Trending
Primarily known in the islands for its unique, mesmerizing sound in Hawaiian music, the steel guitar is rarely heard in jazz. Loving both Hawaiian and jazz, Maui musician Joel Katz has been bridging these two genres with the albums “Hawaiian to Jazz” and “Adventures in Hawaiian Steel Guitar,” his latest impressive work.
The new CD just made the 2015 Na Hoku Awards preliminary ballot for Best Jazz Album of the Year. The final nominations will be announced Wednesday.
“I was drawn to the steel guitar by its versatility in articulation, pitch and tonal color, second only to the human voice,” Katz enthuses.
Around 25 years ago, he studied briefly with Hawaiian steel guitar legend Henry Allen.
“Then I pretty much dropped it for 20 years,” he says. “I wasn’t very good, but I have a studio and would sometimes break it out on somebody’s recording.”
Known as the keyboardist for two decades with Jimmy Mac and the Kool Kats, Katz would occasionally be asked to play weddings. One day, there was a request for the classic steel guitar song “Sleep Walk” by Santo & Johnny.
“After that, I decided I wanted to start working on steel guitar,” he continues. “I wanted to do some solo work and I was enjoying playing the steel guitar. People really liked it and I started to see the potential. Playing the steel guitar is like meditating, it takes a concentration and focus that’s really different from playing guitar or keyboards. I kept doing it and it caught on.”
Two years ago, he released his debut CD, “Hawaiian to Jazz,” which was nominated for a Na Hoku for Instrumental Album of the Year. On the album, he covered a range of music from traditional Hawaiian classics like “Akaka Falls” to pop tunes (including “Sleep Walk” and the Beatle’s “In My Life”) and Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Porkpie Hat.”
Besides his impressive steel guitar playing on his follow-up “Adventures in Hawaiian Steel Guitar,” Katz makes the album remarkable by serving as a virtual one-man band. Take the debut track, where he interprets Roberta Flack’s hit “Feel Like Makin’ Love” with an infectious jazz groove, adding regular electric guitar, bass and drums. In all, he distinguishes himself on at least seven instruments, including dobro, ukulele and trumpet.
“I played pretty much everything,” he notes. “The CD is a little different in terms of the music and style that people tend to associate with the instrument. I’ve put this Hawaiian style in a smooth jazz setting. The instrument is capable of so much, it’s almost like a horn section the way it sustains notes. I really wanted an acoustic bass on it, so Danny M plays on a few songs, and there are horn parts, too.”
The funky, bluesy original “Canopus,” which you could easily imagine Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen singing lyrics to, features Patrick Dieter and Tom Allsage on sax, and Henry Arroyo and Fred Boyd on trombone. Gail Swanson pops up on flute on the track “Flossie,” joined by Sue Seymour Westcott on fiddle.
On the original “About Last Night,” which highlights Katz’s dobro playing, you can hear echoes of George Harrison’s guitar style. “That song just has dobro and bass and a little bit of a Wurlitzer piano,” he says.
Another cool track, “Spooked Uke,” features him on bass, ukulele and steel. “You put this groove to it and play the instruments a little differently, and it goes into a whole new zone,” he explains.
Among the covers, the Beatles’ ballad “Fool on the Hill” from “Magical Mystery Tour” perfectly fits a steel guitar arrangement. It’s his favorite song on the CD. And steel’s a natural on the Texas swing classic “Blues for Dixie.”
Katz also decided to include Willie Nelson’s hit “Crazy,” though he found it a little challenging to play.
“It’s not a simple song,” he notes. “Willie Nelson is really an amazing songwriter and jazz player. It was tricky and challenging.”
Aside from releasing albums and playing live, Katz pursues his passion for Hawaiian steel guitar teaching at University of Hawaii Maui College. His courses include guitar, ukulele, recording and audio technology.
“It’s a tradition that’s dying, and in my effort to perpetuate the almost lost art of steel guitar, I offer a course at our music department,” he says. “I have a great respect for Hawaiian steel guitar players. It’s really a difficult instrument.”
*****
Super exciting that Chaka Khan will play Castle Theater at Maui Arts & Cultural Center on May 8. Famous for hits like “I Feel for You,” “I’m Every Woman,” “Ain’t Nobody,” and “What Cha’ Gonna Do for Me,” in recent years, this Queen of Funk has collaborated with a range of artists including Prince, Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.
Khan has been working on a series of new albums, titled “The iKhan Project,” which will include music in eight genres from R&B, jazz, pop and rock, to gospel, country, classical and dance music, along with a tribute work to Joni Mitchell.
* Tickets, which range from $35 to $125 (plus applicable fees) go on sale to the general public Saturday and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
*****
The award-winning husband-and-wife duo Kupaoa will play McCoy Studio Theater at the MACC at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Comprising Kellen Paik and Lihau Hannahs Paik, Kupaoa won Na Hoku awards in 2009 for Most Promising Artist and the Haku Mele Award for the song “Uluwehikalunaoka’ala,” from their debut album, “Pili O Ke Ao McCoy.”
Building on the artistic and popular success of their debut album, their second recording, “English Rose,” received seven Hoku nominations in 2011.
Their latest album, “Bumbye,” earned them more awards in 2014 including Island Music Album of the Year and Haku Mele. It featured mostly originals (including collaborations with Puakea Nogelmeier) and a few covers like Dennis Kamakahi’s “Sweet By and By,” Jon Osorio’s “Hawaiian Soul” and an island-flavored version of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”
* Tickets are $30 (plus applicable fees) and are available through the MACC.
*****
The Rotary Club of Lahaina will hold a special “Ho’olohe Keia Ke’aloha” scholarship concert at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Napili Kai Beach Resort’s Aloha Pavilion.
The concert features George Kahumoku Jr., Richard Ho’opi’i, Uluwehi Guerrero, Ron Kuala’au, Kevin Brown, Peter deAquino, Wainani Kealoha, Sterling Seaton and the children of the Napili Kai Foundation.
Proceeds will benefit scholarships for students of Lahainaluna High School, Lanai High School, Maui Preparatory Academy and Molokai High School.
* Tickets are $75, and are available from Zensations Spa, Maui Food Style and MSI Maui, all in Lahaina. Call 298-3953 for more information.
*****
The Maui Pops Orchestra, in partnership with the Maui Academy of Performing Arts, presents a “Maui Pops Goes to the Ballet” concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in Castle Theater at the MACC.
This concert will be the first all-classical concert in the 10-year history of Maui Pops. The first half will include Verdi’s “Overture to La Forza del Destino,” the first movement of Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 4 (Italian),” and two movements from the “Firebird Suite” by Stravinsky. After intermission, selected scenes from the ballet “Coppelia” by Leo Delibes will be presented.
At the concert, King Kekaulike High School senior Kisa Uradomo will receive a $2,000 scholarship toward her future academic goals. She is the winner of the Pops’ 2015 Auriol Flavell Student Scholarship for Young Musicians.
* Tickets are $15, $30, $40 and $50 (half-price for students 18 and younger for $30 to $50 seats) and are available through the MACC.
*****
The second annual “Beatles Sing Along” at Mulligans On the Blue in Wailea at 7 p.m. Saturday invites Beatles fans to sing favorites like “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “I Feel Fine,” “All You Need is Love” and “A Little Help from My Friends.”
Musicians participating include Louise Lambert, Steve Craig and the House Shakers, featuring Kenny Geiser, Lenny Castellanos and Paul Marchetti.
Craig is known for his impersonation of John Lennon, having performed as the legendary Beatle in the “BeatleShow!” and “Fab Four Live” at the Planet Hollywood Resort Casino in Las Vegas.
* Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance, available at Lahaina Music, Bounty Music in Kahului, Mandala in Paia, and Awakening in Paradise in Kihei. There will be prizes for best Beatles or ’60s costumes.