Waitiki interview on KFAI - Tiki Music

P professahhummingflowah Member honolulu, hawaii & boston, ma Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 296	P professahhummingflowah Posted posted on Sun, Nov 13, 2005 4:03 PM On 2005-11-13 14:27, I, Zombie wrote: Hey Professah, That Martin Denny version of Black Orchid comes from an LP called "Martin Denny in Person – Recorded Live at Duke Kahanamoku’s in Honolulu." on Liberty. It's got an interesting line up of songs, with an emphasis on more "Hawaiian stuff" Ah, and of that "Hawaiian stuff," I see that you specifically mean, of da hapa-haole kine... Seems to me that that falls in line with what appears to be Denny's performance tradition: Sets that consist of 1-2 choice exotica standards (i.e. Black Orchid, Quiet Village, Tiki, Firecrackers) + a couple jazz standards (i.e. caravan, night in tunisia, girl from ipanema) + what-i-call-a-"soundscape" (i.e. congo train, burma train, cobra, harbor lights, port au prince, manhattan) + a bunch of hapa-haole songs (i.e. hawaiian wedding song, keep your eyes on the hands, hawaiian war chant, pretty maui girl, on the beach at waikiki, etc.). My belief is that he probably approached construction of his setlists this way, so that to cater to as wide a group of audience as possible? Actually, if we do view this method as his reason for tune selection, then I wonder, to what extent the (Mainland) public's perception of Hawaii and its music has stayed constant from Denny's time until now? -- because still to this day, Hawaiian music popular to Hawaii audiences is very different than that enjoyed by Mainland audiences. For example, that the hapa-haole tunes I mentioned earlier tend to be more appreciated in the retrospective/nostalgic/sentimental dimensions in Hawaii, but by Mainland audiences, seem (at least by me) to have a much greater "mainstream" appreciation, by those who listen to Hawaiian music. Where as artists back home like the Brothers Cazimero, Ka'au Crater Boys, Keahiwai, Hapa, Hawaiian Style Band, etc. that are really really popular, tend to have very little exposure and/or appreciation by Mainland listeners of Hawaiian music. Examples of artists who enjoy geographic/boundary-crossing status would be Jake Shimabukuro (woo-hoo!!) and Bruddah IZ (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole). Maybe I should start a separate thread for this... Anyway, just wanted to respond to Glen's post. Thanks! -Randy

On 2005-11-13 14:27, I, Zombie wrote:
Hey Professah,

That Martin Denny version of Black Orchid comes from an LP called "Martin Denny in Person – Recorded Live at Duke Kahanamoku’s in Honolulu." on Liberty.

It's got an interesting line up of songs, with an emphasis on more "Hawaiian stuff"

Ah, and of that "Hawaiian stuff," I see that you specifically mean, of da hapa-haole kine...

Seems to me that that falls in line with what appears to be Denny's performance tradition: Sets that consist of 1-2 choice exotica standards (i.e. Black Orchid, Quiet Village, Tiki, Firecrackers) + a couple jazz standards (i.e. caravan, night in tunisia, girl from ipanema) + what-i-call-a-"soundscape" (i.e. congo train, burma train, cobra, harbor lights, port au prince, manhattan) + a bunch of hapa-haole songs (i.e. hawaiian wedding song, keep your eyes on the hands, hawaiian war chant, pretty maui girl, on the beach at waikiki, etc.). My belief is that he probably approached construction of his setlists this way, so that to cater to as wide a group of audience as possible?

Actually, if we do view this method as his reason for tune selection, then I wonder, to what extent the (Mainland) public's perception of Hawaii and its music has stayed constant from Denny's time until now? -- because still to this day, Hawaiian music popular to Hawaii audiences is very different than that enjoyed by Mainland audiences. For example, that the hapa-haole tunes I mentioned earlier tend to be more appreciated in the retrospective/nostalgic/sentimental dimensions in Hawaii, but by Mainland audiences, seem (at least by me) to have a much greater "mainstream" appreciation, by those who listen to Hawaiian music. Where as artists back home like the Brothers Cazimero, Ka'au Crater Boys, Keahiwai, Hapa, Hawaiian Style Band, etc. that are really really popular, tend to have very little exposure and/or appreciation by Mainland listeners of Hawaiian music.

Examples of artists who enjoy geographic/boundary-crossing status would be Jake Shimabukuro (woo-hoo!!) and Bruddah IZ (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole).

Maybe I should start a separate thread for this... Anyway, just wanted to respond to Glen's post. Thanks!

-Randy

Post #197838 by professahhummingflowah on Sun, Nov 13, 2005 4:03 PM