Malihini Boys - Aloha from Victoria

Malihini Boys - Aloha from Victoria

I was recently given this CD by my Mum, who has mentioned them in the past. This morning my Dad told me about this article in today's paper. I thought one of the members was in my choir, but it turns out he is my parent's neighbor from across the street! Anyhow, I finally had a listen to their new CD, and thought I would share the article with Tiki Central.

Jake, my parent's neighbor from across the street, pictured left, has a studio in his home! I wonder if subconciously hearing him play Hawaiian music when I was younger created my lust for all things Hawaiiana?

Henehene Kou ‘Aka.mp3 (clip)

The Malihini Boys -- Jake Galbraith, left, and Rod McCrimmon -- perform tomorrow at the Moss Street Paint-In. They'll be at the corner of Moss and May streets.
Photograph by : Bruce Stotesbury, Times Colonist

Hawaiian life inspires Victoria musical duo
Malihini Boys are capital's only band dedicated to music from the 50th state
Adrian Chamberlain, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, July 18, 2008

Aloha from ... Victoria.

From where? That's right, Victoria. The City of Gardens, partitioned by the Tweed Curtain. And home to the Malihini Boys, who just released their debut disc, Aloha From Victoria.

The Malihini Boys (Malihini means "newcomer") are almost certainly Victoria's only dedicated Hawaiian music band. They believe they are -- although there is another local group, Tradewinds, playing music originating from Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii.

Neither of the Malihini Boys duo -- Jake Galbraith (lap steel, ukulele, bass) and Rod McCrimmon (guitar, ukulele) -- is Hawaiian. They have been to the islands often, however. That's where they got bitten by the bug.

Galbraith, a one-time anthropology grad student turned musician, first flew to Hawaii with his wife in 1992. He had never had a real vacation before, aside from busman's holidays playing music in hotels.

"She said, 'We should have a vacation.' I said, 'Why?' She said, 'Because it would be fun.' "

As they drove around Hawaii, listening to Hawaiian music in the car, Galbraith decided he truly loved it. McCrimmon, meanwhile, has regularly visited Hawaii for 30 years and was converted long ago. A guitarist, he was especially impressed by Hawaiian guitarists who play in the traditional slack-key style, in which strings are detuned.

McCrimmon became enthusiastic enough to start collecting ukuleles, a Hawaiian instrument. Now he's got more than 10 ukes. Not to mention his 30-plus Hawaiian shirts.

As well, McCrimmon's obsession with Hawaiian music led him to host a Hawaiian music show on the University of Victoria's CFUV radio. It, too, is called Aloha From Victoria, airing on Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m.

Galbraith also owns about 30 Hawaiian shirts. His favourite is an "eye-popper" in shades of blue, decorated with anthurium flowers. His passion for the lap-steel guitar led him to take lessons with Owana Salazar, a lap-steel and slack-key whiz who says she is a Hawaiian princess (her mother is the High Chiefess Helena Kalokuokamaile Wilcox Salazar).

The two musicians were in a band called Mandolirium when they first discovered they had a passion for ukuleles and Hawaiian music. Not long after, the Malihini Boys were born.

Aloha From Victoria, recorded at Galbraith's home, features 11 Hawaiian favourites -- many from the 1930s.

The tunes are melodic and somewhat jazzy, with the duo even singing in Hawaiian.

"We had to learn to speak Hawaiian, because a lot of the songs are sung in Hawaiian," McCrimmon said. He was especially pleased when, after posting the disc to friends in Hawaii, they responded with the ultimate compliment.

"They said, you sound local."

The curious can see the Malihini Boys at the Moss Street Paint-In tomorrow, performing at the corner of Moss and May streets. They'll share the space with their friend, artist Kay Lovett, who painted the cover art for the Aloha From Victoria album.

The Malihini Boys will also play at the Luminara celebration on July 26.

Don't be surprised if a few hip-wiggling hula dancers show up. Galbraith says a couple of hula troupes in town have become fans.

"They often show up at our gigs," he said. "They're always a huge hit."

Great to see yet another steel player getting the word out! Canada has a long history of cold weather steel players. One of the best and longest running is George 'Keoki' Lake, whom had his own Hawaiian style radio show in the 50's, playing sweet Hawaiian music to igloo dwellers or those trudging across the tundra mile after mile in search of delicious whale blubber...

Best of luck, gentlemen, keep up the good work!