Mike Lundy’s The Rhythm Of Life is as serious of a ‘holy grail’ as they come. It’s funky as hell, rare, and every song is channeled from the furthest reaches possible within one man’s soul. Mike Lundy goes deep, is what I’m trying to say.
When Kirk left Kalapana and returned to the islands, he wanted to give John Rapoza and 16 other Hawaii musicians a chance to showcase their talent in a super group called Lemuria.
One of the greatest things in the world is seeing another human being smile. People expressing their happiness; just thinking about it makes me feel good. They are in love […]
If you think Hawaii is all about surfing and volcanoes then you’re wrong, it’s about surfing, volcanoes and soul, jazz and funk. Roger Bong is the 50th state’s crate digger supreme, collecting records that are almost too obscure to be true. After five mixtapes in 2012, this exclusive mix for DJhistory means he goes one better than Hawaii Five-O.
There couldn’t have been a better name for this obscure disco-funk band. Lead by keyboardist Checo Tohomoso, Nova bursts with power and positivity on every track, gradually bring it full-circle at he end of each song. “Can We Do It Good” is a shining example. But where the hell did this record come from?
You all know Nohelani Cypriano. She’s probably the reason why you love Hawaiian funk music. Her LP, Around Again, has been on your list of most-wanted albums for a long time because no matter how many times you listen to “Lihue”, you keep coming back for more. I can gratefully say that today I had the special privilege of asking Nohelani some in-depth questions about her music career. What I’ve learned from our conversation is this: Nohelani was ahead of her time. But I’ll let her tell you about it.
Back when Mackey Feary split from Kalapana to form his own band, Hawaii’s music scene was reaching incredible heights with new releases from talented artists. The debut LP from Macky […]
Dig this funky rendition of Gershwin’s classic tune, “Summertime”. Except this time, it’s summer in Hawaii and Michael Paulo’s got a heavy roster of Hawaiian jazz artists in tow. Recorded live at Jazz Minds Café, Honolulu.
Michael Paulo ushered a rotating string of artists up to the stage at Jazz Minds Café in Honolulu. He traded drummer for drummer for drummer, bassist for bassist plus another bassist. Michael added a guitarist to the mix, also switching out the pianist and adding another keyboardist, and all the while taking his five to 10 minute-long solos to new heights. This is Michael Paulo’s Java and Jazz.
Every week, a group of musicians calling themselves Project Monday gather at Jazz Minds cafe in Honolulu. The result is a hot mix of Latin jazz fusion a la Blue note during it peak era. No other clubs out there are doing this kind of thing right now. You can’t find jam sessions like this in Honolulu, where some of Hawaii’s best musicians collaborate in a wide-open platform with no restraints.
