Stories

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...

"Tiana" by Mackey Feary From the compilation Guitars of Hawaii Today: Volume 2. Mahalo to guitarist John Valentine for posting this on YouTube! Check out more Mackey Feary on Aloha Got Soul, a Hawaiian music blog dedicated to Hawaiian jazz, funk and soul.

"Ka Huaka‘i" by The Four 50's That's Darryl Valdez, co-founder of Tender Leaf, wearing black pants and playing the guitar in this video. Music still fills his passionate soul! In 2010, he was performing with a local Hawaiian acoustic group, the Four 50's. This video was recorded at Ka Huaka‘i "The Journey" Church in Honolulu. I've noticed that several Hawaii musicians—including Darryl Valdez, Tony Tam Sing, Rob Mehl—have dedicated themselves to playing Christian music. Almost exclusively? I don't know, it's just a thought... ...More thoughts on the homepage of this Hawaiian music blog.

To die-hard fans of Mackey: you'll smile, you'll cry, you'll cherish these recordings that YouTube user paxukulele recently uploaded. Despite the poor audio quality (not only was it a live recording, it's on cassette tape, remember those things?), the 9 minutes 33 seconds of Mack and friends jamming is a perfect way to uplift anyone's mood. You won't find these recordings or photos anywhere else, as they come directly from one of Mackey's friends, via paxukulele. Close your eyes and transport yourself to a low-key house party where Kalapana's lead singer keeps rhythm on his acoustic guitar without missing a...