| Author |
Topic: Hawaii Calls - Mauna Kea |
Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 8:02 am |
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This tune was I think from the "Hawaiian Shores" LP from Hawaii Calls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHPa3jcuMw
It's classic Jules Ah See style. My teacher taught me his arrangement of it which is how I've been playing it for years (married with another slightly more obscure mele "Mauna Loa"...not the commonly known ones but one from an old songbook). But I noted this version is played differently so I wanted to deconstruct what Jules was doing, and came up with this, for about the first minute or so (skipping the intro).
| Code: |
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------
C|--------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------~9-/10\/\--H9---H9-----9-10-9---------------------
G|-13-13-14---------~9-/10\/\---H9-------9--------~9------------------
E|-13-13-14--15-16--~9-/10\/\----H9------9-9-10-9-~9--9-/10--9-9-10---
C|-13-13-14--15-16--~9-/10\/\-----H9-------9-10-9-~9--9--9---8-8-9----
Bb|-----------15-16--~9-/10\/\------H9----9--------~9--9-\8---7-7-8----
C|------------------~9-/10\/\---------------------~9------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------16--------9-/10\9--H9-------------9-10\/\--------------
G|-13-13-14--------16-16------9-9-/10\9--H9-H9--------9-----\/\--~9----------
E|-13-13-14--15-16-16----10-9-9---/10\9-----H9-H9-----9-9-10\/\--~9--9-/10---
C|-13-13-14--15-16-------10-9-----/10\9--------H9-H9----9-10\/\--~9--9--9----
Bb|-----------15-16--------------------------------H9--9----------~9--9-\8----
C|---------------------------------------------------------------~9----------
Tag
E|------------------------------
C|------------------------------
A|----------16--------9---------
G|-------16-16------9-9---------
E|-15-16-16----10-9-9----9--10--
C|-15-16-------10-9------9--9---
Bb|-15-16-------10-9------9--8---
C|------------------------------
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Anyway, just wanted to share that...it's a fun exercise reverse-engineering the playing of a legend like that!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 8:58 am
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| Thanks Nic, anything Jules and Hawaii Calls, I'm into! |
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Joe Burke
From:
Toronto, Canada
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 10:09 am
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Nice one Nic - thanks!
Is the low C an octave below? I don’t think I hear anything that low, but I’m not used to using a Bb and a C on strings 7 & 8.
EDIT - I think I just found my answer in Nic’s comment on Jules Ah See. It’s an octave bellow. I’ll have to experiment. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 10:54 am
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This tune always strikes me as one long harmonized Hawaiian turn around. I learned Jerry Byrd's version but I like Jules' better!
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 11:48 am
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
| This tune always strikes me as one long harmonized Hawaiian turn around. I learned Jerry Byrd's version but I like Jules' better! |
Where might one hear Jerry's version? I wonder if Alan devised his own arrangement, or was taught it by Jerry back in the day...
There's also an amazing medley version on "Hawaiian Guitar" by "The Stars of Hawaii Orchestra" (also Jules).
https://www.discogs.com/The-Stars-Of-Hawaii-Orchestra-Hawaiian-Guitar/master/1094385
It starts with Kuʻu Ipo I Ka Heʻe Puʻe One, then into Mauna Kea. Not sure if its online but it is quite lovely!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 1:36 pm
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The version of Mauna Kea by George Kainapau with George Archer and His Pagans (David Keli'i on steel) has long been one of my favorite performances (and steel guitar performances in particular). From "Dreams of Hawaii", 1959.
I first heard it on the Cord International comp, Legends of Falsetto. The similarity to what Jules Ah See plays is striking to say the least. So much so that it has me wondering who recorded it first? I'm guessing Jules lifted it from Keli'i.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaIGVv5ddi4 |
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Travis Brown
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 3:21 pm
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Man, what a beautiful track.
Thanks for posting that! |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 4:27 pm
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| Hey Nick, you mention the Stars of Hawaii Orch's "Hawaiian Guitar" lp above referring to Jules. Do you know if that is Jules on the entire lp? |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 4:45 pm
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| Scott Thomas wrote: |
The version of Mauna Kea by George Kainapau with George Archer and His Pagans (David Keli'i on steel) has long been one of my favorite performances (and steel guitar performances in particular). From "Dreams of Hawaii", 1959.
I first heard it on the Cord International comp, Legends of Falsetto. The similarity to what Jules Ah See plays is striking to say the least. So much so that it has me wondering who recorded it first? I'm guessing Jules lifted it from Keli'i.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaIGVv5ddi4 |
Wow, that is definitely in the same style. I know Jules was influenced by David. If it was actually recorded in 1959, I'd be more dubious but I wouldn't be surprised if it was recorded earlier and just released then...it sounds kind of earlier in quality, not like what what was being recorded in '59 in general. So I would not be a bit surprised if Jules borrowed much of this from David Keli'i. But man, is this is ever a perfect tune for C13!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 4:49 pm
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| Duane Becker wrote: |
| Hey Nick, you mention the Stars of Hawaii Orch's "Hawaiian Guitar" lp above referring to Jules. Do you know if that is Jules on the entire lp? |
The sound seems fairly consistent across it, but I think it was Basil Henriques who both told me it was Jules and [doffs cap] provided me with the files when I was first getting into this music. So I think it is him, but am not entirely certain. There's a bunch of albums outside of Alfred Apaka and Hawaii Calls that feature him...another one is Felix Slatkin's "Paradise Found".
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2021 8:47 pm
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Thanks Nic, I do know it was Jules on the Paradise Found lp. In one of Alan Akaka's interviews by Troy Brodenmeyer, Alan mentions the Paradise Found lp and says its Jules.
The Hawaiian Guitar lp to me seems liked it is very layed back maybe not simple playing, but unusually laid back for Jules. But still nice. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 13 Feb 2021 12:21 pm
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| Quote: |
| Where might one hear Jerry's version? |
I never recorded it. There's a mid version on my site user my Lap Steel Moods book.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 13 Feb 2021 1:44 pm
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Where might one hear Jerry's version? |
I never recorded it. There's a mid version on my site user my Lap Steel Moods book. |
Sorry, I meant Jerry's recording, which I'd never heard before...but an easy google search got me there, not sure why I didn't do that first.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4J_pM3IYkc
Sounds a bit like his diatonic tuning maybe? Or at least a close tuning with several clustered notes within a step of each other.
Very different than Alan's version, which is a bit more like the David K / JAS version, albeit in different positions.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 13 Feb 2021 1:55 pm
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| Duane Becker wrote: |
The Hawaiian Guitar lp to me seems liked it is very layed back maybe not simple playing, but unusually laid back for Jules. But still nice. |
Found a 8 year old post on here:
"There's an RCA records LP called "Hawaiian Guitar" with the "Stars of Hawaii Orchestra", that is Jules on about half the cuts and Danny Stewart on the other half."
Doing a quick listen...maybe I should not try to guess...the sound is very consistent between tracks, to me. Some of the tracks are as you say, simpler, and more single note (what I'd expect Danny Stewart to do more of). Jules definitely had a split personality. Some of his Hawaii Calls stuff was delightfully slow and relaxed, then that night he'd head to the gig in the Tapa Room and melt faces off!  So I'm not sure which of the other tracks are DS and which were JAS, but Mauna Kea, definitely not DS I think.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 19 Feb 2021 11:19 pm
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Thanks, Nic, for posting this recording of Mauna Kea by the great Jules Ah See.
He has the magic touch on the steel guitar that is unequaled. A True Hawaiian Steel Guitar Legend. |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 20 Feb 2021 8:57 am
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| Nic Neufeld wrote: |
| If it was actually recorded in 1959, I'd be more dubious but I wouldn't be surprised if it was recorded earlier and just released then...it sounds kind of earlier in quality, not like what what was being recorded in '59 in general. |
It was released in 1947. It may have been recorded as early as 1944.
David Keli'i, steel; possibly George Archer, guitar; Bill Akamuhou (Dias), ukulele; unknown bass; with Elisa Kroll, Bill Dias, Dorothy Kahananui, George Archer, vocal quartette.
I think the song dates back much earlier, possibly pre-1920. But I can't recall hearing any versions prior to this one.
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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