The Steel Guitar Forum

As far as I am concerned and IMHO there was no one who played "Aloha O'e" as perfectly and as beautifully as David Kelii on his 6 string Fry Pan on "Hawaii Calls" radio in the 40s and early 50s !! And he did finger harmonics up into the pickup and never "clunked" one !! He was the absolute master of his steel guitar !!! FWIW !!! You young guys missed out on a lot of old beautiful Hawaiian music !! the old Geezer , Eddie "C"

Now maybe Basil will repost his links!!

This thread will be closed if it does not follow the rules, guys. Keep to the subject.

You miss understood me I think Brad. I was serious. Basil pulled his links to Aloha O in another thread and said he would post them again if any other thread came up talking about Aloha O. I didn't get a chance to go through the links before they were pulled. I'm hoping he reposts them here.

Eddie Cunningham wrote:There was no one who played "Aloha O'e" as perfectly and as beautifully as David Kelii, he was the absolute master of his steel guitar!

Even amongst steel guitarists, David is way under-appreciated these day's.
Besides his great harmonics, he comped behind a singer/player better than anyone I've ever heard. Able to quietly solo w/inspiration without stepping onto the singer or other instruments, in fact improving the sound, where other players would/should remain reserved.

David Kelii - the template for old Hawaiian steel guitar.

Yes! Let's hope Basil doesn't chicken out this time around. He has much to offer. Here is a song that I remember hearing David Kelii play many years ago.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O67EvR8Jv4s

I didn't "Chicken out" TB I absented myself..

The actual history of the song is well documented and as Derrick Mau has pointed out it's a love song, scored by Henri Berger and there is speculation that he also contributed quite considerably to the melody. Moderato espressivo in the language of music in the 1870's-1890's would have been approximately a tempo of 60


Furthermore it WASN'T written by QUEEN Lili'uokalani, it was written by Her Royal Highness PRINCESS Lili'uokalani..
In 1866, King Lot Kapuaiwa asked Lili'u to compose a new anthem for the Kingdom to replace the British song " God Save The Queen.," which was then being used. Fired by the request, within a week she had completed
" He Mele Lahui Hawai'i " ( The Hawaiian National Anthem), and by July 1867, the song was printed and was available for purchase in Honolulu. The first of her compositions ever published. This decidedly Christian song served as the national anthem for ten years until her brother, by that time reigning as King Kalakaua, set it aside in favour of his own composition, " Hawai'i Pono'i."

This is the way it was intended, at least these top players/singers thought so.

Jules Ah See

Hawaii Calls

Hawaii Calls Again

Alfred Apaka

Barney Isaacs Jr

Sam Ku West

Jeff Au Hoy

Those versions (by Hawaiians) range from the 1920's (Sam Kuu West) up to the present day (Jeff Au Hoy)

Now all we need is for someone to post a link to the David Kelii version..

Welcome back Basil!! I really like this one.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpMtiWJ8YZs

Thanks TB "Welcome Back" ? I didn't know I'd been away !
As for the link to Hawaii Tattoo, I like the tune, HATE the performance, I'm somewhat out out tune, something to do with the piano distracting me and listening to his fiddlings rather than mine..
Mind you, the lads in the band are really good, backstage they keep us (Brolly and I) supplied with copious quantities of coffee and other stimulating beverages. And believe me, we NEED them..(The beverages)

TB what's your favourite recording of YOU ?
I've just notice you have the same monogram as myself, do you smoke Benson & Hedges ? they carry our initials you know..

I'm really glad this topic has been resurrected and Basil's informative facts restored for all to see.

http://www.7161.com/css_track.cfm?track ... k_id=17636

So you can all have a good laugh and have something against which to compare the professional versions, here's my amateur version that I put together about 2 years ago. It wasn't intended as a final "take" and I never got round to finishing it: it was an experiment to see if the arrangement worked.
(I'm not really an Hawaiian player.)

Yeah Basilh, thanks for bringing those back!
I was told by some Hawaiian steel players that when David played a hotel etc in the old days, there were usually other pro steel players hanging out there, watching and listening

And great playing on that youtube link Basil

I have an old cassette tape recorded live from the "Hawaii Calls" radio program in the early 50s with Webley Edwards talking and introducing David "K" playing a steel solo , "Forget me not" with the surf , vocals and harmonics that is absolutely beautiful and really shows off Davids feelings and touch. If I could only put it on the Forum but I haven't a clue!! I'll try to find someone locally that can help me . I know you would all really appreciate what David could do with his perfect harmonics , tone, and talents. Eddie "C"

Thanks so much Basil for posting the info as well as recorded versions of this beautiful song. I enjoyed them all! I gotta say that Jeff Au Hoy's playing just knocks me out! Jules Ah See as well! I get the same feeling while listening to Jules as I do listening to some of the instrumental ballads that Jimmy Day played. They seem to "ooze" with feeling. It's as if they're floating on the waves while playing the melody; their notes leading and lagging the rhythym. Simply moving.

This made my day!

Vibes player on that Jules version should be shot - no?

I thought this was a fine version with the exception of the VOLUME of the vibes in the mix; which IMHO competes and distracks away from the solo instrument playing the melody.

I think this is another example of over use of the vibes.
Click Here

They just don't stop for a second, And they're being played by the "Producer" who according to Criterion Music's boss, is "The foremost authority on Polynesian Music"

I love Jules' playing, his dynamics and his voicings, it just a pity that the Producer ? Yves H Roche decided to play vibes all over the Hawaiian Guitar parts. I don't mind his adding percussion to the ORIGINAL recording of just the trio, BUT, If someone did that to any of my material after I passed on, I'd come back and haunt them for eternity and then some..
I think the problem was compounded when the vibes player/producer decided to become the engineer as well, and mixed the vibes so far forward.

We have attempted to get the original recordings from Criterion minus the vibes, but as the letter says, Michael Godsen the CEO of Criterion says that Yves H Roche "Is the FINAL authority on South Sea Island Music"
So there you have it, the final authority has stamped his authority all over some of the most beautiful Hawaiian Steel Guitar playing, and all but buried it.
Now if only Vyes H Roche had taken up residence in the 60's on Bikini Atoll
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Here IS the story about The Hawaiian TRIO's album :-
Please note that in future ANYTHING you want to know about Hawaiian Music can be answered by Yves Roche, because according to Michael Goldsen of Criterion Music , He is the "Final Authority on South Sea Island Music"

Please note the address give IS current if you want to write to Yves Roche and compliment him on his vibes playing and production. !

Maybe that's why vibes are so expensive ... to discourage people from playing them.

Since the vibraphone is an electric instrument, it suggests that traditional Hawaiian music originally used an acoustic version, maybe a Xylophone or a Marimba. Any information anyone ?

I can think of a LOT worse instruments of accompaniment than vibes to overshadow the steel a bit, and I don't find the recordings in question that sullied by them at all.
Be glad ol' Yves wasn't hot for bag pipes!