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Since debuting their historic collaboration as the Rough Riders last January at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Hawaiian legends Henry Kapono, Brother Noland and John Cruz have toured the islands and the West Coast, recorded a six-song EP and been invited to contribute to the soundtrack of a forthcoming comedy feature, “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.”
Adopting their name from legendary Hawaiian paniolos Ikua Purdy, Archie Ka’aua and Jack Low, who traveled to the World Rodeo Championship in Wyoming in 1908, the Rough Riders have been enjoying pooling their collective talents.
“The MACC was our first gig,” Kapono notes. “It’s grown really fast, constantly moving and evolving. It’s been a big learning curve for all of us, but when we’re on stage we have this real natural thing about having fun. Now we’re at the point where we want to do an album.”
In the interim, they released a limited edition EP, “We Ride,” to market on tour. It features new versions of Liko Martin’s classic “Waimanalo Blues” and an inspired interpretation of the traditional song “Kilakila Na Roughrider,” about the exploits of the three Hawaiian paniolos in 1908, when Purdy was named world champion and Ka’aua placed third.
The individual musicians each contributed a new track, with the originals including the western-themed instrumental “Cassandra,” the ballads “Nana” and “El Dorado,” which reflect a Crosby, Stills & Nash harmony influence, and the ’50s rock ‘n’ roll-flavored tune “I Love My Baby.”
“We tried to write together, but we just didn’t have time, so we each wrote a song,” Kapono explains. “It’s hard to just have one or two days together to sit down and write, but we have scheduled a couple of days in January. We need to take our time to do the best work we can. We really want to write songs together and have something spectacular come out of it.”
A Grammy-nominated artist, Kapono is acclaimed for both his work with C&K, producing hits like “Friends,” “Sailing” and “Highway in the Sun,” and as a solo artist with a number of Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning albums.
A multi-Hoku Award winner, Noland, who’s last name is Conjugacion, pioneered Jawaiian music and is best-known for local classics like “Coconut Girl,” “Are You Native” and “Pua Lane.” And Cruz is a Grammy Award-winning artist responsible for such hits as “Island Style,” “Shine On” and “Sitting in Limbo.”
In July, the Rough Riders will be heard in the comedy “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” starring Zac Effron and Adam DeVine, which was filmed in Hawaii.
“We recorded four songs and we’re also in the movie,” Kapono reports. “We played a couple of Don Ho songs like ‘Suck ‘Em Up.’ We were fortunate to just get together and something like this happened.”
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The Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa was rocking big time on New Year’s Eve as a host of famous full-time and part-time Maui residents celebrated the dawn of 2016.
Besides performing some of their best-known songs, the celebrated ensemble featured some choice covers. They included Steven Tyler and Bob Rock with the Rolling Stones’ “Happy,” Alice Cooper and his ace band roaring through the Doors’ “Break on Through” and the Beatles’ “Revolution,” and the Doobie Brothers’ Michael McDonald and Pat Simmons on Buddy Miles’ “Them Changes.”
A benefit for the Maui Food Bank and the MACC, the event also included highlights such as Tyler singing his new country song, “Love is Your Name,” with Willie K and Lily Meola, and Sammy Hagar teaming with Willie on his tropical holiday tune “Santa’s Going South.”
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Spread over two nights, the fourth annual Uncle Willie K’s BBQ Bluesfest at the King Kamehameha Golf Club’s Waikapu Ballroom will feature headliners Samantha Fish on Friday and Taj Mahal on Saturday, with Michael McDonald sitting in Friday night and Steven Tyler appearing Saturday.
One of the most prominent and influential figures in late-20th-century blues and roots music, Mahal has in the last couple of years applied his magic gumbo to a spectrum of recordings. The two-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, film composer and multi-instrumentalist has sung with Van Morrison on “Duets: Re-working the Catalogue,” joined Eric Clapton on “Old Sock,” teamed with gospel greats the Blind Boys of Alabama for “Talking Christmas” and sung with reggae legend Toots Hibbert on “Playing For Change 3: Songs Around The World.”
“When I was a kid, older musicians taught me, don’t get stuck in one kind of music, learn to play as much music as you can learn,” Mahal reports. “So I always had my ears open and I have a different approach to listening to music. I get to be totally creative.”
Since the mid-1960s, this consummate musician has drawn from a vast palette, forming authentic, rootsy compositions that, while remaining true to tradition, manage to sound uniquely his own.
In October, he released the double CD “Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues Band: Live From Kauai,” which features classics like “Coconut Man,” “Corinna” and “Fishing Blues.” The expanded Hula Blues band included Willie K on ukulele, steel guitarist Bobby Ingano and 12-string guitarist Mike Kaawa.
Spreading joy wherever he travels, Mahal’s exuberance on stage never fails to captivate.
“I’m just in it for the long haul,” he says. “I’ve always been that way. It’s not like I made a bunch of records and there were 40 years where I didn’t do anything. I’m always playing music and trying to improve. I like playing it and singing it, and showing people you can either go by the status quo or you can get busy.”
On Friday night, the festival will feature rising blues star Fish. This young musician has released two CDs, played all over the world and shared the stage with celebrated artists like Buddy Guy and Johnny Lang.
“Fish has built an international reputation as a powerhouse blues-rock musician with an enormous voice and tremendous skill as a guitarist,” praised the Kansas City Star. “She combines the artful sensitivity of Bonnie Raitt and the effortless swagger of the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards.”
In a Blues Blast interview, Fish recalled, “When I heard Stevie Ray Vaughan I said I wanna do that. One time I was stuck in Florida in a hotel for two weeks, all I had was a DVD of Stevie Ray on Austin City Limits, so I watched it over and over. Stevie Ray was like a gateway drug.”
“Her latest studio release, “Wild Heart,” features Luther Dickinson (the North Mississippi Allstars/Black Crowes) on various stringed instruments, and Grammy Award-winning drummer Brady Blade (Emmylou Harris/Bob Dylan).
A PopMatters review noted: “One would hope a performer as charismatic and talented as Fish could find a big enough audience to release her latest gutbucket of earthiness.”
Friday night’s event also includes hot blues rockers the Billy Walton Band from New Jersey. They describe their sound as a combination of hard blues reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, Clapton and Vaughn mixed with a healthy dose of Warren Hayes and Derrick Trucks.
Also on the fest bill, the Deborah Vial Band will play Saturday, while Willie K & the Warehouse Blues Band will close the show on both nights.
* The fourth annual Uncle Willie K’s BBQ Bluesfest will be held Friday and Saturday at at the King Kamehameha Golf Club’s Waikapu Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. General admission tickets are $45 for one day or $80 for both days. Tickets for children 5 to 11 years old are $10 per day. Various VIP tickets are available starting at $100. For more information, call (808) 866-0668 or visit www.williekbluesfest.com.
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Grammy-winning saxophonist Charles Neville will perform with the New England Neville Brothers and bassist Hutch Hutchinson at Charley’s Restaurant & Saloon in Paia, with a jazz show tonight and a funk dance party on Saturday.
A member of the acclaimed New Orleans’ band the Neville Brothers, Neville’s career began in the 1950s backing rhythm-and-blues greats like Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, B.B. King, Bobby Bland and Ray Charles.
Over the years, he has performed with many other notable musicians including James Brown, Santana, the Grateful Dead and the Stones’ Keith Richards.
His most recent album, “Safe in Buddha’s Palm,” included covers of standards like “‘Round Midnight” and “Stella by Starlight.”
* Tonight’s show at 8 will feature cabaret seating. Tickets are $25 and are available at www.charlesatcharleys.eventbrite.com. Saturday’s party will begin at 9 p.m., and tickets are $15.