THE ROUGH GUIDE TO THE MUSIC OF HAWAII

Compiled and liner notes by Paul Fisher. CD available worldwide via World Music Network, and through Far Side / Respect in Japan.

LINER NOTES

Native Hawaiian traditions, including mele (chants) and the hula dance, share their roots with other Polynesian islands. Due to their location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, from the 19th century, the islands of Hawaii subsequently absorbed many influences from foreign cultures. These new influences however, were themselves adapted and turned into new Hawaiian traditions. In the 1830s, cowboys from Mexico and South America, brought the guitar to the islands, which the Hawaiians adapted by slackening the strings, creating their own slack key guitar tradition. In 1879, Portuguese immigrants introduced the braguinha, which the Hawaiians developed into the ukulele. These traditions have been preserved by the passing of them from one generation to another, often a style of tradition developing within a family.

Hawaiian musicians and songwriters have for many years been considered leaders of the Hawaiian people. In the latter third of the 19th century, the Royal Family, such as King David Kalakaua, and Queen Lili'oukalani were also champions of Hawaiian music, composing songs and bringing Hawaiian music into a modern era. The steel guitar is believed (although there are conflicting reports) to have been created at the end of 1880s by Joseph Kekuku, whose curiosity was initially tweaked when he dropped an object onto his guitar. He discovered the sliding sound by sliding a metal comb along the strings, which he later improved by using a heavy metal bar. The steel guitar soon caught on, and by the beginning of the 20th century steel guitar players were playing music influenced by ragtime.

After the annexation of Hawaii in 1898, American culture gradually increased it's influence on Hawaiian life, and 'hapa haole' (half white) songs emerged, sung in English but with their musical roots in Hawaii. After the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, Hawaiian music returned the favour, and in the next years and throughout the 20s, an Hawaiian 'music boom' hit the mainland, turning the musicians into music stars, and in some cases, as Hollywood actors too.

With it's ever increasing popularity as a holiday destination, Hawaiian music became somewhat diluted from the 1950s, and the music began to suffer from an 'image problem', as a rather tacky and easy listening commodity, a legacy that has extended until today. Nevertheless, some fine singers continued to perform with success during this period, mixing 'hapa hole' and Hawaiian songs. In the 1960s, rock 'n' roll nearly wiped out young people's interest in local Hawaiian music, until the tail end of the decade, when an increasing awareness of Hawaiian identity led to a 'renaissance' in Hawaiian music. Not wanting to simply preserve an 'ethnic' culture, musicians attempted to bring Hawaiian music into the present, experimenting with new techniques and styles, but all proudly Hawaiian. In more recent years, those Hawaiian elements in contemporary developments, such as 'Jawaiian' the Hawaiian take on reggae, have been largely watered down for popular consumption. The music scene is becomingly increasingly localised, with musicians and labels worryingly concerned more about winning a 'Hoku'' award, than bringing the 'real' Hawaiian music into the new millennium. There are signs, however, of a a much needed new 'renaissance'.

1. GABBY PAHUINUI KU'U PUA LEI MOKIHANA 3.55

FROM THE ALBUM "THE GABBY PAHINUI HAWAIIAN BAND" PANINI RECORDS, PCD-1007

Gabby Pahinui, born in 1921, is an Hawaiian legend. At the age of four under the Hawaiian custom known as Hanai, he went to live with a family in Kakaako, Honolulu, as his father was unable to provide for his family. He grew up within a strict household, with music an important part of family life, with especially 'hapa haole' songs at this time. He first played steel guitar and played with various musicians such as Puni Kaulia, Charlie Diamond and others. He developed a reputation as a fine singer, steel guitar and increasingly as a slack key guitar player, and was soon meeting and performing with a host of musicians including Alvin Isaacs,Tommy Carter and George Kainapau. During the second world war, he worked at Pearl Harbour, playing music at the weekends. Gabby joined one of the most popular singers and composers of the day, Andy Cummings as a steel guitarist and singer, an association that would last 17 years. His home on Waimanalo became a regular haunt for musicians wishing to jam, some of which formed the nucleus of the Sons of Hawaii, the group with which his reputation spread firmly beyond musicians to the public (see track ) Ry Cooder on a visit to Hawaii heard the music of Gabby Pahinui and recorded with him, his family and other musicians on the album "The Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band" from which album this track is taken. Pahinui returned the compliment on Cooder's 'Chicken Skin Music'.

2. SONNY CHILLINGWORTH MOANA CHIMES/PA'AHANA 3.39

FROM THE ALBUM "ENDLESSLY" DANCING CAT, 08022-38027-2

Sonny Chillingworth, who passed away in August 1994, is considered to be one of the greatest ever slack key guitar players. The roots of slack key (ki ho alu) can be traced back to the 1830s, when Mexican and Spanish cowboys (paniola) brought the guitar to Hawaii. When the Hawaiians strummed the guitar and it played a discord, they found that by slackening a couple of the strings in an open tuning it was more pleasant to the ear- thus the ki ho alu tradition was born. The Hawaiians went on to devise numerous other tunings, with tunings kept a family secret. Chillingworth came from a family with a strong musical tradition, and when he was 15, HE met Gabby Pahinui, who was to become his great friend and mentor. He started performing professionally from the 1950s, and was a member of the Sons of Hawaii and in the 1970s with the Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band . He later formed his own band and performed as a solo artist. As with all the greatest slack key players, he developed his own style and tunings and was an inspiration to the next generation of slack key players. He received many awards for his contribution to slack key during his lifetime and his death was mourned by his many Hawaiian fans, the city hall opening for a public wake.

3. SOL HOOPII I LIKE YOU 3.09

FROM THE ALBUM "THE MASTER OF THE HAWAIIAN GUITAR VOL.2" ROUNDER CD 1025

Born in Honolulu in 1902, Sol Hoopi is generally considered to be the greatest ever steel guitar player. Learning ukulele, guitar and eventually steel guitar from a young age, he stowed away aboard a San Francisco bound liner in 1919. He moved to Los Angeles and started recording from 1925, during the Hawaii music boom on mainland USA. Hoopi found himself much in demand, and is known for mixing Hawaiian music with especially jazz but also blues and hillbilly music. From 1934 Hoopi switched to the electric steel guitar, the very first electric guitar to be invented. He became involved in the Hollywood film industry booking Polynesians for South Sea movies and acted himself including in 'Waikiki Wedding' with Bing Crosby and 'Sing Me a Song of the Islanders' with Betty Grable. He later became an evangelist, playing gospel music before he passed away in 1953. Sol Hoopi and his music continues to be an inspiration for many musicians playing a variety of styles, from bluegrass, country, western swing to tex-mex.

 

4. ALFRED AHOLO APAKA NA MOKU EHA 2.44

FROM THE ALBUM "HAWAII'S GOLDEN VOICE" CORD INTERNATIONAL, HOCD32000

Known as 'Hawaii's Golden Baritone', Alfred Aholo Apaka, was born Alfred Aiu Afat in Honolulu in 1919 of Hawaiian, Portuguese and Chinese descent. After learning ukulele and singing in a Mormon Church choir, his big break came when at high school, when he was chosen as the vocalist with Don McDiarmid's Orchestra who played at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Waialae Country Club. He joined the Hawaiian Musical Ambassadors at the Hotel Lexington in New York led by Ray Kinney in 1940, and in the same year recorded with Kinney in Los Angeles. After returning to Hawaii in 1943 he formed his own 10 piece band and also recorded with Randy Oness' Select Hawaiian Serenaders for the famous Bell Record label. He went on to record with the house band of the "Hawaii Calls" nationwide radio programme in 1947 with whom he made several recordings. He went on to record with his own group 'Alfred Apaka and his Hawaiians' for Bell and then for Decca. In 1952 he was seen by Bob Hope and was invited to sing on television on the 'Bob Hope Show' followed by the 'Bing Crosby Radio show'. His fame spread in the mainland, and he recorded for the most famous labels. However just as his celebrity looked set to increase even further he died in 1960 after playing sport. He is remembered now both for his wonderful voice and for helping to popularise Hawaiian music. Na Moku Eha or 'The Four Islands' is an Hawaiian Hula song.

 

5. GENOA KEAWE, ALIKA 5:13

FROM THE ALBUM "THE WAIMEA MUSIC FESTIVAL"- PANINI RECORDS PCD 2-1006

"Auntie" Genoa Keawe is one of Hawaii's greatest female vocalists . Her incredible falsetto voice has entertained Hawaiians and tourists to Hawaii for over 50 years. From Kaka'ako, she began singing in a Mormon choir before joining the Honolulu Rapid Transit busmen's choir and singing on KULA radio. She is particularly known for her regular performances at the Aloha Grill in Honolulu, frequented mainly by locals, although she has also played many times at the Ala Moana Hotel for the tourist trade. In addition to singing up to six nights a week, she owns her own record company, studio, language school and performs at many benefit concerts. She remains one of Hawaii's most revered singers today. This track is a live recording from the Waimea Music Festival, a recording unequalled in capturing the magic of her voice.

 

6. LENA MACHADO KU'U WA LI'ILI'I 2.45

FROM THE ALBUM "HAWAII'S SONGBIRD" CORD INTERNATIONAL, HSR-515

Known as 'Hawaii's Songbird', Lena Machado is considered to be one of Hawaii's greatest ever singers, renowned for her beautiful, falsetto style voice. She was born near Honolulu in 1903, her musician parents decided to hanai (the Hawaiian custom for parents to give their children to foster parents who can provide a stable and secure upbringing) her at birth . She never took singing lessons and was discouraged from singing by her hanai parents. She was reportedly 'discovered' by Marion A. Mulroney, head of Hawaii's first radio station, whilst gathering mangos from a tree, and was for this reason originally known as the 'Hawaiian Nightingale'. He invited her to sing live on air, and was given a contract by the radio station. She became the featured vocalist with the Hawaiian Royal Band in 1925, with whom she would sing with for 30 years. She toured in Hawaii and on the American mainland with her own group, and made her first recordings in 1927 for the Brunswick label, and in 1935 in Hollywood with musicians including Sol Hoopi (see track..). Back in Hawaii after the war she performed as a resident artist at a club with a group which featured Gabby Pahinui on steel guitar. She continued to record and tour the mainland and in 1962 made her first stereo, but last ever, recording, on a classic album, from which this track is taken. She was seriously injured in a car accident in 1964. She didn't return to performing again until 1970, but after a heart attack in 1973, died in January 1974, aged 70.

7. DENNIS KAMAKAHI ULILI' E 4.18

FROM THE ALBUM "OHANA" DANCING CAT, 08022-38043-2

Born in 1953 Dennis Kamakahi comes from a musical background. His father played slack key but mainly trombone with the Royal Hawaiian Band, and Kamakahi followed in his father's footsteps. However he became more interested in slack-key, and well as from his family drew inspiration from particularly Gabby Pahinui as well as American folk music. He became a member of a trio Na Paniola and played with musicians such as Cyril Pahinui, Danny Akaka and others in a group called Na Leo O Nu'uanu. In 1972 he met Eddie Kamae, leader of the Sons of Hawaii and the next year was asked to play slack key guitar with them. Kamakahi wrote many of the Sons of Hawaii songs, and throughout the 90s, has played with other musicians inspired by the Sons of Hawaii such as George Kuo and Martin Pahinui and his son, David, on ukulele, featured on this track. Ulili 'e was also performed as a classic duet by Gabby Pahinui and Eddie Kamae on a Sons of Hawaii album.

8. GABBY PAHUINUI & GROUP I'M A LIVIN ON A EASY 2:34

FROM THE ALBUM "THE WAIMEA MUSIC FESTIVAL"- PANINI RECORDS PCD 2-1006

The original studio version of this track from the album, "Two Slack Key Guitars" is another classic of Hawaiian slack key music played by two greats of the genre. Atta Isaacs is from a famous musical family, and is the son of legendary ukulele player and composer Alvin Isaacs. He was one of the few slack key guitarists playing during the 60s and 70s. Although he backed many musicians, he wasn't a featured artist until he teamed up with Gabby Pahinui. The two were great friends, not only playing music together, but working together for the City of Honolulu. This is a live recording from the Waimea Music Festival album, recorded in 1974 which aside from Isaacs also included Sonny Chillingworth in a 'dream line-up' of Hawaiian musicians. 'I'm a Livin on an Easy' has become one of Hawaii's best loved songs. Isaacs was a guest musician on Ry Cooder's "Chicken Skin Music."

9. SOL.K BRIGHT HOLLYWAIIANS TOMI TOMI 2.40

FROM THE ALBUM "THE GREAT SINGERS 1928-34" ROUNDER CD1053

Born in 1909 into a musical family, Sol K. Bright began playing drums and dancing as a teenager. On a trip back to Hawaii, Sol Hoopi saw Bright playing with his sister's orchestra and invited him back to California. Bright took up steel guitar predominantly but also a host of other instruments and played rhythm guitar with Hoopi's group between 1930-2. Bright formed the "Hollywaiians" and recorded some records during the the mid-1930s. Bright wrote a variety of styles of songs and was an entertainer as well as a first class steel player and singer, being involved in the Holywood movie industry as an actor and producer. In the latter half of his career he concentrated on ukulele. He moved back to Honolulu and continued to perform until shortly before his death in 1992.

10. SAM KU WEST ST.LOUIS BLUES 2.33

FROM THE ALBUM 'ISLE OF GOLDEN DREAMS- MUSIC OF HAWAII' HARLEQUIN HQCD 112

Sam Ku West was a steel guitar virtuoso, but was also a proficient harpist. As a teenager he played with Irene West's Royal Hawaiians. In 1927 he moved to New York and recorded with his group the Harmony Boys before returning to Hawaii. Sam Ku West toured in the Far East, where he met up with Mme. Riviere's Moe Family, playing in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila. The tour headed onto Paris, where unfortunately he became ill, was hospitalized but died. St Louis Blues was recorded during a 1927-8 tour of the mainland.

 

11. RAY KANE & YUKI YAMAUCHI LANI HA'AHA'A 2:31

FROM THE ALBUM "MAIKAI'I NO BLUES" RESPECT RECORDS, RES-30

Born in 1925, Ray Kane is from a musical family that included his uncle Andy Cummings, Genoa Keawe and others. He learnt slack key guitar as a teenager from Albert Kawelo, not a member of his family, in exchange for catching him fish. His style, a kind of country-blues slack key, is deeply rooted in the slack key tradition. While other slack key guitarists, such as Gabby Pahinui and Sonny Chiilingworth were more active, it was only after he retired from his job as a welder that Ray Kane received the recognition he deserved. He has been honoured by the Smithsonian Institute and received a National Endowment from the Arts Folk Heritage Fellowship. Most slack key players keep their technique and tunings within their family, but Kane was the first to willingly share his knowledge. He would tune his guitar facing the audience, and taught students from around the world. These included Yuki Yamauchi who studied under Kane in the 70s. Twenty years later, the two were reunited in Japan, which led to the recording of several joint albums. In recent years, due to his deteriorating health, Kane has played less guitar. On this song, an old march, Kane sings with his characteristic voice, supported on guitar by his top student, Yuki Yamauchi.

12. LEONARD KWAN NEW OPIHI MOEMOE #3 3.06

FROM THE ALBUM "KE'ALA'S MELE" DANCING CAT, 08022 38004-2

Leonard Kwan, together with Gabby Pahinui and Sonny Chillingworth is considered to be one of the three greatest slack key players of modern times. He was born in 1931 and learnt ukulele and guitar from his grandfather and uncle, Joseph "Pete" Hau'oli. His uncle took him to concerts he was performing in, and Kwan got to play with Andy Cummings, Genoa Keawe and many others. He played saxophone and bass and joined a dance band playing a variety of popular hits. In the late 1940s he performed slack key outside of Hawaii, and released his first album in 1960, simply called "Slack Key", the first all instrumental slack key album and now considered a classic. He backed up other singers for the now defunct Tradewinds label, recording his second solo album in 1974. It wasn't until the 1990s that he returned to the studio to record for George Winston's Dancing Cat label. Recently however, illness has prevented him from continuing to record for this series. This track is an updated version of a tune he originally wrote at the end of the 1950s.

13. ELODIA KANE E KU'U BABY HOT CHA CHA 2:39

FROM THE ALBUM "TRIBUTE TO LENA MACHAD0" RESPECT RECORDS- RES 29

Of Hawaiian, German, Spanish, Filipino and English descent, Elodia Kane, wife of Ray Kane, grew up singing songs with her family. She went to see concerts by the great singers of the day and sang in the church choir, but had no aspirations of singing professionally. One night she was coaxed up on stage to sing a duet with a male singer. That man was Ray Kane, although at the time she had no idea he was such a renowned slack key guitar player. Although she would sometimes sing with Ray Kane on stage and backing vocals on his recordings, it was only in 1998 that she recorded her first album as the featured artist. With the encouragement of her family and friends, who always believed in her talent, she has found her latent recording career to be deeply rewarding. One of the singers Elodia used to hear and see perform live in her younger years was Lena Machado, with whom she is distantly related. This song was originally written by and recorded by Lena Machado in 1963.

14. KALAMA'S QUARTET SASSY 3.20

FROM THE ALBUM "THE GREAT SINGERS 1928-34" ROUNDER CD1053

The Kalama's Quartet were an all male quartet of two singers and two steel guitarists, notably featuring the falsetto vocals of Maika Hanapi. They recorded between 1927-32, and this song was recorded at their very last session. Kalama's Quartet were another group to take advantage of the Hawaiian music boom on the mainland at this time. They recorded for Okeh Records and were presented as representing the romance and and true heart of Hawaiians, despite their music displaying strong jazz influences. Sassy is a humorous song, that includes the bass vocals of Bob Nawahine.

15. BENNY NAWAHI TICKLING THE STRINGS 3.27

FROM THE ALBUM "TICKLING THE STRINGS" HARLEQUIN - HQCD-28

King Benny Nawahi was born in 1899, and started to play steel guitar as a teenager. When he was 20 he was also playing ukulele and mandolin in a group led by his brother upon the liner "Matsonia" which worked the route between Honolulu and San Francisco. After touring in California with his brother, he pursued a solo career primarily as a singer and ukulele player, before returning to the steel guitar and recording for a number of labels, both Hawaiian and novelty numbers. He inexplicably lost his sight in 1935, but he continued to perform in California until he suffered a stroke toward the end of the 70s. He died in 1985. Nawahi is remembered for his dexterous, skillful technique. The self-composed 'Tickling the Strings' recorded in 1931 is his most famous tune.

16. MME. RIVIERE'S HAWAIIANS (THE MOES) MAI KAI NO KAUAI 2.08

FROM THE ALBUM "THE GREAT SINGERS, 1928-1934" ROUNDER CD 1053

In 1928, Tau and Rose Moe took to the road on a tour that would eventually last 5 decades. Tau Moe was an acoustic steel guitar player, while his wife, Rose, was a fine Hawaiian falsetto singer. Between 1928 and 1934, under the guidance of Mme. Riviere, they toured Asia, including in Japan where they recorded this song in 1929. Their children were born in Asia, and the tour came to an end in Shanghai in 1934. Tau and Rose continued their travels to Egypt, the Middle East and Europe. During the second world war they relocated to India, before returning to Europe and playing across Asia again, mainland USA and Australia before returning to Hawaii in the late 70s. At the end of the 80s, they teamed up with American steel guitar player Bob Brozman, who had received a letter from Tau Moe ordering one of Brozman's albums. Brozman had already discovered the Moes through collecting 78s, and they re-recorded many of their old songs for an album released in 1988.

17. SONS OF HAWAII WAIKIKI HULA 2.08

FROM THE ALBUM "SONS OF HAWAII" 39476-1001-2 Sons of Hawaii influenced and inspired a generation of musicians to come, whose members are all individually legends in their own right. Eddie Kamae, born in Honolulu in 1927, is considered to be one of Hawaii's greatest ever ukulele players, with a deep knowledge of Hawaiian traditional music. The ukulele is one of Hawaii's most representative instruments, derived from the Portuguese braginha, introduced to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in 1879. After meeting Gabby Pahinui the two started jamming together, and were later joined by bass player Joe Marshall and then steel guitar player David Rogers, to form the Sons of Hawaii in 1960. The group found immediate success and released two top selling albums. However, they split up and reformed two times before recording the album from which this track is taken in 1971. By this time, they had also been joined by another ukulele player Moe Keale. David Rogers is from a family of steel players, who had devised their own tunings and style. He played with Genoa Keawe before joining the Sons of Hawaii. The group was completed by the unique Hawaiian bass playing of Joe Marshall that incorporated elements of jazz.

 

18. SUNDAY MANOA KILAKILA O MOANALUA/MOANALUA 3:02

FROM THE ALBUM "CRACKED SEED"- PANINI RECORDS, PCD-1003

The Sunday Manoa began as a trio of musicians, led by Peter Moon of Chinese and Korean extraction, that also featured Cyril Pahinui on guitar and bass player Albert Kalima. They were later replaced by Roland Cazimeiro and Robert Cazimeiro which became the classic line-up. Their albums helped to create what was called 'the renaissance' of Hawaiian music at the end of the 1960s. The track is taken from their 1973 album 'Cracked Seed'. After a rather acrimonious split, 'The Brothers Cazimeiro' went onto further success, while Peter Moon formed his own band. For this album, they were joined by Gabby Pahinui on steel guitar. The Sunday Manoa are remembered for preserving the Hawaiian tradition but with a modern and innovative approach.

 

19. GEORGE HELM PUA MAMANE 2.02

FROM THE ALBUM "THE MUSIC OF GEORGE HELM, A TRUE HAWAIIAN" CORD INTERNATIONAL, HOCD 3000

Musician and Hawaiian activist, George Helm was born in 1950 and tragically died just before his 27th birthday. His mother was native Hawaiian and and his father of Hawaiian, English, Portuguese, German and Welsh descent and he started to play a ukulele from around the age of 3. He later played guitar and sung falsetto style old Hawaiian songs that he brought into the modern world. He studied at first under elders such as Genoa Keawe and Edith Kanaka'ole. After moving to Honolulu he met Kahauanu Lake, an entertainer, who taught him not only Hawaiian music but the history behind the music. Helm became actively involved in Hawaiian activism in the mid-70s, fighting for loss of rights in the Hawaiian community. He became the force behind the 'Protect Kaho'olawe Ohana' movement, a small island, from United States bombing practice. He landed on the island with his two brothers, and with one of his brothers on a surfboard tried to paddle back to Maui. They never made it, only their surfboard was found after a search. This song, written by Lena Machado, was recorded live at the "Gold Coin Restaurant" in 1976.

20. CYRIL PAHINUI & BOB BROZMAN KU'U LEI 5.37

FROM THE ALBUM "FOUR HANDS SWEET & HOT" DANCING CAT, 08022-38048-2

Slack key guitar player Cyril Pahinui is the son of Gabby Pahinui. He learnt to play music from an early age, after witnessing the jam sessions at his house that included musicians in addition to his father such as Atta Isaacs, Sonny Chillingworth and Eddie Kamae. He recorded his first album with the Sunday Manoa in 1968, and joined his father's band with his brothers at the beginning of the 70s and is featured on all of Gabby's classic albums for the Panini label. In 1979 he joined the Peter Moon Band, and played with his brother Martin, and steel guitar player Greg Sardinha. His first album as the featured artist won two Hoku awards in 1988 and in 1992 he recorded with brothers Bla and Martin, on the album "The Pahinui Brothers" which also featured Ry Cooder. He has recorded two solo slack key albums for Dancing Cat, before making a collaboration album with Bob Brozman from which this track is taken. Brozman is the world's leading player of National steel guitar and a master of Hawaiian guitar. His style evokes the greatest players of past time, such as Sol Hoopi, and his sensitive playing on this song, is the perfect accompaniment to the Pahinui style slack key guitar.