MEDIA RELEASE

Born in 1953 on Oahu, Dr. Moses Kahumoku is a man of many skills. Besides being one of the living legends of Slack Key, he also has a PHD, and is the Reverend of Leilani Church in Kona.

Uncle began playing music at age 5 and was surrounded by a family of musicians. “My first inspiration,” he says, “was the most beautiful lady in the world, Aileen N. Waiolama Perez, my mom. Others include my dad, George Kahumoku, Sr., Sonny Chillingworth, Gabby Pahinui, Ledward Kaapana, Leonard Kwan, Ray Kane, Atta Isaacs, Cyril Pahinui and my stepdad, Roman P. Perez. I love them all.”

Tune in to the live broadcast from Uncle Moses’s backyard at Kealakehehe Hawaiian Homesteads, on Oct 21st at 9 a.m. only on www.livehawaiianmusic.com Or come back and check it out on demand in their archives.

MEDIA RELEASE

On Friday, October 2, livehawaiianmusic.com will be streaming a live broadcast worldwide from The Shops at Mauna Lani, bringing you the dynamic music of progressive slack key guitarist, Bolo Rodrigues from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This broadcast is part of the “Around the Big Island Broadcast” on October 2nd. Livehawaiianmusic.com is bringing to the world the spirit of the Big Island as they circle the island. They will be filming and broadcasting live music, with other local artists, Lopaka Ryder, Donald Kaulia, Kino Kapea and others, starting at Sunrise, from Kawa‘a Bay, with stops at Kilauea Crater, the Kea‘au Youth Business Center (KYBC), and Hilo-side locations, before their Sunset broadcast with Bolo at the Shops at Mauna Lani.

Livehawaiianmusic.com invites you to join them in this journey to experience what the Big Island holds accompanied by the magic of music coming from local artists. This trip is the first installment of “Around the Big Island Broadcast”, a monthly exploration brought to you by livehawaiianmusic.com and it’s sister site, livehawaiiantv.com (soon to be launched) that will capture the vibrant life, beauty and art, nature and culture, people and politics, we have the privilege to be a part of in Hawai’i.

The Shops at Mauna Lani is the premier destination on the Kohala Coast for live island music, world-class shopping and fine dining. The Shops is also home to Hawaii’s most distinct art galleries, including Peter Lik Gallery, Third Dimension Gallery and Lahaina Galleries.

MEDIA RELEASE

Danny Carvalho, a 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominee, will be the featured artist for this year’s HSPLS Teen Summer Reading Program at 16 selected public libraries statewide from June 20 – July 14.  Admission is free.    

Carvalho, an 18-year-old slack key guitar virtuoso, was nominated for his CD “Somewhere” in the “Slack Key Album of the Year” category.  Carvalho, who began playing guitar at the age of nine, is a student of Ozzie Kotani, slack key master and teacher.

He will perform and discuss the music of the following artists who have influenced his journey in Kiho`alu (slack key): Raymond Kane, Ledward Ka`apana, Sonny Chillingworth, “Atta” Isaacs, Gabby Pahinui, and Kotani. This 45-minute program is recommended for ages 11 and older.

See Danny Carvalho perform “A Demonstration of Kiho`alu” at the following public libraries:

Oahu:
June 20, 3 p.m. at Kailua (239 Kuulei Rd.; telephone: 266-9911)
June 21, 1 p.m. at Kaimuki (1041 Koko Head Ave.; 733-8422)
June 27, 1:30 p.m. at McCully-Moiliili (2211 South King St.; 973-1099)
June 28, 2:30 p.m. at Kaneohe (45-829 Kamehameha Hwy.; 233-5676)
une 29, 6:30 p.m. at Mililani (95-450 Makaimoimo St.; 627-7470)
July 1, 5 p.m. at Waianae (85-625 Farrington Hwy.; 697-7868)
July 8, 6:30 p.m. at Kapolei (1020 Manawai St.; 693-7050)
July 9, 6 p.m. at Aiea (99-143 Moanalua Rd., 483-7333)
July 14, 5:30 p.m. at Salt Lake-Moanalua (3225 Salt Lake Blvd.; 831-6831)

Kauai:
June 24, 2 p.m. at Princeville (826-4310)
June 24, 6 p.m. at Waimea (338-6848)

Maui & Molokai:
June 30, 10 a.m. at Molokai (553-1765)
July 2, noon at Lahaina (662-3950)
July 2, 6 p.m. at Wailuku (243-5766)

Hawaii:
July 11, 11 a.m. at Thelma Parker Memorial (887-6067)
July 11, 3 p.m. at Hilo (933-8888)

This special library performance tour by Carvalho is sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, National Football League Charities, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Hawaiian Telcom, Junior League of Honolulu, UH-Manoa Outreach College, and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, and the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Contact the hosting library prior to the performance date if a sign language interpreter or other special accommodation is needed: on Oahu, two weeks in advance; on Neighbor Islands, three weeks in advance.

In addition, public libraries statewide are hosting a variety of performers and programs.  Visit www.librarieshawaii.org for a complete list of programs and performers, or call your local library to find out their programs.

“Reading Rocks @ your library” is the theme of the 2009 HSPLS Teen Summer Reading Program.  The program will feature books about rock and roll music, rock bands, geology and gemology, rock climbing, and even “rocking the boat” for environmental protection and by taking a stand to make your voice heard.

Students entering grade 7 this fall through 2009 high school graduates who register for the program, visit their local library weekly, and read at least one book per week, will receive complimentary reading incentives from sponsors Hawaii Pizza Hut and Frito-Lay of Hawaii, while supplies last. Teens will also be invited to enter in-branch drawings for a chance to win Apple iPod Shuffles, courtesy of the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, and regional electronic prizes and personal pan pizza certificates, provided by Hawaii Pizza Hut.  For more information and to register, please contact your local library.

Slack-key guitarist John Keawe playing in front of Kona Hotel at Holualoa Village’s 12th annual Music & Light Festival. (Photo by Baron Sekiya/Hawaii247.org)

(Eds. Note: Hawaii247.org’s semi-regular feature ‘Straight from the Source’ gives a list of questions to leaders and notable figures in the community, then lets them talk directly to readers. Who do you want to hear from? What questions are you burning to ask? Let us know and we’ll hunt down the people who have the answers.)

Songwriter and slack-key guitarist, John Keawe who was born in Hawi and grew up with rock and roll music and enjoyed listening to singer/songwriters. After a four-year tour in the Navy, Keawe was drawn to the sound of Hawaiian slack-key. He taught himself to play, began to perform publicly and compose his own songs. Keawe has released nine recordings under the label of Homestead Production; six were nominated for Hoku awards and he has twice won Hawaii Music awards. In 2005, Keawe was honored as a contributing artist on Hawaii’s first Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album. 

Hawaii247: Who were (or are) your biggest musical influences?

I tend to listen to singer/songwriters so local artists that have influenced me are Keola Beamer & Dennis Kamakahi. Not only are they very talented songwriters but also superb slack- key artists.

Hawaii247: If you were not a musician, what kind of job would you be doing?

I enjoy working outdoors so I assume it would be something along that line.

Hawaii247: We lost a great Hawaii voice in Kindy Sproat recently. Can you share a story or moment?

Kindy was a great man – a keeper of songs and stories that kept a link with the past. Personally he always reinforced me as a songwriter every time we met and I appreciated that. He will be dearly missed.

Hawaii247: What was the last CD you bought?

I bought a CD by Weldon Kekauoa.

Hawaii247: Who is the next great Hawaiian musician we should be listening to?

I think we should listen to everyone we can because no matter what level of accomplishment a musician is at presently, they all have something to share. You never know who will emerge as the next great musician.

Hawaii247: What’s the best part of your job? What’s the part you enjoy the least?

The best part of my job is having someone come to me and say that they were touched by one of my compositions- to me that is the greatest compliment. The part of my job I least enjoy is the often long commutes to get there!!

Hawaii247: You are known by your great head of white hair. Who (or what) turned it white?

How much time have you got?:) Gray hair runs in my family. I started getting gray hair at about 15 years old. Most of my family gets gray prematurely.

Hawaii247: Which annual Big Isle event do you look forward to the most? Ironman, Merrie Monarch, Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival, Big Island Film Festival, or something else?

I like the Big Island Music Festival in Hilo and the Hawaiian Slack Key Festival in Kona. It’s got music I love and artists I respect & admire.

Hawaii247: If your life were a bumper sticker, what would the slogan or motto be?

Give thanks & keep believing!

Hawaii247: Where’s your favorite Big Island spot to relax and enjoy the scenery?

Too many places— although I really enjoy up Volcano area. The beauty there contains a powerful force and mystery about it. I often feel drawn to that place.

Hawaii247: Where were you the morning of Oct. 15, 2006, when our last big earthquake struck?

I was in a church on Oahu that morning and it shook so much people were running out of the church. I thought about it and sat back down. I figured if this was my time and least I’m in a good place. I called home and found out that my family was OK, which was the most important thing to me at that moment.

www.johnkeawe.com