Willie K Twisted Ukulele

May 23, 2013

For his latest album, "Twisted Ukulele," Willie K did something rather unusual. He traveled to the German city of Berlin and recorded a bunch of tracks accompanied only by one of the project's producers, Hanan Rubinstein, who plays guitar with Alicia Keys.The result is uniquely Willie, a kind of smorgasbord of his extraordinary talent stretched across genres from traditional Hawaiian to rock, pop and blues.In 2009, the charismatic musician toured Germany as a solo artist opening for the UK pop/soul band Simply Red, to tremendous acclaim. Willie was such a hit that the tour's promoters ...

North South East West Festival presents Jaap Blonk

May 16, 2013

Ebb & Flow Arts will present free concerts on Friday and Saturday as part of its North South East West Festival 2013.Friday's concert at the Iao Congregational Church will feature avant-garde Dutch performance artist Jaap Blonk. An acclaimed composer, voice performer and sound poet, Blonk combines the music of poetry, the humor of Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky," and the made-up sounds of jazz scat.Championing sound poetry for more than 30 years, in the late 1970s Blonk took up the saxophone and started to compose music. A few years later he discovered the power and flexibility of his ...

John Mayall Band

May 9, 2013

Celebrating his 80th birthday this year, British blues legend John Mayall still relishes touring and performing the music he has loved ever since he was a kid."Blues has always kept me going well," says Mayall. "It's definitely stimulating, a very alive music. My music is very honest and people recognize that as well as it being exciting and stimulating. As long as you've got good health and energy it keeps you going."Acclaimed as the godfather of Britain's blues-rock movement, in his early days Mayall fronted an amazing array of talent including Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, who went on ...

The heat is on!

May 2, 2013

We can thank Linda Ronstadt for helping form the Eagles. The seeds for the legendary band were first planted when Ronstadt recruited session musicians Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and Don Henley to back her on tour."We would all sit around motel rooms together, and they'd be working out harmonies," Ronstadt recalled in an interview. "They were so good. I knew the Eagles were going to make it."Decades later it was Ronstadt again who inspired Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey to record his latest solo album, "After Hours.""Linda made some records with Nelson Riddle (starting with ...

Maui Classic Music Festival

April 25, 2013

The annual Maui Classical Music Festival returns to our island on May 3 at Makawao Union Church with an opening concert that features the acclaimed Ying Quartet. More concerts will be presented at historic churches in Makena and Hana."Much of the music has never been played at the festival before, including three Hawaii premieres on May 10," says Katherine Collier, festival co-director. "All of the premieres are appealing music, and the entertaining 'Three Rags for String Quartet' was commissioned by the Ying Quartet."The quartet is known for commissioning original works inspired by some ...

Maui sounds off:

April 18, 2013

The fifth annual Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival will be presented Friday through Sunday at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel. Celebrating music created on the Hawaiian steel guitar, the festival features a number of distinguished players including Alan Akaka, Greg Sardinha, Bobby Ingano, Geri Valdriz, Ed Punua, and Ross Ka'a'a in free performances, presentations, workshops and jam sessions.Akaka, in conjunction with his Ke Kula Mele School of Hawaiian Music, is producing the festival, coordinating performances and workshops.The son of retired U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, the acclaimed steel ...