Stories
Digging in Hawaii: Annual McKinley Booksale
Every year, hundreds of books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl LPs and 7-inch singles fill the cafeteria at the Friends of the Library of Hawaii's Annual McKinley Booksale, attracting thousands of book lovers and music collectors to the Honolulu high school grounds. It's a blessing to spend time with fellow diggers at an event like this, talking records, comparing finds, and watching the crowd buzz about with books tucked under their arms because their handtrucks are packed full. Good times.
Summer Hana Hou Reunion Show
Everybody enjoys the summer. I don't know too many people who can't stand to see the sun. The same can be said about Summer, the Hawaiian soul-rock group who reunited for a second time at Terry's Place. They played originals from their debut LP, In Malibu, including cuts like "Understanding the Man" (Terry's favorite), "Firefly", "Plenty of Reasons", "Love Is...", "New Year's Eve 1976", and many more—including "Juliette", written by Ron Yuen and Mackey Feary of Kalapana.
Interview: Ron Yuen of Summer, Part 1
searching the Internet for more information about Weekends on Malibu, the brilliant sophomore album by Summer, was like digging through hundreds of LPs without a sliver of hope you'll find what you're looking for. So I decided to go to the source, Ron Yuen, the guitarist and lead vocalist for Summer.
Summer "Weekends on Malibu" Japan-Only LP
Leave it to the Japanese to have (and know) all the good stuff—here's a surprise that woke me up to the warm sounds of Summer's sophomore release. "Weekends In Malibu" is a classic AOR album that combines elements from mellow pop, disco, rock—and of course, sounds of the islands. Even if Ron Yuen and Tim Hurley were jamming 3,800 miles away from home.
A Brand New Day with Ron Ka-Ipo
"Brand New Day" by Ron Ka-IpoHow you begin your day is up to you, but I prefer to wake up to sounds of Hawaii, like this breezy, jazzy track: "Brand New Day" by Ron Ka-Ipo.Ron's music inspires his listeners to reach for the clouds, laugh with your friends, and spend more time with the ones you love.Even when some days can seem dark and difficult, Ron reminds us that there's always a brand new day to hope for.Learn more about Ron Ka-Ipo's LP here.