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abrigoohana
Lokahi
271 Posts |
 Posted - 11/03/2008 : 10:01:30 AM
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ALOHA!
Oh my goodness, it feels wonderful to be here! My name is Lanet Abrigo, and I am the mommy of the Abrigo Ohana. A lovely lady named Wanda invited us to join your forum. I want to take a moment to thank you all so very much for your delightful comments about my children. How wonderful to have community support. They sure love what they do, and it's a bonus when others love it too.
We've just moved from Maui to O'ahu, so we're slowly getting out more and more for music. I hope to encourage my eldest son, Timi, to participate in this online forum. He is 13 years old, and one of the nicest kids you'll ever hope to meet. Most of the time he spends on a computer is monkeying around with his home recordings. I find it fascinating to watch and listen to him play. His mind is so inclined to music that he can create beautiful things with his instruments in seconds. I'm often moved to tears by his talent. Ah, but I could go on and on as all three of my children bring me such joy.
I would like to take a moment to say a special "Aloha" to Andrew and his wife, who we had the pleasure of meeting Thursday evening. We hope your visit to O'ahu was lovely, and your trip home comfortable and safe.
A Hui Hou, Lanet ~ mom of the Abrigo Ohana
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jlsulle
Lokahi
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 10:26:12 AM
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| I enjoyed spending time with these kids and listening to their music as part of Led Kaapana's slack key workshop this summer. If you haven't heard them yet, check them out on you tube, they are great. Jerry |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 11:42:55 AM
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Aloha e Lanet - I can't believe some one called me a lady!
Welcome to Taro Patch and if Timi joins us, we shall give him as equally a warm welcome. Your kids do have plenty talent. Don't forget Emily and Quinn, as well. I cannot believe the leo ki`eki`e no Emily. Wow!
Tell us about Timi -- how did such a young one get interest in ki`hoalu? And how the heck did he get so good?
Once again, welcome! E komo mai! |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 3:35:17 PM
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Aloha no kaua! E komo mai!
Please give my love and support to all your keiki. Are they planning a recording in the future?
Mahalo,
'Alika from Maine |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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abrigoohana
Lokahi
271 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2008 : 5:47:38 PM
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Aloha,
Thank you again for your interest. Timi started playing ukulele when he was about 6 or 7 years old. He started playing slack key when he was 11 (two years ago). He discovered slack key guitar when we went to George Kahumoku's show, the Master's of Slack Key. Within a week he said "Mom, I want to play a 12 string guitar." I went to the music store and they wouldn't even let him hold one. "He'll never be able to hold down the strings and blah, blah, blah." So I went back to George and said "I need your help, Timi wants to play a 12 string guitar and I have no idea what I need to look for in a guitar." To this, George said, "Timi is a very gifted musician, let me give him one of my old guitars for his birthday." Since then, he's not looked
back. He plays in several different tunings, and just has himself a ball every time he plays. He studies by watching, listening, and sometimes uses tab. He never thinks he's got a song down perfectly, always striving to improve something.
Emily's voice improves every day. There are times when she moves
whole audiences to tears and she looks to me and says "did I do good Mom?" It's hard for her to comprehend her effect on people because she's just a 10 year old child. She sings constantly and tirelessly, no matter where we are or what we're doing, she's singing. She tells me her greatest compliment is to be told she reminds someone of Genoa Keawe. "If they say I sound like anybody else, I've fallen short."
Quinn is a bucket of laughs. He gets better every day with his pakini, which he now has a Fishmann pick in. He's the first one to give people hugs, and also the most talkative. Don't plan on bringing up fishing stories unless you've got some time on your hands!
Timi teaches Emily and Quinn how to play everything. He takes no lessons. Emily takes no voice lessons either. They are just very natural. If you ever get to see them perform, they'll make you laugh for sure. We aren't very good about telling them to say or do this or that on stage. I consider it a huge accomplishment when they don't tell the audience what color underwear I have on that evening! In other words there is a sibling and family quality to everything they do. They are just kids who happen to have a blast playing music.
The children are not yet working on a CD. We do hope to do one someday when they are ready.
Much Mahalo, Lanet and the children |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2008 : 08:12:25 AM
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Your children are a joy to watch, Lanet. Timi sounds like a veteran and Emily is on the cusp of a very mature voice. Thanks for sharing via video. Quinn is very funny to watch.
Jesse Tinsley |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2008 : 09:14:52 AM
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| I, too enjoyed meeting you and your children at one of George Kahumoku's Maui concerts last June; and then again at the Led Kaapana workshop in August. |
Dusty |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2008 : 1:34:15 PM
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Aloha and welcome to the Patch Lanet and your 'ohana. Your keiki are so talented. I just started playing the ukulele and they are an encouragement to me. Give them my support and love please. I need to see them live one day.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 07:12:29 AM
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Hi Lanet,
Good to meet you and your family. Great to see you at the 'patch. Looking forward to see you again and hope to see the keikis perform while they are still keikis! |
Andy |
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abrigoohana
Lokahi
271 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 09:50:06 AM
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Aloha Once Again!
Oh, it would be so wonderful if you all could see the children perform live. Video is wonderful, but as you all know, it's so different when you can be there in the moment. I think of all the times Timi listened to Led on CD or video to study the music compared to the opportunities he had to sit and watch him live. There's just no comparison to being there and feeling that energy. And of course, Led has got some AWESOME energy! Sometimes I think he's got some inside joke going with his guitar, and I'm just an outsider looking in. It's the most wonderfully funny feeling. Timi gets so inspired by Led, he'll go home and play for hours. And Led's wife is fabulous, so honest and connected to everything going on. Then there's his sisters, oh how fun it is to watch them perform together! They are SO GREAT.
I too get inspired by my children. Timi has taught me two songs on the ukulele. Well, not actually two WHOLE songs, I still need to learn the turn arounds. I'm the one that makes everyone futless by saying "Wait, wait, wait, I have to move my fingers!". I know a total of 5 chords.  My husband is WAY ahead of me. Timi taught him a few songs. But I sing better than he does. I'd be OK at singing if I could manage to sing on key.
So you can see, the children's musical influence did not come from mom or dad, other than our choice of radio stations. I'm told my grandfather used to play guitar on Sunday afternoons on the front porch, but he passed before the children were born. I believe that the children are gifts from God or the Universe (whichever you believe in) to continue this beautiful music and culture. They sing Hawaiian music because it's in their hearts. They do enjoy playing some classic rock, and some contemporary music, but Hawaiian seems to be somehow borne into them. I can't explain it, but I often cry when they play.
My husband and I don't speak Hawaiian at all, so we turn to the kupuna's to mentor the children. One of Genoa Keawe's family members has lovingly stepped forward and opened her home to my family so that the children may learn more of the language and tradition. Ledward and his family have also opened the door. And of course, Uncle George Kahumoku opened the first door to slack key for them by giving Timi the instrument that would become his greatest tool. He also took us into his garden and taught us of the plants and how to grow and make the taro. See, that's the beauty and the strength of the Hawaiian music community. It really does take an entire community to raise a child. This forum becomes part of that community.
Teaching my children to never take for granted the gifts of support and inspiration they are given from others is very important. Jerry Santos gave Timi his capo, which Timi now calls the "Magic Capo". Uncle Led, Uncle George, the Keawe Family, Eddie Kamae, Bobby Ingano, the Brown Family, Melveen Leed, Chino Montero, Mike Keale, and so many other wonderful musicians that share not only their music with the children, but their stage. Some musicians even share their tunings with Timi. He tells me he realizes it's his job to carry on that tuning, so it's not lost. We are so blessed, that when we're having financial (or other) difficulties, I just sit and think about all these wonderful people and I think "Good Lord, girl, what are you complaining about!".
And then, I look across the room and see a brimming pile of laundry. So back to work, but I know I'm the luckiest mom in the world!
A Hui Hou, Lanet ~ mom of the Abrigo Ohana |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 12:39:21 PM
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Aloha e Lanet - what do you do when the kids sing a song that has kaona that may not be appropriate for a 10 year old girl or a 13 year old boy? Lots of the mele have pretty suggestive or mature subject matter. Do the keiki know what they are singing about? Do they speak the `olelo?
In case if you do not know, www.huapala.org has plenty song lyrics and translations to English. And sometimes a bit of history behind the mele.
Is there any danger in Emily singing falsetto at a tender age? Kind of like young folks not throwing a curve ball until they grow up a bit? |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 3:54:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
Aloha e Lanet - what do you do when the kids sing a song that has kaona that may not be appropriate for a 10 year old girl or a 13 year old boy? Lots of the mele have pretty suggestive or mature subject matter. Do the keiki know what they are singing about? Do they speak the `olelo?
In case if you do not know, www.huapala.org has plenty song lyrics and translations to English. And sometimes a bit of history behind the mele.
Is there any danger in Emily singing falsetto at a tender age? Kind of like young folks not throwing a curve ball until they grow up a bit?
There may be controversy about it, but as long as it's something that you love doing, why not do it? That's what I think. |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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abrigoohana
Lokahi
271 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2008 : 7:31:09 PM
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Aloha!
Ah, good question about the inappropriate lyrics. My husband and I have had many conversations on this exact topic. The first one being when the children heard and wanted to learn the song Noho Paipai. We decided to be somewhat careful, but to let the children be swept up by the music. It's actually kind of easy sometimes you know, because the clever Hawaiians that wrote the old music used a lot of words with double meanings. For example, I happen to have the lyrics and translation to the song Tewetewe right here. In the literal meaning, the songs speaks of a fish, a goby, that is "arching, writhing, and bucking" (I'm now blushing!). Obviously you can read between the lines on that one and find the passion in the lyrics, but the children pretty much just think about a fish. Some of the songs are a lot more obvious like the song Ahulili. In that case, we just read the translation aloud together, and the children decided if they really want to learn it.
If you think about it, there are some really popular songs we hear all the time in English that are pretty explicit. Take for example some lyrics from Whitney Houston, Bob Marley (PLENTY of his), Nuff Sedd, and countless others artists. They create these addictive melodies. I even hear some of these songs played at the Catholic school near my home. Most of us don't even know all the right words, but bump along through them because we so much enjoy the tune.
As far as Emily singing falsetto at such a tender age, we've done some research and were told that as long as she's not forcing it we need not worry. She takes no voice lessons, so there's no rigorous practices. When they have rehearsals or gigs, Emily sings one, then Timi, then they do an instrumental. That way she has a two song vocal rest. I must tell you, she sings all the time, every day. I used to ask her to rest her voice, but it's like asking Timi to stop playing guitar. He'll just walk over and pick up an ukulele. Emily will simply switch to a different song. That's just how it is in our home. AND, Quinn is starting to sing now too!
~Lanet |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2008 : 12:31:01 PM
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Oh, how fantastic!
Will they be performing in Kona or Hilo in February by any chance? |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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abrigoohana
Lokahi
271 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2008 : 10:44:32 AM
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Not sure where we'll be yet as far as gigs for next year. We're just getting into the swing of things after our move to O'ahu. The children have been asked to do a full set on Pakele Live. Just waiting for Tony Solis to give us the date and time. That show will be done on a live video feed as well as viewable on OC16. I'll post it when we have it all confirmed.
A Hui Hou, the Abrigo Ohana |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2008 : 09:31:02 AM
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I forgot I took this at the festival in August.
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Dusty |
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