So blessed to have Steven Espaniola play for us and our friends at our home.
You can find out more about Steven’s music here.
Category Archives: Music
House Concert – Danny Carvalho and Nani Edgar
We had a concert at our home in Soquel with the amazing slack key guitar master Danny Carvalho and featuring extra bonus singing and hula by kumu hula Nani Edgar.
Chicken skin!
For more information on Danny check out DannyCarvalho.com
For more information on Nani check out PuaNani.com
Mahalo Danny & Nani.
Mahalo Norman Markwitz for the videos.
New Big Brother
My Mainland red cedar concert has a new big brother, a Kala mahogany tenor. The tenor is a little easier to play, but the Mainland concert still sounds sweeter. I do like the figured mahogany wood on the Kala though.
Derick Sebastian at Andaz
One of our favorite ukulele players is now playing a couple of nights a week at the new Andaz hotel in Wailea (near Ulua beach). You should check out his music here.
By the way the new Andaz is pretty freak’n nice! And while listening to Derick is free (except for tipping him and the parking guy) the drinks and pupus are VERY expensive so watch out. Here is a picture I took of sunset at the Andaz lounge, sometimes I get lucky with the camera but it doesn’t hurt to have such incredible raw material to work with. Yes that is 100% real, no Photoshop.
Meeting Makana
One of my favorite musicians Makana came to town last week and played a great show at the Kuumba Jazz center to a packed house. But the day before he played there, he gave a talk on activism at the university. I thought I would stop by my old school and check out what he had to say and maybe get a chance to talk to him. I showed up a little early expecting to find a large meeting room, but it was a small class room with a few chairs and a couch. There were only three people there sitting on the couch and one of them was Makana. I introduced myself and told him I was a big fan. I was wearing my Makana shirt that I got via his kickstarter campaign. I though I might have him sign it but at that point it seemed kind of goofy so I just sat down and we talked for a while about his guitar pickup, recording, ProTools, Maui and all kinds of stuff. It was so nice to be able to just sit and talk. After a while more people showed up and the talk began. He talked about his activism, but mostly about how our concepts of “the World” and of the “Self” are bullshit. He sang a couple of songs, one was a take off of the Pink Floyd song “Wish You Were Here” but with his anti Monsanto GMO lyrics “Wish you Weren’t Here” funny but musically amazing. He also sang “We Are The Many” and told the story about singing the song for the Obamas and using the media for his message. It was great to meet him in person and get a chance to say hello and let him know how much I appreciated his music.
Slack Key Show
If you like Hawaiian music the Slack Key Show in Napili is a must see. Run by the legendary George Kahumoku every Wednesday at the Napili Kai resort and Sea House restaurant, it provides a showcase for Hawaiian Ki ho’alu or slack key guitar. Each week in addition to George there is a special guest. We have seen some of the top artists in the world there. Backing them up are Da Ukulele Boys and Sterling Seaton. Sometimes George’s son Keoki will also play and he is a real treat as well.
The show starts at 7:30. Some nights it is packed and you will need to reserve your tickets ahead of time by calling in a few days before. Other nights you will be able to show up at the door and buy tickets. I guess it depends on the season and who is playing. Parking is tight so you may want to get there early. You can take a walk on the beach of Napili Bay at sunset, you won’t regret that!
This is NOT a luau or any kind of fake tourist trap. It is authentic Hawaiian music and culture. It does not have a fancy production, just a stage full of musicians playing the best slack key and having fun with each other.
Dinner before is available at the Sea House. The food is pretty darn good and the sunset view has to be one of the best.
New Brighton MS Ukulele Club
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My good friend and New Brighton Middle School teacher Joanne Roster organizes a ukulele club for the students. I was blown away by how great these kids are!
Here are some videos of their recital.
Intros
Fade Into You
Mountain Sound
Duane and Joanne
Eric Lee @ Pono
I first heard Eric’s music on Lani B’s Wiki Wiki Wednesday show. His version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is hauntingly beautiful. I had to IM Lani to find out who this was because I had to have that CD immediately! Once she told me it was Eric Lee I went to his website and bought his first CD Crossroads. This came signed by Eric and on the first play I was a huge fan. I instantly recognized other songs from Lani’s show; Ku’i Ka Lono, Love Song of Tahiti, and others. A few months later he came to Pono Grill for a great show. Soon after he released his next album Kawehilani. Again I went to his website and bought the disk. Again it came signed! Another amazing CD every song is great (my favorite song is Hokulea Hula).
Iris and I saw him again July 1st and this time he brought his band – bass and drummer. Wow what a great show! Of course he got the local hula school dancers out on the floor. Thanks Eric!
Pono Hawaiian Grill
Pono Hawaiian Grill is THE spot in Santa Cruz for live Hawaiian music. Every Friday night they have a different artist. Brudah Bill Dean is the mastermind behind the music scene at Pono and does an excellent job getting the best acts into our little town (how does he do it?) Mahalo nui loa Bill for all the music. The food is ono too! We are there most Fridays, if you see us come over and say aloha.
Bill and Iris
Wiki Wiki Wednesday
If you enjoy Hawaiian music like we do, you should know about Wiki Wiki Wednesday. Each Wednesday from 6AM to 9AM Pacific time Lani B has her show on KZSC radio. KZSC is the radio station for the University of California at Santa Cruz and you can tune in if you live in the Santa Cruz area on 88.1 FM or online from anywhere here. We are proud to be a sponsor of Wiki Wiki Wednesday, listen for our shout out every Wednesday. Lani also has a show on KHDC radio 90.9 FM on Sundays from 2 to 6PM.
Iris and Lani B