Post #709524 by Dr. Zarkov on Wed, Feb 26, 2014 11:22 PM

I try to work in good Hawaiian music whenever I can, even if it is just a few songs at the outset of the show. Sometimes I include more, sometimes less. I have a friend who studied healing arts with the Kahunas and knew some of the old musicians like George Na'ope.

During my first year on the air I produced a couple of two-hour shows, one on the history of the ukulele and the other on the history of the slack-key guitar. At some point I hope to do another on the history of the steel guitar, but that has proven to be a bit more daunting a prospect given its much more widespread presence in the history of music.

When it comes to Hawaiian music, I do try to stay away from songs that are overtly political and religious chanting, which I don't think fit comfortably in with a Tiki show format. As for the schlocky pop fusion stuff, I happen to think the best of it fits in well with the Mid-Century pop music I play. Can anyone really believe that Na Leo is worse than the Puppini Sisters? The only thing I don't care for much is most Jawaiian reggae, although unlike Dave Kois, author of the 33 1/3 book on the Facing Future album by IZ, I wouldn't go as far as to say that listening to it makes me want to jam a screwdriver into my eyeball!