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Aloha Joe's Steel Guitar Hour | Where to Find the Recordings "My Memories of Hawaiian Steel Guitar Ho`olaule`a"Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi 
Our own HSGA star, Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi has come out with his first solo steel album "My Memories of Hawaiian Steel Guitar HO'OLAULE'A". In his liner notes (the only ones in English) Jerry Byrd refers to "Lion" as a "one-man band" for his equal excellence on both "straight steel guitar and pedal steel" as well as piano and `ukulele. However, if you love great '50's style jazz (a la Wes Montgomery) as well as Hawaiian music, this is what will dominate this great recording for you, as it does for me. "Lion" serves up the best of both. In Japan, he's immensely popular as a jazz artist, and you get a touch of that upbeat sound and those distinctive jazz chordings when he plays, here in Hawai`i, at our annual HSGA steel Ho`olaule`as. You get it all, on this CD, as well as some outstanding arrangements of classic Hawaiian tunes. Alan Akaka's comment " Lion's playing is clean, precise and musical". Everything about this fine recording is "top boss" professional. "Lion" recorded here in Hawai`i with Hiram Olsen on electric guitar, and two of our outstanding jazz musicians (also excellent on Hawaiian tunes -- Bruce Hamada on standing bass and Les Gopen on drums. Yosinori Noomi is on Latin Percussion for "The Girl from Ipanema" and "One Note Samba". "Lion"'s arrangements excel, and even though you've heard a number of these tunes before, you're in for a new sound treat. And wait 'til you hear what happens to "Star Dust" and "Take the "A" Train" when you add steel guitar! Ummm good. I was also taken by the truly professional way "Lion" has paced the numbers in the album, so that, after the first few tunes, you're asking "what's next?". Nothing "same old" about this album. The musical "coloring" is brilliant. If you're thinking of producing a recording, folks, this is how you do it. For you steel players, the liner even includes steel tab settings for all the numbers, Final verdict? I shall now have to call "Lion" "Sensei" (Grand Master) and bow in respect to the total "pro" that he is. If you're coming to HSGA's Honolulu convention, "Lion" will have CDs with him for you to buy. Otherwise, please send US$26 cash ONLY (includes shipping) to Kiyoshi Kobayashi, 4-6-8 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan 153-0064. Why cash? Because Japan's exchange rate is exorbitant on foreign checks. Japanese members, your price is 3220 yen. 
HSGA * HAWAIIAN
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION Homepage URL: www.hsga.org (hsga@lava.net) Last updated: 07/23/02 by Gerald Ross (gbross@umich.edu) |