The Steel Guitar Forum

I think Hawaiian steelers will get a kick out of this picture postcard. It is in the Polynesian Room of the Yankee Clipper Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While it is un-mailed, a note on the back says “Dined here May 9, 1959. Very fine food. Very fine entertainment.” It seems that after World War Two, the emphasis in album titles, band names, and venues moved away from Hawaiian, adopting the more general “Polynesian.” I’m guessing this had something to do with a public awareness of the South Pacific created by the campaigns recently fought out there. There’s a lot of nifty stuff in this picture. The Aloha shirts are a kind of modernist take on tapa design. The turquoise shag rug, the sun-dress, the two tone shoes. So fifties. Cellophane hula skirts, of course, originated in the late thirties. Drinks with swizzle sticks are probably just out of the picture for modesty’s sake. The exaggerated color saturation, a fault of cheap printing methods, ends up adding to the whole fifties mood of the picture. It would be interesting to know what Hawaiian bands were playing in Florida at the time. These guys and gals look pretty authentic Hapa Haole to me.

I think Dwight Harris moved there around that time, and the steeler looks kinda like him.
Where'd you find the cool pic, David? Deffinitely some traveling or transplanted Hawaiians.

Ron, the picture is just another ebay find. Trouble is, I only get the dregs. There are people out there who will slap down hundreds of dollars on anything to do with Hawaiian entertainment. Way outa my league.

Wow! Cool picture David.
Coincidentaly, my wife and I just booked rooms at the "Sheraton Beach Hotel" in Ft. Lauderdale. Going in 3 weeks.
I booked online, not even knowing it was the same hotel! Kind of random... don't know much about the area.
I was somehow drawn to the pics of the vaguely ship-like shape of the building.
Anyone have any memories of the Yankee Clipper from that era, or more recently?
I'm assuming they don't have this kind of entertainment anymore!

David Matzenik wrote:I only get the dregs.
There are people out there who will slap down hundreds of dollars on anything to do with Hawaiian entertainment. Way outa my league.

You've been shopping in the wrong aisles! Man, I've been on a tear lately, scoring some real gems, and I will pay if I have to, but the Scrooge in me keeps it under control, kinda. It's amazing what comes up on ebay. And much of it, pix wise, you can copy onto the computer for free in great shape. But I love holding the originals!

One category ebay is really good for, is Hawaiian LPs. There are loads of great albums up now. Jerry Byrd, Alfred Apaka, Benny Kalama, Arthur Lyman, Webley Edwards, Hilo Hattie with the Serenaders, Haunani Kahalewai, Joe Custino, Hal Aloma. Come on down and take your pick.

I made an offer on the Haunani LP, rejected. But I think I got a sealed copy of the East West LP w/Gabby, rather cheap, waiting for the reply...
I'll be checking out the Custino LP for sure. I just hate shipping LPs so far, they usually arrive in pieces.

Ron, my reference to Joe Custino is oblique. He has the B side of the Kodak Hula Show LP, or so I am told. Anyway, its a fav or mine.

Ah, I suspected something like that, as Custino = bupkis. Good to hear it's worth a listen. Thanx

I was at a Racal Datacom corporate semminar in Ft Lauderdale, probably around 83 or 84 and the last evening we were there we had a dinner at the Hyatt Regency hotel. They had a Polynesian flaming sword show and a Hawaiian band. I talked to the steeler but don't remember his name. He looked to be "60ish" at the time. He told me he went to the ISGC in St Louis.

I dloaded it from this blog site, Dave http://stax-o-wax.blogspot.com/2010/03/ ... aiian.html not a lot of Hawaiian, but maybe you'll find some stuff to save $ and time endlessly searching ebay too.

I love that album,I have lifted some ideas off the steel guitar side too. It interesting that the Kodak Hula Show was nearly twenty years old when it was recorded. But I think it is probably much as the original show sounded. If you examine the cover photo some of the 1937 Alumnae are still there. Louise Akeo of course, but among the the musicians, the lady with the guitar is stooped by time. I think she is Helen Alama. To her left two places,playing the uke is a lady with short hair who also appears in the earliest photos of the show and the Royal Hawaiian Girls Glee Club. Oh yes, and the album is in red vinyl, I go for anything in red vinyl.

Red Vinyl.. You missed this one but maybe just as well..
Like :-

Well, an album of mine on world release by EMI was released by Toshiba records in Japan as a Red vinyl sampler on the Odeon label OP-8327 (yax-3414) and called :- Mood Deluxe Melodies for Best Dresser










I'm still looking for a copy of ANY of my EMI Albums that were released in Japan by the Nipon Record Company. I'll pay enough to make the finder a "Best Dresser".

A post card From the UK ..... 65 waitress' in skimpy sarongs served the diners/revellers.

basilh wrote:...65 waitress' in skimpy sarongs served the diners/revellers.

...and I walked by many times and never went in.
Now it's closed and it's too late.

Rick,

While in the Ft. Lauderdale area you might check out the Mai Kai. It's on the historical register, has a Hawaiian show, but I don't know if the band includes steel. http://maikai.com/

Also, you might check in with June Bissen and Charles Kealoha Smith (singer guitarist) for general info on Hawaiian happenings in S. Florida.
http://non-profit-organizations.findthe ... lorida-Inc

Also the folks at Hoike Hawaii. Although they are based in Orlando, they can connect you with S. Florida Hawaiians.
http://www.hoikehawaii.com/

Bon Voyage,

Bob

Thanks Bob,
The Mai Kai's at the top of my list!

Aloha,- Ron,
Before Basil started talking about HIS LPs ,-
you mentioned a Haunani LP that you tried to get
at auction. Which one is it? If I have it, I'll
give(send) it to you.
Wally

Check your email, Wally.

Wally, FWIW (Which obviously isn't much in your books) I was responding to :-

David Matzenik wrote:I go for anything in red vinyl.

Was I so far out of context as to solicit a derogatory "HIS" LPs ,- ?

Baz, I for one knew you'd not be able to refrain from responding to Wally's little jab. Unbunch your BVDs.

If there is any misunderstanding here, it is my fault for hijacking my own thread. I should have stuck to the topic of the band in that 1959 Florida postcard. But then I would not have been made aware of the Mai Kai in Fla. which closely resembles my idea of heaven.

Hijacking is a wonderful thing, IMO, but we don't need a hissy fit hijack on this thread. Please carry on.

You're right Ron, I have my priorities "A.r.s.e. about Face" I SHOULD be trying to improve my playing not my "saying"..
I just find it difficult to not respond to obvious jibes, bombastic egotist that I am..

As a matter of PERTINENT interest David, there was also another Polynesian themed venue in the UK in the 60's.. There must be postcards of it but I haven' seen any.. The "Beachcomber at the London Mayfair Hotel. It was a bar and cabaret venue but less than a quarter of the size of the Castaways.
The Moe family and other Polynesian orientated groups oft played at the Castaways ..

Regarding your postcard of the "Polynesian Room" some of those faces seem quite alike the members of the "Royal Polynesians" who toured Europe in the early to mid 60's. They were from Florida..

Don't be silly Basil, I think you should have gone to speck savers - they look nothing like them.