|
|
©2000 by Ely Music/Pub |
 |
Hawai`i '99 Convention Highlights(by Lorene Ruymar) If I am to choose the highlights only, where do I start?? I'd say this year was the biggest and best of all Hawai`i conventions. (Ed. note: you bet! Records indicate 132 full-time attendance, plus daytime drop-ins not counted.) First, the Ho`olaule`a was back at the Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse, and Jerry Byrd was back on stage with his steel guitar and his wire cutters. Jerry likes to play the bad boy and the audience loves it. It's like saying "God's in his heaven and all's right with the world." Jerry still has the touch no one can touch. The Finlanders, Leopold Ecklund and Reino Luoto traveled the farthest distance to get here. Both are steel players, but in this case Leo played steel and Reino was best man. Hey, there were terrific! These two gentlemen found their way to locations on the Island like the Vikings of old. You have to admit we're spoiled rotten when it comes to languages. We're so smug about speaking English, we don't know what it is to learn another language and then go to that country and use it. To top it off, they studied Hawaiian words and phrases and they'd surprise us with a big grin and "aloha kakahiaka" in the morning, and "aloha ahiahi" in the evening. They had us rolling in the aisles when Reino sang the Hawaiian War Chant in Hawaiian. If I had to quote him, I'd have to write it as "I'm a lucky ducky ducky lucky lucky duck". Did I remember to say they have the beautiful Hawaiian touch in their music? You see, it's what's in the heart. "Local Boys" on StageWhen Art Ruymar makes up the schedule of players, he always leaves a few empty spaces on the program in the hope that one of the great steel guitarists of Hawai`i will find time from the work day to drop in on us. If that happens, there's no doubt he'll want to play for us, then rush back to work. We are never disappointed.) Our President (Alan Akaka, of course) left another "cat" to watch the "mice" (I mean the students in his Kamehameha music class) and came to greet us. Greg Sardinha found time for us. He is one of the most exciting players because he excels in the good old traditional way, but he goes into new styles of playing with his young contemporaries. Bobby Ingano took the day off and brought blind slack key recording artist B.B. Shawn with him. Those two have a thought-wave connection, they complement each other so will, and did I see right? Was it the Big Byrd himself playing back-up? "Sheeesh!!" as they say in Hawai`i. Hey, it was good to see Walter Mo`okini there, good friend of the club for many years. Wayne Shishido took the whole week off so he could play for us in the Akala Room and go to Kona, too. Two members flew over from Kona just to play their music for us: Leona Murphy and Prince John Auna. And Jess Montgomery came over from Kaua`i. You've gotta appreciate their giving spirit. HSGA Welcomes "First-Timers"Enough about the good old-timers, did we have any new, young Hawai`i convention first-timers? That's where the future of the club lies. Two I can think of off hand are Hank Mann, who plays for a hula dance show in Santa Monica, California, and Frank Novicki of the prestigious Kapalakiko Hawaiian Band in San Francisco. And what about new ideas? Roberto Alaniz used a GR-1 guitar synthesizer to make his steel guitar sound like a trumpet, a saxophone, a trombone, whatever. He played music of the Big Band era, and used a playing technique -- hot licks and all -- suitable to each instrument. Very well done, Roberto! That was the first time I ever heard the GR-1 used on a steel guitar, and it goes very well. The Durands, from Washington, Arizona and California, held their family reunion on our stage. Steel player, Roy Durand (who was at the '97 Honolulu bash) was backed by brothers Richard and Rodney. And Romy Durand danced to their music. I hope the Durands can retire soon and move back together. They'd need no rehearsal to be in popular demand. Did you notice the sweet sound Roy gets from his home-made pedal steel guitar? Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi proudly presented two of his students, Ms. Ayako Matsufuji and Akira Ouchi, backed by Hisao Nakamura and two ladies on `ukulele and bass. Of course, they were perfect! Kobayashi-san would have it no other way. He did his own section of the program with none other than Hiram Olsen backing him in some sensational Stan Kenton arrangements. I could go on and on about it. (Ed. note: see Spring '99 Quarterly review of "Lion's" new recording; Hiram backed him, so you know you've GOT to have it!) Movin' On to Moloka`i and KonaA small party did the day trip to Moloka`i to strengthen our contact with the new school on "Steel Guitar Island". It was the first time Moloka`ians heard the great Duke K. Ching and his awesome Fender triple neck, backed by Ian Ufton and Bernie Endaya. The rest of us were no slouches either -- Mike Scott, John Tipka and two of us Ruymars. The Duke's student, Elva West, sent along three steel guitars he had built for the students. We made some plans for next year with Jeanette Kahalehoe who supervises the ALU LIKE Seniors group. Maybe a third of us Hon Con '99rs went to Kona for the second stage of convention. You cannot beat Prince John, and Ginger Auna for hosting a group. They had the playing venues, the back-up and P/A equipment, the transportation, the press coverage, and even free dinners for the musicians all organized for us from Day One. Mother's Day, May 9, was music, music, music. After that we had the days to tour the Big Island of Hawai`i at will, and "Show Biz" started at 6 p.m. Before I say "good night" I must tell you of one more highlight of the convention. Our newest steel guitar player, Jamieson Wong, has been a student of Prince John's for just six months, and he plays like the rest of us did after five years of stressing the strings. Either that's one gifted Jamieson or it's one charismatic teacher. Could be both. Yes, we went home tired but happy. Two years until the next one. See you ALL back again, strong and healthy as you are today. Music and laughter are the best medicine. Another good one - "the best things in life are NOT things." I'm pau. Amen! 
HSGA * HAWAIIAN
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION Homepage URL: www.hsga.org (hsga@lava.net) Last updated: 07/22/02 by Gerald Ross (gbross@umich.edu)
|