 This week on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis our guest is ʻukulele phenom Kris Fuchigami!
A native of Hilo, Kris has been playing the ukulele for about 8 years. When he was 13 years old, his mom and siblings went to visit her family in Japan for the summer and Kris was stuck at home with his dad and very bored. He found a cheap, beat up old ʻukulele in his older brother's things and began playing with it. He remembered his middle school music teacher mentioning something about an ʻukulele player named Jake Shimabukuro during the previous school year.
Kris looked Jake up on the internet and listened to the music clips that were available there. He and his dad were amazed at what they heard and Kris said, "I wanna play like that!!!" He asked his dad for a better ukulele, so they went to the music shops in Hilo and were surprised to see how expensive ʻukuleles were. Thinking he wouldn’t have to pay the price of a new one, Kris’s father told him he’d buy him a new ʻukulele if he could show that he was serious about learning how to play. Within days, Kris was playing a few of Jake's songs on his brother’s beat up ʻukulele.
Kris's love for the ʻukulele and his natural gift for playing it have led the way to many previously-unimagined experiences and introduced him to ʻukulele legends like Ohta-san, Roy Sakuma, Brittni Paiva and Jake Shimabukuro, his idol (and now friend) whom he credits for getting him interested in playing the ʻukulele in the first place. Now writing music in addition to playing it, his experiences also range from winning contests, to hundreds of performances, to CD recordings, to teaching ʻukulele lessons. His most recent achievement was headlining the ʻukulele festival in Reno, Nevada in March 2012. He is also very honored to have been approached recently by Kamaka Ukuleles, who now sponsor him.
Kris's current CD is entitled "Untouchable," and was recorded in Honolulu by Dr. Trey, who has recorded such notables as the multi-award winning Mailani Makainai. Kris was accompanied on the CD by Hawaiʻi's own Shawn Ishimoto, Seann Carroll and Kris's mom, Keiko.
For his Pakele Live! appearance, Kris will be joined by Seann, his mother Keiko, and Mark Tanouye.
Join host Tony Solis for Pakele Live! Thursday, April 12 from 6:30-8:30pm HST at the Willows Restaurant (901 Hausten St., Honolulu). Those who are unable to attend can watch the live stream at www.pakelelive.com. (The show will also be edited for television and shown at a later date on OC16 TV and www.oc16.tv)
Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Doors open at 5:30.) Guests may choose from the full nightly buffet ($34.95) or an a la carte menu available only during the show, with prices ranging from $6 to $16. Happy hour drink specials are also available. Validated valet parking is $3.
Note: If you watch online, don’t forget to email the show at pakele @ lava.net and let us know you’re watching! Mention your name and where you’re located - city, state – or country, if outside the U.S.!
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Kris Fuchigami & friends - Pakele Live
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 3:43:26 PM
