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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 03/10/2010 : 11:49:59 PM
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On a happier note, Timi Abrigo, soon to be 15 years old, is learning to play steel, and learning very well might I add. He is haumana of Uncle Ron Kanahele, from Feet Rogers 'ohana. You can listen to Timi playing steel on Abrigoohana's You Tube Channel.
So there are glimmers of hope. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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hwnmusiclives
`Olu`olu
USA
580 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2010 : 02:32:17 AM
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Like Bob says, they can pry the bar from my cold, dead hands, too.
But as much as we need to breed more steel guitarists - there have been ebbs and flows in both the supply and demand throughout Hawaiian music history - there is really no shortage now. There are more than a dozen fine active steel players in Honolulu and surrounding area, but only about two gigs a day for them.
There are fine active steelers that many have never even heard of. These guys have a pretty much steady gig with one or two artists and do not "freelance." Two that come to mind are Isaac Akuna and Akira Ozawa. Isaac Akuna is anywhere you will find Ipo Kumukahi, and Akira Ozawa is the right hand of Kimo Alama Keaulana.
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Join me for the history of Hawaiian music and its musicians at Ho`olohe Hou at www.hoolohehou.org. |
Edited by - hwnmusiclives on 03/11/2010 07:18:24 AM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2010 : 07:15:15 AM
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| But look who's going to be on Pakele live tonight: Pakele Live with Tony Solis: Steel Master Greg Sardinha, 6-8pm, Thurs. March 11, Pakele Lounge, Ala Moana Hotel - FREE! |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2010 : 09:05:53 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark
(Though, to be sure, club owners are generally slime....and that is universal. We've all had to enter through the kitchen, haven't we???)
BTW, don't eat any thing from the kitchen while walking through either!
Seems in these economic times, it's tough having a group. Many find it easier and more lucrative to play solo gigs or as duos. |
Andy |
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hwnmusiclives
`Olu`olu
USA
580 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 07:08:31 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Admin
quote:
Originally posted by Mark
(Though, to be sure, club owners are generally slime....and that is universal. We've all had to enter through the kitchen, haven't we???)
BTW, don't eat any thing from the kitchen while walking through either!
The entrances for musicians and other hired help at the Atlantic City casino/hotels are the service elevators. These are like small metal frat houses that smell of beer and bodily fluids. Good luck unsticking yourself from the floor.
Speaking of eating from the kitchen, these same casino/hotels are notorious for writing contracts that prohibit musicians from eating from the buffet or drinking from the bar (even if it is a cash bar). And then we sit idly by at the end of the night while they throw away 10,000 pounds of food. Watching a whole kalua pig go in a dumpster once nearly caused me to riot.
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Join me for the history of Hawaiian music and its musicians at Ho`olohe Hou at www.hoolohehou.org. |
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Volcano
Akahai
USA
89 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 2:59:03 PM
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| Bill - I played AC numerous times with Robert Hazard. I never have minded using a service entrance. The casinos always treated us great. Nice rooms and access to the employee cafeteria. Great food and all you can eat any time of day or night. |
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FROPPE
Akahai
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 4:29:08 PM
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| Years ago, I played some gigs at the Houston Yacht Club. We had to haul our equipment up in a glorified dumb waiter, which could barely hold one person and one amp at a time. When I complained to the service manager about going up and down in a dumb waiter, he replied "Sir, we refer to that device as a 'smart musician'." |
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 7:45:53 PM
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Geri Valdriz, during one of our kani kapilas on Maui, pointed out to me that the steel is often used for "accents". He demonstrated that by playing beautiful notes woven throughout the melody while the others were playing and singing. But when Geri sang, he usually put the bar down and stopped playing.
It is nearly impossible to play the lap steel, sing and look at the audience at the same time. I've only seen two people, Bob Brozman and Patti Maxine, who can do that.
I just think the steel is difficult to play because it takes such intense concentration, that a noisy bar is not the best place to play, what with the blenders going and the drunks yelling.
KonaBob, what I wouldn't give to hop a plane and spend some more time with you, maybe get some of that technique from you through osmosis. 
Julie
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2010 : 11:26:52 AM
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You are sweet, Julie... I hope we will be seeing you and Larry in June! Bring your frypan!!! I get plenty osmosis for you!
Aloha,
-Konabob |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2176 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2010 : 09:14:42 AM
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| What really killed live music in bars and restaurants was the introduction of TVs and modern society's addiction to "the game". Humans tend to follow the lowest common denominator, "the game" being more "universal" than other cultural persuits. Sport demonstrates skill and discipline, but it ain't music. The jams that I've been to on Oahu have been mostly backyard type, plenny time fo' wala'au, laugh, ask questions etc. As long as we can do that, the music and the culture won't die. The same lament covers other traditions. Most North American culture has become a situation of consuming and spectating, not participating. As humans, we need participation. For any worthwhile cultural endeavor, effort must be expended in the continuation. Keep turning the rocks over, it ain't gonna be at the mall or the chain restaurants. The suits are only interested in the cash register. Shallow is as shallow does. |
Edited by - thumbstruck on 03/14/2010 09:16:27 AM |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2010 : 12:35:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Julie H
Geri Valdriz, during one of our kani kapilas on Maui, pointed out to me that the steel is often used for "accents". He demonstrated that by playing beautiful notes woven throughout the melody while the others were playing and singing. But when Geri sang, he usually put the bar down and stopped playing.
It is nearly impossible to play the lap steel, sing and look at the audience at the same time. I've only seen two people, Bob Brozman and Patti Maxine, who can do that.
I just think the steel is difficult to play because it takes such intense concentration, that a noisy bar is not the best place to play, what with the blenders going and the drunks yelling.
KonaBob, what I wouldn't give to hop a plane and spend some more time with you, maybe get some of that technique from you through osmosis.
Julie
It took me a while to learn about and use the Hawiian steel method. Fills (playing between phrases in a song) are dificult to learn in any music form and to do if you can't listen to everyone who's playing and what's going on around you. This is especially true of Hawaiian music. My mantra is "play in da pukas". Don't play anything while the singer is singing and do your fill after the last word of the line and the first word of the next line. This is impossible if you don't, or can't, listen. I have played with some real hotshots who didn't listen to anyone else in the band, and, man, is THAT a drag! btw, Before I got it under control, I got yelled at by several Hawaiians here in Seattle who are good singers. |
keaka |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2010 : 3:26:09 PM
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When our Dulcimer Club was asked what fee we required to play for a group, we replied "More importantly, do we get fed?" We played for pastry at a Greek Church. That was a favorite gig we were glad to return to periodicly. Baklava rules! On the other hand, we were probably overpaid at that gig!
Unko Paul |
"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 |
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 03/14/2010 3:27:22 PM |
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hwnmusiclives
`Olu`olu
USA
580 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2010 : 06:37:51 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Volcano
Bill - I played AC numerous times with Robert Hazard. I never have minded using a service entrance. The casinos always treated us great. Nice rooms and access to the employee cafeteria. Great food and all you can eat any time of day or night.
Larry, have we met? How can you possibly live so close by and yet I am just getting to know you for the first time? I used to live in Center City Philadelphia and used to frequent the Main Line - especially for a great record store (maybe no longer there) in Wayne called Plastic Fantastic.
Here is my experience - and it has been almost universal, without exception, over the last 40 or 50 gigs - in Atlantic City.
The gig is at 8:30pm. However the band must arrive by 2pm to set-up and sound check. This is because the casino/hotels operate very much like Disney - on a premise of illusion. Never should the guests see the band setting up or breaking down. As far as the guests are concerned, your instruments might as well live in that showroom, and you always wear an aloha shirt. (Fortunately, the latter is almost always true in my case.)
After the sound check, the band members must literally hide themselves from 3:30pm until 8:30pm. The casino/hotel does not want hired help simply roaming around with nothing to do while on the clock. On two occasions, they did not give us an artists lounge or even a hotel room. They stuck an entire band in a closet. I know because I had to push a mop aside to make a place for myself. But in all fairness, the casino had larger closets than I have at home.
You play from 8:30pm until 11:30pm, and you think, "Whew, let's get the hell out of here." But you can't. Because just like the setting up, the casino/hotel won't let the band break down until the last guest leaves the showroom. Keeping up the illusion, you know. And this is when you watch pigs and other delicacies parade by on their short trip straight to the dumpster.
So with the two hour drive to and from Atlantic City, one of these gigs usually takes 15 hours round trip.
If you are getting better gigs than this, call me. 
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Join me for the history of Hawaiian music and its musicians at Ho`olohe Hou at www.hoolohehou.org. |
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hwnmusiclives
`Olu`olu
USA
580 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2010 : 06:51:54 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Julie H
Geri Valdriz, during one of our kani kapilas on Maui, pointed out to me that the steel is often used for "accents". He demonstrated that by playing beautiful notes woven throughout the melody while the others were playing and singing. But when Geri sang, he usually put the bar down and stopped playing.
It is nearly impossible to play the lap steel, sing and look at the audience at the same time. I've only seen two people, Bob Brozman and Patti Maxine, who can do that.
I think I have grossly underestimated this as a unique skill set. I have always played steel continuously - not just fills - and sang at the same time, as did my father before me from whom I got the impression that it was a very natural thing to be able to do. After all, other singer/guitarists aren't really looking at their guitars while they play. It's a matter of time and practice. It shouldn't matter if the guitar in question has frets that one can feel or not.
The only comment I ever got about this was from Gary Aiko. He was in the audience at the Halekulani one night when I was playing and on a break he said, "Well, there's one thing you can do that Alan can't." I guess it really is hard?
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Join me for the history of Hawaiian music and its musicians at Ho`olohe Hou at www.hoolohehou.org. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2010 : 07:19:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by hwnmusiclives
quote:
Originally posted by Julie H
Geri Valdriz, during one of our kani kapilas on Maui, pointed out to me that the steel is often used for "accents". He demonstrated that by playing beautiful notes woven throughout the melody while the others were playing and singing. But when Geri sang, he usually put the bar down and stopped playing.
It is nearly impossible to play the lap steel, sing and look at the audience at the same time. I've only seen two people, Bob Brozman and Patti Maxine, who can do that.
I think I have grossly underestimated this as a unique skill set. I have always played steel continuously - not just fills - and sang at the same time, as did my father before me from whom I got the impression that it was a very natural thing to be able to do. After all, other singer/guitarists aren't really looking at their guitars while they play. It's a matter of time and practice. It shouldn't matter if the guitar in question has frets that one can feel or not.
The only comment I ever got about this was from Gary Aiko. He was in the audience at the Halekulani one night when I was playing and on a break he said, "Well, there's one thing you can do that Alan can't." I guess it really is hard?
You bet it's hard to look at the audeince & play at the same time. After my first gig backin a hulau, a pedal steel buddy of mine ssid "
It must be cool looking at that sexy dance". I said "I don't have time to look!" Actually, an advantage of "playin in da pukas" is that you get to look around a little. That's when Alan talks to the audience, too. |
keaka |
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How Would You Feel?
