Premiering this summer - the biggest gathering of Hawaiian falsetto (leo ki’eki’e) artists outside of Hawai’i is coming to Los Angeles!

Showcasing the award-winning talents of Raiatea Helm, Gary Haleamau, Hoku Zuttermeister, Steven Espaniola, Auntie Geri Brigoli and Ryan Souza, all on one stage together, this festival is the first of its kind.

Featuring Raiatea Helm — 2x Grammy Nominee and Na Hoku Hanohano award winner. Supporting artists include Grammy winner Jeff Peterson on guitar, Berklee grad Abe Lagrimas Jr on ‘ukulele and Natusol bassist Taumata Grey.

Plus Hula Performances by Noelani McIntosh & Kaleilehua O Panaewa, Halau Hula Ka Lehua O Ka La’akea, Hawai’i Daughter’s Guild of California & the Kama’aina Glee Club of Orange County.

Tickets on sale NOW at www.AlohaFalsettoFest.com

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Victoria Vox has been crisscrossing the country charming audiences with her original songs played both on acoustic guitar and ukulele. Her previous album, 2006’s Jumping Flea, was ukulele-focused and contained a couple of Hawaiian-flavored tunes, including a sweet cover of Iz’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” mash-up.

Her latest album, Chameleon, is no way, shape, or form even vaguely Hawaiian-sounding, but it is an amazingly good collection of Vox’s songs, driven by a unique combination of her guitar and ukulele playing overlaid on a modern rhythm section. The result is one of the finest CDs I’ve heard this year.

Sample ‘Chameleon’ at iTunes Music Store | Buy CD at CD Baby | Visit Victoria’s MySpace page

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In a recent interview with the Times-Herald Record, rockers Los Lobos revealed they will be releasing an album of Disney cover songs, including “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” from the Walt Disney theme park attraction.

We just finished a children’s record, our last record, for Hollywood (former label), for Disney. We’re finishing it this week, but they haven’t really let us know what their timeline is for releasing it. Maybe by Christmas. It’s us interpreting classic Disney material. We’ve got “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” and “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”

We sort of arrived at the concept and we picked the songs. As I speak to you now, there’s a lot of stuff they haven’t heard yet, so we’ll see how it all flies at the end of the day. We like it. We think it came out pretty good.

The Disney/Los Lobos connection has been going for some time — the group previously covered “I Wan’na Be Like You” from The Jungle Book on the 1988 unofficial Disney remake album, “Stay Awake.” More recently, the group recorded the theme song for the Disney Channel’s animated series, “Handy Manny.”

Read the full article at the Times-Herald Record website

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Jim Beloff of Flea Market Music “rediscovered” a series of jazz/exotica pieces overseen by studio musician/arranger/composer Perry Botkin Sr. during the ’50s and ’60s. All he needed was a band capable of playing the long-forgotten scores. Enter Boston’s WAITIKI, the best modern exotica band working today.

The resulting CD, “Paradise Lost and Found: Songs of Hawaii Old and New” blends these newly-recorded tracks with additional tunes and a host of guest artists, including Abe Lagrimas, Jr., Chris Kamaka, Bruce Belland, Jim & Liz Beloff, and King Kukulele.

$16.95

Listen to mp3 sample of Exotic Adventure | Listen to mp3 sample of The Magic Islands | Buy at Flea Market Music

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Huapala is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Hawaiian music. I’ve used it to find lyrics for hapa haole songs (there’s over 100 on the site), but there are also pages devoted to hula steps, chants, and traditional songs from each of the islands.

Some listings also have information about the composer and a few have the melody available as a MIDI file.

Visit Huapala.org

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I stumbled on the Hawaiian Concert Guide podcast on iTunes a couple of weeks ago and the show has gone from a curosity to part of my daily routine in less than a week.

The show’s genial host, Piko, spins tracks from Hawaiian artists performing in the U.S.: everything from traditional Hawaiian to happa-haole and lots of other great other stuff too. He’s got fantastic taste — I’ve listened to about 10 shows and never fast-forwarded once.

Episode 127, which just came out on Sunday, even features a song from the band I’m in, “Crazed Mugs.” (Shameless plug alert.)

Visit the Hawaiian Concert Guide website | Subscribe to the Hawaiian Concert Guide on iTunes

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In celebration of the ‘ukulele, the Museum, Rubba Slippa Productions, and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival are proud to present a benefit concert by ‘ukulele superstar Jake Shimabukuro followed by a full day of uke-centric music by some of the Bay Area’s best ‘ukulele talent.

Friday, September 7, 2007, 8 pm, Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister Street, San Francisco.

Jake Shimabukuro in Concert. San Francisco ‘Ukulele Festival opening night benefit concert – ‘Ukulele phenom Jake Shimabukuro kicks off the first ever San Francisco ‘Ukulele Festival with a solo concert at Herbst Theater. Tickets $28 and $22 at City Box Office, (415) 392-4400 and online at cityboxoffice.com. Jake’s shows are selling out all over the country and in Japan, so get your tickets early!

Saturday, September 8, 2007, 11 am - 4 pm, Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission between 3rd and 4th Streets, San Francisco.

The San Francisco ‘Ukulele Festival presented in partnership with Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. A fun day of uke-centric music by some of the Bay Area’s best performers. Invited performers: The UFOs, Al Dodge and the Tin Pan Haoles, The Paper Dolls, Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen, Faith Ako, slack-key guitarist Carey Camacho, The Victor Ohana Band, Kimo Hussey and Ho’omalie, Ukulele Ray, The Frisky Frolics and Ka Ehu Kai. Bring lawn chairs and picnics, but no dogs or alcohol please. Free Event!

For more information, visit the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival website

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