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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
 Posted - 04/12/2011 : 3:19:49 PM
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Despite the news about the Grammies (how come Grampies are overlooked?) and the ignorance (both the intentional and the birthright kinds) of the populace in general, Why play / enjoy Hawaiian music? Obvious answer: It makes me feel good. My blood pressure goes way down when I play ki ho'alu. I feel connected to the folks that taught me tunes, tunings, etc and get to know and jam with some pretty talented folks. Us guys get ony good fun! Any other feelings, ideas, etc?
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 4:22:15 PM
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The music sounds so deceptively simple. The melodies for the most part are in major keys and sound sweet and happy and lively. On the surface the songs are about every day simple things, like the palce where someone lived or about a favorite flower. Ah, but once you start to understand the language and learn about kaona, you find that these deceptively simple songs are very complex indeed. I love the depth of the music and beauty of the poetry.
Once we started learning about the music, that led us to meet some amazingly wonderful people. It led us to learn about aloha and about trying to live a pono life. It brought Duke and Jay and Derek and Shawn and the Abrigos and Uncle Ronald into our lives. For that I shall ever be grateful to Hawaiian music. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 4:39:42 PM
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Eh Kory
No feel bad about da Grammy reclassification.Ting nevah mattah from day one and made zero impact on Hawaiian music anyway.One less controversial topic to grumble about here on TP LOL.
Some of da reasons I play & lissen Hawaiian music....One is dat I feel like I can visit wit da kupuna who came befo' me. Play Gabby, Sonny, Kwan, Unko Ray stuff & almos feel like dey resurrected fo' da duration of da song....Like dey say about classiko music, it's played verbatim wit out variations because da object is fo' feel da emotions of da composah when dey wrote da piece........Chrai do dat wit on simpo piece like Auntie Alice's "14 measures" meeeeeean da chicken skin!!! Das y me I raddah rediscovah da old tradishino style not like now daze guys who ste chrai reinvent.
Hawaiian music jalike classical kine because can withstand da test of time.You jam Wheeha Swing today she kick okole, you jam Wheeha Swing 40 years from now she still kick okole...Jawaiian an planny oddah kine music lidat, your favrit song today not your favrit song next week. In one mont you tired da song, in one year you no remembah da song.Aaaah waste time dat kine hahahahaha |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 4:47:54 PM
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Eh Wanda
Because of Hawaian music I made lifelong friendships with all those you mentioned above plus you & Paul, Ed, Glenn, Kory, Jack, Al, Peter Medeiros, Ozzie, Zack, Ledward, Aunty Lei, Fran, Ramon etc etc etc.......Priceless!!! Not to mention all the good folks I got acquainted with here on TP.....Factor in all the YouTubers yikes!!!!....Pretty damn awesome fringe benefits |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 5:33:14 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
Eh Wanda
Because of Hawaian music I made lifelong friendships with all those you mentioned above plus you & Paul, Ed, Glenn, Kory, Jack, Al, Peter Medeiros, Ozzie, Zack, Ledward, Aunty Lei, Fran, Ramon etc etc etc.......Priceless!!! Not to mention all the good folks I got acquainted with here on TP.....Factor in all the YouTubers yikes!!!!....Pretty damn awesome fringe benefits
Garanz, braddah! How would hopeless haoles like me ever get the feel for Hawaiian ways? Even though I get a lot of help from Hawaiians in Seattle, how would I ever have caught on to pidgen? Jes' one big ohana, yeah? |
keaka |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 5:35:32 PM
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oh - IMHO, Hawaiian music is absolutely blissful, and my main instrument, the steel guitar, was invented in Hawaii, and it continues to be the sound that identifies music as Hawaiian to the malahinis all over the world.
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keaka |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 9:20:24 PM
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| Grew up with music in Hawai'i. It wasn't only Hawaiian music. But Hawaiian music was always special because I am Hawaiian. I felt special that we had our own music when almost everything else was gone. The music encouraged me to learn the language and by doing that I learned a lot about the culture and history. The bonds that are created because of our musicianship is just one of the many benefits that keep me coming back for more. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2011 : 9:42:47 PM
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quote:
originally posted by guitarded
Braddah Duke, no need be all Hawaiian music eedah. Unko Paul can be yeehawing away on his "5 Pounds of Possum" while Kory stay munching on his flutefish pupu. Somehow it always comes back to food.
True dat Bruddah Ed but Hawaiian music was da common ground dat wen make us all cross paths.......But no can ahgue dat it always comes back to kau kau...Paul's fi' pown wattah rat o'a Kory's bakalau it's all good..........Sumtin smell good, wat you get on da stove Bruddah Ed? No tell me das da wirl famous boil peanuts Make me miss da old Honolulu Stadium boil peanuts, Chinatown kine junk nomo' feelin' eat doze ones |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2011 : 12:16:39 AM
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The reasons why I enjoy Hawaiian music, and play a little are really the same reasons that I play any or enjoy any music. On a superficial level, I like the sound that it makes. This is fundamentally why I play anything. I love the sound of certain music so much that I want to make it as well.
Music has been called a language, and it is a truism to say it conveys emotions.
When I heard Slack key for the first time, a couple of things were immediately apparent. Firstly it was incredibly beautiful. Secondly, I’d not heard anything quite like it before. There are stylistic phrasings, like vamps/turnarounds that do not occur in other styles. So it was not only beautiful but interesting. However, there were also components that were fairly familiar – the acoustic guitar, the open tunings, the fingerstyle, the alternating bass, the use of major scales.
Like other styles I’ve had a go at playing, the motivation was the same - ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could make this kind of sound?’
Without making the story too long, I was so fascinated I travelled to Hawaii to try and learn a bit more about the style. It was to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and now I’ve been three times! Along the way I’ve also learnt a bit about the culture, I’ve learnt about Aloha, (which up to then I thought was just the word for ‘hello’) I’ve met some amazing people and I’ve made some really good friends.
So now it’s not just about the sounds themselves, it’s about memories, associations – particular emotions connected with particular events -in short it’s personal.
I am not a Hawaiian musician, nor do I wish to self identify as such. I do, however self identify as a musician, and sharing music and laughter with people is something I do just about every day. I try not to take this for granted, but when it’s part of my daily existence, it’s easy to come to accept it as normal.
The chance to play with people from other cultures, is always hugely exciting and a great honour, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve always had an interest in American music, so playing with Americans is particularly special. But for the last six to seven years, I’ve been introduced to Hawaiian music, and learning from, and playing music with, Hawaiians has been something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2011 : 08:41:17 AM
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| Music is communication not a commodity. To paraphrase, "Grammies? We don't need no stinkin' Grammies!" (no ill will intended, Retro- Hans and I didn't even know that there was a polka category that could be deleted - it never stopped us from gigging). I play da music because of the connection to others and for centering myself. I feel for those that would have to come in contact with me if I wasn't able to play music. Like Duke said, it reaches back in time to others who played. As an old Cajun man told the great fiddler Dewey Balfa, "People can die but a song shouldn't die." |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2011 : 11:19:22 AM
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| Eh, Kory - I remember my friend Hank Haller was nominated for a polka Grammy some years back for his song "Thank You Dear and Give Her Roses". He didn't win, but he went to the whoop-de-do in California and got stepped on by some guy who was in a group called Simply Red. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2011 : 4:27:05 PM
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| Music that sounds good in the kitchen or the backporch will endure. It's not "sexy" and the suits find it difficult to cash in on, but it's still enobling and family / friend oriented. Tell the great Hank Haller (a mensch in the best sense of the word) to wear steel toed shoes next time (Oh, there won't be a next time. Their loss.) |
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Allen M Cary
Lokahi
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2011 : 09:49:41 AM
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Thirty some years ago, when I moved from Bluegrass Country (the actual place, Lexington Ky) to California, my brother in law had just moved back from Hawaii. With him came the Beamers' first albums. This was the most incredible, beautiful music I had ever heard. I said, I gotta learn me some of that! After all these years of workshops, books, videos and camps I have learned a lot more than just beautiful music. I have gotten to feel how the Aloha has to come from your heart and out of your fingers or it isn't Hawaiian music. The Aloha--that's the thing. And if I can just transmit a little of it to others through my playing, it is a truely wonderful thing.
Aloha kakou,
Allen |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2011 : 11:31:10 PM
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| One of the reasons I play Hawaiian music is for nights like tonight. I went to the Moana Terrace (wearing my Islanders aloha shirt to match Alan and Gary) st the Waikiki Mariott and sat in on the second set with the Kewae family and Alan Akaka. We started with Alan and me doing steel duets ("Blue Hawaiian Moonlight", "Ke Aloha" and "In A Hula Heaven", the last one with me playing on the B11 neck and Alan on C6). Then Alan sat down, and I played steel with the Keawes until the last 2 numbers when Alan came up to close the show. What a night for me! I know I need to sleep, but I'm too wired! |
keaka |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2011 : 01:33:31 AM
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| That had to be a wonderful experience, Jack. I wonder if anyone wen video it? |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2011 : 02:29:11 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by slipry1
One of the reasons I play Hawaiian music is for nights like tonight. I went to the Moana Terrace (wearing my Islanders aloha shirt to match Alan and Gary) st the Waikiki Mariott and sat in on the second set with the Kewae family and Alan Akaka. We started with Alan and me doing steel duets ("Blue Hawaiian Moonlight", "Ke Aloha" and "In A Hula Heaven", the last one with me playing on the B11 neck and Alan on C6). Then Alan sat down, and I played steel with the Keawes until the last 2 numbers when Alan came up to close the show. What a night for me! I know I need to sleep, but I'm too wired!
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"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
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Why do you play / enjoy Hawaiian music?
