1st Annual Lanai Ukulele Festival coming up!

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Are you going to be on Lanai on July 29 and/or 30th?  Then get ready for the 1st Annual Lana’i Ukulele Festival!  It’s being held at the Manele Bay Four Seasons featuring many wonderful performers including Herb Ohta Jr., Walt Keale, CJ “Boom” Halekahi, and other guest performers.  How much would you expect to pay for such awesome entertainment?  Well keep the money in the wallet, for admission anyway, because it’s free!

Want to know more?  Go to http://www.lanaiukulelefestival.com/

Live from Daryl’s House in Kauai

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If you’re a Hall and Oates fan, you likely already know that frontman Daryl Hall does a web cast called Live from Daryl’s House where guests artists come to jam and you get to sit in on it.  Recently Daryl went to Kauai to do a show from friend Todd Rundgren’s Kauai home.  It’s a great little set and shows some great examples of the aloha spirit.

To check it out, click here.

Help local artist get back her life’s work

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I read this article on KITV’s site that just broke my heart.  Songwriter Roslyn Catracchia’s home was broken into Sunday and her computer which contained masters of her work over the past 20 years was stolen.  Click here to read the whole story. 

A $500 reward is being offered to help recover the work, no questions asked.

Update:  Her computer has been recovered with all original works in tact!  Read the story here.

Na Hoku nominees announced

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Mountain Apple Company has given a link to the nominees for this year and you can take a listen to their music!    If you like what you hear you can buy the music at that link as well.  Click here to be taken to the soothing sounds of this years Na Hoku award nominees!  If you’d like more info on the Na Hoku O Hawaii Music Festival in May that precedes the award ceremony, click here.

Gearing up for Spring’s Kokua Festival

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Going green, eco-friendly, whatever you want to call it is not just for Earth Day, it is a way of life.  (If it’s not, it should be!)  Hawaii’s Jack Johnson will be hosting the Kokua Festival April 23rd and 24th in Honolulu to benefit the Kokua Hawaii Foundation.  Some big name performers will be performing like Ziggy Marley, Jake Shimabukuro, Anuhea, Taj Mahal and of course Jack Johnson.  So if you’re planning a spring trip to the islands, make this festival a stop on your itinerary.  But you don’t need to wait to make a commitment to help save the Earth, see what some are pledging to do to help the environment…

Spend Valentine’s Day with Keali’i Reichel

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If you’re going to be on Maui over Valentine’s Day and you love the soulful crooning of Maui’s own Keali’i Reichel, catch him in concert on February 13th and 14th.  To purchase tickets for his shows at Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, click here.

Keali’i Reichel interview

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Kumu hula and singer Keali’i Reichel does a great interview with Hawaii Magazine.  Thought I’d pass along the link for this rare occasion as he doesn’t give too many interviews…click here for the interview.

Not familiar with Keali’i's work?  You’re missing out on a truly contemporary Hawaiian voice.  Check out some of my favorite picks of his work below.  I’m particularly fond of Melelana, E O Mai and Kawaipunahele.

 

See America on Maui this weekend

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Saturday, August 8
AMERICA in Concert
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Statehood
Events Lawn 7:00 pm
Gates Open at 6pm

America’s compilation album entitled, History: America’s Greatest Hits released in January 2007, spurred a critical reappraisal of the group’s work that made the band “cool” and “hip” with a newer generation of musicians and fans. Their memorable hits, “Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway,” “I Need You,” “Lonely People,” “Muskrat Love,” “Tin Man,” and “Sister Golden Hair” are audience favorites.

With Opening Act HAPA and the Maui-based “Band Champ” youth competition winners from Kamehameha School, “Why Bother” featuring Dane Lum Ho and Kala’e Camarillo.

AMERICA concert tickets are: $40 General Audience, and $65 for VIP seating. All tickets plus applicable fees. Member discount available. AMERICA in concert is a Tom Moffatt Production.

More information at: www.mauiarts.org/august.html

Pineapple Express goes Hawaiian

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Got an interesting little update from Mountain Apple Records.  For those of you who are heading out to see the Seth Rogen high time flick “Pineapple Express” listen for a bit of Hawaii courtesy of Brother Noland!

Popular Hawaiian musician Brother Noland reached national acclaim this week when his hit song, “Coconut Girl,” well known in the Islands, debuted nationally on the soundtrack of Columbia Pictures’ Pineapple Express, released Aug. 6.  The film broke mid-week debut records, grossing just over $12 million its first day in North American theaters. 

Noland is a three-time N? H?k? Hanohano Award-winning musician. His album, Native News, won Contemporary Album of the Year. He garnered the Anthology Album of the Year Award for Brother Noland: Greatest Hits Collection, and most recently, Noland was honored by his peers at the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts with the 2007 Reggae Album of the Year Award for Mystical Fish.  Noland has been an innovator in contemporary Hawaiian music for nearly 30 years. Before Noland’s smash hit “Coconut Girl” made waves in Hawai‘i in the early ‘80s, “Jawaiian” was not a real term. Though he is now credited with having birthed the genre of music so popular in Hawai‘i today, he never imagined it would soar to such heights.

“The idea of our music reaching fans elsewhere was almost impossible about ten years ago,” said Noland. “Hawaiian music is so unique and beautiful, and it expresses an intelligence found no other place in the world; it’s amazing.”  Noland now joins the ranks of Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo‘ole, Amy H?naiali‘i, and Raiatea Helm, just to name a few, all of whom have broken barriers and introduced Hawaiian music to people worldwide.  When asked what he hopes will come from his music being part of Pineapple Express, Noland said simply, “I want it to open doors and ears, and I want it to reach people’s hearts.”

 
If you’re interested in buying Brother Noland’s CD, it’s available below. It’s good listening!

Fill your holiday home with the sounds of Keali’i Reichel

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If you know of Hawaiian music, then you most certainly know of famed artist Keali’i Reichel.  Keali’i's melodic voice can make you cry it’s so beautiful.  There’s still time to add this talented artist to your holiday collection with his cd, Maluhia.  Click below and you can preview his tracks to see for yourself how Keali’i Reichel’s cd can live up it’s name.  (Maluhia is “peaceful” in Hawaiian)

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