Stories

This weekend, jazz-fusion band Music Magic reunites for a three shows at Jazz Minds Café. I had the opportunity to ask Music Magic bassist/vocalist Jay Molina some questions over email before the band's rehearsal this past Sunday. Turns out Jay's been busying performing with a Maui band called SLAM, a "very funky smooth jazz and R&B" group. SLAM jammed with saxophonist Tom Scott and trumpeter Skip Martin (from Kool and the Gang and the Dazz Band) at the Maui Jazz and Blues Festival earlier this month. By the way, Jay tells me Cool Sound/Cool Hawaii owner Toshi Nakada will be...

"You and I" by Tony Tam Sing One of my all-time favorite YouTube users, ohanakamakame, is always uploading the next best Hawaiian track (He's also published Legacy's "Sun Goddess", as popularized on DJ Muro's Hawaiian Breaks mix). This is my first time hearing anything off of Tony Tam Sing's legendary self-titled release. It's cool, it's relaxing, it's soulful and folky at the same time, and I really dig the mellow bass line and percussion! Of course, vocal harmonies are a must for any great Hawaiian soul track. What do you think of this song? ohanakamakame has frequently tipped me to...

Hawaii's jazz-funk-fusion pioneers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Music Magic, released two albums to their name. They gigged to sold out crowds in Honolulu after their single, "One Man Lady", hit the scene. Music Magic reunion: September 30th – October 1st, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii! Jump to the Aloha Got Soul music mix L-R: Jay Molina, Fred Schreuders, Darryl Blouin, Al Pascua. Stylistically, the band's sound changed drastically from their self-titled debut to their sophomore release, One Man Lady. Each LP is a far cry from the other, and I've always wondered why. The debut album is loaded...

Updated Sept. 6, 2011 While my focus for Aloha Got Soul as a Hawaiian music blog is 1970s and 1980s Hawaiian funk, soul, and jazz music, I'm wide open to anything outside that (very narrow) spectrum. And I'm always excited to make a new discovery about the DJ Muro Hawaiian Breaks mix. That's why the following came as such a welcome surprise. That oh-so-mysterious cover of Ramsey Lewis' "Sun Goddess" has finally been unveiled. And with with less than 50 views on YouTube, the news has yet to sweep DJ Muro's Hawaiian-loving fanbase. The band's name is Legacy. And their...

Last update: 31 August 2011 I set myself up for a lot of work when I interviewed Robin Kimura of Greenwood. Robin had so many stories to tell, and I've been typing as fast as I can to get his words down. So I gave Part 3 the chance to go uninterrupted for most of the excerpt. We talked about Hawaii's high school dance circuits, intermediate school, Waikiki night clubs, the Spence Cliff restaurant chain, You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. ... Robin Kimura: I play for another cover band called RKSB with some of the...