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Mahalo Nui Loa
ON O`AHU
PICKIN' IN THE PARK
Sunday, May 18
BIG PICKIN' IN WAHIAWA!
featuring
Continuing Slow Jam Workshop with fiddler Lisa Gomes
At Lovely WAHIAWA BOTANICAL GARDENS, 11AM--3PM
followed by
GORDON FREITAS & FRIENDS
at WAHIAWA'S HIGHER GROUND CAFE, starting @4PM
What a big day of entertainment we've got planned this month! For our May jam, we're going to return to the Wahiawa Botanical Gardens on California Avenue in Wahiawa. Wait till you see this park! It's cool, shady; the bathrooms are clean and well-lit; there's abundant parking; it's a gorgeous, elegant, clean, garden, with exotic flora and plenty of nice nooks and crannies for impromptu breakaway jam sessions... and a spectacularly beautiful, vast network of trails and stairs that runs throughout the Garden and provides a super workout. If you're a hiker, bring your shoes! We'll have a general jam session in the awesome Multipurpose Room between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and then we'll clear the room for Lisa Gomes' Continuing Slow Jam Workshop from 2:00-3:00 PM SHARP. Please join us if you can! (Keep reading for directions and info on the workshop!)
Date & Time: Sunday, May 18, 2008 from 11:00 AM--3:00 PM (Garden closes at 4PM.)
D) Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Immediately following our jam on Sunday, May 18, starting around 4:00 PM, we'll be heading a mile or so down the road to the beautiful new Higher Ground cafe in Wahiawa, for a delightful concert featuring our very own GORDON FREITAS! Yes, the Gordo's been busy working on the cruise ships for quite a while, but now he's back on "Higher Ground"! There's no cover charge, though tips will gratefully be accepted.
Some of you probably remember Gordon from our shows at Kapono's a few years ago, or from our Open Mic sessions at O'Toole's; he hosted a couple of 'em. Gordo is a superb singer/songwriter whose rich baritone can warm the coldest room, and he's a BRILLIANT entertainer! With a song for every occasion, he's the Dr. Seuss of cool lyrics, which he spins on the spot as the occasion demands. Gordo will undoubtedly be joined by a pal or two on the beautiful stage at this cafe... and he's got a lot of talented friends, so it will be great fun!
Higher Ground is Wahiawa's spectacular new coffee house and meeting place! The tasty offerings here include a delectable assortment of baked goodies and fragrant teas, and O`ahu's very own Waialua Coffee, grown just a few miles down the road! There's a roomy stage, a nice little dance floor, a killer sound system (with recording capabilities) and a couple adjacent rehearsal rooms. Awesome! And it's just a few steps away from our good friends at Hawai`i Music Supply, so if you need some picks or strings or perhaps a new instrument, you might want to squeeze in a few moments of shopping!
Directions: Click here for map! Higher Ground and Hawai`i Music Supply are located in the same little mall, in Wahiawa at 101 North Kamehameha Highway about 1/4 mile from H2 exit 8. Take H2 North to Exit 8 Wahiawa. Merge right onto Kamehameha Hwy and pass through two intersections until you see Hawai`i Music Supply on your left, across from Zippy's.
TENTATIVE O`AHU JAM SCHEDULE
We've established a tentative schedule for O`ahu Pickin' In The Park jam sessions for the remainder of the year. ALL DATES AND LOCATIONS ARE TENTATIVE until they are announced as CONFIRMED right here on this page, in the jam announcement as appears above!
Sunday, April 20--CONFIRMED!
ALL ISLANDS
Don't miss these OTHER cool recurring events, with focus on traditional music, here and there all over the Hawaiian Islands! Some happen monthly or even quarterly. Others have gatherings several times per month! All are listed on our RECURRING EVENTS page.
The next Pickin' in the Park on Maui will be at 4pm on May 25 at the old shelter in Kalama Park in Kihei. Come and join the fun! These jams are organized by Steve Slater, who says the music "could be bluegrass or folk or whatever you want to play. There will be no stage or sound amplification equipment. We don't all have to play in one big group; smaller break-off groups are okay." The jam will take place in or near the "older" shelter area at Kalama Park. Bring a chair you're comfortable playing in. See you there!
For info contact Steve at steve@sslater.com or call him at 808/283-7800.
Do you live on the Big Island of Hawai`i, or visit there frequently? Barry & Jan Willis in Kona host a monthly Pickin' and Potluck jam at their lovely home in Kona Heavens on the Big Island. Jams take place on the first Saturday of each month; each jam starts at about 1:30 PM and ends at about 6:00 PM. Jan has built a website for the jams at www.jam.pinevalleymusic.com. Check it out!
Listeners, singers, and pickers are all welcome. Barry and Jan encourage all acoustic players, not just bluegrass or country, to join the fun. They have plenty of room for separate jams for different forms of music. Rain or shine - it doesn't matter - the jam can happen inside or out. Please bring a potluck dish to share! Pickers from other counties on the Big Island are welcome; the Willises will even pick them up at the airport and get them back in time for their flight home. Contact barry@pinevalleymusic.com or call 808-325-0321.
Kids and families will learn to play tunes together at Hawaiian/Bluegrass Music Camp at beautiful Camp Olowalu six miles southeast of the historic village of Lahaina, Maui! Classes in ukulele, guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and acoustic bass will be taught in a fun and comfortable oceanfront setting. There will be two camps--one on June 13-15 for families with kids between ages 4-16 years, and one for older kids between 9-18 years on June 17-22. Hawaiian cultural activities, including hula and crafts, will also be taught. The camp is sponsored by St. John's Church. Register by May 27 for a tuition discount! For information, please call 808/878-1485; check out the camp at campolowalu.com.
The next PICKIN' IN THE PARK jam session on the Garden Island of Kaua`i will take place on Wednesday, June 18 from 2:00 till 10:00 PM at the Salt Pond Main Pavilion in Hanapepe (western Kauai). As always, your welcoming hosts will be The Happy Enchalata, Kauai's own bluegrass band. All acoustic musicians are encouraged to join in and JAM! Bluegrass, reggae, rock, Hawaiian, country--y'all come on down!
Attendance is FREE, and open to ALL participants and spectators. Bring something yummy to share with the group; it's a potluck with BBQ grills and the works!
For further information, please contact Denice or Marty at HappyEnchalata@yahoo.com.
Update: Denice has uploaded some video from the jams to YouTube--click here! Other videos are available by searching for keyword Enchalata on YouTube. Also, if you missed it, a very nice article about the jams appeared in the Garden Island newspaper last July; to check it out click here!
Location: Wahiawa Botanical Garden
Address: California Avenue in Wahiawa
Directions: Click here for map! Find your way to H2 North, going towards Mililani and Wahiawa. Take exit 8 for Wahiawa; it's the second to the last exit, just before the highway ends near Schofield Barracks. At the end of the exit, go right; stay in the right lane. You'll be on KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY. At the third light, take a right onto CALIFORNIA AVENUE. Go about a mile or so, past Foodland, Longs, Blockbusters; past a Buddhist Hongwanji on your right and a community park on your left. Look for the Botanical Garden on your left!
Parking: Click here for map! The Garden's small parking lot on California Ave. holds about 20 cars. If you need to park very very close, try to arrive a little early (the Garden opens at 9AM daily!) There's also plenty of parking along the fenceline on California Avenue, but you'll have to turn around in the parking lot at Leilehua High School, just up the hill, and come back down California. There is also a parking lot on Kilani Avenue/Glen Avenue. Kilani runs parallel to California Avenue, and becomes Glen Avenue just before the Botanical Garden. If you park in the Kilani/Glen lot, you'll have a bit of a walk down a moderate hill, and then you'll go left, across a scenic bridge into the main lot/entrance. It's a lovely stroll, but not for those with lots of gear, or who have a tough time walking.
What To Bring: Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on [IMPORTANT!!!], and beverages or even a bit of lunch!
Who's Welcome: EVERYBODY! If you play an unplugged traditional instrument, and like acoustic bluegrass, newgrass, mountain, roots, traditional country, Hawaiian, Americana, folk, Western, Celtic, and Irish music, you are welcome to come and jam along! (Listeners, of course, are welcome, too!) Y'all come!
Carpoolers: Please CARPOOL if you can! If you need a ride, OR if you're willing to give a ride to another picker who doesn't drive, email caroline@bluegrasshawaii.com.
Workshop: Our continuing Slow Jam workshop, conducted by fiddler LISA GOMES, will take place in the multipurpose room between 1 and 2 PM sharp! If you're a beginner, you won't want to miss this workshop. Lisa's workshop will be an easy review this month. Here are some tunes she's covered in past workshops, preceded by the keys she's taught them in. Practice before the workshop, and bring your questions with ya!
G) I Saw the Light
A) Old Joe Clark
D) Soldier's Joy
G) Amazing Grace
G) Will the Circle be Unbroken
SUNDAY, MAY 18, 4:00 PM
Gordon Freitas & Friends
WAHIAWA'S HIGHER GROUND CAFE
From The Botanical Garden: Go down California Avenue till you get to Kamehameha Hwy. Go right, and look for Hawai`i Music Supply on the left, right across from Zippy's.
FOR REMAINDER OF 2008
Sunday, May 1--CONFIRMED!
Sunday, June 22
Sunday, July 20
Sunday, August 17
Sunday, September 21
Sunday, October 19
Sunday, November 16
Sunday, December 14
DON'T MISS THESE OTHER COOL EVENTS!
ON MAUI
PICKIN' IN THE PARK
Sunday, May 25 at 4:00 PM
Kalama Park, Kihei
ON THE BIG ISLAND
JUNE 6, 2008
PICKIN' AND POTLUCK
ON MAUI
HAWAIIAN/BLUEGRASS MUSIC CAMP
June 13-15 & June 17-22
Lahaina, Maui
ON KAUA`I
June 18, 2008
PICKIN' IN THE PARK
Salt Pond Main Pavilion, Hanapepe
ON O`AHU:
THE SALOON PILOTS
Our favorite crackers! Lesley Kline on fiddle & vocals, Kilin Reece on guitar & vocals, Paul Sato on banjo & vocals, and doghouse bassman Alex Morrison deliver a heapin' helpin' of progressive, traditional, and original bluegrass! They've now added drummer Russ Lundgren to their lineup for selected performances. And while Alex is off digging for artifacts in the South Pacific (he's an archaeologist), Bill Griffin of California's legendary Cache Valley Drifters will take over bass duties. Mmmmm tasty! Check out their blog at www.MySpace.com/SaloonPilots for photos, music, tall tales and more!
Friday, May 16, 8-11:00 PM
Big City Diner Kailua
108 Hekili Street, Kailua
Tel: 263-8880
Third Friday of every month; just like clockwork! Arrive early (for a good table) and stay late (last-set surprises and hijinks!) Last month the Pilots were joined by John Lundgren on sax. Who knows who might show up this month? As always... no cover charge.
Saturday, May 17
Private event
The Saloon Pilots have asked us to remind you that you, too, can hire the band to perform for your private (or public) event. They can perform in several different capacities, ranging from good, clean family fun to loud, low-down, and danceable. They can also provide a professional sound system, and even teach your guests how to squaredance! Contact Paul at paulsato@hotmail.com.
Sunday, May 18, 2:00-2:50 PM
Hawaii Book & Music Festival
Honolulu Hale Main Stage
530 South King Street, Honolulu
The Saloon Pilots are excited about being included in this event, although Paul wants to know if it's okay for him to be there since he can read neither books nor music. This is a great two-day event, and if you can't make it to Bluegrass Hawai`i's jam in Wahiawa on Sunday, come check out the Saloon Pilots! Their set starts at 2:00 PM. Admission: FREE.
ON O`AHU:
BARBARA HIGBIE
Barbara Higbie is a Grammy-nominated composer, pianist, fiddler, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A longtime Windham Hill recording artist, she has played on over 65 recordings, including 3 tunes on the latest Santana CD. She has recorded ten of her own solo and group CDs, and also appears on twelve Windham Hill samplers that have sold in the millions. Barbara has worked and performed with a long list of musicians that includes Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Terry Riley and the Kronos Quartet, Pete Seeger, Amy Ray, David Grisman, Paul Sato, Cris Williamson, Honolulu's own Benny Rietveld (bassist for Santana, Prince and Miles Davis), Laurie Lewis, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Holly Near, Teresa Trull, Triona and Micheal O'Domnhail (founders of the Bothy Band), the Turtle Island String Quartet, and many more.
And lucky us! She is a new resident of Kailua on O`ahu. Welcome, Barbara! She's scheduled to give a couple of performances in the next few weeks... It's as a performer of her own music that Barbara really shines. Come check her out and give her a warm welcome to our musical community! Check out some of her music on YouTube and visit her website at barbarahigbie.com.
Saturday, May 31, 7:30 PM
Wards Rafters
3810 Maunaloa Avenue, Honolulu
Tel: 734-0397
Come see Barbara at the hippest little venue in Kaimuki! She'll be appearing with Louise Taylor and other musical pals, including Kilin Reece and Paul Sato from the Saloon Pilots. Ward's Rafters isn't a club; it's an amazing concert venue in a private home, and it's WONDERFUL! Take the Koko Head Avenue exit off H1 if you're coming from town; turn left onto Pahoa Ave. & right onto 15th. (If you're coming from east of Kahala, get off at Waialae Avenue and turn left on 16th Avenue) 3810 Maunaloa Avenue is on the Kahala side of the Kaimuki hill, mauka of KCC. The place is between 15th & 16th, Kaimuki & Kilauea Avenues. Park on the surrounding streets, wherever you can find a spot. Look for the green "Wards' Rafters" street sign at the edge of the sidewalk; walk down the long driveway and go up the outside stairs. That will take you to the attic! There's no cover; donations are gratefully accepted. Come early to get good seats, bring your favorite wine or beer and a little supper to nosh while you listen.
Saturday, June 14, 8:00 PM
Atherton Performing Arts Studio
738 Kaheka Street, Honolulu
Tel: 955-8821
Tickets: $20 general admission; $17.50 HPR members; $10 students with ID
Barbara will also perform at the lovely, intimate Atherton Performing Arts Studio, the little venue run by Hawai`i Public Radio. This venue has extraordinary acoustics and will be a perfect place to hear Barbara's music! New England singer-songwriter and Signature Sounds recording artist Louise Taylor will open the show.
ON KAUA`I:
THE HAPPY ENCHALATA
The Happy Enchalata Bluegrass Band is always ready for fun and music on the island of Kaua`i! The band plays at various venues around the Garden Island. In May each year, they play at the Banana Poka Festival in Koke'e, and in June at the Taste of Hawaii in Kapaa. They've also played at the Waimea Brewing Company, Tradewinds Lounge in Kapaa, PMRF Shenanigans, and the Waimea Keiki Rodeo. Keep an eye on the Garden Island News for upcoming gigs!
Members of the Happy Enchalata Band are Marty Sheffer (mandolin and vocals), Michael Barretto (guitar, banjo and vocals), Denice Sheffer (vocals and percussion), Bill Dick (fiddle), Amos Merkle (guitar), and Larry Heller (electric bass). Friends of the band include Jimmy "DelaMash" Trujillo (dobro, harmonica), Scot "YA" Kaduce (jaw harp and saw), Stephen "Red Brick" Meredith (washboard, harmonica) and Doug Gates (soundboard and andolin).
Email HappyEnchalata@yahoo.com or visit http://home.hawaii.rr.com/happyenchalata/. They're also on youtube.com; search on "Enchalata" for their tunes!
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
Sunday, May 25, 11:00 AM
Sunday, June 1, 2:30-3:30 PM
Wednesday, June 18, 2:00--10:00 PM
Banana Poka Roundup
Kokee State Park, Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow
Taste of Hawai`i
Smith's Tropical Paradise on the Wailua River
Pickin' In The Park (hosted by the Happy Enchalata)
Salt Pond Main Pavilion
ON MAUI:
RANDALL ROSPOND, TOM CONWAY
AND THE HAIKU HILLBILLYS
Check out these dates for Randall Rospond, Tom Conway, and the Haiku Hillbillys and catch some of the finest acoustic and trad-roots music on Maui!
Recurring Gigs
EVERY FIRST FRIDAY (June 6, July 4, Aug 1, Sept 5, Oct 3, Nov 7) from 9-11 pm
Haiku Hillbillys at Mulligan's on the Blue in Wailea
EVERY TUESDAY (May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17, 24) from 6-8:30 pm
Tom Conway and Randall Rospond at Mulligan's in Wailea
EVERY THURSDAY (May 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12) from 6-9 pm
Haiku Hillbilly Trio (JP, Rand Coon & Randall)
at the HANA HOU Cafe in Haiku Marketplace
EVERY 3rd SATURDAY of the month (May 17, June 21, July 19, Aug 16)
Catch Randall's radio show on Manao Radio from 10 am-2 pm
on 91.5 FM or on the web at www.manaoradio.com
FRIDAY, MAY 23; JUNE 13, JULY 25; AUG 22
Haiku Hillbillys at The Stopwatch in Makawao from 9 pm-1 am
Every 3rd SATURDAY (starting June 21) 7:30-10:30 pm
Haiku Hillbilly Trio (JP, Rand Coon & Randall) at Cafe Marc Aurel, Wailuku
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Sunday, May 11
The Haiku Hillbillys and friends perform from 2-5 pm @ Casanovas, Makawao to raise funds for Manao Radio. Guests will include Dorothy Betts, Les Adam, and Marja Apisaloma.
Saturday, May 24
Tom Conway and Randall Rospond Duo at Giovannis in Ka'anapali from 10:30--12:30 am
The brand-new HAIKU HILLBILLY CD will be released this summer and will contain four new studio recordings, two "live in the studio" cuts engineered by Barry Shannon and Don Lopez, some live recordings from shows at Charley's Saloon in Paia in 2007, and "perhaps a little secret moonshine magic for good measure." Ask Randall about Haiku Hillbilly t-shirts (sizes are limited) and his solo cd recorded at Walter's Becker's upcountry studio! Add yourself to his mailing list by contacting him at liquidrosetoons@yahoo.com.
IMPORTANT: If you've ever placed an ad on our Classifieds page, please click here to see if your ad is still running. If your ad is obsolete, contact caroline@bluegrasshawaii.com and ask us to delete it! Thanks for helping us keep this page up-to-date!
NEW WEEKLY JAM IN WAIKIKI
If you're looking for a weekly jam, and you're a confident picker, here's a group for YOU! Advertised as a session for advanced players, this group meets every Wednesday from 2:30-4:30 PM in the Big Room at the Waikiki Community Center, 310 Paoakalani. Participation costs $1 for members, $3 for non-members, and the jam's done Hawaiian-style, "in the round". Plenty of good fun, and you'll likely see some familiar faces from our Pickin' In The Park jams! Y'all come...
INSTRUMENT REPAIR
& REFURBISHING ON O`AHU
If your acoustic guitar, mandolin, or banjo needs repair or refurbishment, you now have the opportunity to take it to a LOCAL instrument repairman! Since he's also a bluegrass/acoustic multi-instrumentalist, he knows firsthand how these instruments are supposed to play and sound.
Kilin Reece (of the Saloon Pilots) is doing instrument repair at Kitakis Stringed Instruments (located in Hawaii Music Supply) at 101 N. Kamehameha Highway in Wahiawa, tel: 622-8000. Kitakis Stringed Instruments provides factory-authorized service for C.F. Martin, Gibson, Taylor, Fender, Ovation, and Takamine instruments. Top-notch repair and refurbishing for your beloved instruments! Visit www.HawaiiMusicSupply.com for more information.
GIVE THE GIFT OF
BLUEGRASS HAWAI`I!
Please visit our
store for your gift needs. T-shirts, sweatshirts, license plate frames, magnets, childrens' t-shirts and hoodies, cap-sleeve and ladies'
shirts, golfers' shirts, messenger bags... we've got it all! You and your pals will be the coolest cats at any pickin' party with great bluegrass 
bling-bling--tee-shirts, sweatshirts, mousepads, coffee mugs, pet shirts, baby bibs, bumperstickers... everything you need! A small portion of each purchase will help Bluegrass Hawai`i with its mission: to grow and promote bluegrass & traditional music in the Aloha State. Shop with confidence
at Café Press!
Join Bluegrass Hawai`i! Would you like to become a part of one of America's newest bluegrass and traditional music associations? It's easy, it's quick, and it's FREE! Click here to sign up today! It's as simple as that! You'll be added to our mailing list--almost 800 people as of March 2008--and you'll receive periodic email messages about upcoming bluegrass and traditional music events in Hawai`i. (By the way, our mailing list is private; we never sell or trade it with anybody!) Y'all come!
GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our friend Mike Kear in Australia has generously provided us
with server space for Bluegrass Hawai`i. Mahalo nui loa, Mike! Mike's Bluegrass Australia pages can be found at http://www.bluegrass.org.au/. His
company, AFP Webworks, handles
web design, hosting, and promotion. Mike hosts this website on his servers
and has provided endless encouragement and support for our adventures. On
behalf of Bluegrass Hawai`i, THANKS, MIKE!
Mike is the host of a wonderful radio show, heard on the
Web by thousands of people all over the world, called Music From Foggy
Hollow. It can be heard at http://www.bluegrasscountry.org/.
He even interviewed Caroline (that's me!) about Bluegrass Hawai`i, way
back in May 2003 when we had our first jam--check it out here.
It is with sadness that we note the passing of Art Todd, irrepressible tenor banjo player and man-about-town, who died on October 10, 2007 at the grand old age of 93. Art came to many of our jams in the early days, and was known for his astonishing ability to play just about anything, even bluegrass! With his late wife, Dotty, Art had two top-ten hits in the U.S. and UK, but with different songs. In 1953, they scored a #1 hit in England with, "Broken Wings." In America, their "Chanson d'Amour" peaked at #6 on Billboard's Top 40 list, remaining on the charts for 11 weeks in 1958. Art and Dottie appeared several times on The Ed Sullivan Show and on The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show, and they also had their own CBS radio show. In their later years, they performed regularly at the Dunes and MGM Grand Hotels in Las Vegas, until their retirement in 1980. Art regularly gave 'ukelele lessons in and around Waikiki, and for many years, he and his buddies Del Courtney and Martin Denny got together for a weekly Wednesday jam session! He was a remarkable musician and he had a great deal of respect for bluegrass music. He will be missed.
Carmencita Cerna, the beloved mother of one of our brightest young stars, mandolinist Chris Cerna, passed away on Tuesday, March 27, 2007, after a brave battle with illness for several months. On behalf of Bluegrass Hawai`i, mahalo to Carmen for her endless friendship and kindness to our community, and especially for producing and raising Chris to be an incredible talent. You will not be forgotten. For those of you who do not know the Cernas... please click here.
Mabel Trent, a dear lady
in faraway Pennsylvania, was tremendously supportive of our efforts to sow
the seeds of bluegrass and traditional music here in Hawai`i. Sadly, Mabel
passed away of a massive heart attack on December 29, 2004. She became a
legend in the worldwide bluegrass community--for her kind heart, her
unique and original crocheted designs, and her deep and abiding love of
music. For a moving tribute to Mabel by DJ Mike Kear, please visit http://atalkingdog.com/. Mahalo and
aloha to you, dear Mabel; may you rest in peace and sweet harmony.
ALOHA 'OE TO OUR FRIEND ART
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CARMENCITA CERNA
MAHALO, MABEL
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED KEEPIN' TRACK: