Music & Musicians in Hawaii

Subject: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Chick & Ellen
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 12:14 PM

We have scraped and saved to make our second trip to Hawaii. We will be there next month (Oct 2003)!

Usually when we travel we try to meet musicians, and have made some life-long friends doing so. But when we went to Hawaii a few years ago, we struck out. We went to all four islands and didn't find any musicians that weren't playing at resorts. (They were terrific players but we had difficulty connecting with them - it was like trying to meet a musician playing at a wedding.)

Does anyone know of any way/place we could connect with musicians? we are semi-professionals (2 gigs per month) from New England. We play folk & blues on guitar and banjo. We do a lot with alternative tunings - we'd love to have a slack key lesson. Mahalo nui loa!

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 06:33 PM

Try a P.M to Mark Cohen

Gerry

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: GUEST,Lyle
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 09:26 PM

Check around for some of the Slack Key groups. They have in the past been very receptive to anyone interested in that type of music, and many are excellent musicians. Just enter Slack Key in Google and you'll get several responses.

Lyle

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Sep 03 - 11:11 PM

Sure, let me know when you'll be here. I'm in Honolulu, used to be on the Big Island. How long will you be staying, and which islands will you be visiting? (The Big Island is my favorite, but there's lots of good stuff here on Oahu besides Waikiki and the tourist traps.)

There's a bluegrass and acoustic jam session in a downtown Honolulu park that's been happening about once a month since June. It was on the second Sunday in August, but that's not yet a definite regular date. If it is on the second Sunday in October, that's Columbus Day weekend and I'll be in California visiting my daughter. But I would highly recommend going to it...it's the best chance to meet local acoustic musicians, and a fun time. Usually 2 or 3 circles that ebb and flow throughout the afternoon, pretty park, nice weather...what's not to like?

I'm part of a group that plays Irish music at a pub in Waikiki, second and fourth Sunday from 4 to 7 PM. We're not great, but we have fun.

If you let me know when you'll be here, I will try to arrange a get-together some evening with a bunch of musicians. As I said, I'll be away Columbus Day weekend but otherwise should be around. I'll send you my phone number in a PM.

Check out the Honolulu Weekly website for what's going on this week, to give you some idea of the types of things you can see and hear.

Have fun!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 10:24 AM

I don't know if they still do it, but I spent a great few hours once at the bandshell listening to the Kodak Show guys jam after the tourist show.
Also see the Auntie Mele, Dancing Cat and Keola Beamer's sites for info on events. Sure would be nice to go to Keola's camp some day.

Chris

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:33 PM

Sorry, Chris, the Kodak show clicked its last a few months ago.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:43 PM

Mark, does the Royal Hawaiian Band still play on Sunday afternoons in the bandshell in the park? I met a few of the musicians who were interested in more than band music.

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 02:06 AM

I believe so, but I've never gone to hear them. Thanks for mentioning it, though--I'll put it on my list!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Chick & Ellen
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 11:46 PM

Thanks to all for replying.

Mark, thank you so much for your kind offers! we certainly will call you. If we manage to meet you, then we will, at least, have met *one* musician!

We are arriving HNL on Wed Oct 8 early afternoon. We leave HNL for home on Oct 26 late afternoon. So it sounds like we won't have a chance to see you at your gig. :(

The only part of our itinerary that is firm is the arrival and departure dates above. We still don't know exactly which islands when - precisely because we were trying to stay flexible with the hope that something wonderful music-wise would turn up. (but we are getting nervous since it is a month away so we will be making reservations in the next week or so.)

we were tentatively thinking of spending most/all of our time on Oahu and Maui. (we spent a lot of time on the Big Island on our last trip.)   However, we noticed a slack key festival in Hilo on Columbus Day weekend (details below.) We are guessing that this would be fabulous music but not a great place to connect; would you agree?

A get-together sounds like heaven to us. (We have been hosting open music parties at our house on the "last saturday of odd-numbered months" since 1996.) If you were able to make it happen, should/would it be on a weekend? if so, then we should probably plan to be on Oahu the weekend after Columbus Day, no?

Thanks again! C & E

HILO SLACK KEY & STEEL GUITAR FESTIVAL
Date: October 11 & 12
Time: Noon - 6:00 p.m.
Place: Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, Hilo
Performers include Ledward Kaapana, performing slack key as well as steel guitar; Cyril Pahinui, Keoki Kahumoku, Firmin Oliveira, Ken Emerson, and many others. The line-up includes 12 different performances each day. Hawaiian Arts and Cultural demonstrations. Hawaiian instrument makers will sell their instruments as well as demonstrate their skills. Food and cultural booths will be available also. Adults: $10.00, Children 12 and under free. Call: Gay Tolar [phone].

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Barry Finn
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 12:40 AM

When I lived on Maui (20 yrs ago) a lot of the local boat people played & sung. I used to try to play guitar (didn't get far, I practiced evrey thing backwards) & I'd go down to Bannon (Tree) Park in Lahina. I was always being ask by the locals "hey bra, let me try your guitar". The musicians I ran into were amazing. One kid from a family of musicians started changing the tunings (I didn't know about slack key at the time) & commenced to sing the song he sung at his granmother's funeral. I didn't understand any of it but it was the most haunting song I'd ever heard. He'd come by every so often & play. One day while he was playing some guys looking like mean, tough customers stopped, I thought oh no here goes, except they stated to dance slowly without the least bit of hesitation. Up till then I'd never seen the men dancing like that only the women. Wished I had the fore thought to record. They're not shy about asking if they could play "your" instrument if they know how. Just a thought on one way you could get to hear the locals. If you ask where you can hear hawaiian music make sure they know you're not refering to "hapa houlie" (sp?) music (half white) "it's not da kind" & they'll know. Best of luck & have a great time. Barry

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Sep 03 - 05:08 AM

The Slack Key Festival is a great time, and where else can you hear a whole day's worth of fine live music for ten bucks? (I know, I know, there are lots of places you can hear it for free...but you know what I mean!) But I agree, it's probably not the place to hook up with local musicians to jam with: basically a concert setting, in a huge hall.

I don't know Maui at all, though I remember once hearing a rumor about a pub in Lahaina where folk musicians hung out. (Banyan Tree Park that Barry mentioned is also in Lahaina...that's the town where the whalers went when they rolled down to old Maui.)

I have to double check on the dates I'm going to California. I thought it was the weekend of the 11th, but it might be the following week. I'll let you know.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 30 Sep 03 - 11:24 PM

Personal message sent: I will be gone Columbus Day weekend, but here the following weekend. You'll miss the bluegrass/acoustic jam, which is on the 26th, but you can catch the rest of our Irish band at Kelley O'Neill's in Waikiki on the 12th. (If you're going to have a car, I can give you driving/parking directions.) I will try to arrange for a get together with some musicians the weekend in between. Call me (phone number is in the PM) and we can figure out the best day.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Oct 03 - 12:10 AM

The University of Hawai'i at Hilo has several people interested in various kinds of Pacific folk music and slack key. I was at a conference there and met a couple, one of them playing to entertain at a conference do. At my present remove, I don't know how they could be contacted, though.

Subject: RE: Music & Musicians in Hawaii
From: Wotcha
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 09:09 AM

I will be honeymooning at Waikiki in mid January ... not that I will be too bored, but I need to get my regular fix of sea chanteys ... any chance of finding a folk friendly locale?

Cheers,

Brian