Breaking News

Maui Beat

Lei Day with Robert Cazimero

Acclaimed kumu hula and multi-Na Hoku-winning musician Robert Cazimero recently led his halau Na Kamalei o Lililehua to victory as the overall winner at the 52nd Merrie Monarch Festival."I'm so happy for the guys," says Robert about his halau, which was also declared winner of the Kane Overall and Kane Auana divisions. "We all worked so hard."The last time his halau competed in 2005, they also won the overall title and swept the Kane divisions. Only competing around every 10 years, they won their first Merrie Monarch title in 1976."There was no real significance other than I like the ...

Top names in classical music join Maui festival

The 2015 Maui Classical Music Festival, opening Saturday, will include performances by two members of the world-famous former Tokyo String Quartet.Violinist Martin Beaver and cellist Clive Greensmith will join six other musicians, including a pianist acclaimed for "hypnotically powerful" playing, a virtuoso guitarist and two rising stars on the violin and cello.Leading the festival for the 34th year are violist Yizhak Schotten and his wife, pianist Katherine Collier. Concerts are scheduled for Saturday at the Makawao Union Church; Monday and May 8 at the Keawala'i Congregational Church ...

Listen to the Soothing Steel at Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Some of our best steel guitar players will assemble Friday for the opening of the seventh annual Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel. The musicians include Alan Akaka, Jeff Au Hoy, Japan's Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi, Eddie Palama, Owana Salazar, Greg Sardinha, Ed Punua, Patty Maxine, Ross Ka'a'a, Joel Katz, Geri Valdriz and Bobby Ingano.A protege of legendary Sons of Hawaii steel guitarist David "Feet" Rogers, Ingano has performed and recorded with many of Hawaii's leading musicians, including the Brothers Cazimero, Amy Hanaiali'i, Willie K, Jake Shimabukuro, ...

Singing with soul

We were talking last week before the opening of the Merrie Monarch Festival and Paula Fuga was excited. The popular Na Hoku-winning musician had decided to attend the annual hula celebration for the first time as a spectator, before she got the news she would actually perform at the prestigious event, which wrapped up Saturday."This is my first time attending as someone who is a fan of music and dance and art and culture," Fuga explains. "I've watched it my whole life on TV, but I never had a reason to go, and this time I said I've just got to go. I booked my flight in January, then ...

Take a trip around the world with Pink Martini

Pink Martini's founder, Thomas Lauderdale, has often described his Oregon-based group as resembling the United Nations having a house band in 1962. Their sumptuous recordings are typically sprinkled with retro songs from many cultures, and their latest, "Dream a Little Dream," is no exception.With tunes from nations as diverse as China and Germany and Rwanda and Sweden, the album features something even more special - a collaboration with Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August von Trapp, the great-grandchildren of Capt. Georg and Maria von Trapp, made famous by the 1965 film "The Sound of ...

Trombone Shorty

'New Orleans' brightest new star' to play the MACCant to know how great New Orleans musician Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews is? Look at who he's played with in the last few years.Eric Clapton wanted him for his 2010 album, "Clapton," Jeff Beck invited him to play on a tribute to guitar legend Les Paul, and Rod Stewart needed a little New Orleans spice on his "Merry Christmas Baby" CD.Andrews' recent credits also range from Lenny Kravitz's "Black and White America" and Zac Brown's "Uncaged," to hot producer Mark Ronson's "Uptown Special," She & Him's "Classics," the Foo Fighters' ...