This week Pakele Live! with Tony Solis presents the fourth of five special “Kōkua Japan” shows to benefit our friends affected by the earthquake and tsunami. We’ve raised over $13,500 so far, and have been drawing the most viewers in the show’s four year history!
This week’s guests:
 Nathan Aweau – a five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner (including 3 times in the Male Vocalist of the Year category) Nathan is also a former member of the award winning bands HAPA, Ka’eo and the Ali’i’s. Early in his career he accompanied such notables as Henry Kapono and Loyal Garner, and he played bass and sang back up for the legendary Don Ho for 15 years. He also taught music at local schools, gave seminars on writing and arranging, and gave students a glimpse into the processes used to produce and record music.
In addition to performing on concert stages, Nathan has recorded commercials and played background music for various TV shows. He has released a number of solo albums, among them the well-loved “E Apo Mai” and “Kaneohe.” Teacher, songwriter, producer, amazing bass player and more, but he is perhaps most well loved for his beautiful voice – in particular his expertise in singing leo ki’eki’e – Hawaiian falsetto.
 MānoaDNA - a multi-generational family band consisting of Lloyd Kawakami (or “dad” – the “D” in “DNA”), son Nick (“N”), and son Alex (“A”), their sound consists of a blend of Hawaiian, folk, folk rock, singer-songwriter, Latino and original compositions, and to all of it they bring an energy and intense 3-part harmonies that captivate audiences across both the U.S. and the Pacific. Their first two CDs generated four Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award nominations, and they won the 2007 Hawaii Music Award for Contemporary Album of the Year.
In addition to owning/operating the family business (the well-known Iolani clothing company), dad Lloyd has been a professional musician for over 35 years. Alex is the songwriter of the group - his original composition Discover Aloha with Me, written for the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s 2008 campaign, quickly became a hit in Japan. A second song, Only in Hawai’i, was used in the 2009 campaign. A third song was used in a film. After graduating from college (where he was a soloist with the University Singers), Nick joined forces with Alex to form the original band, and when dad Lloyd added a third dimension to their sound, they realized they had something worth pursuing. And to quote the Grammy® winning singer-songwriter-producer James Ingram, “it doesn’t hurt that they’re easy on the eyes!”
 Kaiaulu - a group of students, all of Hawaiian ancestry, from Ka Waihona o Ka Na’auao Public Charter School’s Gifted and Talented ‘Ukulele Class (after school program) in Wai’anae (on O’ahu’s leeward coast). They perform traditional Hawaiian music and hula by sharing, honoring and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture and values. The group’s aim is to strengthen the relationship between visitors and the islands in a culturally respectful way, by connecting more deeply with the group’s own ancestral roots and changing the inaccurate and negative perception sometimes connected to the community in which they live. The project showcases the Hawaiian community’s youth through music, and also provides an avenue of growth for at-risk youth.
Their teacher, Franny Victorino, is a long-time Hawaiian musician as well as a teacher at the charter school. Students audition for the group, and once accepted, they learn tradition, history, background, and the composers of the mele they perform. They write essays about what they’ve learned during cultural activities, and about the pieces they have performed in public. They also share with their audiences what they’ve learned about each song. They create their own kala’au (dancing sticks) and ‘ili’ili (dancing rocks), and pick flora and fauna (when available) to adorn themselves for performance. By the time they have completed the program, the students have become skilled musicians. They expect to have a positive impact on the world’s view of Hawaiians, and to deepen people’s understanding of traditionally accurate Hawaiian culture through music.
Join host Tony Solis as we continue our weekly series of Pakele Live! “Kōkua Japan” shows on Thursday, April 7 from 6-8:30pm HST at the Willows Restaurant (901 Hausten St., Honolulu). Admission is free, but audience members are encouraged to donate any amount they can. 100% of every donation will go to Red Cross Hawai’i to support Japan relief efforts. Those who are unable to attend can watch the live stream of each show at www.pakelelive.com. Each show will also be edited for television and shown at a later date on OC16 TV and www.oc16.tv)
You can also donate online! Click on the PayPal button on the Pakele Live! website at http://www.pakelelive.com/ or go to the Pakele Foundation® website at http://www.pakelefoundation.org/contact.php and click on the PayPal button there.
Those donating in person at the shows will also be eligible to participate in prize giveaways.
No reservations are required 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 created especially for Pakele Live! (and available only during the show), with prices ranging from $5 to $16. Drink specials are also available. Validated valet parking is only $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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Kōkua Japan w/Nathan Aweau, MānoaDNA, Kaiaulu 4/7
Posted - 04/07/2011 : 04:42:01 AM
