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It’s been two years since Keali’i Reichel staged a Kukahi production on Maui with his halau, and the renowned kumu hula/musician is looking forward to being back in the Castle Theater this weekend.
“We approach Kukahi as a platform for our halau, and we’re excited,” he says. “We have a grand total of 150 dancers. It’s an important event to allow the dancers to experience performance after their training. We took a break (last year) and I wasn’t sure if I was coming back.
“Big productions are a young man’s game. It’s a lot of organization and focus, juggling band and music and choreography and outfits and teaching and staging and lights, all the stuff that goes into creating a production. So I took a break because I had done 18 or 19 in a row. I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back, but a couple of interesting things came up and I decided I think I have a couple more left.”
One of Hawaii’s most popular recording artists, a multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner and kumu of Merrie Monarch Festival winners Halau Ke’alaokamaile, Reichel has dedicated many years to perpetuating Hawaiian culture. And his legendary Kukahi shows, which always sell out, provide a splendid opportunity to view the fruits of his labor.
“We start the training process for the dancers seven or eight months out,” he explains. “When you have that many dancers, you have to plan ahead for purchasing material and making trips to the mountains for the lei materials. It’s like doing Merrie Monarch on steroids. Merrie Monarch is seven minutes, this is a good hour and 45 minutes.”
In terms of music, the show will focus on Reichel’s superb, Grammy-nominated album, “Kawaio-kalena,” with guest artists participating in the two concerts including Kainani Kahaunaele, Kekuhi Kanahele, Ho’omanawanui Apo, and a quartet from Oahu led by Zachary Lum.
Twenty years after releasing his groundbreaking debut album, the acclaimed musician produced “Kawaiokalena,” which swept the 2015 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, winning in eight categories such as Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Hawaiian Music Album, Haku Mele, Song of the Year and Favorite Entertainer.
A homage to his upland Maui home and its transcendent surroundings, the album features chants, Hawaiian songs in the hula tradition, new Hawaiian language compositions and a couple of contemporary covers delivered in his distinctive, unique style.
Back in late 1994, when he released his remarkable debut album, “Kawaipunahele,” Reichel topped the 1995 Hoku Awards, earning Album of the Year, Popular Hawaiian Album, Male Vocalist and Most Promising New Artist. He’s been winning awards ever since.
While he greatly appreciates the recognition, he says he has “a hard time with the attention. I’ve never been comfortable with that. I just want to be side-stage. It’s a night (the Hoku ceremony) that’s always exciting and I look forward to it because we get to see all the other artists. We’re all fans of each other, so we all take selfies and get autographs. We don’t often get to hang as artists, so that’s what I look forward to.”
After Sunday night’s show, Reichel will take a red-eye flight to Los Angeles for the 58th annual Grammy Awards show Monday. He has been nominated in the Regional Roots Music Album category, along with Hawaii’s Natalie Ai Kamauu, New Orleans-based musician Jon Cleary, Cajun/zydeco band the Revelers, and the Native American group Windwalker and the MCW. The winner will be announced around 2:30 p.m. Pacific time that day.
Plus he’s been invited to present awards at the Grammy pre-telecast ceremony.
“I’m presenting seven awards,” he says. “I’m actually more nervous about that than attending. It’s a little intimidating to speak in front of that kind of crowd. The fact that they asked is an honor in itself.”
Later attending the main Grammy show, are there any particular stars he’d like to meet?
“My taste is really eclectic, so Sam Smith, Adele, Pink,” he says. “We get to see all the sparkly stuff on the big stage. That’s really exciting, being able to see people who have had a huge impact. And we get to go to the after-party stuff, too.”
The big news, the most exciting news in his life, is that he will begin creating a new halau center on land donated in Olinda (off Pi’iholo Road), and the Kukahi shows are part of a major fundraising campaign for this new project.
“That’s the catalyst which pushed me toward doing Kukahi again,” he explains. “It’s a venue to raise a little more awareness and raise funds for a permanent halau. It’s been moving forward in the last year. We were given 4 acres of land as a centerpiece of a self-sufficient subdivision. They wanted a cultural component within it. They are trying to create something brand-new and they see the value of having a cultural component in a community. How wonderful would it be if there was a cultural component in every subdivision that comes up on this island; the impact it could have is amazing. Halau tend to be very nomadic. Being nomadic, it’s amazing we can put out as much work as we do. Having an opportunity to set a permanent root down and expand our services to the community can only happen when you have your own place.”
Besides creating a permanent center for the halau, Reichel wants it to serve as a community resource, providing Hawaiian language classes and a Hawaiian chant repository.
“We’re currently data-basing Maui chants, place names, wind, rain, all Maui-based stuff, to make it available for research,” he adds.
An architectural rendering of the proposed halau building will likely be unveiled at the concerts, which will include a major silent auction with proceeds benefiting the building fund.
It’s a dream come true for this celebrated kumu hula who imagined having a center many years ago.
“Every kumu hula dreams of having their own permanent space,” he notes. “Some 20 years ago, I was thinking about it and was in contact with some friends on Hawaii Island who had a wood-milling company. I bought the floor for the halau 20 years ago. It’s been in storage all this time, so now we can bring it out of storage and build the halau around the floor.”
With his energy now devoted to the Pi’iholo center, one wonders if there’s any room in the future for new music. He has previously reported that “Kawaiokalena” was probably his last album.
“It’s the last,” he affirms. “It was a good bookend to that kind of career. I may dabble with other artists here and there. Now I look forward to the next 20 years of doing more cultural grounding in Pi’iholo, and focusing on the students, so that the legacy of the building we create and the things we do will continue long after I’m gone.”
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The Pacific Whale Foundation will present its annual World Whale Day festival Saturday at Kalama Park in Kihei. This major event always includes some great, free entertainment.
This year, the Whale Day concert includes Polynesian dance with Manutea Nui E at 10:15 a.m., Cyril Pahinui at 11 a.m., George Kahumoku Jr. at noon, HAPA at 1 p.m., John Cruz at 2 p.m., Willie K at 3 p.m., Amy Hanaiali’i at 4 p.m. Marty Dread will close the day performing from 5 to 6 p.m.
* For more information, visit www.mauiwhalefestival.org.
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Both Amy Hanaiali’i and Willie K will also perform on Sunday at a special Valentine’s Day brunch at the King Kamehameha Golf Club’s Waikapu Ballroom. Koa and Arlie Asiu will also entertain.
* Cost is $50 per person. For reservations, call 866-5025.
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British reggae legend Maxi Priest will perform at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the MACC’s Yokouchi Pavilion & Courtyard.
His hits include the romantic ballad “Close to You,” a cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” and “Dance Untill the Morning Light” with UB40. Ekolu, Marty Dread and Riddum Station will also perform.
* Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday with a one-day-only special price of $25. After Saturday, tickets are $35 until the day of the show, when prices increase to $45. Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
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Hilo-born musician Mark Yamanaka was greeted with acclaim for his debut solo album, “Lei Pua Kenikeni.” It won him Album Of the Year, Male Vocalist, Song of the Year (for “Kaleoonalani”) and Most Promising Artist at the 2011 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.
Two years later, he released his sophomore CD, “Lei Maile,” to more acclaim, receiving a total of five awards at the 2014 Hokus, including Single of the Year (for “Maui Under Moonlight”) and Male Vocalist of the Year.
He returns to Maui to perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Napili Kai Beach Resort Aloha Pavilion as part of George Kahumoku Jr.’s “Masters of Hawaiian Music” Slack Key Show.
* Tickets range from $37.99 to $95. Call 669-3858.