Kaleponi
Liner Notes
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Side
1
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01
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Ki Ho`alu
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one
of the traditional standard pieces. I learned this melody by
listening to Leonard Kwan, Ledward Kaapana, and Raymond Kane,
three masterful musicians. This version is played in the G Wahine
tuning, with its relaxed ebb and flow and satisfying bass runs. |
02
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Kui Lima
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playing
weddings is one of the special pleasures of being a musician.
I wrote this to play as recessional at my first wedding performance.
The title means "Hand in Hand.” |
03
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Grandfather's
Clock
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Leonard
Kwan was one of the giants of slack key guitar. His "Opihi
Moemoe" is a classic, and his style has influenced many
players including myself. I competed in several Ebay auctions
before I won my copy of his landmark "Slack Key" album.
My excitement at hearing this vintage example of Leonard's artistry
turned to amazement when I heard the familiar melody of "Grandfather's
Clock" in Leonard's very personal interpretation. This
famous old song, written in 1876 by Henry C. Work, has been
adopted by folk and popular singers, banjo pickers, and by `ukulele
players. I couldn't resist adding my version to the long chain
of tick-tocks and chimes. |
04
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Na Kaikaina
`Eha
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another
wedding composition. A young lady named Maile asked me to perform
for her ceremony, so I wrote this celebration of the four sisters:
Maile-ha`i-wale, Maile-lau-nui, Maile-lau-li`i, and Maile-kaluhea.
These sisters are famous for adventures in Hawaiian myth, their
namesake plants are cherished for lei. |
05
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Monorail
Slack Key
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Patrick
Landeza was my first slack key teacher and he has always been
generous in sharing his knowledge and his feelings for the
music. This is one of his early compositions, one that I find
irresistably fun. The title and the main theme come from an
airport people-mover ... that didn't move. Patrick says that
in spite of the repeated ringing of the warning bell their
monorail shuttle just sat there, and he was inspired to compose
a piece based on the sound of that bell.
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06
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Kaula
`Ili
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Sonny
Chillingworth had passed on before I discovered slack key, but
he left behind a magnificent legacy of music. Old or new, instrumental
or vocal, slack key or standard tuning, English, Hawaiian, or
Portuguese, Sonny put a personal stamp on every piece he performed.
This old waltz from the paniolo country of the Big Island is
one of his classics, and my version is a tribute to him. |
Side
2
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07
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Kaleponi
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ties between
California and Hawai`i are many, and go back to the early
days of contact between the islands and the lands to the East.
This old hula tells of a Hawaiian man leaving for California.
He promises his fiance that when he returns they'll marry,
and he asks her what he might bring her as a gift. This instrumental
version is a romp through the repeated "vamp" that
provides the musical setting for her list.
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08
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Ka Makani
`Olu`olu
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of all
the teachers, musicians, and composers who have influenced
my slack key journey, my sweet wife, Lynn, has been the most
important. She dragged me to the islands where I first heard
this music, she encouraged me when I was frustrated and unable
to make progress in learning, she prompted me to play for
friends and relatives, and she responded so warmly that I
always desired to play more and better. This tune is written,
named, and played for her ... she moves through my life like
the loveliest sweet, gentle breeze.
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09
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No Ke
Ano Ahiahi
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this piece
caught our ear in Keola Beamer's chicken skin instrumental
version, and in the romping vocals of the Sons of Hawai`i.
We love the stately rendition by Mike Ka`awa, the pride and
passion Moe Keale conveys, Cyril Pahinui's plaintive vocals
and 12 string orchestral guitar, Ledward Kaapana's free spirited
instrumental with Bob Brozman. The celebration of the life,
name, and famous California voyage of King William Lunalilo
is shadowed by the knowledge that he reigned for only thirteen
months before dying of tuberculosis.
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10
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Salomila
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a
vocal song of near endless verses. Ledward Kaapana manages to
capture the naughty twinkling nature of the song in his many
instrumental renditions, and my version is inspired by him. |
11
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Waialua
Slack Key
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I
composed my first original slack key piece on a trip to O`ahu
some years ago. The seed idea popped out of the guitar while
I was noodling in the Oakland airport, and I finished the tune
sitting on the lanai at our rental house, while the sound of
the surf rushing ashore in Waialua Bay provided the rhythm. |
12
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Isa Lei
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this
famous Fijian song of farewell is my humble way to pay tribute
to Gabby Pahinui, without whom slack key may well have slipped
away completely. The extraordinary artistry of his recordings
led to a resurgence of interest in the style, and his influence
is cited over and over by the musicians we follow today. Gabby
recorded this song as an instrumental, along with "Aloha
Oe," as a farewell medley, and his sons included a vocal
version on their "Pahinui Brothers" album, where I
learned it. |
Kaleponi
Rear Cover
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Slack
key guitar, or ki ho`alu, preceded both the `ukulele and the
steel guitar in Hawaiian musical history. It was the music
of paniolo camps and backyard parties rather than hotels and
concerts. Slack key was handed down within the family, or
ohana. Tunings and songs were taught by a father, mother,
uncle, or aunt. In the 1970s Keola Beamer and Leonard Kwan
saw that keeping the music a family secret was leading to
the disappearance of slack key songs and styles. They took
the first steps to document the style and provide written
instruction. Others followed in their footsteps, taking on
students, writing books, creating videos, and finally using
the Internet to share their musical heritage with students
around the world. Their generosity and vision made us all
a part of the Hawaiian music ohana.
Special
thanks to those who have helped me (and many others) learn
this music. Keola Beamer, Ozzie Kotani, Patrick Landeza, Ledward
Kaapana, Kevin Brown, Dennis Kamakahi, and Cyril Pahinui have
all helped me along the way. Andy Wang provides an invaluable
service with his Taropatch.net, bringing together fans of
Hawaiian music from all over the world. Mahalo to you all,
I'm in your debt.
With the
help and guidance of all these people and many more, I've
tried to learn to make the beautiful music we call slack key.
I've played for friends and family and strangers, in offices
and airports and hospitals, for parties and on street corners,
in bars and coffee shops and concert halls. The learning and
playing has been a wonderful musical adventure. I'm happy
to be able to share Hawaiian slack key guitar with you.
My deepest
gratitude must always go to the person who brought me to Hawai`i,
who encouraged me to take up the music, allowed me to spend
household funds on guitars and recording gear, and serves
as inspiration for most of my original pieces, my ku`u Lina,
the lovely Lynn Guidry.
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