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It Starts with an Idea: Interview with drummer Scott Kohler

Social media is a marvelous thing. I’ve encountered enormous opportunities that simply would not be possible without today’s technologies.

Case in point: I tweeted about Hawaiian soul singer Babadu a few months ago and @itsscottyk retweeted it. I clicked to see who this person was, and it turned out it was drummer Scott Koher, who played on Babadu’s album (and a number of other recordings, like Music Magic’s “One Man Lady”). What a coincidence!

Scott lived in Hawaii for about 2 years, gigging with some of the state’s best musicians. Scott was generous to lend the time to talk about your experiences in the Hawaii jazz, funk and soul scene. Thank you, Scotty K!

Drummer Scott Kohler on the cover of an LP by California band Bon Tempe

Aloha Got Soul: Basic info: where were you born, when, and what first got you into playing drums?

Scott Kohler: I was born in Pasadena, California in 1956. My first desire to play drums was the opportunity to take music lessons at school. I was told I could not play drums until I had a year learning a “musical instrument”.

I was the worst violin player in the world for about half a year and quit.

As a result of my experience my advice to educators is to let kids play what they want. The drums were magic to me. I thought they were the coolest instrument. I spent hours a day practicing once I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I grew up in the San Francisco area in the 60s and 70s, and my local influences were Tower of Power, Santana, The Sons of Champlin and the Grateful Dead.

You came to Hawaii while with C&K, how did you meet C&K and how did you make it to Hawaii with them?

I studied for three years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. I met Glen Goto and Dave Inamine, who are a couple of Hawaii’s best musicians to this day. Glen wanted to create a band and was using Seawind’s success as a possible model, so I flew out after my last semester at Berklee.

Dave and Gordon Uchima (sax for Kalapana and C&K) put me up for a few weeks until we could rent a house and start practicing. We recorded a little and for whatever reason we all decided to nix the band idea.

Scott Kohler played with various bands in California, including Bon Tempe

I moved back to LA and was auditioning with various bands when I got a call from C&K’s manager. They needed a drummer for their next tour and they had heard the tape we recorded, so I jumped at the opportunity. We played the west coast and ended up in Hawaii for a month or so before going to Japan.

The Japan tour didn’t happen, but I was meeting a lot of the local musicians and found Flip Nunez who offered me a gig at Keone’s with Sam Ahia. That was the start of my Hawaii residence for the next couple of years.

What was different about the music scene here compared to the mainland? What made it special?

Quite simply, “The Aloha Spirit”, embodied in the people of Hawaii, will always be the main distinction between the islands and the mainland. I loved living there, playing music there and going back whenever I can because of the people.

What was the energy like at the time?

The energy was great. There was a lot of talent, the clubs stayed open late, and most importantly, people went out to experience the music.

How long did u stay with C&K? Was it a natural transition when you left?

You can refer to my answer for the second question. I actually didn’t play that long with them, less than a year. I did the West Coast tour in 79? Or 80?, then came to Hawaii, played a stadium in Lahaina, then the concert at Aloha Stadium. The Japan tour was cancelled, but by then I was meeting other musicians and working with them.

You gigged with a ton of musicians in Hawaii, do you remember your favorite nightclub in Honolulu? Your favorite session? (live or in the studio)

I played gigs with most of the jazz folks in town. My favorite was Keone’s, by far, with Flip Nunez and Sam Ahia. We didn’t start until 11 pm and we played to 4 am. We got all kinds in there, quite a cast of characters would hang out there.

It was a perfect place to stretch tunes out. People loved Flip’s rendition of Les McCann’s “Compared to What”.

You were man behind the beat for many great tracks… Did anyone have a nickname for you?

Thanks for the compliment. I hardly think I did that much in a short period of time.

Maybe you can find out, I laid a track down on an album that Gabby Pahinui was to have recorded before his passing. That would have been a great honor, to be on one of his albums.

You played on Babadu’s album, do you remember what that session was like?

I don’t remember much about him, it was a project I was fortunate to play on. He had nice grooves,had a soulful voice and seemed to be a mellow, nice guy. I was thrilled to work with Kirk Thompson on Babadu’s album, one of the founders of Kalapana. That was the session where I met a lot of the really good musicians in Hawaii. I was thrilled to be a part of it.

What about Ira Nepus’ album?

Sorry, I forgot if I played on Ira Nepus’ album or not. It was an honor to work with him on Babadu’s album and a few gigs as he was a recognized talent nationally, and a very nice person as well.

Why do you think black music (jazz, funk, soul) was so popular in Hawaii during that time?

I’m not sure. I’ve always loved the music introduced by my African American brothers and sisters.

Did it feel like the perfect time to be playing music in Hawaii? Or was 2 years too short?

I feel fortunate to have been there at that time. There was a lot of live music, and it was supported by the locals, which were responsible for keeping it going, really. I think any of us playing during that time owe a lot of gratitude to those folks who would come out for an evening of music. Two years was what it worked out for me. I wanted to get back to the mainland and move on, but what a great experience while I was there.

Have you found many parallels in your financial career now and your musical career then?

I serve a number of artists in my practice because of my background. I studied composition at Berklee and have written a bit of music. Many times a composition is started with an emotional idea which starts as a phrase, and is developed by sometimes changing or adding things which you had no idea would be a part of the piece as you work through it. The end sometimes justifies the means.

Constructing portfolios for clients and managing through various market cycles and life events is much like a musical composition. I think that similarity has helped me in my business. We have to use all our experiences to arrive at who we are, don’t we?

Isn’t it amazing that this interview is happening because of Twitter?

I agree! Many thanks to you for reaching out to me. I think what you are doing is valuable and wish you the best going forward.

E Komo Mai! Cozy Hawaiian Grooves Mixtape + an Interview on Brazil’s coletivoACTION

Aloha Got Soul just got more fans in South America, thanks to the Brazilian black music blog known as coletivoACTION, which features rare groove music from around the world.

Back in October, blogger and graphic designer Raphael Morone contacted me with hopes of learning more about Hawaiian funk, jazz, and soul music. He wanted to add a Hawaiian mixtape to coletivoACTION’s impressive roster of mixtapes. I was more than happy to oblige!

The mixtape (click here)

A mixtape by coletivoACTION: "E komo mai! The cozy grooves of Hawaii"

The introduction

Na última mixtape do ano na Action, inspirados pelo calor que está aqui na Baixada, chegamos chegando no paradisíaco Havaí e sua exótica e pouco conhecida cena black dos 70/80′s. Só que desta vez, resolvemos fazer diferente. Entramos em contato com o Aloha Got Soul, um dos nossos blogs de música favoritos, voltado para este tipo de som para entrevistar seu autor, Roger Bong… 

(English introduction coming soon, check back!)

The interview

I don’t speak Brazilian Portuguese (you might not either), so I’m posting the interview in English here. In the interview, I share what I’ve learned about the 1970s and 1980s Hawaiian music scene. Plus, you’ll also find out how I first fell in love with Hawaiian rare groove music  (I started Aloha Got Soul in August 2010).

Enjoy!

coletivoACTION: In the blog, you said that the blog started after you listened the mixtape of DJ Muro’s. Can you talk a little about you and your passion and work for Hawaiian black music? 

Roger Bong: I moved to Hawaii in 1995 when I was about 8. The island lifestyle surrounded me throughout my childhood and teenage years. In 2004, my friend brought his aunt’s records to my house and we started sampling music and making beats. At 16 years old, I became addicted to digging for records and sampled anything I got my hands on, from Jackie Gleason to James Brown. Over time I started looking specifically for jazz, bossa nova, prog rock, funk—building my collection with soulful sounding music, though I had no idea there was Hawaiian funk/soul music out there.

In fact, I borrowed the Mackey Feary Band debut album from another friend and loved it. I played “A Million Stars” on repeat for weeks. But that didn’t trigger me to search for more local music. I honestly didn’t care much about Hawaiian music at the time, I wasn’t interested enough to know more than what was already on the radio.

In 2006, I went to college on the mainland. As the years passed, I started to miss Hawaii more and more. Then, sometime in 2010, I heard DJ Muro’s Hawaiian Breaks mix. It blew me away! When “A Million Stars” came on, I immediately recognized Mackey’s voice and remembered playing this song on repeat years ago. With that single song, the seed that waited so long to grow finally broke the surface, and my passion for Hawaiian jazz/funk/soul was born.

How the black music scene started in Hawaii? We all know the reach and impact of the genre in the music, but in Hawaii,  specially for us outside USA, is very unknown. Apparently, for the distance and the influence of the Japanese and Polynesian culture, it’s fantastic how these rhythms penetrate through the island.

I know this doesnt sound as romantic as you might hope, but Hawaii is just like any other place in the USA. We have the same access to music trends, so back then bands like Earth Wind & Fire became popular in Hawaii just as they did anywhere else. There are other factors, too. People are always coming to Hawaii, and I bet a lot of people who moved to Hawaii brought their records and knowledge with them. And there’s the Waikiki show biz scene, where locals play popular music to entertain tourists. No doubt a lot of artists were learning popular tunes of that era, whether it’s Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, or Marvin Gaye. Society of Seven is a prime example of this.

Another reason people don’t know much about Hawaiian funk and soul is that local artists hardly get exposure beyond the islands, so the music scene continues to remain something of a mystery for most people outside of Hawaii.

Of course, the artists have the advantage of adding homegrown tropical and Asian influences to black music, which is why some Hawaiian black music sounds much more laid back, in my opinion. But I think locals just wanted to party! And what better what to groove in those days than to funk, disco, or soul music? The reach and impact of black music in the 70s and early 80s didn’t skip over Hawaii, it hit right on target!

How the importance of Ron Jacobs and his KKUA Records in the scene? Was there any other local label that launched black music from hawaiian artists?

He was one of the most popular DJs I Hawaii at the time. He still broadcasts and blogs at whodaguyhawaii.com. I think the KKUA Home Grown series was the first massive effort to showcase upcoming talent in Hawaii, and one of its greatest successes is Nohelani Cypriano. She still performs “Lihue” to this day!

Off the top of my head, local labels that released noteworthy music include Paradise, Silvercloud, Shell, Heaven, and Rainbow. There were also a lot of private label releases with good music. I’m probably missing something here, though.

Did the Hawaiian language receive attention of the artists? Is there any track you can feature?

The majority of Hawaii’s residents don’t speak fluent Hawaiian. A lot of people know words like aloha, mahalo, mauka (mountain), malama (respect), so you’ll find more contemporary artists using short phrases instead of entire songs in Hawaiian.

But the artists really stand out to me are Brandon Bray, Chucky Boy Chock, and Brother Noland. Brandon’s “Ho’opili”, which I believe was covered by another musician recently. Need to check on that. His family was fluent and I believe his uncle or grandfather was a well known kumu (teacher). Brother Noland’s LP “Paint the Island”, which is a perfect blend of Hawaiian and English language songs with jazz and soul. I love his track “Le Ahi (The Diamond Head Song)”. And Chucky Boy Chock is one of my favorites, he brings an original perspective to contemporary Hawaiian music by blending both urban sounds and traditional compositions.

Why the scene have small attention of people with so much quality of the music created? 

We’re stuck on an island! Haha. Not many people look to Hawaii as anything more than a vacation destination, so people don’t expect to hear Hawaiian music beyond ukuleles and steel guitars.

But with Aloha Got Soul, there aren’t really any other websites out there like it, so I’m hoping my work brings much deserved attention to the scene. Hawaii’s bred some of the best musicians on the planet, whether funk and soul or traditional island folk, and these artists need to be recognized outside of Hawaii.

The Mackey Feary Band in Chinatown Honolulu

Mackey Feary is a institution, can you comment the importance of him in the music of Hawaii?

Mackey, everyone knows his music here. He is one of Hawaii’s greatest, most talented songwriters, a legend. You might say Mackey is to Hawaii what Tom Jobim is to Brazil.

When the band Kalapana debuted, they crafted the perfect balance of contemporary sounds and island lifestyle. “The Hurt” was and still is one of the most popular songs, it was their first big hit. Kalapana gave Hawaiian music the fresh sound it needed in the modern world, and it would not have been possible without Mackey. His music was both fragile and heartwarming, catchy but not poppy, ernest yet hiding something else.

Unfortunately Mackey’s drug use brought him a lot of trouble. He committed suicide in 1999. The people of Hawaii were so saddened, hearts sank. His music filled the souls of everyone here and around the world, his legacy will carry on for a long time.

In the mid eighties, apparently, the scene stopped to produce like it was in the past years. Is there any reason for that?

Trends changed, tastes changed, time moved on. Club owners started hiring DJs instead of live bands–it was a lot cheaper to hire one guy than four or five. That said, I think a lot of the funk and soul groups saw this change as a signal to move on, they found less and less work, so maybe it was time to start thinking of a career. Some of the musicians who are reuniting these past few years haven’t played music in decades.

Also, Hawaii started embracing reggae around that time, which evolved into Jawaiian music, which was I think peaked in the 90s. Hopefully funk and soul music will find its way back into the popular music scene of Hawaii.

Is there any other artist actually that continues the legacy of Mackey Feary, Vic Malo and other legendary musicians of the island?

Not that I know of. Most of the music I hear on the scene nowadays is similar to the rest of the America: hip hop, electronic, indie music. And honestly, beyond Mackey Feary I don’t think many of today’s artists know of Vic Malo, Lemuria, Phase VII, Aura, Music Magic and others. That’s why Aloha Got Soul exists, so the music isn’t lost.

9) Do you have something to say that we didn’t asked but is important for our readers to know?

I’m collaborating with a local streetwear company called Fitted. We are going to release a t-shirt and mix CD in early 2012, stay tuned for the first big Aloha Got Soul project!

Aloha from Hawaii, obrigado!

Brandon Bray & Brown Spice “Polynesian Girl” on Homegrown TV

“Polynesian Girl” by Brandon Bray & Brown Spice Continue reading »

No Shortage of Good Music: The Glass Candle Band Reunion

I met bassist Bruce Imai—who co-founded the Glass Candle Band with guitarist Robert Shinoda when they were about 12 years old—on stage in between sets at the Glass Candle 2011 Reunion Show at Hawaiian Brian’s.

Bruce was happy to meet me, especially after reading my article last week. I asked him what it was like back then, when live dance bands were everywhere and soulful, funky music pulsed through the streets of Honolulu.

“There was no shortage of good music,” Bruce told me.

Bruce and Robert Shinoda got their first gig in intermediate school, as 12-year-old schoolkids at Niu Valley Middle School near Hawaii Kai and Aina Haina.

“During that time it was fertile ground for great horn songs. We had bands like Tower of Power, Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears. [Locally] there were so many bands, a lot of competition. Glass Candle was one of the first bands in Hawaii to really feature horns… Other bands followed, but we had the leading edge.”

After some 40 years, Glass Candle once again proved they are one of Hawaii’s best performing acts.

Glass Candle Band (L-R: DeShannon Higa, Ken Suesz, Doug Rivera)

The Glass Candle Band with Little Albert (left: Doug Rivera, back: Robert Shinoda)

When you have three outstanding singers—Little Albert, K.K. Kaminaka, and Doug Rivera—you’re guaranteed to get great results. K.K. did a near flawless (and largely humorous) Barry White monolgue in the first set.

Little Albert sang with such power that strangers to Albert Maligmat’s music might wonder how this small guy got such a big voice. You don’t have to watch him perform live to believe me (check out “Movin’ In”), but there’s nothing else like hearing Little Albert belt “Do I Do” and “Me & Mrs. Jones” right in front of you. What a voice!

And what a stage presence! Albert bounced all over the stage. Albert felt the music move throughout his body, playing tambourine hits on his elbows, arms, hands, hips—anywhere that helped keep the beat.

Lil Albert at the Glass Candle Band reunion show

Robert Shinoda kept his cool at his position, stage left. As Glass Candle’s bandleader, Robert signaled to the musicians to change it up, extend a break, start a solo, or end a song. Without Robert, I don’t think the group would’ve been as tight as they sounded that night.

Robert Shinoda of the Glass Candle Band

Doug Rivera flew all the way from Sarasota, Florida, to reunite with his bandmates. You could immediately tell Doug was grateful having the time of his life once again. After all, Glass Candle rocked the dancefloor at Duke’s in Waikiki night after night—and made countless memories at the same time.

As I watched Doug and the guys perform, I saw hints of contemplation in his eyes (are you reading this Doug?) that gave thanks to such a remarkable group of musicians.

Doug Rivera of the Glass Candle Band

I couldn’t have asked for a better setlist, with songs like “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”, “Soul Vaccination”, or Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones”, after which Little Albert threw a shaka! (A Filipino king of soul who throws a shaka after singing one of Philly’s greatest R&B tracks? Only in Hawaii).

But it was Kurt Ken (K.K.) Kaminaka whose jaw-dropping solo had everyone screaming. Not only did K.K. spin around on a swivel keyboard stand—while jamming a massive solo—the man sits down to read a book as his fingers fluttered over the keys.

As if sitting and reading weren’t good enough—wait for it—K.K. lifted his keyboard at a 45-plus degree angle and rocked the final bars of his solo. That’s how you end the year. I’m happy I was a witness.

I break a sweat just looking at these photos. Hands down the highlight of the night! (Check out all 20 photos of K.K.’s solo on Flickr.)

What else can I say?

Glass Candle rocked their reunion show—Hawaiian Brian’s was packed, the dancefloor filled up, and the musicians never sounded better. It was a great performance! (By the way, I still can’t get over that K.K. solo!)

Mahalo to trombonist Dale Nishikawa for giving me the opportunity to attend, and also for organizing the reunion show!

Roger Bong with Little Albert in between sets. Photo by Irwin "Supes" Santos.

Stacie Johnson “Woman In My Eyes”

“In My Eyes” by Stacie Johnson

Continue reading »

In Search of “My Life”: Interview with Eddie Tsuru

Remember when I said I don’t have all the details on Brandon Bray? That statement continues to remain true, but the article I published (thanks to musician Chuck Davis) helped bassist Eddie Tsuru find his way to Aloha Got Soul.

Eddie emailed me in June this year to see if I had a copy of Brandon’s first single, “Glad You’re In My Life”. Unfortunately, I don’t. I’ve never heard the song, either. (Anyone out there have this 45? Please send me an mp3!)

Eddie’s currently a member of the Dave Walker Band and is living in Big Sky Country—Montana. In our interview, Eddie recalls an impressive number of bands he performed with, from fusion group Merlin to wedding entertainers Kaleidescope.

Mahalo Eddie for the memories!

Bassist Eddie Tsuru performing with the Dave Walker Band.

Aloha Got Soul: I heard that Brandon [Bray]‘s first 45 single, “Glad You’re In My Life” was produced almost entirely by Brandon. Is that true?

Eddie Tsuru: I’ll tell you what I remember about those recordings. We first went to Jim Linkner at Audissey Recording Studio, it was my first time in the studio and Jim got a killer sound for the rhythm section. We had a violinist come up with some string parts, it sounded great but we ran out of tracks. Brandon then went to Sounds of Hawaii to redo the tracks, I’m pretty sure it was Audy Kimura that ran the sessions there. Audy might have had a hand in some of the production.

How did you meet Brandon?

I was in a band at that time called Merlin, we did music from Jeff Beck, Deodato, George Benson, Tom Scott, Chick Corea, and originals. The members were Kevin Hirasa on guitars, Dwight Okamura on keys, Mike Kam on drums, and myself on bass. We later added vocals and became “Easy Life” (the first vocalist were Dennis Oshiro and Joanne Villanueva, later replaced by Ricky Oshiro and Joy Nishimura, Steve Sakaue replaced Dwight).

Kevin found an ad at the University of Hawaii seeking players to record on a project. We auditioned for Brandon at the Washington Intermediate School choir room.

Did you remain friends through the years?

His family took us to dinner at a showroom to see Carol Kai (I think it was her) and after that I just ran into him one more time at a music fest.

Can you recall what “Glad You’re in My Life” sounded like? (I’ve never heard it before).

From what I remember it was a kind of 70′s pop/rock sounding tune, catchy lyrics.

What led you to email me about the 45?

Since it was the first recording that I ever played on, I would search for it every few years. Your blog was the first mention on it that I’ve come across.

What other musical ventures did you have in Hawaii during the 1970s and 80s, and what eventually brought you to Bozeman, Montana?

Some of the bands that I played in in the 70′s were Faucet (power trio), Highway (top 40), Mirage (top 40), Merlin (fusion), Easy Life (house band at Escapades), Kaleidoscope (wedding band), Julius Obregon, Jimmy Dykes Band, Ken Morimoto (house band Chaco’s), and Island Society (winner of 1980 battle of the bands and house band at Sir Johns). One of my favorite gigs was with Rick Hayman Band, we had a house gig at O’Tooles. Rick sang, Rainbow on piano, Roscoe Wright on drums, Doug MacDonald on guitar, and Bob Braye on drums later. Musicians like Kit Ebersbach, Woodchuck McPowell, Peter Factora, Renalto Gascone, and Eileen Uchima would fill in for the band members.

A memorable project was recording the theme song for “Whateva”, a play writen by James Benton, Benny Rietveld wrote the song and we recorded it with Phil Bennett, Robert Shinoda, Alan Leong, and myself.

I quit playing in the 80′s lived in LaJolla, San Fran, Irvine (CA), Toronto and ended up in Montana. It is beautiful here and property is affordable but I do miss the Pacific Ocean.

I haven’t heard of many of the bands you mentioned: Merlin, Easy Life, Faucet, Highway, Island Society… Did you record any other 45s/LPs with any of those bands?

The members of Merlin played on Brandon’s 45, we played some outdoor music fests and a few parties there was not many venues to play our style of music. We added vocalists and became Easy Life and played in clubs, weddings, parties and other events.

Faucet was a hard rock band that just did parties.

Highway played at dances some of the members crossed over to I think Greenwood, Kaleidoscope, and a few other bands.

Island Society was a band led by Ken Morimoto. They did a 45, Which was the prize for winning the Battle of the Bands 1980 at the HIC during the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

I left for the mainland before that recording, I believe it was a Christmas song. We played at some nightclubs and some of the members were Billy Halem (Phase Seven), Gordon Tokishi (I think he played with Olomana), Lasinga Koloamatangi (currently performs in Germany), Alex Ancheta, and I don’t remember the rest of the members.

I don’t know if you read the entire article, but I learned that Brandon was gay. Was that apparent to you at the time? What was your general impression of Brandon after working with him on “Glad You’re In My Life”?

I didn’t know that Brandon was gay, he was pretty young at that time. He was easy to work with, he wrote good songs, and was still trying to find his voice when we did the project.

Could you tell me your thoughts on the music scene during the time? From what I know, Hawaii was so much different than it is today, so much has changed. Back then, jazz-fusion, disco, funk, soul and pop music was being played almost everywhere. Plus, there was tons of great innovators to learn from at the time: Chick Corea, Deodato, George Benson… What made that era of local music so special?

There were a lot of places to play at, especially if you did dance music (top 40, R&B, Funk), or backed up singers. There weren’t as many places to play Rock (hard rock, blues rock, prog rock), or Blues. A few years into the disco era clubs started to use DJ’s and drop live bands.

Bassist Eddie Tsuru.

Enjoyed the interview? More interviews with Hawaiian musicians.

The Glass Candle Band: Surviving the Test of Time

Time is a fragile thing.

Each year melts away faster than the last. For musicians, recording a song is the single greatest tactic to succeed the test of time.

Luckily for Glass Candle, their music survives with a handful of live recordings made with a cassette plugged directly in to the sound system.  A set of vocal and horn microphones picked up everything you’re hearing, no mixing or dubbing.

The Glass Candle Band at Duke's in Waikiki

Announcement: Glass Candle reunion in Honolulu, December 16, 2011

The Glass Candle Band returns for a 70s Reunion Christmas Dance Party
Special guests Little Albert Maligmat & DeShannon Higa
Featuring Doug Rivera, Garin Poliahu, Kurt Kaminaka, Dale Nishikawa, Ken Suesz, Bruce Imai, Robert Shinoda.
8pm // Friday, December 16, 2011 // Hawaiian Brian’s
Tickets $10 advance / $15 door
For tickets call: (808) 224-0520

*Update on the reunion show, coming soon!

The Glass Candle was a band that played in various nightclubs in Honolulu, Hawaii in the early 1970s. The band, formed by guitarist Robert Shinoda in the 1960s, played at many high school dances in and around Honolulu. Venues like Kaimuki gym, Nu’uanu YMCA, Manoa gym, and many more on Oahu.

Most notably, Glass Candle ‘graduated’ to the Waikiki nightclub circuit and played from midnight until 4:00 AM at Duke Kahanamoku’s in Waikiki in the early 1970s.

The last versions of Glass Candle. Clockwise from upper left: Frank Marcella, Bobby Gonzalez, Robert Shinoda, Larry Trella, Doug Rivera, Dirk Thomas, Joe Goodman.

Horns, original music, snazzy outfits, and songs from bands such as Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, and Tower of Power made Glass Candle a favorite for Honolulu’s club-goers.

Those were the days… and the bands that played bring back great memories. Bands like Greenwood, Forgotten Dynasty, Glass Candle, Johnny’s Rock Society, White Light, Pinky’s Rose Garden, Funny Company, etc. *sigh*

Then as we grew older and started hitting the nightclubs, more bands came to light such as Natural High, Power Point, Aura, Asian Blend, etc. *sigh*
— Rodney Lee, Mid-Life Crisis 

Glass Candle disbanded in the mid 70s and the members went on to various endeavors. Sometime around 2006, Hawaii experienced a resurgence of interest in popular nightclub dance bands that played in and around Waikiki in the 1970s.

Groups like Greenwood started reuniting for 21st century performances. As public interest (and audience sizes) grew, more and more bands reunited.

It was bound to happen: Glass Candle reunited for a performance at the 70s Nightclub Reunion in 2008. Time tested their talents, but the musicians prevailed by giving one of the best performances of the night.

From the Glass Candle soundcheck at about 1pm that Saturday you could just feel the vibes, feel the electricity. It was so cool to finally hear the band during their soundcheck and meet in person people I had always heard of and looked up to.

And they did not disappoint at all. Not only great musicians and singers but they were so down to earth, respectful, humble and just good people enjoying the moment.

Doug Rivera who was actually found about a week or so before the event told me, “I would never miss this opportunity to do this.”

But perhaps one of the coolest things to come out of all of this was Glass Candle bandleader Robert Shinoda writing in an email to our band’s leader Robin Kimura, “If it wasn’t for this we would probably have lost touch with one another and perhaps never seen each other again ever.”
— glasscandleband.com 

Glass Candle at Duke's in Waikiki

A fan’s testimonial of their 2008 reunion reveals the excitement of hearing one’s favorite band perform after so many decades:

I graduated from Iolani [High School] in 1973 and Glass Candle was always my favorite band. I loved it when they were booked for our Student Council dances. Later I would spend many late nights at Duke’s dancing and being entertained. For all of these years I’ve had fond memories of the band and whenever I got together with old friends and talked about dances and clubs, I would always bring up your group.

Last week I chanced on the article in the Friday entertainment section of the Star Advertiser about Nohelani playing with her band at the 70′s Reunion. About the fifth paragraph down, when I saw the mention of Glass Candle being one of the acts, my mind went “WHAT! GLASS CANDLE?*&(%$#@^!+.” I read through the article carefully and didn’t get any more information about your appearance, but immediately showed the article to my wife and said that Saturday night we HAD TO go to the show.

Beyond my wildest expectations! That’s how great you guys were performing that night. We showed up on time not knowing where you would be scheduled in the rotation, and we enjoyed the first two sets a lot. All of the music we heard that night was great, but when your set began, my wife and I made sure to be on the dance floor and we stayed there for the entire set.

The group amazed me by being so together after all of these years. It must be such a rush for you to be together again. The vibe from the dance floor was that you guys were on top your game, and having a great time. I have a great big smile on my face right now thinking about the performance that night.

Even when these fragile moments melt away like a glass candle, the passion of artists proves stronger than history itself.

The music of Glass Candle lives on.

Listen to more music by Glass Candle on YouTube and their website.

Hey Craig Charles! Funky Facts About Hawaii

Last week BBC Radio 6 DJ Craig Charles gave a huge shoutout to Aloha Got Soul before spinning a Jazzman reissue of Lemuria’s “Hunk of Heaven”, a classic Hawaiian funk and soul track.

After the song ends, Craig calls out to his listeners asking for “funky facts about Hawaii”. Mr. Charles, here’s a handful of gospel truths about Hawaii’s funk and soul music scene.

The High School Circuit, a prelude to the Waikiki Nightclub Scene

Bassist and bandleader Rob Kimura described the 1970s music scene in Hawaii during an interview. Forty-some years ago, dance bands started playing gigs at gatherings organized by high school social clubs. These dances took place almost every weekend throughout Oahu, and featured some of the best upcoming talent in the dance scene.

Rob and his friends were a group called Greenwood, with heavy hitting horns and dirty dance grooves à la Tower of Power. They weren’t the only band blessing the scene with raw funk and soul music—Natural High, Power Point, The Nomads (Aura), Glass Candle drew crowds of loyal fans and dedicated dancers.

The best bands (and there were plenty) moved on to the Waikiki nightclubs, pumping funky dance music into Honolulu’s nightlife. Every night, locals (and maybe a few tourists) would move their feet to some of the hottest funk bands around, like Aura at The Point After, for example.

This one might be obvious but…

CTI jazz-funk-fusion stars Seawind are originally from the island of Hawaii, nicknamed the Big Island. Lead singer Pauline Wilson continues to wow audiences with a powerful voice from a petite woman.

But what about Don Ho, Tiny Bubbles, and the tourists?

Yes, there were plenty of places where musicians fed tourists with sometimes cheesy, never-too-funky routines. In fact, many of Hawaii’s best funk/soul acts were showbiz entertainers, including The Aliis, Phase 7, and the ever-so-soulful Vic Malo.

But parallel to the tourist-friendly nightclubs were dozens of discotheques the locals frequented for downright groovy dance music.

Seawind’s manager revealed that, even if Honolulu’s jazz/funk/soul music scene was small compared to Los Angeles, following the ‘word on the street’ lead to Hawaii’s best offerings:

“Having just moved to the islands from LA after playing in a jazz-funk-R&B club band for 5 years, I knew how difficult the club life could be. New in town, I was slightly miffed that there was so little music scene there in Honolulu. Everyone I had seen in Waikiki so far, was playing “Tiny Bubbles”! The word on the street about “Ox” was good, however, and I knew they were going places the minute I walked into the lounge and heard them burnin’ on Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon”…”

Let the music speak for itself:
Top Ten Hawaiian funk and soul albums

Most people who stumble upon Lemuria’s classic self-titled album don’t realize the Hawaii connection. A funk and soul band this good, from Hawaii?!

The truth is, there are several noteworthy albums that exemplify the surprisingly outstanding Hawaiian funk/soul sound.

Here’s my top ten favorite LPs that showcase the funky, soulful sounds of Hawaii.

1. Lemuria Lemuria
2. Mike Lundy Rhythm of Life
3. Aura Aura
4. Babadu BABADU!
5. Lil Albert Movin’ In
6. Phase 7 Playtime
7. Mackey Feary Band Macky Feary Band
8. Music Magic One Man Lady
9. Chucky Boy Chock Chucky Boy Chock and Oahu Brand
10. Vic Malo Vic Malo

Feel free to discuss this top ten list in the comments.

Aura's self-titled LP is an outstanding example of Hawaiian funk music at its best.

Need more funky facts about Hawaii?

Easy, browse the archives!

Ron Ka-Ipo with Naturally “Without You Girl”

What would you do without Hawaiian soul music for the rest of your life?

Well, you might fill your collection with some West Coast AOR music or get into the heavy stuff, like some Northern Soul. But before you start thinking about life without this Sandwich Isle sound, Ron Ka-Ipo’s got the perfect song to drift you back to a sweet, soulful, Hawaiian style reality: “Without You Girl”.

Nothing compares to that laid-back island sound…

…So cruise, like sticking your hand out the car window to slice the wind on your way toward the North Shore. Your fingers take flight like a free bird on a backdrop of green mountains, pineapple fields and island music.

Coming from the car stereo? It’s another Ron Ka-Ipo and Naturally gem—a soaring song called “Fly My Robin”.

Tidbits from the album liner notes by Keith Haugen:

At the age of 10, Ron would break from his daily newspaper route to sing to a waitress at a Hilo diner. His reward was a glass of milk and a slice of pie. He was the 15th of 16 children in a rural Big Island family.

Ron, also known as Karl Yomes, auditioned with Don Ho for his first real gig after four years in the Air Force. On tour, Ron played with greats like Gabby Pahinui and Hilo Hattie (the entertainer who founded the retail store of the same name). Ron even performed at Disneyland for seven seasons.

After near non-stop touring, Ron Ka-Ipo made his way home to his native Hilo and found the atmosphere he needed to continue writing music.

This album—the songs and the feelings—are Ron Ka-Ipo. It is an intimate look into a man’s most private thoughts, pain, joy, and personal tragedies. It is a piece of the songwriter’s life. He shares it with you gladly, through his most precious gift: music.

Legendary Hawaiian Funk: Lemuria and “Hunk of Heaven”

My excitement for Aloha Got Soul shot to new levels this weekend after learning that Funk and Soul DJ Craig Charles broadcast those three precious words—aloha got soul—to the eager ears of thousands of music fans worldwide on BBC Radio 6.

Thanks to @BenSpiers on Twitter, I found out that Craig Charles took listeners to Hawaii for one of the islands’ most prized funk/soul tracks: “Hunk of Heaven” by Lemuria.

And it made me realize, there’s not a single post on Aloha Got Soul about the Lemuria LP! OK, there’s the DJ Muro tracklist and the Babadu/Kirk Thompson reference, but nothing dedicated solely to Hawaii’s legendary superstar funk group, Lemuria.

Let this mark the first post of several about Lemuria, that oh-so-mysterious gospel funk-and-soul group from Hawaii.

Mahalo Craig Charles for the shoutout!