The Steel Guitar Forum

I need some help. Recently several or at least 2 tunes played by David were posted here as examples that escaped me before I could make copies to add to my files of great Hawaiian players. I would be so appreciative if the people or person that put theme on here would repost them or email me a copy of these and any others they might have. Am willing to pay. I beleive one was written by David. Thnx ...

Is this it, just for 'Educational and research Purposes' ONLY. Under NO circumstances "Right Click and Save As"

Track 1A

Track 2A

Track 3A

Track 4A

Track 5A

Track 6A

Track 1B

Track 2B

Track 3B

Track 4B

Track 5B

Track 6B (If only. but there's no track 6B)

Baz,

What an amazing educational experience!!!

Just think the kind of educational experiences that one can receive on the SGF is more than money can buy!!!

I enjoyed every minute, I mean every second, of it!!

Aloha,
Don

Thanks Basil, thats very helpfull, would you please be kind enough to tell me the title of the first track and the tuning ? I can then get cracking and add it to my list of things to do, nice and jazzy/bluesy, right up my street. Its interesting that if these are played just even SLIGHTLY out of genre they can sound very cheesy and even put some folks off, you have to get it DEAD right to pull it off, not easy and thats why we all keep on trying maybe ?

As you can see Kevin, he's playing a three necked 8 string guitar. The Tune is How Dy'a Do, and the tunings used by David are E13, G13, A6, B11, C6 and C13. depending on the tune..

In this instance I venture to say B11 and E13..
There ARE David Kali'i aficionados who could tell you the make of his strings.
Maybe Bill Wynne will 'Chime' in here ?



Check out this thread click here

Here is my version in the A6th tuning Mainly

Click Here

OK officionados, any help re tuning much appreciated on How d ya do ( 6 string)
Cant wait to let rip !! I hope its E13, I'll have an excuse to buy another lap then.

How Dy'a Do on a 6 string has to be B11 (an A6 variant)

From the first string down (The only way)
1. E
2. C#
3. A
4. F#
5. D#
6. B

Of course you could use the plain old A6th but you'd be missing some of the signature harmonies of this tune/song.
Here is the ORIGINAL by the man who wrote it Andy Iona, notice how the ninth chord is crucial to the mood..
Click Here

Here is the ORIGINAL by the man who wrote it Andy Iona, notice how the ninth chord is crucial to the mood..

And notice how fast his left hand is shaking.

Andy did some nice harmonics on that tune.

Aloha,
Don

Thanks for the tunes Baz. You are a giant in your profession.

Don Kona Woods wrote: And notice how fast his left hand is shaking.

Andy Iona was "The King" of Hawaiian style vibrato ...

In my opinion anyway ...

Andy Iona was "The King" of Hawaiian style vibrato ...

In my opinion anyway ...

Since I respect your opinion, I want to give the highest respect for your opinion!!

Aloha,
Don

Thanks Bas, thats great, this week Im doin Blue Hawaiian moonlight, How dya do and Georgia, nearly ready for a gig now !

I have a record of these from the 70"s but it is all scratched. Thanks so much for these wonderful scratchless tunes. David was so good and you are so kind and also very good on the steel. I love your playing and that Fender pedal steel tone!

I don't mean to be obsessive compulsive or hijack the thread, but if we're to respect the Hawaiian language and culture, then it's

David Keli'i

It's kind of like "Owhyhee" back in the day: Hawai'i

You should never forget the okina (')

(ok, shutup, Matt)

Matt, I think I DID just that in my second answer..

There ARE David Kali'i aficionados who could tell you the make of his strings.
Maybe Bill Wynne will 'Chime' in here ?

Or then again maybe I was also wrong It SHOULD have been with an 'E' as in Keli'i .. oops

Matt Rhodes wrote:I don't mean to be obsessive compulsive or hijack the thread, but if we're to respect the Hawaiian language and culture, then it's

David Keli'i

It's kind of like "Owhyhee" back in the day: Hawai'i

You should never forget the okina (')

(ok, shutup, Matt)

Don't you dare shut up. This was driving me crazy but I didn't want to start a flame war over it. Mahalo!

(Along these same lines, a letter to Hawai`i Magazine this month from an angry reader indicates that he is cancelling his subscription because they ruined the magazine with all of those unnecessary "apostrophes." Good grief!)

Yeah, Bill, I have that issue, too. All I can say is it's about darn time after 20 some-odd years.

I can thank Mr. Au Hoy for turning me on to David Keli'i. I never knew who played the solo on Lena Machado's "Ku'u Wā Li'i Li'i" (the one with percussion) until he pointed it out.

By the way, my wife and I saw you guys at Da Halekūlani last September during "The Longest Hula Line" - great show!

(edited for correct spelling: 'okina ... my bād ...)

Errr...
I believe the steel solo on Lena Machado's "Ku'u Wa Li'i Li'i" was none other than the "Sultan of Schmaltz" - Bernie Kaai Lewis!

Kidding aside, Bernie was one of the great ones.

It's Billy Hew Len on the steel.

I have Davids autograph and he signed Kelii with no embellishments. Of course he may have been in a hurry as we had been fishing all day out of Wainae boat harbor and as we were washing the salt water off the boat I had him to sign for me.David Kahaialii a retired army compadre was doing the majority of the work and was yelling for help so it was hurridly done. cc

Thanks for the correction, Derrick. I misquoted Jeff, anyway. I looked at the original thread and he thought it might have been Tommy Castro.

The only thing that confuses me is that Billy Hew Len had more of a bright tone and tended to play more chords in his solos as you would hear on "Ku'u..." (Hawaiian Songbird). The version I was referring to (with percussion and it was on a compilation CD - still sung by Machado) was all single-note and had a rather rounded, mellower tone.

If you heard Ku'u Wâ Li'ili'i with percussion, then I think maybe the steel player was Tommy Castro. If you heard the version without percussion, it's Billy Hew Len.

"Hawaiian Songbird" is the "essential" Lena Machado CD. Half the CD is her entire 1962 LP release featuring Billy Hew Len on steel--the other half is a nice handful of older cuts from the 30's featuring Sol Ho'opi'i.

Billy's my personal idol. I've worn the grooves off this CD!

Time for some fancy footwork!

Derrick's correct and so am I!

I didn't realize Lena recorded Ku'u Wa li'i Li'i for her "Hawaiian Songbird" Lp.

Her first recording of the tune was in Hollywood in 1946 for Columbia. Bernie on steel.

To my knowledge, Lena recorded with 5 different steel players:

Sol Hoopi'i
Dick McIntire
Tommy Castro
Bernie Kaai
Billy Hew Len

The album with percussion (Songbird Of Hawaii) was recorded in 1949 (not 1946) in California under the Columbia label with Andy Cummings and his Hawaiian Serenaders.



Andy Cummings on guitar and Danny Kuaana on uke. Dave is correct. Bernie Kaai is the steel player on this earlier version.

Tommy Castro did do some steel work on some of her recordings two years earlier in 1947 but not this particular song.

Derrick Mau wrote:Andy Cummings on guitar and Danny Kuaana on uke. Dave is correct. Bernie Kaai is the steel player on this earlier version.

Yep, Bernie Kaai and Danny Kuaana were pretty much a package deal during this period. They cut numerous sides together with Dick McIntire's Harmony Hawaiians (minus Dick McIntire who stopped performing for health reasons) and Danny was also a member of Bernie Kaai's Hawaiians (the records by which - during this period - were often miscredited to the other McIntire, Lani). They also cut the sides together that became Danny Kuaana's Capitol LP "Holiday In Hawaii."

Somebody referred to Bernie's playing as "schmaltz." Was this in jest? I would give my right arm to play like him (but then wouldn't be able to, of course, since...nevermind). There are few players who have such a jazz sensibility and yet retain a uniquely Hawaiian touch and tone. Jules Ah See comes to mind as does his uncle, Jake Keli`ikoa. And Billy Hew Len. Today, I believe Alan Akaka is the jazziest. Yet all still very Hawaiian style.

If Bernie's playing is not considered top caliber, I wonder why...

So was Bernie Kaai's name pronounced "Kāi", "Ka'ai", or "Kā'ai"?

(yes, it does matter to me)