The Steel Guitar Forum

Here are two videos to start.

Thursday night jam in the Dust Room. Dave Kolars - Tricone, Dave Giegerich - Aiello Dustpan, Doug Smith - guitar, Barb Kuhns - uke, Isaac Akuna - Aiello Dustpan, Gerald Ross - Guitar

Kansas City Kitty

Cocktail Hour at the Saturday night luau. Terry Miller - steel guitar, Isaac Akuna - bass, Dick Martiny - guitar, Gerald Ross - guitar, Wayne Shishido - ukuele.

On Kona Kai

Very enjoyable
Thanks for posting Gerald.

Roy

Enjoyed that very much, but whats that racket going on in the background of the 2nd clip ?

Thanks Gerald

Very cool Gerald, you guys are havin too much fun. Do you know what tuning Terry was using on "On Kona kai"?

A variation of C6. His lower strings have a seventh and something else.

Gosh Darn that was nice!

I plan to attend some year, and this video convinced me that it needs to be sooner than later.

Those shirts put quite a strain on my monitor and video card!

Glad you were having fun & sounding great. I sure would have enjoyed being there.

Nice stuff as always gang.

Dang , now I wish I was there!

At least we had Kahuna Chris from Colorado making hid pilgrimage.

Chuck

That's some really nice stuff Gerald!
I'm still not home yet, I'm at a Holiday Inn in Tallahassee so I'm viewing on my laptop.
I decided to take it easy on myself and take 3 days (instead of 2) to drive the 1500 miles . .

I'll get home tomorrow afternoon, and once I recuperate I'll start posting videos on my YouTube channel.
I have some great clips, including Gerald's set - which was nothing short of phenomenal.

Thanks Rick!

I hope you have some of the lobby jam I did with Dick Martiny on guitar.

Here are three more videos

From the Satuday night luau. The dance troupe - Ala Hula O Mai Lele are from Milwaukee.
Hula Floor Show

What do hula girls do to relax? They dance of course! Here they are at the Saturday night jam.
This is the session where Rick Aiello had to flex his bouncer skills (see the Monster Truck thread).
Hula Girls Relaxing

Terry Miller plays 'How Dja Do' at the luau cocktail hour.
How Dja Do

Looking forward to it Rick!! Thanks!

I hope you have some of the lobby jam I did with Dick Martiny on guitar.

You know I do buddy - that was some great playing too!

The RACKET that Kevin Brown is hearing is the audience talking at the start and ending of the song.
The convention in Waikiki last April was more enjoyable. IMHO

Gerald Ross wrote:Terry Miller plays 'How Dja Do' at the luau cocktail hour.
How Dja Do

I really wish I didn't always have gigs booked for this event. Sigh...

Love Terry's version of How D'ya Do. Couple of questions: I can't tell from the video, but is he playing without fingerpicks? I notice he uses index, middle AND ring fingers. However he's doing it, the tone and touch are great.

Also, who creates all the charts for each tune that the backup players are reading? Does each steel player bring his own charts and pass them out, or is there a central 'chart clearing house' of some kind before the event? Are they hand written or created using some kind of program? Do you creat those Gerald?

Anyway, looks like fun, particularly the jam sessions!

TJW

Each performer is responsible for bringing and distributing their own charts. It seems that the majority of players use Band In A Box to generate these.

Some players get together with their back up bands before the show. Others distribute the charts ten seconds before their sets.

Some players use no charts at all. These players usually play straight ahead three/four chord songs.

Terry Miller writes some of the best charts I've seen. When you first look at them, you say "whoa...these are really complex". But when you start to play them you realize how good of an arranger Terry is. His arrangements and chords look tough but they flow so naturally into each other, they play themselves.

Terry uses picks.

Fun vids, looks like all had a great time

Roger Shackelton wrote: The convention in Waikiki last April was more enjoyable. IMHO

I bet no jams over there ... ever needed to be broken up by the cops ...

Yes ... that very jam featured on Gerald's first video ... broken up by Joliet's finest at 3 am.

What nerve ... you'd think people stay at hotels to sleep or something.

As far as "The Racket" ... that was about 150 people having a fantastic time ... during the "Pre Luau" Happy Hour.

The convention in Waikiki last April was more enjoyable. IMHO

You are comparing apples and oranges Roger.

I've never been to the Waikiki HSGA Convention but from what I've gathered, there really is not much jamming in the evening. Once the daytime show is done for the day, people scatter to the four winds. Who can blame them? You are in the heart of Waikiki, the beach is a half a block away, there is music and bright lights everywhere, food, drink etc. And if you don't want the city life you can get in your rental car and explore some of the world's most beautiful scenery.

Now... HSGA Joliet is all about the music. There is not much outside of the hotel to divert your attention away from listening to, playing and learning music. Sure, you head out for meals but you hurry back for the late night jams, the comraderie, the exchange of music and ideas. Joliet is all about the music.

There have been some really nice jams in the lobby of the Queen Kapiolani, including hula dancers etc, so it's not really that much different than Joliet. The good part is that there are more Hawaiians involved.

The Queen Kapiolani locks the banquet room once the performances ends. The only place to jam is the lobby. There seems to be no coordination for the jams, so no one really knows what time it will take place, which is why most members start doing something else.

Also, most members stay in the islands are not long, so they want to try to part-take in what ever Hawaiian groups that are performing at other hotels.

I have to say I can back up Gerald's assessment 100%...

I went to the Honolulu convention in 2003...the music was awesome, the people (some of the same nice faces who are in Joliet) were friendly, and the scenery was out of the world!!

But exactly as Gerald describes, my focus was not just on the music...

I found myself slipping out many times in the daytime to go to the international marketplace, spend some time on the beach, and to check out the local scene. And there were other times where I was in the hotel listening to great music, but thinking of other things, like, "I wonder if I can get to Pali Lookout and back by lunch?" And my tastebuds were constantly craving Zippys!

In the evening, after the daily performances, we usually had a couple of choices of different hotels to go to see some spectacular music being made. There's nothing like the view at the Halekalani. And my favorite group in the entire world is Auntie Genoa and her Hawaiians.

Afterwards, I think there were some "invitation only" jams going on in various places; however, I was a newbie who really didn't know anything or anybody, and was kind of looking for a 1-1 lesson or two. I asked around to several people, but all were too busy for the week, which was understandable.

The Joliet jams are in open convention/meeting rooms, so anyone can walk in to either participate, or just listen. Usually there are 2 or 3 groups of different sizes and variety.

Chicago is a toddlin' town, but too far away from Joliet to be convenient to go to. I'm sure if we were having it downtown, there would be temptation to wander; but besides Wal Mart, White Castle, and the 4 roller coaster theme parks, there's really nothing else to do in Joliet. (j/k about the theme parks ).

Hawaii is a beautiful place...the beauty all around you is breath-taking, and it's the heart of the music we all love. Both conventions focus on music, but there is less distraction in Joliet, allowing for a more close comradery around the music's immediate vicinity.

That's probably why we are all chatting so happily during the Pre-Luau show. It reminds me of a tiki bar club atmosphere...the music is loud enough to hear, even when talking, but not too loud that we have to scream at each other to converse. That's what's so terrible about bars and nightclubs these days. The music is so loud you have to wear earplugs and learn sign language, so you don't strain your voice while talking to someone! I wish there were more clubs like this around the country.

I would recommend anyone and everyone to visit Hawaii if you've never been. It should be on everyone's must-see list, whether you are a music enthusiast or not. Just like the song goes, "There's No Place Like Hawaii!"

But, I have to admit, I can go to Joliet three times for what I can go to Hawaii for once. And until I win the lottery, the economics of that situation also plays a role in why I don't go to the Hawaii conventions like I do Joliet.

Joliet is also the one time of year I get to see some of the people I consider my dearest friends...bruddahs and sistahs in music, eh?!

Thanks for posting those videos, Gerald. It looks like a fun time!

Great stuff! Thanks for posting.

The HSGA Waikiki convention offers a little more variety than the Joliet convention as Jeff and others say.

There is regular jamming in the Kapiolani lobby at the Waikiki convention. It does not usually last into the wee hours of the morning as does the Joliet convention. The jamming starts very impromptu and not at a certain time. All one has to do is bring a guitar and start playing and others will start bringing their instruments and join in. This normally starts as you view a group starting to gather for jamming in the lobby as you return from the Halekulani, Marriott, Moana, etc, around 9:00 pm, but again it can happen anytime.

Some HSGA members have time shares and condominiums in Waikiki and may invite certain people over from which a jam session may develop.

Gerald is correct in saying it is like comparing apples and oranges. They are two different environments with different choices.

It is a totally different experience to play Hawaiian steel guitar in Hawaii vs Joliet. You will sound more Hawaiian in Hawaii. If you don't believe it, try it and prove me wrong!!!

Aloha,
Don