Ukulele Jazz Legend Bill Tapia in Rare Southern California Concert this weekend only

Ukulele Jazz Legend Bill Tapia in Rare Southern California Concert this weekend only

99 years young jazz ukulele pioneer Bill Tapia celebrates nine decades in music with two rare Southern California concert appearances; Friday evening April 13 at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center and Sunday afternoon April 15th at the Huntington Beach Library Theater. The Duke of Uke will be joined by Grammy award-winning Honolulu slack key guitar virtuoso Jeff Peterson. Together they will delve into the great American jazz songbook with fresh interpretations and island flavor.

A performer since World War One, Bill Tapia has embarked on perhaps the unlikeliest comeback ever over the past few years. His first two CDs have scored top 10 on the CMJ jazz charts and he continues to do sellout shows all over the West Coast and Hawai'i . Billboard magazine exclaimed: "As delightful as it is surprising...Tapia's 86-year career includes jams with long-gone pioneers of American music, including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Fats Waller. ...Tapia takes his rightful place alongside these greats."

In addition to sharing the first ever Grammy Award for Hawaiian Music in 2005, Jeff Peterson was recently ranked by the Honolulu Advertiser in "the top 10 list of slack key giants". Opening both shows will be local acoustic duo Makena, featured in the Emerging Artist Showcase and now appearing on MTV Logo's Women's Fest.

Concerts:

April 13, 2007 Friday 7:30pm - Torrance, California @ James Armstrong Theater at Torrance Cultural Arts Center (3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance) / Tickets: 310-781-7171 @ Torrance Cultural Arts Center Box Office

April 15, 2007 Sunday 3:00pm - Huntington Beach @ HB Library Theater (7111 Talbert Avenue, Huntington Beach) / Tickets: 714-843-9350 @ Island Bazaar, 16582 Gothard St, Suite R (between Warner & Heil)

$20 in advance and $24 at the door

Bill Tapia played 21 shows with our band a few months ago. These were free concerts each Friday night. Only about 4 or 5 Tiki Central members made it out to see the band, along with Bill Tapia, Jerry long and many Hawaiian musicians and guests. We made fequent posts (which you can see in this section of the forum)

What a shame to have missed this piece of living history. I didn't care so much for my own band. After all, we are not a surf rock band, and therefore not hip or cool. But Bill is a legend.

People should have taken the opportunity.

On 2007-04-12 12:57, lucas vigor wrote:
Bill Tapia played 21 shows with our band a few months ago. These were free concerts each Friday night. Only about 4 or 5 Tiki Central members made it out to see the band, along with Bill Tapia, Jerry long and many Hawaiian musicians and guests. We made fequent posts (which you can see in this section of the forum)

What a shame to have missed this piece of living history. I didn't care so much for my own band. After all, we are not a surf rock band, and therefore not hip or cool. But Bill is a legend.

People should have taken the opportunity.

BooooHoooooo! SoccerTiki and I MIss those Friday Nights with The Smokin Menehunes & Guests!!

Woohoo, you, Soccer and a few others got to see Bill Tapia on a regular basis. You are a strong supporter of local bands. We appreciated the hell out of your being there. You were 2 out of the 5 that I mentioned. Every time I saw you out there in the audience, I got happy. You brought a positive aura each time.

Just when I was about to start going to those, you stopped doing them.
:(

was the surf rock jab directed towards me?

Jeff(bigtikidude)

No, it wasn't, because I have no idea what type of music you like.

Actually, I should not be so dissapointed. At least I got to see Bill do some amazing things.

Once, he slid back on his chair, and unfortunately fell off the bandstand. His head hit something pretty hard. There was a collective scream from everyone there. However, Uncle Bill was unhurt. He went ahead and finished the set. On the last song, he yanked his Uke behind his neck and started playing upside down. Amazing guy.

Anyway, I was talking to Palika, and he told me this concert should be very fun. he also told me that the guy playing with Bill is one of the more talented jazz guitarists around.