HeneHena Kou Aka on a Vega Commander

John Burton · Post by **John Burton** » 17 Nov 2021 7:44 pm

Here's a little video of me attempting to play a rather jazzy version of "Henahena Kou Aka". I'm attempting the tune from Alan Akaka's version. I am no way as smooth as that dude; but it's fun trying. Mainly I was thinking there wasn't a lot of video or sound clips (that I could find) of these old Vega lap steels. I believe this is a 1947, but with Vegas..who really knows.

the link is:

https://youtu.be/z6cEiiZ0B0A

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 18 Nov 2021 7:24 pm

Nice work, John.

Joe Burke · Post by **Joe Burke** » 19 Nov 2021 4:36 am

Good sounding steel! I like that song.

Joe Elk · Post by **Joe Elk** » 19 Nov 2021 5:44 pm

Nice John!!
Joe Elk Central Ohio

Joe Cook · Post by **Joe Cook** » 20 Nov 2021 12:44 pm

Nice playing and the tone of the Vega is so good!

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 21 Nov 2021 11:49 am

Ken Emerson plays one of those, this is a long interesting interview and he shows it in it.
https://youtu.be/nKgx6VBVAv0

John Burton · Post by **John Burton** » 22 Nov 2021 6:20 am

Glenn Wilde wrote:Ken Emerson plays one of those, this is a long interesting interview and he shows it in it.
https://youtu.be/nKgx6VBVAv0

Glenn; Thanks for posting that. Interesting stuff. That is a long interview! He shows the Vega guitars at about 2:26:00 mark. The black one he gets from the gig bag looks exactly like mine.

Everyone else; Thanks for the kind words and listening. I got a few clammy notes in there; lol..but that is one reason I record myself, to hear problem areas and hopefully improve. I think on some of those runs I focused a lot on timing and intonation suffered. Oh well; that's all part of playing these dang things. Tricky!