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Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
 Posted - 03/04/2003 : 2:28:24 PM
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I've heard several Hawaiian music recording artists say that there is more slack key on the mainland today than there is in the islands. I'd like to open this topic for discussion and would like to hear what Peter Medeiros or those in Maui (Waihee Valley crew) think versus those on the mainland. For example, what is the general health of this tradition in its homeland?
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Andy |
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oaklandslacker
Aloha
China
47 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 4:43:11 PM
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As somebody who's lived in both H-town and Oaktown, I think there's far more resources for learning slack key in Honolulu. Any guitar shops has the books, and teachers are easy to find, both public and private - just open a paper and you see a lot of ads for teachers.
I live in CA for a ways now - hence the moniker. When I started wanting to learn slack key, it was immensly difficult to take that first step. I couldn't find a teacher, I couldn't find any web resources, if I wanted any books I had to get them when visiting my family. After a couple years I was very lucky and ran into a Chris Yeaton (now living on the big island) as he put up brochures for a small slack-key concert he was giving - I think his first Woodsong Concert series. If I hadn't, I don't think I'd have ever gotten going!
Health of slack-key on the mainland? I don't think there's much - I've never met anybody in CA who's even aware of the form, unless they're from HI. Usually they think it's flamenco or something. |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 5:10:19 PM
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Outside the Islands, slack key *is* spread pretty thin--but it has spread wide. Just look at this site's membership. And thanks to the Web (especially this site), Dancing Cat (and the expanded distribution of local labels that DC has sparked), and teaching materials from Keola, Ozzie, Led, and Mark Nelson (to list just the nationally-distributed stuff), the music itself has become pretty accessible.
Actually, California is one of the (relative) hot spots. The two San Mateo festivals in the 90's were well-attended, and not just by Bay Area Hawaiian transplants. From a Minnesota point of view, the Left Coast looks pretty active.
I suspect that we'll see some slack key pieces entering the repertories of the more eclectic alt-tuning hobbyist players. As usually happens with an exotic musical tradition, bits of its DNA will spread through the general population, while small enclaves of the pure (or not-too-mongrelized) breed survive in pocket environments.
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Edited by - Russell Letson on 03/04/2003 5:13:06 PM |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 5:28:35 PM
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Left coast again, but when Led Ka'apana held a workshop in Seattle about 25 people showed up for it.
Occasionally queries about slack key appear on the AG forum.
Portland OR-based Alexander Green bills himself as a percussion guitarist, Hedges-like I guess, highly technical, with rhythmic slaps on the guitar, definitely alt-tuning, and he adds a slack key piece to his performances.
Chet Atkins published at least one slack key song that I've heard a Chet fan perform.
I'm repeating what you said Russell, that on the mainland it's likely to be yet another style in a varied repertoire. |
Pauline |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 5:39:56 PM
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| Those of you who belong to other AG- or Hawaii-related forums, I assume you've already plugged TaroPatch.net at one point or another. If you can plug SoundClick (www.soundclick.com/taropatch) it might help draw some additional people here. Just a thought. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 03/05/2003 01:07:45 AM |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 8:00:33 PM
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| Very good idea. I saw your AG post Fran. I was going to wait awhile and then add something just to bump it up. Devious am I. |
Pauline |
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Stacey
Lokahi
USA
169 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 12:38:51 AM
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Aloha!
I live in California and talk to people about slack key all the time and no one ever knows about it! I find that the extent of most mainland people's Hawaiian Music knowledge is "Tiny Bubbles". How sad.
Though, I have found some cool Hawaiian Stores around here ~ some with slack key resources and hula classes! Also, no complaints about being able to take lessons locally with George Kahumoku Jr. and Patrick Landeza!
Cheers,
Stacey |
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ohanabrown
Lokahi
281 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 05:47:06 AM
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Aloha Andy, & TP Ohana's
Interesting subject. I think you gotta put them in 2 categories. Those that play, And those that want to learn.
I can speak for Maui, And I would'nt be surprise that it's the same on the other islands.
Let's cover, Those That Play. It is true that in the mainland you have a lot of people that are being turned on to slack key. Because of Dancing Cat, And it's artist. As you know most of there artist come from Hawaii. I just wanted you all to know, Here in Hawaii, there are a lot of slack key players. They just have'nt come out into the public. It could be they want to only play for family or don't want to perform in public or maybe just content in the way they are.
In Hawaii sometimes you take things for granted because you are around it a lot, You tell yourself, I'll catch it the next time, Or Maybe not today,Cause it'll always be there. You've learn to grow up with all these things around you, and years down the road, you tell yourself it'll still be there.
But in the Mainland, "excuse the phrasing" they are starving for the culture. It's something different and appealing to certain individuals.
So when you have a slack key concert or work shop, You will have a better showing there, then you would back here in Hawaii.
You can already tell by the ones that sign up for Georges and Keolas workshop. Majority would come from away. But the people here in Hawaii still support the culture "BIG TIME" if it's Hula, Chanting, Steel guitar, ukulele, and even slack key.
The difference is, when they come up there for what ever concert it is from Hawaii, You'll almost certain to have it sold out or just about. The same concert in Hawaii, we kinda think about it first, and say maybe the next concert.
If you had a slack key concert on the same day as a reggae concert you would probably sell out at the reggae. It's because the island reggae sound is a fad right now. But it'll take a turn and Slack Key and Hawaiian Music will be at the top of the list. Infact it's already making it's turn.
Mahalo to all that share there aloha for Kiho'Alu. I've loved it from the begining and 30 years later it's still burning strong.
Mahalo TP Ohana's for sharing your recordings with everyone. You all are truley talented. Because of your aloha for slack key, Theres a saying that goes like this.
Ki ho'alu was a dying art. "What was thought to be lost, is now being learned"
Malama Pono!
Kevin
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Kevin K. Brown |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 06:45:03 AM
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Aloha Kevin,
That's a very good point. what you say is surely true and not just in Hawaii. There are lots of places I haven't explored in my town, Seattle, because it'll be there tomorrow, and I think I will be, too. For instance, it's been over 30 years, maybe 40 years since I've been to the Space Needle. And if there were a Space Needle every few blocks, like there must be slack key players in Hawaii, I'd be even less interested in trekking downtown just because it has a taller Space Needle. (I think that poor analogy has been pretty well wrung out.)
Thanks for the insight. |
Pauline |
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Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 10:56:14 AM
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| Slack-key stylings have been used since the dawn of the guitar throughout the guitar world. The sounds produce by the musician will reflect the culture. When I visited Brazil, I found many guitarist there tuned "Taro Patch" yet their music sounded very samba/Bossa Nova-ish. There was a greater interest relating to the melodies I played rather than tuning I played them in. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 1:27:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mainkaukau
When I visited Brazil, I found many guitarist there tuned "Taro Patch" yet their music sounded very samba/Bossa Nova-ish.
That raises an interesting question, which has been discussed here before. Is slack key just the tunings, or is it the style as well. I think most here would argue that it is the combination of both. So while a player in Brazil may use the same tunings, they're not playing slack key.
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Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 1:49:46 PM
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Yeah, what Craig said.
From Doug & Sandy McMaster's web page:
quote:
Ki ho'alu is Hawaiian for 'slackened keys' and is the name given to a style of guitar music created by the Hawaiian people in the early 1800's. Played in alternate tunings with a unique fingerpicking style, this music is soft and sweet (nahenahe), and is truly Hawaiian.
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Dusty |
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cdyas
Akahai
67 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 6:20:34 PM
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Kevin brings up a few very good points, thanks.
Growing up in Hawaii I took for granted many of the things that I now appreciate to a greater degree. The mix of diverse cultures and opportunities that they present are very special and I can admit that I miss it and try to incorporate the values, food and art that I learned into my life now so that my daughter can experience it to a certain degree and have a greater appreciation for hawaii when we go back to visit.
I have to admit that i am kicking myself now because ukulele was taught to me when I was in third grade an was a requirement for all third graders. Due to the lack of musicians in my family it was not something that I was encouraged to continue and so I forgot. For me it was because Hawaiian music was everywere from the radio, to the shopping center, TV, restaurants etc. so I did take it for granted. Hawaiian music was something I just did not think about even though I did enjoy it. Fortunately my younger cousins have continued playing because my uncle has encouraged them and I hope my other relatives do the same with their kids.
I did not even identify "slack key" until college when my friend from the Big Island would pick up the guitar after a few beers and expalined that the tuning was different which gave the music that "Hawaiian Style" sound. Even then I just identified it as a part of Hawaiin music as a whole and not a stand alone music form.
The family of the woman that I am engaged to is very musical, her brother is one of those lucky people who can pick up an instrument, any instrument, and start playing which gave me the guts to give it a try. I started playing reggae and blues, but decied to give slack key a try and found it to be something I really enjoyed doing because it "made sense", maybe because i heard it for so many years even though I did not know it.
I think that we should try to stay away from drawing any lines or trying to define slack key too much. I feel that trying to apply western principle of music and trying to define slack key as a whole, as a finite form takes away from the beauty of it. There are some basic fundamentals that we must learn and respect to play slack key style and have that sound, but after that, as all things do, it is going to evolve. As long as we embrace the spirit of Aloha when we play, we will be on the right track.
If the rules were not broken, most of us would not be playing slack key right now.
Thanks everyone for sharing your songs online. They are all awesome and I hope that I am fortunate enough to hear you in person some day.
As far as starving, I could go for one plate lunch right now. |
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BreezePlease
Akahai
Japan
86 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 8:59:22 PM
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If hit da itchy spot, don't care who's playing, or where it's from.
Make mine extra scoop rice and makarone salad, gravy on da rice. Or better yet, jes "rice and gravy" from da old Nuuanu Y.
-dean
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ohanabrown
Lokahi
281 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2003 : 9:23:32 PM
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Aloha Cdyas,
I enjoyed your story! Plate Lunch?
You mean "Beef Stew, Extra Salad,
Two Scoops of Rice, Hot Dog, Kim Chee,
Chili Pepper Water"???...haa,haa.
Speaking of ukulele's being played in school when you attended. Back in 1995, My Son was in the 7th grade, everyday he would go to school with his uke. Sometimes we had to call him back because he would take his uke, And leave his school bag at home.
All the kid's brought there uke's because during recess everyone would gather around and just jam and have fun.
Well one day we saw his uke at home. When he got home from school, We told him, You forgot your uke today?
He said no! he could'nt take the uke to school anymore, Because the uke was considered as contraband. I could'nt believe what I was hearing. They were not allowed to bring it to school.
That prompted my Wife and I to bring it up at the P.T.A. meeting. Some of the other parents were not aware of the uke's being banded from the school.
Every parent voiced there concern about that issue, and how for years the ukulele's have always been one of our learning tools in school for as far back as we can recall.
The very next day it was dropped. Sometimes we need to be on top of things especially when it comes to education or even our own culture.
When looking back,I can laugh, and still recall the times, when we had to remind our son, about his school bag.
Aloha
Kevin
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Kevin K. Brown |
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