is around 1928. So, there were probably some earlier. A clue could be gotten from knowing when the technology was invented and imported/exported.
...Reid |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 2:22:27 PM
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Of course, we all know that a Hawaiian Band was a big hit at the Pan-Pacific Exposition held in San Francisco one year after the Great Earthquake of 1906. Might these have been the first USA peformances of a Hawaiian band?
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 01/23/2008 3:18:02 PM |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 4:35:32 PM
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That would have been an acoustic Hawaiian guitar. I believe the first practical electric pickup was made by Rickenbacher in the mid to late '30s. The Frying pan must have been one of the earliest electrics.(?)
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2008 : 9:03:20 PM
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Basil,
On page 325 of George Kanahele's book, "Hawaiian Music and Musicians" under the heading "Record Industry in Hawai'i,
"The Victor Talking Machine Company was the first to arrive in the Territory, in 1905, and in the next year that powerful company recorded and released 53 Hawaiian records, most of them by Nani Alapai, the Hawaiian Girls from Kawaiaha'o Seminary, and the Ellis Brothers Quartet and Glee
Club, performing "Aloha 'Oe," "Waipi'o," "Old Plantation," "Hawai'i Pono'i,"
"Tomi Tomi" and other favorites of the day."
It dosen't say specifically if any of these artists used The Hawaiian Guitar.
In the section on "Steel Guitar" on page 375 of the same book,
"Frank Ferera, another contemporary, (of Joseph Kekuku) was playing the steel, too, prior to 1902 when he left for the US mainland. We also know that in 1899 either Tom Hennessey or July Paka played the steel guitar when they made their first recording for Edison in San Francisco." |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2008 : 08:09:52 AM
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Thanks for the date correction Basil. Also this Hawaiian Band at the Exposition did not "tour" but played at one of the fixed exhibits and so would not meet your criteria of "touring" the U.S. Don't know if they had a Hawaiian Guitar player, either, but it seems reasonable that they would have.
If recording equipment was available, it also seems reasonable that someone would have tried to record them at that time.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2008 : 10:16:36 AM
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| Lena Machado began touring the mainland in about 1922, and Hawaiian music was already popular on the mainland by that time. The book "Songbird of Hawai`i" advised that she started touring in her late teens (born 1903). It says she accepted offers to tour the U.S. continent with groups of Hawaiian musicians and dancers. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2008 : 10:26:31 AM
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On Harry B. Soria's web site, Territorial Airwaves http://www.territorialairwaves.com/index.php?page=3&start=0
the oldest recording he speaks of is 1920, Sweet Lei Lehua, written by King David Kalakaua. The 1920 recording is by Madam Alapa`i,
The following is from: http://www.surfingforlife.com/music.html
Starting in 1915, the American populace was swept up in a craze over everything Hawaiian, prompted by the publicity over the traveling Hawaiian troubadours and their exotic and romantic island images. In particular, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915, taking place in San Francisco, served to introduce the unique Hawaiian sound to the world. Major recording and touring by Hawaiian bands began very shortly thereafter.
Among the numerous musical influences on Hawaiian music as it evolved were gospel music, American pop such as Stephen Foster, country and western, ragtime, swing, European light opera, and jazz. The Hawaiian eclectic genius was to blend all of these international influences with their own sophisticated rhythms and guitar stylings, and to make the mix uniquely their own. After its introduction in the United States and Canada, Hawaiian music found its way to Europe during the early 1900s. The music combined slack-key and steel guitar with prominent use of the ukulele mixed with traditional Hawaiian chants and tones, The Mainland home of Hawaiian music in the '20 and '30s was the Lexington Hotel Lounge in New York, ruled by Hawaiian band leader Ray Kenney.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 01/24/2008 10:31:31 AM |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2008 : 10:49:15 AM
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| Bas - I recall that Frank Ferrera was among the Hawaiians at the Pan Pacific, and that he recorded while he was on the mainland. I've read that that started the Hawaiian craze amongst haoles. I'll try to find my source. - Jack |
keaka |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2008 : 3:03:31 PM
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Once again from Kanahele's book, this time from page 376, under the section heading "Steel Guitar-Popularization"
"From Hawai'i the steel guitar moved to the US mainland and then to other parts of the world where it became synonomous with Hawaiiian music. The steel guitar was introduced to the mainland early-in 1899 by July Paka, in 1902 by Frank Ferera, and in 1904 by Joe Kekuku himself, followed by almost every notable Hawaiian steel guitarist over the next two or three decades. Some like Joe Kekuku, Pale K. Lua, Frank Ferera and Ben Hokea, never returned to Hawai'i. They went as steel guitarists and played in vaudville, chautauquas, clubs and theaters, expositions, and so on, throughout the US and Canada. Great numbers of people in small towns and big cities first heard the steel and Hawaiian music in this way. Many of these troubadours settled down long enough in major cities in America and Europe to teach or open up music studios for the steel guitar:Kekuku in Detriot, Hokea in Toronto and Ottawa, Kolomoku in New York."
Also, this time from Lorene Ruymar's book "The Hawaiian Steel Guitar" on page 27, and I'm para phrasing....she says that shortly after July Paka arrived in San Francisco (1899) he married a professional dancer and they started touring under the name of Toots Paka's Hawaiians. |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
Edited by - markwitz on 01/24/2008 3:04:26 PM |
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