Waimea 'Ukulele & Slack Key Guitar
Waimea 'Ukulele & Slack Key Guitar
On stage at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea, Hawaii, the masters of slack-key guitar and 'ukulele have a great time. They're utterly comfortable with their music and each other.
Backstage, same thing. In fact, at one point this weekend, event organizer Jay Junker had to ask Benny Chong, Dennis Kamakahi and Aaron Mahi not to laugh so loud backstage! There was also laughter onstage, as other performers cut up with each other.
Family members and friends make sure there's always a pot of beef stew, rice and other food available backstage. It feels like the garage in the neighborhood where people get together.
As fun as it is at the theater, onstage and backstage, the music masters are also busy in the community, sharing their knowledge with kids in area schools and teaching small master's classes in the new covered wing of the theater.
When I arrived Friday afternoon (Nov. 5, 2009) for PBS Hawaii Night at Kahilu Theatre, 'ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro was getting ready to teach a small class. Other masters dropped by the class, too, giving students an even richer experience.
PBS Hawaii supporters from Volcano, Hilo, Ocean View, Kona, Onomea, Hawi and from just around the block in Waimea came to enjoy. Welcoming them was Jason Fujimoto, of family-owned HPM Building Supply, a Hilo resident who serves on the executive commitee of the PBS Hawaii Board of Directors.
This was a chance to see masters of 'ukulele and slack-key guitar and leo ki'e ki'e, or falsetto singing, from all ove r the islands. The youngest was Danny Cravalho, 19 years old, f rom the neighborhood where I used to live in Kailua, Windward Oahu. His dark, flowing ponytail was in contrast to the immaculately cut and styled white hair of Uncle Richard Ho'opi'i from Kahakuloa, Maui.
You can tell immediately that this is an event that the masters love. They get to share their knowledge with students who revere the craft. They get to be as spontaneous as they wish, performing with each other in different ensembles. And they get to hang out with each other as peers. All of of this, with that pot of delicious beef stew bubbling backstage and a pervasive 'ohana feeling.
We can't convey the food aromas on our coming Nov. 30, 2009 broadcast on Hawaii's only public television station--but we'll do our best to capture the flavor of this wonderful annual musical gathering.
Special thanks to organizer Jay Junker and to Janet Coburn and her gracious, can-do staff at Kahilu Theatre.
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