More Kaleponi News - 2010

October 5 , 2010

Home from the Road

Wow!!! is all I can say. We returned to Walnut Creek from our southern California tour yesterday and now we settle in for some ki hoʻalu on the couch.

The audiences at those shows in San Diego, Dana Point, Mission Viejo, and Hermosa Beach were so warm and welcoming, every night was another chance to meet a bunch of old friends and make new ones. It was really gratifying to see the AMSD series, the Lord of the Strings series, and the Wire and Wood series all focusing on acoustic artists and embracing slack key. These promoters put their heart and soul into their shows, and they make it special for the artists as well as the audience.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support Hawaiian music and slack key. I hope you had as much fun as we did (although no one seems to have as much fun as Ledward!).

September 13 , 2010

Touring California with Mr. Kaapana

It's only a couple of weeks now until the masterful Mr. Ledward Kaapana begins his tour of the US West Coast. I have learned from a reliable source that he will have a new CD available, and we can never have enough of his music.

I'll be opening for Ledward at several of his California shows. Please check the calendar fo detailed info. The first show is in Guerneville, at the Old Grove Festival on Sep. 25. On Sunday, the 26th we'll be at Constable Jack's in Newcastle. On Tuesday, the 28th we'll be back at Don Quixote's International Music Hall in Felton. We'll end up the Northern California leg on Wednesday, September 29 at the marvelous new home of the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse.

This is the first time for me to join Ledward on his trip to Southern California. On Thursday, the 30th, we'll be in San Diego at the AMSD Concert Series. October 1st, Friday, we'll at the Dana Point Community House for the Lord of the Strings concert. Saturday, Oct. 2 we'll do another Lord of the Strings concert, this time at the Mission Viejo Civic Center. Our last stop is on Sunday, the 3rd, in Hermosa Beach where we'll perform at the Wire and Wood Series staged at Sangria.

Wow, that's a lot of driving. Believe me, it's worth it to spend time playing and talking and learning with Ledward, as well as bringing Hawaiian music and slack key style to friends around the state. I hope we'll see you at one of the shows.

August 26, 2010

A Rare Bit of Tablature

The visit to Kailua was lovely even if the reason was sad. Now that we're back on the mainland I'm gearing up for the end of the season of Aloha Friday in Downtown Pleasant Hill.

My last video from the series is a bit unusual for me, I created something of a tutorial for the song, E Nihi Ka Hele, including a very simplified tablature for my arrangement of the song. You can check it out in the Music section.

August 16, 2010

No Aloha Friday This Week

We're off to O`ahu for a brief visit so I won't be presenting the Aloha Friday in Downtown Pleasant Hill show for August 20th. I'll be back to do the last two shows of this year on 8/27 and 9/3.

August 2, 2010

Some New Videos

The Aloha Friday in Downtown Pleasant Hill series is an opportunity for me to set up video cameras and try to capture some slack key music video. So far this year I've captured three tunes this way.

The latest video is something a little different. In order to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary I recorded a new take of Ka Makani `Olu`olu and created a celebration of Lynn and our life together. You can find all these new videos in the Music section.

May 4, 2010

Aloha Friday in Pleasant Hill, 2010

I had a lot of fun playing in the plaza in Downtown Pleasant Hill last summer. I felt like I was reaching a new audience for slack key and Hawaiian music, which is always a plus. The property manager for the venue was also quite pleased and invited me back this year. So from May 14 through September 3 I'll be playing every Friday from noon to 2 PM.

You can see some of the fun from last year in the videos I shot. Visit the Music section and scroll down for those clips.

March 10, 2010

Aloha, Hawai`i

Our wonderful winter in Kailua is coming to an end, time to return to Kaleponi, whose cold climate is mentioned by so many Hawaiian poets. While we were visiting I put together two more video clips, Ninipo for Valentine's Day, and a celebration of the Kawainui Marsh with Lei Nani. Please check the Music section for links to these videos.

February 14, 2010

New Slack Key Videos!

We're spending February in beautiful Kailua, O`ahu, HI but the trusty laptop keeps us connected. Please visit the Music section for links to some new slack key videos, including a wonderful performance of "Weeha Swing" by Ledward Kaapana.

January 1, 2010

Happy New Year and Ledward is coming!

What a great way to start the new year - Led Kaapana will be returning to Northern California for a brief tour before heading down to the Southern California Slack Key Festival on January 24.

For the NorCal dates I'll be joining Led as his opening act. We'll start on Wednesday, January 20, at Don Quixote's International Music Hall, Felton, CA. A great crowd of real fans from the Santa Cruz and South Bay usually fill Don Quixote's.

On Thursday, Jan 21, we'll play the all new Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse in downtown Berkeley. I've been to the new space and it's a beauty.

Quaint Rancho Nicasio in Marin County will host a luau Friday, Jan 22. I'm expecting hula along with our slack key.

Our last show together will be on Saturday, Jan 23, in Nevada City, CA. The venue will be the historic Nevada Theater. The promoter has a wonderful writeup on Ledward with some performance video.