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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 08/24/2009 : 08:25:45 AM
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Mitch - I am not blasting Makana as an artist. I certainly can see/hear his talents. I guess what I was disappointed about at a slack key festival which was supposed to be paying honor to the traditions (or at least I thought it was) is that nothing he played appeared to be that which I was expecting or that which was "traditional" slack key, which many of the attendees expected would be paid tribute to. I have even heard that other artists on the bill were commenting about the lack of any type of traditional Hawaiian music by Makana specifically.
I have Makana music. I appreciate his voice and his renderings of traditional Hawaiian music and slack key. I guess I was expecting that which I have categorized in my non-musician head as some form of traditional Hawaiian music from him when he stated at the beginning of his set that he wanted to honor his kumu. I know who his kumu were. I guess in my misguided mind that I think it perhaps should have been more traditional slack key from him and less plugging the forthcoming album. So I guess you can tell from my comments that I will probably not be one of the customers who will buy the new music. I must admit, however, that there was plenty applause for him from the crowd.
We were unable to stay for the whole 6 hours. We were leaving just as LT Smooth was beginning his set, so I cannot comment if there actually was a set played by what was listed in the paper as "The Slack Key Kings". On the agenda handed out at the venue itself, "The Slack Key Kings" were not listed in the line-up. I think maybe all we missed was Uncle Dennis Kamakahi, Jeff Peterson & John Cruz.
We did hear Ozzie Kotani, Stephen Inglis, Dwight Kanae (Wow!!!), Ken Makuakane and Friends (lots of energy from those guys), Paul Togioka, Danny Carvalho (can sing, too), David Kahiapo (more wow), Makana, Keale (major wow --major wow) and Bobby Moderow.
I am amazed that for a free festival with 6 hours of wonderful music that the audience was not larger. I do not know how many people they think attended but it was a comfortable sized crowd. The weather was about as nice as you could hope for and plenty of shade under the monkey pod trees. A lovely breeze was blowing to keep us cool.
All in all, it was an amazing experience for me who had never heard that much live, professional Hawaiian music all in one place for that long of a time. Ui-ha. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 08:29:35 AM
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PS: Mitch -- I forgot to say that we do have the CD that you suggested we listen to. Yes -- that was my intro to Makana and that is why I expected something more traditional that what he chose to play at this particular place and time.
I guess I should not make assumptions, either, about his show at the Royal Hawaiian. I did not go see it and I have not spoken personally to anyone who has seen it, so it was wrong of me to make assumptions. I do not know what he does in the show. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 08:33:19 AM
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Also for those interested in who partnered with the producers of the festival:
OHA - Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Star-Bulletin
Taylor Guitars
Rhythm & Roots Records
Ka Hoku Productions
AM 940
Hawaiiam 105 KINE
Ki-ho`alu Foundation
LavaNet |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 09:05:15 AM
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Before I met Makana, I heard the rap from a couple "masters" about his lack of acknowledging his Ki Ho Alu roots while performing. Nothing could have been farther from the truth after seeing him play. "He's not traditional", whatever that means and total BS. The guy outright kills on the guitar. I don't like everything he plays, but it's not because of lack of musicianship or tradition, just my musical taste. I've heard him play Hi`ilawe just like Gabby, then deconstruct it and take it in an entirely different and fabulous direction. Of all the workshops I've taken from Slack Key artists, his was the most traditional and basic. This is what Sonny had taught him and that's what he was passing on. Whenever my thumb gets lazy or wanders, I go back to that lesson. I also had the good fortune to sit with him and Steve Inglis in a backyard and jam. He was very generous and giving.
So young and so much talent, with a full career in front of him. I can only hope he stays outside the box.
dog
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Wag More. Bark Less |
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donkaulia
Lokahi
249 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 1:09:03 PM
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Hats off to Milton to make all the events 'happen' so far. We got 2 more left, Kona & Kauai. Us guys here in Kona is chipping in to help. LT Smooth running the sounds this year. I will share with Emceeing, Aunty Lani Chillingsworth making things happen with the kaukau. The new management team at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort & Spa is making things happen for this event to proceed. We gotta thank the entertainers too for giving their time to make the entire event go on. This happened in Maui, then at the Oahu festival and now in Kona. No forget Kauai in November too. Keep in mind that all was 'good' in the past when there was funding....no body complained. It was so good when Bankoh was the sponsor at the McCoy Pavillion...I was with George Kuo and Kipapa Rush at that time. It was crowded but we got a shirt, kaukau and a envelope. When Bankoh downsized 12 years ago, Milton lost their sponsorship and had to go grass roots. I know ... I was there to help. This year, lucky he has a little bit of funding. Each event cost a lot. You got the protocols to deal with first, cops, permits, then all the miscellaneous stuff and getting the artist from the outer islands situated and then paying the sound, lighting and entertainers for their time. I share this because I know about running festivals...back in the day with Aunty Agnes Cope and Rothwell Naeole, I was part of the entertainment Waianae committee for that brought Melveen Leed, Makaha Sons of Niihau, The Peter Moon Band to perform free for the Waianae community on Oahu. FREE for the viewers, but cost some money to make the event happen. The same with these festivals, FREE to the viewers but not to the team that puts it together. Any body can grumble and make comments...that is easy. But can these same grumblers and complaintants help .... I mean getting involved and provide their labor of love? I don't think so. I'm not directing this to any one person on taropatch...nothing personal, just wanna clear up some issues of funding and what happens when no moa funds?
I too miss seeing the late grand masters: Atta Isaacs, Raymond Kane, Sonny Chillingsworth, Leonard Kwan. Even miss seeing all the Pahinui brothers, Cyril, Martin, Bla jamming on the same stage. I miss these people, but time changes and we gotta go with the flow. Makana, he is a champ. He has grown from grass roots slack key...he can play 'all' the standard ki ho'alu tunes with accuracy. I was there when he was dubbed as the Ki ho'alu kid with uncle Sonny then with Bobby Moderow. It is Makana's turn ... he done well last year at the World Guitar fest and this year 2nd Place? You gotta give him the recognition in front guitar legends Steve Vai & Joe Satriani who gave Makana a standing ovation. Here is Makana with his progressive acoustic slack key guitar stylings going up against the best 10 in the world ... mostly electric hard rock metal guitarist? And Makana takes 2nd Place?
Aunty Wanda...I love you and what you stated here in this thread only shows me how much 'you love slack key, the real nahenahe style'. I noticed that Milton normally puts all the nahenahe performers at the beginning for the first 3 or 4 artist. This year there was more solo artist then groups. I dunno what he is thinking sometimes, but I remember in the past he'd space out each artist by their genre type to keep the audience momentum steady and not sleepy? I dunno if this criteria was the same for the Oahu Fest?
I didn't miss out the festival at all, I was occupied with Ledward Kaapana and then chanter Charles Kaupu, Jr. Plus, the Hokulea is here so I am swamped with events on the home front.
Cheers to all who love the art of slack key!
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donkaulia |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 1:29:22 PM
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Luckily for all you who wish I'd shut up, is that this is the last I'm going to say on the issue. First of all, I am glad we can be pono when we discuss this. That is first and foremost to me.
Regarding other performers who used to participate in the festival and no longer do, I have heard directly from some, from their own mouths about various reasons why they no longer play the festival and from others on why they are no longer invited back. There are some definite ugly reasons for non-appearance. Really ugly stuff to me. Breaking my heart kind of ugly stuff. And if you guys heard why on several of these situations, you would agree. Pono is about as far from what happened as anything I can imagine.
OK. All pau.
The end |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 2:41:44 PM
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Eh Wanda
Everyone wants to throw in their 2 cents worth. Many of them very well informed & some brainwashed into thinking they know. Everyone can legitimately debate what is and what isn't "Traditional" slack key or even what IS slack key based on tunings or alternating bass patterns or lineage etc etc blah blah yada yada yada.....But one thing cannot be disputed or debated and that is .....IS IT HAWAIIAN? That is the ONE criteria they cannot escape.If it is not Hawaiian how can it be ki ho'alu? Makana is an awesome guitar talent. Is a virtuoso traditional ki ho'alu player WHEN HE CHOOSES TO BE. I witnessed Makana's performance at the Oahu Slack Key Festival and his set was in no way,shape or form Hawaiian therefore........I was talking to an established ki ho'alu artist backstage when Makana was performing and made the tongue in cheek derogatory remark "When does the slack key start?" To which this unnamed slack key artist(No it aint Oz) gave me the "politically correct" cop out reply "Well the younger guys are just trying to express themselves" But when I pushed further he shrugged his shoulders palms up in the air.Then told me nah I ain't touching that one and I don't wanna go there.Bottom line is that even their peers are scratching their heads wondering.
If only everyone was privy to the info you were referring to Wanda maybe they'd be singing a different tune.
Malama Pono
 Duke
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Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 4:43:57 PM
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In Makana's defence, he did at one point say he was going to play something he borrowed from one of his heros- Jimmy Page. I didn't recognize the borrowed part, it really sounded more like Pete Townshend's useage of pedal points to my ears. But that is also an older device used by "longhair" composers. He never said he was playing traditional slack key. I suspect that many players show up to display what they are releasing for purchase-it's how they make a part of their living. It's up to us as consumers to decide what to spend our cash on. Vote with your kala.
I'm pau too.
Paul
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"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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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 5:05:55 PM
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Duke,
You are correct, I was not at the festival and did not hear the performance. I shared my experience as a personal one and the aloha that was extended to me personally.
I respect your work behind the scenes, on stage, videos, etc. I am grateful for the comments you made about my video (I never called it Slack Key) We share the same kumu and I certainly know his feelings about this, my playing and many other matters, as well as the feelings of other players. As a haole, I've opened for many slack key artists, but I've also learned where my place is in the hawaiian slack key world. I'm not immune to the prejudice, the snickering or back-biting that goes on behind the scenes. Maybe I am brainwashed into believing me Hawai`i mai loko mai.
I think we've finally gotten to the real crux of the matter. Please define Hawaiian.
Respectfully
Dave Nye
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2009 : 6:46:21 PM
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Howzit Dog
My comment may have inadvertently seemed to be directed at you,I apologize for the misconception.
As far as defining "Hawaiian" I am not eloquent enough to reduce it to a suitable definition in text. Like anything that is subject to a certain amount of discretion there is always a gray area. That being said, when something is so far removed from what I associate as Hawaiian music after listening to it for 40 plus years growing up....I can confidently say that Makana's set at the festival was not Hawaiian. No slight to Makana who is a virtuoso guitarist & artist.He is in fact a gifted & superbly creative entertainer/artist.
Malama Pono
Duke |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2009 : 03:38:47 AM
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Aloha e Duke,
Point taken and well said. Apologies not needed, but accepted in the aloha with which they were intended. Maybe I should have asked Milton for that definition.
Mahalo,
Dave |
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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2009 : 09:12:54 AM
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Interesting topic
It makes me wonder...
Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa.. can't get much more hawaiian slack key than that, tour the nation and world and release a CD with "12th street rag/sweet Georgia Brown" as the ending bring-the-house down number...(CD won an award as I recall)
Is this considered "nice guitar work but not Slack Key"?
If so, more people are being exposed to this than will hear Makana this year or next in the context of slack key.
I can't imagine finding fault with Ledward Kaapana for the music he chooses to play, wherever he chooses to play it. Why not afford others the same license?
Pau
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donkaulia
Lokahi
249 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2009 : 11:07:12 AM
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Out of the box = slack key - auana.
In the box = ki ho'alu - kahiko.
huh? may be we gotta re categorize the definition?
Hawaiian - any body can be Hawaiian, BUT, to be Kanaka Maoli, you gotta have the Koko to be the valid indigenous beings from these islands. We had no written language until we were discovered and educated by the missionaries. All of our history was carried over through chants, dance and petroglyph dating back to 1200 AD.
Ki ho'au, Slack Key will evolve. Perhaps we should treat ki ho'alu and slack key they way they do with hula. Kahiko - old way. Auana - modern way.
Something to think about.
When you listen to Gabby's brown ablum...there is a lot of preludes taken from the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Perhaps Gabby felt the same way Makana is doing now? Kupunas of the 1900s may have object to Gabby's out of the box style in that era.
Gabby made a definite impact in Hawaiian Music. He did to me the same way uncle Fred Punahoa did to me. I was blown away as a teenager seeing these guys play their guitars. Inspiring...Yes! The tricks that Fred did...out of this world (I think Jimmy Hendrix saw Uncle Fred play back in the day)...the teeth, feet, package, hat, mic stand...this was Fred's trademark since the 1930's.
Once you tune out of the standard A440 you are already in an alternate tune mode. The Vaqueros had that claim before they came to the islands in the 1830's. Somehow, the Paniolo created their own tunes and today we have so many different styles, family secret tunes and variety of tune progressions. Hawaii is recognized for this art form. This art form is also part of the steel guitar invention.
I can imagine when slack key metal takes place. huh?
Peace. Love. Aloha. Slack Key, Ki ho'alu lives on!
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Kimoto1
Aloha
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2009 : 8:50:48 PM
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Let's not fool ourselves here. Everyone in this forum can tell when they hear slack key. We're all immmersed in it to varying degrees whether playing it or listening to it.
"There's a reason for everything" and why we see and hear guys playing music off the beaten path at these slack key festivals is probably attributed to ulterior motives like selling cds, brand recognition, ego, getting on the map of the music buying community.
For whatever its worth, I spend more time singing and playing with friends, cooking and eating than typing.
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PearlCityBoy
Lokahi
USA
432 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 09:49:01 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by salmonella
Interesting topic
It makes me wonder...
Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa.. can't get much more hawaiian slack key than that,
Agreed, interesting topic. Led and Mike are awesome musicians and, as a pair, complement each other very well from both a guitar and vocal standpoint. I’ve seen Mike play live over the years and to me he seems to be playing in standard tuning, and I don’t recall him playing slack key (although for most of the songs it definitely sounds Hawaiian and it sounds great). To Mike’s and perhaps Milton Lau’s credit (the producer), on his “Kanikapila Live” album they don’t mention that Mike is playing slack key (probably because he isn’t).
tour the nation and world and release a CD with "12th street rag/sweet Georgia Brown" as the ending bring-the-house down number...(CD won an award as I recall)
Is this considered "nice guitar work but not Slack Key"?
Yes, in my opinion, I consider it “nice guitar work but not Slack Key.” I’ve seen Led play this song live on several occasions and it is a show stopper. The way he plays the song does not sound like slack key or Hawaiian to me, but definitely sounds like the charismatic entertainer and virtuoso guitarist that he is. Perhaps he's even playing in standard tuning (his fingers flew so fast I couldn't tell). I agree with Bruddah Duke that at a minimum, “If it is not Hawaiian, how can it be ki ho’alu?” If you played the song to someone without telling them the name of the song or who the artist was (i.e., sample the song "blind" like a blind taste test), would that person say it was Hawaiian or slack key? Would a kupuna say it was Hawaiian or slack key? I don’t think so. If Led released an album solely filled with non-Hawaiian songs and played them in a similar style as the way he played “12th Street Rag/Sweet Georgia Brown,” would the Grammy’s consider the album Hawaiian? I would hope not. Would the Hoku’s consider the album Hawaiian music and/or slack key? Anybody’s guess.
If so, more people are being exposed to this than will hear Makana this year or next in the context of slack key.
If people think “12th Street Rag/Sweet Georgia Brown” is slack key and/or Hawaiian music then that is very unfortunate because it highlights the confusion amongst the worldwide audience/players and contributes to the dilution of the slack key tradition, which for a local boy like me has a lot of cultural significance as a traditional Hawaiian folk art form. To me, slack key is not synonymous with playing “any kine way” in open or alternative tunings—there are tons of players all over the world playing alternative tunings. Slack key is also not synonymous with playing Hawaiian songs on a guitar or playing finger style songs in a nahenahe manner.
I am not an ethnomusicologist or professional musician so excuse my valiant attempt to articulate: To me, slack key guitar is a Hawaiian style of guitar playing supported by slack key characteristics (e.g., finger style vs. strumming, traditional tunings, Hawaiian sounding bass lines, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, push-offs, slurs, chimes, overtones, etc.) and associated Hawaiian phrasings (e.g., Hawaiian vamp structures). These characteristics and phrasings are what distinguish slack key from other forms of guitar playing, and give it the Hawaiian slack key sound. This is hard for me to explain, so in lieu of Professor Peter’s upcoming book, may I recommend reading the liner notes and listening to the Cord International album, “The History of Slack Key Guitar,” where one can hear and understand some of the foundation from which the slack key tradition is based.
I can't imagine finding fault with Ledward Kaapana for the music he chooses to play, wherever he chooses to play it. Why not afford others the same license?
An artist can choose whatever music or style he/she wants to play. Without singling anyone out in particular, I do find fault with portraying something as slack key (or Hawaiian or anything else for that matter) when it really isn’t. If something is not pono, it’s not pono, and perpetuating it by “affording everyone else with the same license” does not make it right.
Anyhow, just one slack key student’s point of view.
Aloha,
Doug
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Edited by - PearlCityBoy on 08/31/2009 11:11:38 AM |
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Oahu Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival Aug 16
