Tiki on the radio (NPR, etc)

While trolling the NPR audio archives, I came a across a number of stories and interviews that I'm sure will appeal to many of you. Some of these have already been posted on TC, but I thought I'd gather together all the ones I could find. We already have a couple of "tiki in the movies/TV/Youtube" threads, so let's call this the tiki spoken word thread. Not all are strictly tiki, but are at least related. If you know of others, please add them here. Enjoy!

Tiki Bar Closes Down
LISTEN
NPR, Morning Edition, August 23, 2000 - Host Renee Montagne talks to Michael Tsao, owner of the Kahiki Tiki Bar in Columbus, Ohio about the closing of the Tiki bar, which is on the National Historic Registry.

Tacky? No, Tiki
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, May 10, 2003 - The kitschy, Americanized "tiki" adaptation of island life includes everything from Hawaiian shirts to Hula girls... and don't forget tropical drinks garnished with paper umbrellas. Hundreds of people are gathering under bamboo torches in Palm Springs, Calif., for a third-annual celebration of tiki culture known as the Tiki Oasis. Alex Cohen of member station KQED reports. [ROB'S NOTE: Features sound bites from Sven Kirsten and Otto von Stroheim.]

Hawaiian Lounge Music
LISTEN
NPR, Morning Edition, January 10, 2000 - Host Bob Edwards talks to Martin Denny about Hawaiian lounge music.

Martin Denny, Creator of 'Exotica' Music
LISTEN
NPR, Weekend Edition Saturday, March 5, 2005 - We reflect on the career of the creator of "exotica" music. Martin Denny, known to many as the grandfather of lounge music, died this week at the age of 93.

Meaning of the Cocktail
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, March 31, 1997 - Robert talks with Joseph Lanza, the author of The Cocktail: The Influence of Spirits on the American Psyche. [ROB'S NOTE: This one is going along fine until about 5 minutes into it, the record they play starts to skip, which goes on for several minutes. Hilarious.]

Swing Culture
LISTEN
NPR, Talk of the Nation, February 13, 1997 - Premium cigars, martini bars, supper clubs, swing dancing - all have resurged in American popular culture. Join Ray and his guests to explore why these extravagant trends have become the new symbols of excess and success for Americans...on the next Talk of the Nation, from NPR News. Guests: Mechele Flaum (President, Brain Reserve), Dale De Groff (Head Bartender and Beverage Manager, Rainbow Room), Gordon Mott (Managing Editor, Cigar Aficionado magazine), Brad Benedict (Producer, Capitol Records).

Juan Garcia Esquivel and Yvonne de Bourbon
LISTEN
NPR, Fresh Air from WHYY, January 11, 2002 - Juan Garcia Esquivel was the icon of space age bachelor music, producing innovative recordings of pop music in the 1950s and sixties. He died in his home in Mexico on January 3rd at the age of 83. In 1994 his work was re-issued on the CD, Esquivel!: Space Age Bachelor Pad Music (Bar/None). Yvonne de Bourbon, one of Esquivel's ex-wives, and a former performer in his live show.

A Tribute to Juan Garcia Esquivel
LISTEN
NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday, January 13, 2002 - Juan Garcia Esquivel, the composer of "Space Age Bachelor Pad" music, has died. Liane Hansen presents a rebroadcast of a 1994 interview with Irwin Chusid, the producer responsible for remastering Esquivel records to compact disc.

Having a Ball with Juan Garcia Esquivel
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, October 29, 2005 - Have a cocktail. Why? Because Juan Garcia Esquivel is back... after a fashion. True, he died in 2002. But the man who practically invented 1950s lounge music -- then led a resurgence in the 1990s -- is being rediscovered on a CD called The Sights and Sounds of Esquivel!.

Norwegian Explorer
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, April 18, 2002 - Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl has died at the age of 87. In 1947, Heyerdahl sailed from South America to Polynesia on a balsa-wood raft called the Kon-Tiki, winning an international reputation for his demonstration of how prehistoric peoples could have traveled.

Thor Heyerdahl
LISTEN
NPR, Morning Edition, April 19, 2002 - NPR's Alex Chadwick reports on the death of a great explorer: Norweigan adventurer and anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl. His 1947 voyage from South America to Polynesia on a raft made of balsa wood made him famous. The resulting book, Kon-Tiki, sold 25 million copies worldwide. Heyerdahl was 87.

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2006-11-02 13:50 ]

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2007-05-31 09:16 ]

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2011-01-16 16:17 ]

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2012-04-23 09:05 ]

WOW! A plethora of tiki pleasure! Mahalo!

The Return of Tiki
LISTEN
American Public Media, Weekend America, May 7, 2005 - Mai Tais, Polynesian artifacts, and exotic lounges were an early 20th century trend that reached the height of hip in the 50's and 60's. Now, Tiki is making a comeback. Alex Cohen takes us on a tour of the kitschy cultural tradition that's become all the rage, again. [ROB'S NOTE: More sound bites from Sven Kirsten and Otto von Stroheim.]

Documentary Tracks Hula's History
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, August 5, 2003 - For many Americans, the hula dance conjures images of grass skirts, coconuts and swinging hips. But a new documentary airing Tuesday on PBS looks beyond hula kitsch to explore its roots in ancient Hawaiian traditions. Hear Lisette Marie Flanary, co-producer of American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawaii.

Music and Conversation with the Aloha Boys
LISTEN
NPR, Talk of the Nation, May 30, 2005 - Just in time for your barbeque, the Aloha Boys join us to play their own brand of down-home, backyard Hawaiian music.

In the Hands of a Master, the Ukulele Is No Toy
LISTEN
NPR, Morning Edition, September 28, 2006 - Think the ukulele is just a cheap, plastic toy to be played under a palm tree? One listen to Jake Shimabukuro and you'll change your mind. The Hawaiian-born ukulele virtuoso strums and plucks a variety of sounds out of the tiny instrument, from "Ave Maria" to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

The Ukulele: A Visual History
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, June 17, 1997 - Jim Beloff is the author of a coffee-table book called The Ukulele: A Visual History. Beloff bought a used ukulele at a flea market about five years ago and became passionate about this little instrument. The book is filled with pictures of beautiful Hawaiian ukuleles and bizarre novelty versions. Beloff details the path of the instrument from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland, including portraits of some of the greatest players.

Postcard: A California Ukulele Club
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, November 15, 2003 - Gloria Hillard sends us this week's audio postcard from a ukulele club in Ventura, Calif.

The Immortal Ukulele
LISTEN
NPR, Weekend Edition Saturday, July 4, 1998 - Scott talks with Jim Beloff, producer of the new collection on Rhino Records, Legends of Ukulele.

Aloha School
LISTEN
NPR, Morning Edition, April 16, 2002 - The principal of a grade school in Newport Beach, California, has introduced a uniform that she calls "Aloha-wear." It's a short-sleeved shirt with bold white hibiscus flowers against a red or blue background. Principal Denise Knutsen says three-quarters of the students at Newport Elementary wear the shirts, even though they're not mandatory.

Aloha Cops
LISTEN
NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday, July 22, 2001 - In a small California beach town, the police department's big kahuna changed the uniforms to the more relaxed Hawaiian shirts. From member station KQED in San Francisco, Carrie Kahn reports that some cops would rather not hang loose while on duty.

Double WOW!

Nice links, GatorRob.
I've always loved NPR.

If this is the topic for "Spoken Word Tiki" then I figured I'd link these as well.

http://www.mediacentraltampa.com/tiki%20folder/Hina.mp3

http://www.mediacentraltampa.com/tiki%20folder/Na%20Oahi.mp3

I read them for the carvers with my crappy pseudo-Hawai'ian accent... but the stories are sound.
Here's the link that talks about the stories.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=20415&forum=7

Thanks again...nice work.

Good stories Pablus. And well told! Thanks.

For the mixologists among us:

The Spirit of Cuba: The Corporate Battle Over Rum Offers Clues to the Future of Cuba
LISTEN TO PART 1
LISTEN TO PART 2
All Things Considered, August 13, 2001 - NPR's Tom Gjelten visited Cuba and talked to some of the players in the rum saga, which began before the 1959 revolution, and which will in no small measure shape the future of the island nation. The issues surrounding the rum business are the same issues that other industries will have to contend with after Castro.

Rumble Brewing over 'Real' Cuban Rum
LISTEN
All Things Considered, August 8, 2006 - The Bacardi company will soon start selling a new version of Havana Club Rum, competing with a rum made in Cuba under the same name. The fight over which is the genuine Havana Club foreshadows battles likely to come in Cuba in the post-Castro era.

'Hideous Absinthe' and France's Artistic Elite
LISTEN
All Things Considered, May 14, 2004 - NPR's Michele Norris talks with Jad Adams, author of Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle, about the cultural role the potent green liquor played among artistic circles in 1890s France.

Ran across these today...

Blue Latitudes
LISTEN
Morning Edition, October 1, 2002 - Host Bob Edwards speaks with Tony Horwitz about his new book, Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before. Horowitz was lauded by critics for his work, Confederates in the Attic.

Don Ho
LISTEN
Weekend Edition Saturday, November 14, 1998 - Scott visits with Hawaiian crooner Don Ho.

Few more stories...

http://www.mediacentraltampa.com/tiki%20folder/The%20Lost%20Princess.mp3

http://www.mediacentraltampa.com/tiki%20folder/Pele's%20Revenge.mp3

KPCC, 89.3 FM (A Los Angeles area public radio station) did a story over the Memorial day weekend on Tiki featuring interviews with Leroy Schmaltz of Oceanic Arts, and a visit to the Beverly Hills Trader Vics with Charles Phoenix right before it closed and a segment on home tiki bars with the head animator of Sponegebob Squarepants. Very nice.

You can hear it here: http://www.digitiki.com/offramp.htm

Enjoy!

This is definitely the thread for archived tiki-related audio content (news, interviews, and stories) available on the web, NPR and otherwise. I recently posted that NPR re-aired the Heyerdahl interview segment in another (new) thread but figure it probably should have gone here in the first place. This thread is a great resource, thanks for the effort.

[ Edited by: Thomas 2007-08-09 10:55 ]

[ Edited by: Thomas 2007-08-09 11:13 ]

Here's an amazing story for you. Last year, in July, a woman inquired about having me carve a Tangaroa Tiki for a surprise birthday present for her husband. She sent me an image of what she wanted it to look like, size and stain and so forth. She knew it was symbolic of fertility but never mentioned a penis with it so I didn't carve one on it. Apparently after taking possession of the tiki in July she conceived in Sept. after nearly 10 years of "practice". Amazing, could be coincidence or a god wink. Now she wants me to carve her a "Tiki of wealth/prosperity" which it is my understanding is a Ku. I asked her if she wins the lottery if we could be friends, (just kidding of course), she said she would gladly share the winnings. (I would take it,... not kidding)

[ Edited by: Jungle Trader 2008-02-09 11:16 ]

Okay, since this thread was bumped, here's more:

A Tiki Alternative to Thanksgiving by Charles Phoenix
LISTEN
NPR, Day to Day, November 22, 2007 - You love Thanksgiving dinner. But admit it - you're getting tired of the same, old, traditional dishes year after year, decade after decade. So this year, let's try something different - a Tiki Turkey Dinner.

Floating Treasures Capture Authors' Imaginations
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, September 1, 2006 - Labor Day weekend is considered the start of the best flotsaming season — where you might find untold surprises washed up on the beach. Author Skye Moody and children's book author and illustrator David Wiesner extol the virtues and glories of "floating debris."

Dick Dale and the Birth of Surf Rock
LISTEN
Fresh Air from WHYY, May 25, 2007 - Dick Dale is the man known as "the King of the Surf Guitar." He launched surf rock in 1960 with his band, the Deltones. Four of Dale's early albums are being re-released by Sundazed Music: King of the Surf Guitar, Checkered Flag, Mr. Eliminator and Summer Surf. This interview was originally broadcast on July 26, 1993.

Dick Dale, Still King of the Surf Guitar
LISTEN
NPR, All Things Considered, December 31, 2000 - At 63, surf music legend Dick Dale shows no interest in retirement. This year he was honored by U.S House of Representatives for his contributions to music and philanthropy after 40 years of performing.

'Misirlou,' from Klezmer to Surf Guitar
LISTEN
NPR, Weekend Edition Sunday, January 8, 2006 - The tune "Misirlou" has traveled quite a path, from klezmer music to 1950s exotica acts and finally to surf guitar and an appearance in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.

May as well throw this one in the list. It was a good interview with the Bum. Interview starts at 37:50.

Interview with Jeff Berry author of "Sippin’ Safari: In Search of the Great 'Lost' Tropical Drink Recipes and the People Behind Them."
LISTEN (RealAudio)
Download MP3
WILL AM 580, Sidetrack with Jason Croft, December, 2007

I have several interviews, Martin Denny, The Beach Bum and more recently an interview with the owner of a Tiki bar in Melbourne....head to http://www.cocktailnation.podomatic.com or http://www.myspace.com/loungelothario.com

From NPR.org:
**
All Things Considered, April 3, 2008 · One of the most popular musicals of all time — Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific — gets its very first Broadway revival tonight. It's been close to 60 years since the show opened, but the cast and creative team of the new production say they find South Pacific as resonant as ever.
**
Page w/ story in text and audio, extra audio (songs), etc., here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89309296

By the way, I dig Koop's show weekly and recommend it highly (see post above).

Music We Missed: Waitiki 7
LISTEN
NPR Music, December 24, 2010 - President Obama is spending Christmas in Hawaii, so it's possible to imagine the First Family — or at least some of their Hawaiian neighbors — listening to music that sounds like Waitiki 7. The septet's album New Sounds of Exotica recalls a style of music that seemed to go out of fashion with the tiki bar.

Thrilled to see one of my favorite modern exotica bands featured like this. Way to go guys!

Think Tiki's Tacky? Grab A Cocktail And Think Again
LISTEN
NPR, April 22, 2012 - If you thought the heyday of Polynesian restaurants had passed, then clearly you haven't been to the Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale. For the annual Hukilau, the Mai Kai Restaurant is home.

This just surfaced today.
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/04/05/dj-sessions-exotica

I just came here to post that same link! My daughter heard the segment yesterday and sent me the link. She's not taken much interest in tiki, but some of the artists featured have her intrigued.