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vscotth
Aloha
USA
39 Posts |
 Posted - 02/20/2014 : 12:02:19 PM
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I'm interested in learning more about the old style of playing slack key, but can find very little that is actually written about it. While I've heard recordings by Auntie Alice Namakelua, there doesn't seem to be much documentation on her playing style or that of other early slack key players.
Nowadays, it seems that many contemporary slack key musicians use variations of a "Travis" picking style, particularly for song or hula accompaniment. My understanding, though, is that the contemporary styles that have evolved are quite different from the way slack key was originally played. Does anyone know of a source or sources of information about "old style" slack key?
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Edited by - vscotth on 02/22/2014 09:57:34 AM |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2014 : 02:02:54 AM
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I am also interested in information about the old style of playing.
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Bob |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2014 : 06:18:56 AM
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I suppose it depends on what one means by "old style." Just about all of the earliest recorded examples are on the Hana Ola "History of Slack Key Guitar" CD (produced by George Winston and with excellent notes by him, Jay Junker, and Harry B. Soria)--and even that only reaches back to Gabby's "Hi`ilawe" and his other Bell Records sides (1947ish). Auntie Alice's playing is preserved on the LP that bears her name, and many of her students--including Keola Beamer and George Kuo*--are still around and can describe her style. (There are also tapes of her playing preserved, if I recall correctly, in the Bishop Museum.)
Auntie Alice's style goes back to the 19th century and a song-supporting role for guitar and (since she learned from her brother, who learned from the paniolo) is probably about as close to the origins as we're going to get. Ray Kane started playing in the 1930s and learned from one of his father's fishing-crew guys, and it's arguable that "Punahele" represents a very traditional kind of playing for that period. It's built on familiar wahine-tuning figures, but by the time Ray recorded it, it must have sounded "modern" to Auntie's ears. (She famously remarked on Ray, Gabby, and Fred Punahoa as not-old-style.) But then, Ray was strongly influenced by Gabby. And even though Gabby also learned in the 1930s, he was a lover of jazz and swing, and his earliest recordings show that influence. (He also played for years with the very swing-influenced Andy Cummings Hawaiian Serenaders.) Many of the cuts on the Hana Ola CD are much less swing-y than Gabby's and still don't sound like Auntie Alice. Something obviously happened between 1900 and 1947, and I suspect it might have to do with the influence of mainland music--but then, that had been part of Hawaiian musical life since the missionaries arrived with their hymnals and King David Kalakaua and his siblings got European-style musical educations.
The Taropatch member with the best view of this subject is Peter Medeiros, and his book, Hawaiian Slack Key: A Lifetime of Study, includes an overview of slack key that points back to its historical essentials by isolating its technical elements.
BTW, I came to slack key from a Piedmont-fingerstyle background, and while there are some similarities to "Travis picking" (primarily the alternating-thumb bassline), I can testify that it takes some non-trivial retooling to make the fingers produce slack-key instead of Chet/Merle sounds. In fact, listen to Chet's "Hawaiian Slack Key" to hear what even a terrific player comes up with as a first approximation of "Opihi Moemoe":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFwUyg7m1KI
* George also sought out other older players while they were still available--I'd love to sit down with him some day and talk story about them.
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Edited by - Russell Letson on 02/21/2014 07:00:15 AM |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2014 : 07:31:48 AM
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Actually I think Chet was ripping off "'Opihi Momona Nui" on his cut.
Hmmmm, listening to both Leonard cuts and Chet's I might have to revise my opinion. Chet might be mixing the two Opihi songs into his. Chet's bass string figure sounds more like OMN but he doesn't go the high string figures and he does the modulation to C that Uncle Leonard used in OMM.
One story I heard claimed that Chet came up with his tune after hearing Uncle Leonard on the radio while playing golf, but I'm starting to think he had more exposure than one brief listen.
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
Edited by - Fran Guidry on 02/21/2014 07:44:06 AM |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2014 : 08:02:57 AM
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The story I heard/read was that while playing golf in Hawai`i, Chet heard his caddy playing Leonard's tune. Of course, this is all oral history, and even if we get a "Chet said" from some surviving friend, it's still not entirely nailed down. Though the music ought to be its own witness. (Kinda like CSI--let the body tell the story.)
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2169 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2014 : 08:20:55 AM
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| As to the different "feel" of slack key from "Travis" picking, it comes down the the thumb. In slack key, the alternating thumb is a metronome against which the melody is syncopated. For "Travis" style, the offbeat is accented more. |
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vscotth
Aloha
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2014 : 11:26:20 AM
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Russell and others - mahalo for your comments and suggestions. I do have Peter Medeiros's fine book and it has been a good source of information, although he doesn't go into much depth in the evolution of right hand styles from, say, the mid 1800s onward. I also spoke to Ozzie and he was helpful in suggesting research directions and sources of historical literature on the topic.
I am curious about the extent to which western big band/jazz/swing/blues music influenced slack key playing styles in the early 1900s and whether right hand playing styles were significantly different in the "early days", before Gabby and others, like Henry Kaalekaahi, Tommy Solomon, Abraham Kalaui Konanui, etc. began making commercial recordings.
While the alternating bass is common to much of the song and hula accompaniment playing today, and bears similarities to the Travis and Piedmont picking styles, when and how did it come into use in slack key? Did the Mexican vaqueros, who brought their guitars to the islands in the early 1800s, perhaps use some version of this technique in their playing, that was then incorporated by the Hawaiians in the development of their own playing style?
I had an opportunity to chat briefly with George Winston when he came to town last year to visit with George and Nancy Kahumoku at a concert George did in Santa Monica, but I didn't have a chance to talk to him about this subject. But thanks for reminding me -- he would be good source of information. And the next time I'm by the Bishop, I'll look into those Auntie Alice recordings. |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2014 : 6:33:14 PM
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quote:
Did the Mexican vaqueros, who brought their guitars to the islands in the early 1800s, perhaps use some version of this technique in their playing, that was then incorporated by the Hawaiians in the development of their own playing style?
Well Scott, several things you probably already know (or should know) for sure:
1) The Vaqueros who came and brought their guitars, came from Monterrey, California in 1832.
2) They came from a large Hacienda estate located there.
3) These Hacienda's had regular dance parties, usually Fandangos, many of which were accompanied by Guitar music. Many of these fandangos were written up in the Newspapers of the time (fights broke out, etc.).
In fact the most popular printed sheet music of the time (1830 to 1860) on the continent was a fandango.
(Fandango's go all the way back to Spain during the Moorish period.)
Therefore: If these vaqueros played guitar at all, it is certain that they played some fandangos.
4) Fandangos on guitar were played in Old Spanish tuning, which is the same as Open G or Taropatch. (As indicated by the oldest known scores - from folks like Henry Worrall)
5) Guitar fandangos were/are often played in an alternating bass style and usually have LOTS of slides, also as shown on the old scores.
So we have alternating bass, with lots of slides, played in Taropatch back in 1832 by the vaqueros who came out to Hawaii.
At this point it should be easy to put two-and-two together with regard to the vaqueros.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 02/26/2014 09:22:29 AM |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2014 : 06:03:42 AM
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I like the synopsis of info Lawrence offered above.
Including some info I didn't know...
Also, remember to check Ozzie Kotani's liner notes to "Ho'Ihi" (Traditional Hawaiian SKG",.
a click away under "liner notes" to this nice traditional collection.
The cd seems to be out of stock, but I acquired it last year after it had been OOS, so hopefully it will again be available.
But the liner notes are there to study, with some nice info on each song and sources/influences...many of the names mentioned above.
If you catch Ozzie workshops or lessons, I seen several tabs of the songs on "Ho'Ihi" turn up. But why wait, several of these tabs from Ho'Ihi are included to print on "Ki'Ho 'alu, Vol. 2 -- an instructional DVD.
The "older style" seems like good stuff to play, without needing Segovia-level skills.
I also like the way Ozzie plays several of these on old, not-so-expensive guitars.
One rescued from the trash, repaired and given to Ozzie by students.
It's nice we don't have to have a Goodall or high end, expensive guitar...after all, you can bet the Vaqueros, and Early Paniolo players didn't often have fancy guitars!
And Peter Medeiros book, as mentioned, offers comparisons of old style to newer style versions for some songs. His "Ko'lau" cd is also a collection "sung and performed in the old style..."
I like his in-depth musicology--a lot of info and background, but in a way that is accessible--useable to those who don't have a doctorate in Ethnimusicology! |
Edited by - Kapila Kane on 03/15/2014 06:11:48 AM |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2014 : 1:40:04 PM
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Hey Gordon
I'm the one that found the 1932 National dobro in the trash on the side of the road. The neck of the guitar was badly termite eaten so we (actually Bobby Ingano)sent it to a luthier in New York to have it refurbished. It was about $600 to fix it but it can easily fetch about $3500 if Oz wanted to sell it. It played & sounded great. TP member Braddah Jay & I gave it to Ozzie in appreciation for sharing his ki ho'alu mana'o with us. "Ho'ihi" has 4 or 5 cuts played on this guitar. "Old Timer's Hula" being one that comes to mind.
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Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2169 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2014 : 08:54:07 AM
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| Good sounding guitar! |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2014 : 07:20:22 AM
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| For those of you interested in what was going on in Alta California at the time when the vaqueros were brought to Hawaii, read Dana's "Two Years Before The Mast", which is mostly about what he experienced in California in 1836. Californio vaqueros were famous throughout the West for their supple, braided leather ropes (Kaula Ili) which they taught the Paniolos to make. |
keaka |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2014 : 1:00:35 PM
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Hmmm...
I think we should not be afraid of dumpster diving.
It's safer than going snorkeling at 2-step on the Big Island!
Good find Sir Duke. |
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"Old Style" Slack Key
