Tag: concert
The Masters of Hawaiian Music say “Aloha” to Seldovia!
by Susan Mumma
The Seldovia Arts Council presents:
Masters of Hawaiian Music:
George Kahumoku Jr,
Led Kaapana,
“Uncle” Richard Ho‘opi‘i
come to Seldovia with much Aloha and fun.
September 23
Bring your family to this community event at
Susan B. English School.
Alaskan/Hawaiian Potluck at 6:30 P.M.
Special performance at 7:30 P.M.
Tickets will be: $15.00 for adults, $8.00 for children and $35.00 For families.
The Seldovia Arts Council has received a grant from WESTAF, that helps to bring touring artists to Alaska. This makes it possible for Seldovia, a city of just 250 people, to enjoy this wonderful opportunity to experience a taste of the Hawaiian culture right on our doorstep.
The Seldovia Arts Council would like to make it a celebration of cultures. The celebration will begin by hosting a pot-luck of cultural foods. The Alaska/Hawaii dinner will be held at Susan B. English School. This dinner will be facilitated by Laurel Hilts and Suzie Stranik, Seldovia Arts Council board members. The Seldovia Village Tribe will be making a donation of Alaska Native Cultural foods, please bring your favorite Alaskan (or Hawaiian) dish as well!
If you would like to help with or would like additional information about the event please call the event chairperson, Susan Mumma at 234-7614. There are many ways in which you can be part of the fun.
The performance begins at 7:30pm, and one can attend the show without attending the dinner, but both are included in the price of admission.
There will also be a special workshop in slack key guitar, ukulele and Hawaiian culture with the band students at Susan B. English school during the day as part of the out-reach activities included in the WESTAF grant. Students will also be invited to perform in the show as special guests. Various other activities including a Hawaiian themed pep day will be surrounding the event, thanks to Tiffany Haller.
The Seldovia Arts Council would like to thank Susan B. English School, SOCC, SVT for their donations to the event.
George Kahomuku returns to Seldovia for his third visit. His original visit, was spear-headed by Susan Mumma, then Chairman of SAC, who had been to Aloha Music Camp in Hawaii. She had been inspired by the tunes played on the slack key guitar by renown pianist George Winston who traveled to Seldovia in 1999. He brought samples of Hawaiian music featured in his own Dancing Cats label, a label developed to spotlight and educate about this musical genre. Since that day, a variety of slack key masters have graced the SBE stage, including Keola Beamer and Mark Nelson who also taught at the Aloha Music Camp. Seldovia made such an impression on these Hawaiian musicians that one might say that Seldovia has been honored by becoming part of the Hawaiian musical Ohana! The Masters are scheduled to perform in only two other places in Alaska this tour, Fairbanks and Anchorage, both at much larger venues.
These 3 Masters, featured regularly at the renowned “Slack Key Show®” on Maui, bring Hawaii’s unique folk styles, with origins in the early 19th century Hawaiian paniolo (cowboy) culture, to 21st century stages. They themselves grew up in areas so rural, without electricity, radio, or TV, that they were immersed in Hawaiian music and culture from childhood.
Four-time Grammy-winner, master slack key guitarist GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR., known as “Hawai‘i’s Renaissance Man”, is a multiple Na H?k? Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Award winner, a vocalist, storyteller, songwriter & author, teacher, sculptor, farmer, and chef.
A master of the slack key guitar and National Heritage Fellow, LED KAAPANA has been one of Hawaii’s most influential musicians for four decades. His mastery of stringed instruments, his exceptional picking style on slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, and his extraordinary baritone to leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) vocal range, have made him a musical legend and earned him multiple Na H?k? Awards.
National Heritage Fellow UNCLE RICHARD HO‘OPI‘I, renowned for ‘ukulele and leo ki`eki`e,traditional Hawaiian falsetto singing, has a unique yodeling style and delightful stage presence that immediately connects to audiences.
Ledward Kaapana and Uncle Richard Ho‘opi‘i are frequent guest artists on George Kahumoku’s renowned Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar® series on Maui, and his Grammy award-winning CDs. Together, these Masters share the delightful experience of k?-h?‘alu (slack key guitar) – the distinctly Hawaiian style of open tunings – ‘ukulele, and Hawaiian vocals.
LED KAAPANA grew up in a family of musicians in Kalapana, in the southernmost district of Hawaii Island. His teachers included his mother, Mama Tina Kaapana, from whom he learned to sing leo ki’eki’e (Hawaiian falsetto singing), and his uncle, Fred Punahoa. “We didn’t have electricity, not television, not even much radio,” says Kaapana. “So we entertained ourselves. You could go to any house and everybody was playing music.” Throughout his career, Ledward has dedicated himself to perpetuating the traditional style and repertoire of his home, beginning in his teens with the musical group Hui ‘Ohana which produced 14 best-selling albums and became a key figure in the resurgence of traditional Hawaiian culture and music during the 1970s. Launching a solo career in 1983, Kaapana has continued to garner acclaim for his improvisational melodies and falsetto vocals. Recognition by his peers earned Led four Grammy nominations in his own right and three wins on slack key compilations. He has won multiple N? H?k? Hanohano(Hawai‘i’s “Grammy”) awards, including Favorite Entertainer of the Year in 2009.www.ledkaapana.com
GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR. lives on Maui with his wife, Nancy, maintaining their 3-acre farm, growing fruit and vegetables, dry-land taro (for his famous home-made poi) and tending goats, chickens, ducks, and miniature horses. With over 25 solo, collaboration, and compilation CDs to his name, George celebrates over 10 years of his famed weekly Slack Key Show on Maui, which produced 4 Grammy-winning CDs; his most recent solo CD was nominated for a 2012 Grammy in the Regional Roots category. He founded the Hawaiian Music Institute at University of Hawai‘i-Maui College to preserve the legacy of Hawaiian music and to prepare the next generation for careers in music. A renowned storyteller, George collaborated on the book A Hawaiian Life with long-time friend Paul Konwiser to capture his hilarious, entertaining on-stage stories. This project led to his film biography Seeds of Aloha. For the last 15 years, George Kahumoku Jr.’s Annual Maui Slack Key Guitar and ‘Ukulele Workshop creates one of the great musical learning experiences in the Islands today, and embodies George’s belief in sharing, celebrating, and perpetuating the unique music and culture that is Hawai‘i. www.kahumoku.com,
UNCLE RICHARD HO’OPI’I is one of Hawai’i’s most beloved singers. Known as one half of the popular Maui duo, The Ho’opi’i Brothers, which recorded 7 albums, he has practiced the traditional Hawaiian art of leo ki’eki’e (falsetto) for most of his life. He and his late brother, Solomon were recipients in 1997 of the prestigious National Endowment of the Arts Folk Heritage Fellowship, America’s highest honor for traditional artists. After the passing of his brother, his 2003 CD Ululani represented a new journey for Richard as a solo artist. Richard is featured on four of George Kahumoku’s compilation CDs. Born in the tiny village of Kahakuloa on Maui’s remote Northwest coast, Uncle Richard grew up immersed in the rural Hawaiian lifestyle of family, church, taro farming, fishing, and homemade entertainment. There was no TV, not even much radio, so everyone in the village made music. “They taught us so much more than music; it was a whole way of living.” Uncle Richard knows that, like all Hawaiian artists, he maintains a rich cultural legacy. “When you sing Hawaiian music,” he says, “you’re representing the kupuna (elders), who have guided and inspired you, and all the musicians that came before and will come after.”
Biographical information is taken from the press release prepared by Pasifika Artists Network LLC. More about each artist may be found on his website.
If you would like to help with this event please call event chairperson, Susan Mumma at 234-7614 . There are many ways in which you can be part of the fun.
Jason Farnham Returns to Seldovia
by Susan Mumma
Jason Farnham from Santa Rosa California is back in Seldovia this coming weekend to play at Susan B. English School presented by the Seldovia Arts Council.
On August 16 at 7:30 PM, he returns with his zany piano styles, his sense of humor and his crazy antics which created a delightful family friendly event two summers ago. One could say that he was Classical or one could say New Aged or perhaps even Jazz piano, but one thing is certain. He is pure entertainment. and indescribably fun.
Reaching out from his great “ little piano “ pieces to his multi- media productions, adults and children all over the country have been charmed by Jason’s enthusiasm and sense of fun. You will be too.
Jason has been featured in film and television. He has several acclaimed CDs featuring his original compositions.
He says “An Evening of Piano with Jason Farnham delights audiences around the U.S., again and again. Fans have affectionately dubbed him “Schroeder” from Peanuts because of his toy piano, his witty Victor Borge-style piano comedy antics and the clever way he interacts with the audience.
The variety includes contemporary romantic piano, jazz, bossa nova, blues, stride piano, and classical with a modern twist! Jason is always looking for an interesting spin on the status quo, a way to take a classic and turn it on its ear, so… the newest addition to his piano show is Fur Elise with a techno-rock-dance beat: “Fur Crying Out Loud Elise, Let’s Dance!” And Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca has now become “Rondo Alla Techno”. He’s also re-envisioned Autumn Leaves into a fusion of bossa nova and samba styles. Playing the piano while lying upside down Amadeus-style? Check. And always included in the lineup are a handful of Jason’s signature original piano pieces that his fans adore, like his 2008 original instrumental hit, Lisa’s Song (When).”
Kray Van Kirk to Perform at Crazy Crow Productions
Hi Everyone,
There will be a great concert at Crazy Crow House Concerts at the Seldovia Rowing Club on the Old Boardwalk this weekend by Juneau artist, Kray Van Kirk. I have enjoyed Kray’s music on several occasions on Anchorage and Juneau and am very excited to host him here in Seldovia. You can read more about him and listen to some samples of his music at www.crazycrowproductions.
All are invited and please feel free to bring a friend. Please give me a heads up by phone or email at 234-7614 orcatdoggle@gmail.com. to make your reservation or to ask for more information.
This will be the last concert of the summer season, but there are some great surprises planned for the Fall at Crazy Crow.
See you at the concert!
Susan
Here is how Kray describes his background.
My father was a rather taciturn professor of Fisheries at Humboldt State University in Northern California, and my mother was working on her Master’s degree in Biology when she delivered my older brother instead of her thesis. Growing up was mostly outside. Arguments at the dinner table were usually resolved by appeals to the dictionary, one of my father’s textbooks, or a field guide to some North American phylum. Going for a walk, my mother might exclaim not ‘Oh, look, there’s a toad!’, but instead ‘Oh, look, some species of Bufo!’.
But my mother was also a concert pianist, and my father’s secret wish was to be a writer of short stories. In grade school I wanted to be an artist, and was encouraged by my parents to fill dozens of sketchpads with dinosaurs, birds, and mammals. My brother played piano and trombone, and I picked up the guitar (rejecting the ukulele) at eight to play along with records of Pete Seeger, Gordon Lightfoot, and James Taylor.
Our town got its first bus system when I was 10, and I recall staggering off the bus from the city library with all thirteen of L. Frank Baum’s Oz sequels piled up under my chin. When I realized that my father’s position with the University allowed me to check books out of the library there I took up permanent residence in the stacks with Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Heinlein, and dozens of others, and the record player at home began to spin Planxty, the Chieftains, and Steeleye Span.
Inspired by seeing Chris Proctor play, I began playing coffee house shows in college, and busking on the streets of Munich, Germany during a year abroad. In 1989 I dropped out of graduate school in Berkeley to tour and play music full time, living out of my van for a number of years. It took me a very long time to learn what many writers and performers seem to know instinctively – to love and protect your Muse at all costs, to throw your vulnerability at audiences like a gift, and to make invaluable those very things that you are most hesitant to reveal to anyone else for fear of ridicule or lack of commercial success. Being a songwriter is like being a little bit naked at a formal gathering: you hope that nobody will notice, or if they do, that they will somehow approve the sudden appearance of such raw earthiness in their cultured midst.
So, whenever someone asks me what kind of music I play, I could choose to give the standard and somewhat tired answer ‘Oh, it’s acoustic singer-songwriter stuff… sort of like James Taylor or Dougie MacLean…’, which really doesn’t say much at all. A better answer might be to jump on top of a table in a crowded coffee shop and shout ‘The wind is changing! Look sharp! Get out the map – it’s time to go! We ride across a thousand pages and sail beyond the sunset, to seek, to find, to strive, and not to yield!’. Some won’t understand it, and that’s perfectly fine. But those who do will wipe the tears from their eyes, smile knowingly, and drain their cups, toasting their own wild lands and wilder passions.
I’m a single parent these days, meaning that I can’t tour full time. I ended up with a Ph.D. in fisheries population dynamics; my day job is trying to figure out how many fish are where, what they are doing, and why.
For a number of reasons, I no longer record CDs, and I don’t sell my songs – everything is free for the taking on my website. People can listen, invite the songs into their own homes, see if they’d like to stay, and share them with whomever they want. We generally associate cost with value – more expensive things must be better and have more value, and things that are free must be of no value at all. I beg to differ. Of all the things we value in the world, the most valuable thing by definition must be free, and that is love. I love the songs that visit me and I love the people who listen to them and come to hear me. It’s a grand parade – come along and see what it’s all about.
Homer Folks – Join us in Seldovia for a Special Concert
by Robin Giossi
This special sailing will give folks an option to come to Seldovia for the day/evening to be a part of our Strings At Sunset Concert – with the Madison String Quartet and return to Homer when the concert is through!
John Craigie and Leigh Jones Come to Seldovia on the 19th
by Susan Mumma
Hi Everyone!
Another great concert is set for July 19 at 7:00pm. These great Portland based songwriters and players are playing to sold out crowds!
On a nice day we may go out to the deck to listen to music plus the sounds of the wild Alaska. Bring a pair of sunglasses and sweater.
$15 Donation includes dessert.
Please call 234-7614 or email for a reservation. This help to plan for dessert and chairs. John has been selling out shows all over the Northwest, so plan early space is limited.
For the past decade, John Craigie has “lived the life romantic” of a continuously touring folk-singer, taking his unique musical style across the United States and the world. A singer, songwriter and storyteller, he stays true to the essence of folk music, and the traditions of the seminal writers of our past century. With timeless melodies and insightful lyrics—interspersed with witty storytelling—his songs take many poetic turns before bringing his listeners back home. His themes range from social commentary to personal empowerment, political satire, and modern love.
John’s live performances – in private homes, cafes, festivals, and sold-out venues – inspire and delight his audiences, who welcome him like a long-lost son, and return to see him whenever he visits. He has traveled around the world, having played in all 50 states and beyond, bringing his music to nearly every corner of the planet. His fans span generations, political ideologies and geographic locations, but they are all charmed by the dynamic yet humble troubadour peering out from under his signature cap.
John Craigie writes, sings, and plays for the people.
Leigh Jones is Portland based singer, writer and actor.
She has had the itch to write songs most of her life, but it wasn’t until she received a ukulele as a Christmas gift in 2009 that she, at long last, began composing in earnest. Leigh grew up in North Carolina, performing in local theatre whenever she had the chance, and eventually went on to earn a Drama degree from New York University’s Tech School of the Arts. Over the past three years, she has completed extensive tours throughout the US and abroad, and in the fall of 2012 she released her debut LP, Worth Wild. Sparked by relationships, travel, and a keen sense of whimsy, Leigh’s music evokes the spirit of city life, while allowing her southern roots to shine gloriously through. Drawing inspiration from such artists as Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Neko Case, and so many of her own peers, Leigh performs with the theatricality of a trained actor while her simultaneously sweet and dynamic melodies capture the soulfulness that is at the core of her songwriting.
Seldovia Time
