11-15-2007, 07:28 AM
Hey, I met Herb Ohta, Jr. and his musical partner Daniel Ho the other evening in San Diego, where they gave an 'ukulele seminar attended by about 30 island music lovers. They were both delightful and I got them to sign my 'ukulele. I tried to get Herb to sign my underwear, but he declined and appeared ready to call security. I had an awkward conversation with him where I shuffled my feet, and asked him, you know, how things were on Oahu. He said "Oahu's fine". I was going to drop Jason Scott Lee's name to kind of break the ice, but, as I have never met Jason Scott Lee, and, at this rate, probably never will, I thought better of it. All I could think of to do was hold out my ukulele. He took it and wrote "Aloha" on it over his name. He gave my ukulele the once over and then handed it back.
Our eyes met. His eyes said, "You 'ukulele groupies are really scary, man"...or maybe they were saying "Where did you get dis hunk of junk 'ukulele...on the internet?" Either way, the moment passed.
We learned how to play "Sanoe" and I got to hear him and Daniel play "Step 2" which you would recognize if you heard, and a few other songs. To me, these two are uke gods and it was annoying to me that when they started playing there was not instant silence from the class room. People just kind of chatted away as if they weren't hearing two masters. The guy behind me actually fingered his uke while they were playing. No manners at all, although, I admit accosting Herb Ohta, Jr., may have been a little forward on my part.
Saw Herb again Sunday night in Carlsbad along with Nathan Aweau, the hunkier half of Hapa with the beautiful voice. It was a chilly, drizzily night. But inside, it was Hawai'i, with Nathan and Herb and a local hula halau (I Ka Wa I Ka Hala). The girls in the halau were stunningly beautiful, including the generously proportioned ones. Every woman is beautiful when doing the hula, I think. You can see their inner beauty. Nathan joked about falling in love with one of them and when told that her husband was a Marine, said "Yeah, but is he Samoan? Cuz, if he's not Samoan, me no afraid of him! (he took that back and made clear he was jesting)."
Herb has swirls of melancholia about him, which leads to some beautiful, wistful sounds that you would never expect out of an 'ukulele. Nathan is a sunny jokester. Go see them if you get the chance. Herb plays at Hy's Steak House in HNL when back on Oahu.....where things are.....fine...just fine.
Question: Does anyone know about any 'ukulele kani ka pila's in Puna (formal or informal). I read in the Herald-Tribune that they have a HUGE ukulele group on the West side, but apparently zippo on the moist, beautiful side of the island.
I noticed one outside the Maku'u Farmer's market (about 5 people). Any others out there, or does anyone else play 'ukulele? I don't want to wait until I come over for good to get my hui together. Mahalo.
Edited by - glen on 11/15/2007 12:24:09
Our eyes met. His eyes said, "You 'ukulele groupies are really scary, man"...or maybe they were saying "Where did you get dis hunk of junk 'ukulele...on the internet?" Either way, the moment passed.
We learned how to play "Sanoe" and I got to hear him and Daniel play "Step 2" which you would recognize if you heard, and a few other songs. To me, these two are uke gods and it was annoying to me that when they started playing there was not instant silence from the class room. People just kind of chatted away as if they weren't hearing two masters. The guy behind me actually fingered his uke while they were playing. No manners at all, although, I admit accosting Herb Ohta, Jr., may have been a little forward on my part.
Saw Herb again Sunday night in Carlsbad along with Nathan Aweau, the hunkier half of Hapa with the beautiful voice. It was a chilly, drizzily night. But inside, it was Hawai'i, with Nathan and Herb and a local hula halau (I Ka Wa I Ka Hala). The girls in the halau were stunningly beautiful, including the generously proportioned ones. Every woman is beautiful when doing the hula, I think. You can see their inner beauty. Nathan joked about falling in love with one of them and when told that her husband was a Marine, said "Yeah, but is he Samoan? Cuz, if he's not Samoan, me no afraid of him! (he took that back and made clear he was jesting)."
Herb has swirls of melancholia about him, which leads to some beautiful, wistful sounds that you would never expect out of an 'ukulele. Nathan is a sunny jokester. Go see them if you get the chance. Herb plays at Hy's Steak House in HNL when back on Oahu.....where things are.....fine...just fine.
Question: Does anyone know about any 'ukulele kani ka pila's in Puna (formal or informal). I read in the Herald-Tribune that they have a HUGE ukulele group on the West side, but apparently zippo on the moist, beautiful side of the island.
I noticed one outside the Maku'u Farmer's market (about 5 people). Any others out there, or does anyone else play 'ukulele? I don't want to wait until I come over for good to get my hui together. Mahalo.
Edited by - glen on 11/15/2007 12:24:09
