The Steel Guitar Forum

Aloha to all of you Kanes (men) and Wahines (women)

I came across the information in this post just today and wanted to give you Hawaiian music lovers some leads if you do not already have them. All of the radio stations can be heard over the Internet. The stations include music with some Hawaiian steel guitar playing here and there in it. Some of the music is traditional and some contemporary. Make your own judgment, but get back to this thread with a post of your reactions, thoughts, opinions, etc.

The Breeze on 99.5 FM in Honolulu states they are providing classic and the very best traditional music of Hawaii.

This station can be found on the internet: http://www.breezeofhawaii.com/

Streaming provided by: Live365.com

These stations are listed as Hawaiian stations which means Hawaiian music:

105.1 KINE – “Hawaiian 105” / Hawaiian at www.hawaiian105.com

100.3 KCCN “FM-100” / Hawaiian at www.kccnfm100.com

98.5 KDNN “Island 98.5” / Hawaiian at www.island985.com

According to my calculations there are 21 FM stations in Hawaii and 4 play Hawaiian music.

According to the Honolulu Star Bulletin there are only 2 AM radio stations, which are not available over the Internet.

They are:

940 AM – KKNE which has been listed in another thread.

1370 AM – KUPA

Note: Sam Kapu was listed as being with 105.1 KINE - FM

At this point I have made no evaluation of these stations. I do plan to in future post, but I just wanted to get this going.

Aloha,

Don








<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 24 February 2005 at 07:46 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 24 February 2005 at 07:51 PM.]</p></FONT>

You can turn on one of the radio stations in the previous post and listen as you do various posts.

I am doing that right now. Listening to Hawaiian music and doing this post.

Kind O neat!

Rumor has it that KKNE AM 940, the radio station that plays traditional Hawaiian music 24/7 will begin streaming their broadcasts on the Internet within a few months!

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 25 February 2005 at 06:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

GERALD, THAT IS GREAT NEWS BECAUSE THEY ARE REPORTED TO HAVE A LOT MORE OF GREAT STEEL GUITAR PLAYING.....AND ALSO COMMERCIAL FREE.

It's not 100% commercial free, but they do what little they have all at one time each hour, then it's back to shalangabang. And keeping with the laid back feel, the commercials are low keyed and sensible, not the usual obnoxious type that make you wanna turn it off.

I discovered KKCR, community radio from Hanalei , while on Kauai last year and enjoy listening to it on http://www.kkcr.org They play traditional Hawaiian music just about every morning. With the time difference, thats until about 3pm for me. Check it out.

Tim in Boston

Thanks Tim for the good lead.

I was curious enough to find out more information so I called the station.

This is some of what was communicate to me:

Hawaiian Music is played:

12 Midnight to 12 Noon - Monday to Thursday
(At 7 A.M. show becomes D.J. Live with requests taken)

1 A.M. to 12 Noon - On Weekends

ALL TIME GIVEN ABOVE IS HAWAIIAN TIME - ADJUST YOUR TIME ACCORDINGLY.

Thats all for now folks, keep tuned.

Aloha

Don

HEY AT THERE IN SGF LAND,

HAS ANYONE LISTENED TO ANY OF THESE RADIO STATIONS PLAYING CONTEMPORARY HAWAIIAN MUSIC AND SOME TRADITIONAL WITH STEEL GUITAR?

DOES ANY ONE HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT IT?

YOU CAN LISTEN AS YOU READ THE VARIOUS POST OR EVEN WHEN YOU POST...

OR IS THIS DEAD IN THE WATER?

I DO NOT MIND NEGATIVE OPINIONS.
(even my wife gives me negative opinions and I have not divorced her, so why should I mind your negative opinions.)

I DO NOT MIND POSITIVE OPINIONS.

A TRUE SGF FRIEND,
DON

Okay, here goes.

In the past 35 years, 99% of Hawaiian music has been so gawdawfully crappy that at times it makes me feel embarassed to be a "Hawaiian musician".

If I listen to the radio in Hawai'i, it's because there's something like Prairie Home Companion on NPR. Other than that, it's all records for me.

THANKS JEFF

WHAT MAKES IT THAT WAY FOR YOU?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 01 March 2005 at 03:31 PM.]</p></FONT>

Hi Don,

For me, it's that most of the stuff I hear feels like cheap poorly rehashed American styles with Hawaiian words tacked on. I'm not trying to say what is and what isn't Hawaiian music. I'm saying I just hear a lot of yucky music out there that's hokey junk.

Granted Hawaiian music of the past century has always been a derivative of Western genres, there was a time when Hawaiian music had a real identity to it. And it was performed in good taste with good musicianship. Now, I'm not fully versed on exactly what good musicianship is... I'll be learning that until the day I die... But I've gathered that it means being conscious of what the other musicians are doing around you, not stepping over others, not competing for the limelight, knowing when not to play, having good intonation, steady timing and phrasing. I feel these things lacking amongst people of my generation and the previous. I really have to make a conscious effort to police my own musicianship because my culture at present is so accepting of poor musicianship.

When I hear most of Hawaiian music today, I think "Cheesy Wedding Synthesizer Music" (even if it's acoustic...just because it's recorded so badly, so commercial-sounding), again, with Hawaiian words simply tacked on.

I think some of my peers would disagree with me arguing there is a place for Hawaiian backyard type music, for the rootsy folk player romanticized by the Renaissance of the 1970's. But in my opinion, that player is more or less dead. Hawaiian backyard music today reflects what these backyard players are hearing on these really bad modern recordings, just played even more poorly.

The only Hawaiian group today that I would feel proud to have represent Hawaiian Music anywhere in the world is "Pa'ahana". This is a trio that plays at the Halekulani Hotel. Kaipo Kukahiko plays a prewar frypan, Doug Tolentino (leader) plays baritone 'ukulele, and Pakala Fernandez plays upright bass. They sing three-part vocals in (proper) Hawaiian language. I strongly urge anyone in the islands to see these guys perform.

Pa'ahana has a CD out but it doesn't do them justice; they had a shaky studio experience and the engineering was extremely poor (same studio as the "Hawaiian Steel" volumes 1-3). <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 06 March 2005 at 11:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

Pa'ahana is a great group who plays in the style of the Kahauanu Lake Trio, but with a steel guitar instead of an acoustic guitar. They have really come along since the group has formed and has many songs in their repertoire.



I really enjoy the music of Sean Na'ao'ao. He recently has stepped away from the reggae music and has gone back to his roots. He currently plays at the Moana Hotel on Wednesdays along with Robi Kahakalau but you've got to see him play with his dad and uncle. They have the old time strum, and when they harmonize, just like the Billy Gonsalves and the Invitations.

Another group worthy of mention is Kimo Alama Keaulana. They also play in the old Hawaiian style. Kilakila Ozawa is the steel player (E13th tuning) who was a former student of Joe Custino. This group also blends vibraphone and piano along with the steel. When was the last time you heard that!??!! Pahukoa Morse is the rhythm guitar player who is no stranger to Hawaiian music having played with Myna English, and Genoa Keawe. They currently don't have a steady gig and play only on occasion. A real treat if they happen to be performing. Kimo Keaulana has a great falsetto voice.

Not to "de-rail" this topic ...

But that is one heck of a good looking "Frypan Stand" that young man has ... in that photo.

I have 3 vintage ones ... but I'm 6'3 ... and they sway like a palm tree in a hurricane when I try and use them standing up ...

I know a couple guys who'd like one of those ... any info would be appreciated

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<font size=1> Aiello's House of Gauss</font>

<font size=1>
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield</font>

Hi Rick, I'll ask Kaipo where he got it from. Pa'ahana performs at the Moana too on Tuesday's.

Thanks Jeff for picking your way down through all of these posts to this post.

You gave an enlightening explanation of your ideas. It always seems to help knowing and having an appreciation of where one is coming from and where one is headed.

Additionally what you say educates all of us.

Jeff, if it were in my power, I would like to appoint you the Director of Hawaiian Music, for the future of Hawaiian music.

I hope that you will not get discouraged and keep up the good fight.

I will be anxious to hear "Pa'ahana", especially if they play in the style of the Kahauanu Lake Trio, my all-time favorite Hawaiian singing group. I was always curious as to why they never had a steel player with their group. I would have liked to hear steel with them, maybe now I can imagine what it would have been like with the Pa’ahana trio having a steel player.

Derrick, maybe Kimo Alama Keaulana’s group could do the opening set for the Ho’olaule’a.

Aloha no,

Don

Don:

If you want some original Hawaiian music from yesteryear, try this website: www.hularecords.com where you can hear the old "Hawaii Calls" radio programs featuring Webley Edwards and cast of dozens.

The Hula Records site also sells a great variety of Hawaiian music as well.

Give it a try when you get a chance.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 08 March 2005 at 02:44 PM.]</p></FONT>

P.S.

These are the original "Hawaii Calls" half-hour radio programs from the 30's and 40's.

Actually, they are not. This is stuff from the 1960's.

What a bummer Jeff/Bill, after having listened to hours of the old shows (w/David Kelii) last night at work, I was ready to hear some more, and what they had to offer.

Put those old shows from the 30/40s on the air and you'll get a BIG reaction.

Don, I whole heartedly second your mention of Pa'ahana as openers for the steel show coming up. If for no other reason than at least there is a steel in the band, unlike the last time the STEEL GUITAR convention was held and was opened by a group, with no steel guitar in sight. Very odd.

Glad to hear about Kimo and Lei Hulu, Derrick, where have they been hiding?

Jeff:

Are you saying the info describing these radio shows as original transcriptions from the 30's and 40's by the website is incorrect?

I understand these original "Hawaii Calls" radio shows were recorded live on old hard vinyl discs and played back on a network feeding 500 odd radio stations on the mainland because of the time difference. These transcriptions were then archived and now have resurfaced on the Hula Records website.

Did Webley Edwards MC those 60's shows too?

I'm not saying anything on the website is incorrect. The text mentions the show's beginnings in the 1930's but nowhere does it advertise any transcriptions from this era available for listening. Where might you have read this?

Webley Edwards did emcee the 60's shows.

The CD's available from this company contain mostly 60's and a little 50's material. No 30's and 40's stuff.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 08 March 2005 at 02:58 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ron, looks like they don't have any steady gigs set up anywhere so you'd have to keep checking these one time events. The last two performances I've seen them at was the Moana Hotel's Concert In The Courtyard, and the Bishop Museum's Moonlight Concert On The Lawn.

Ron, found this website link on Kimo's performances.
http://www.melenani.com/home.html

Speaking of the Hawaii Calls radio program ending in the 1970's......it was the primary link of Hawaii to the world....its signatory sound was the steel guitar..... it was the sound that when we heard it, we could not get away from it, we fell in love with it the moment we heard it.

The Hawaii Legislature FUNDED the Hawaii Calls radio program to advertise Hawaii's charms to attract tourists. IT DID, INDEED IT DID.

Then the noble Hawaii Legislature in the 60's decided in it's infinite wisdom that it would NO LONGER FUND the program.


The Hawaiian steel guitar THEN lost it's world wide voice. It was no longer heard WORLD-WIDE and guess what happened?

Just my thoughts.

Aloha,
Don<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 08 March 2005 at 05:19 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 09 March 2005 at 12:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

The last Hawaii Calls program was done in August of 1975. You'd think that it would have ended at the Moana Hotel where it had had originated in 1935, but it was done at the Cinerama Reef Hotel's Ocean Terrace.
Hawaii Calls was partially funded (almost 50%) by the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. HVB eventually wanted money to go to magazine advertisements. A group called the Hawaii Corporation took over the funding for the last 19 months of the show but took a finanacial loss.

Here's the all star cast for that last show.

Danny Kaleikini
Penny Silva
Melveen Leed
Charlie Davis
Benny Kalama (music director)
Sonny Kamahele (guitar)
Jimmy Kaopuiki (bass)
Norman Isaacs (ukulele)
Joe Custino (steel guitar)
Nina Kealiiwahamana
Lani Custino
Bob Kauahikaua