Hawaii Resort

Hilton Hawaii and welcome to Hilton Hawaii, where your perfect vacation awaits you. The Villages of Hilton Resorts Hawaii are crown jewels among destination resorts, presiding over tropical islands that are among the best in the world. Whether you choose Hilton Hawaiian Village® Beach Resort & Spa on Waikiki beach or Hilton Waikoloa Village® on Hawaii’s Big Island, you’ll find a complete resort, from the postcard oceanfront view to a world-class spa and the impeccable service that is a hallmark of the Hilton experience. The Doubletree Alana Hotel-Waikiki offers tremendous value in an intimate setting and is a short walk away from Hilton Hawaiian Village where you’ll enjoy not only the best beach, but all the fun and excitement Waikiki has to offer. The Hilton Grand Vacations Club offers you a world of elegantly appointed suites in exciting locations such as Waikiki, Oahu and Waikoloa on Hawaii's Big Island. The oceanfront suites of Lagoon Tower and the stylish suites of Kalia Tower® provide the ultimate settings for memorable Hawaiian vacations. If you’re thinking Hawaii, think Hilton and Doubletree. BUILD YOUR OWN PACKAGE Book hotel+air+car packages and tours all in one. Select One... Hilton Hawaiian Village Hilton Waikoloa Village Doubletree Alana Hotel Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa Waikiki, Oahu Hilton Waikoloa Village Hawaii’s Big Island Hilton Grand Vacations Club Waikiki, Oahu Hawaii's Big Island Doubletree Alana Hotel Waikiki, Oahu

Hawaii Rental

..VRBO is Vacation Rentals by Owner Vacation Homes Rentals by Owner Millions of visitors here each month... List your Vacation Rental Home here! Beautiful USVI - US Virgin Islands Vacation Rentals 48,000 Vacation Rentals - Rental Homes by Owner Search by VRBO# City Search Enter complete or partial city name Text Search Yachts/Cruises Worldwide USA Vacation Rentals Canada Rentals Mexico Rentals Caribbean Rentals Europe Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic England Denmark France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Macedonia Malta Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Scotland Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Africa Morocco Seychelles South Africa Central America Belize Costa Rica Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama South America Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Peru Uruguay Venezuela Asia China Cyprus Hong Kong India Indonesia Israel Japan Malaysia Mauritius Philippines Sri Lanka Thailand Turkey South Pacific Australia Fiji French Polynesia New Zealand Caribbean Yachts & Cruises Anguilla Antigua Aruba Bahamas Barbados Bay Islands Belize Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands BVI Cayman Islands Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Guadeloupe Isla de Margarita Jamaica Martinique Puerto Rico Roatan Saba Saint Martin (St Maarten) St. Barthelemy St. Eustatius St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent & the Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos US Virgin Islands USVI France vacation rentals Aspen vacation rentals Breckenridge vacation rentals Cabo San Lucas vacation rentals USVI US Virgin Islands Vacation Rentals Kauai vaction rentals Maui Vacation rentals California vacation rentals Florida Keys vacation rentals & homes Destin vacation rentals Orlando vacation rentals & condos Lake Tahoe vacation rentals Disney vacation Cabin rentals & Beach rentals Hilton Head rentals Vacation Rentals Hawaii all located on this huge site... Please read the DISCLAIMER before continuing... Join us... | Members Area | Testimonials | Advantages | Want Ads | Links | Blog | Contacts | Adventures of the VRBO Bear... | Ctrl D to Bookmark USA Vacation Rentals - Carpe Vacationum "Seize the Vacation" Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Northern CA Lake Tahoe Central CA Southern CA Colorado Cities A-B Cities C-F Cities G-S Cities T-Z Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Destin Area Panama City Beach South Walton Rest of Panhandle Disney / Orlando Florida East Coast Upper Gulf Coast Central Gulf Coast South Gulf Coast Florida Keys Georgia Hawaii Big Island Kauai Lanai Maui Molokai Oahu Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Hilton Head Myrtle Beach Rest of S. Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Save us in your bookmarks ( press Ctrl-D ) . Plan your next dream vacation right here. More Vacation Rentals in popular locations like these: Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals - Breckenridge, Colorado Vacation Rentals - Paris, France Rentals - Puerto Vallarta area, Mexico - Florida Rentals: Clermont , Davenport , Destin , Kissimmee vacation Rentals , Seagrove Beach - Kaanapali, Maui Vacation Rentals Family Reunion or Large Group? Check out these Vacation Rentals Around the World that sleep 14 18 22 26 30+ guests Do you own a Vacation Rental Property? Join the group and advertise your rental to millions of visitors to this site each month. People are talking about us... see what our members have to say. We have many fine privately owned vacation rental homes available. Read about the advantages of private vacation home rental. We're the LARGEST and most FRIENDLY vacation rental site specializing in PRIVATE HOMES and BY OWNER vacation rentals. You will find tens of thousands of BY OWNER vacation rental properties listed here PLUS fine private homes, condos and apartments offered thru rental agencies and management companies. Please read the DISCLAIMER before continuing... Join us... | Members Area | Testimonials | Advantages | Want Ads | Links | Blog | Contacts | Adventures of the VRBO Bear... Ctrl D to Bookmark | visit Hotspot for Vacation Rental Sales Tax Compliance VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® - The largest and most popular vacation rental site. Specializing in BY OWNER vacation rentals, homes, condos, cabins, villas and apartments. ALSO privately owned properties offered thru rental agencies and management companies. To report any problems with this site, please contact webmaster@vrbo.com URL: http://www.vrbo.com/Default.htm ©1995-2005 by VRBO.COM LLC, 2005 by VRBO International LLC and 2005-2006 by Camelot Trust - all rights reserved "VRBO", "Vacation Rentals by Owner", & "Carpe Vacationum-'Seize the Vacation'" Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off

Hawaiian shirts, and aloha

Google Directory - Shopping > Clothing > Ethnic and Regional > North American > Hawaiian Directory Help Search only in Hawaiian Search the Web Hawaiian Shopping > Clothing > Ethnic and Regional > North American > Hawaiian Go to Directory Home Categories T-Shirts (6) Related Categories: Regional > North America > United States > Hawaii > Business and Economy > Shopping > Clothing (9) Shopping > Ethnic and Regional > North American > Hawaiian (32) Web Pages Viewing in Google PageRank order View in alphabetical order Hilo Hattie - http://www.hilohattie.com/ Aloha shirts and resort wear. Beanteacher Hawaiian Style - http://www.beanteacher.com Offers traditional and Aloha print shirts, plus bowling shirts with a tropical design. All items priced in $US and most available in extra large sizes. Paradise on a Hanger - http://www.hotshirts.com/ Hawaiian shirts, and aloha gifts, for men and ladies. Jams World Asia - http://www.jamsworldasia.com Island style apparel in unique print collections. Attire for men, women and children. Royal Hawaiian Creations - http://www.gorhc.com/ Large selection of Hawaiian print clothing available wholesale and retail. Island Shirts - http://www.IslandShirts.com/ Hand-made, one of a kind Aloha shirts. Each is made to order from a wide variety of fabrics. Kismet Hawaii - http://www.kismethawaii.com Offers exclusively designed sarongs and swimwear. Aloha Shirt Shop - http://www.alohashirtshop.com/ Shirts, ties, hats, bedding, and hut decor. High Seas Trading - http://www.highseastrading.com/ Hawaiian shirts, hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts and shorts. Afa Tasi Polynesian Tribal Gear - http://www.afatasi.com Beachwear, surfwear, island apparel and authentic Pacific clothing. Alohaland - http://www.alohaland.com/ Hawaiian shirts in contemporary tropical fabric prints. Aloha Hawaiian Shirts - http://alohahawaiianshirts.com/ Anthentic shirts made of 100% rayon,100% cotton or poly/cotton, made in Hawaii. Moonbow Tropics - http://www.moonbowtropics.com Aloha shirts and Tommy Bahama stylish leisure wear. AlohaFunWear.com - http://www.alohafunwear.com Specializes in Hawaiian shirts, dresses and accessories. Hawaiian Shirts Online, L.L.C - http://www.hawaiianshirtsonline.com/ Offers a wide variety of designs, including sport and vintage, for men and women. Hawaiihemden.com - http://www.hawaiihemden.com Offers original Aloha shirts made in Hawaii for the European and German market. Also offers shell leis and kukui nut leis from the South Pacific. MauiShirts.com - http://www.mauishirts.com/ Offers a full collection of tropical cotton and rayon Hawaiian made shirts for men; and blouses, dresses, sarongs and capris for women. Big Kahuna - http://www.aloha-bigkahuna.com/ Selection of name brand Hawaiian shirts. Same day shipping. Hawaiian-Shirt.net - http://www.hawaiian-shirt.net Discount hawaiian shirts, new and vintage, for men, women and children. Hawaii Clothing Company - http://www.hawaiiclothingcompany.com offers Hawaiian wear. Hurricane Pass - http://www.hurricanepass.com/ Tropical Hawaiian-style clothing for men and women. Aloha Shirts - http://www.alohashirts.net/ Hawaiian Aloha Shirts. Karmakula Hawaiian Shirts - http://www.karmakula.co.uk/ Offers Hawaiian and tropical printed shirts. PainaGirl.com - http://painagirl.com Hawaiian dresses and matching shirts for women and girls. Poi Pounder Shirts - http://poipoundershirts.com Hawaiian, aquatic, floral and humorous designs for men, women and children. Lavahut - http://www.lavahut.com/ Hawaiian shirts, dresses, casual Aloha clothing and gifts all made in Hawaii. Aloha Apparel - http://store.yahoo.com/accredited/ Offering Hawaiian apparel and gifts from the islands including a selection of shirts and car seat covers, prints, and sandals. Royal Hawaiian Creations - http://www.firsthawaiimall.com Offers souvenirs, hula items, and clothing. Kilauea Clothing Company - http://www.kilaueaclothing.com Aloha shirts made in Hawaii for men and women. Shaka Time Hawaiian Aloha Fashions - http://www.shakatime.com Sells authentic Hawaiian shirts for men, women and children, featuring Hawaiian dresses and kids Aloha wear on cotton, rayon and poly cotton fabrics. Big and tall sizes from 4XL to 8XL plus. Jade Fashions - http://www.jadefashion.com Wholesale and retail Hawaiian wear, including aloha shirts, dresses, and children wear. Paradise Bound - http://www.luautime.com/ Offers a large selection of men's Hawaiian shirts in sizes up to 4XL, and matching sets for the family. Koko Island - http://www.kokoisland.net/ Jimmy Buffett inspired clothing, unique confined hawaiian and tropical prints, embroidery shirts, beach sandals, hats, visors and casual shorts. Private label prints and programs available. Banana Jack - http://bananajack.com Hawaiian aloha shirts and dresses. Islandium.com - http://store.yahoo.com/islandium/ Offering Hawaiian apparel, accessories and jewelry for men and women. Crafts Hawaii - http://www.craftshawaii.com/ Hand carved vintage style wooden slides, mules and shoes. Hula Girl Hawaiian Shirts - http://www.hawaiianshirts.net/ Made in Hawaii. Aloha Express - http://AlohaExpress.com Offers authentic Hawaiian Aloha shirts and gifts direct from Hawaii. Hawaiian Wearable Art - http://hawaiianwearableart.com Offering tropical Sarongs and Pareaus made from light-weight cotton, individually hand-dyed in tropical colors. Blue Hawaii Online - http://bluehawaiionline.com/ Offers Aloha shirts and custom corporate shirts, as well as women's and children's wear. Pineapple Club - http://www.pineappleclub.com/ Offers a range of bright and colorful, 100% cotton Hawaiian shirts and Hawaiian dresses made in Hawaii. Sullivan's Shirts - http://sullivanshirts.com/ Unisex tropical wear - unique shirts, shorts and skirts with a tropical flair. Created with peachskin, the feel of silk, the wearability of polyester. Hawaii Gifts Online - http://hawaiigiftsonline.com Offering shirts by Paradise Found and Diamond Head. Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web. Submit a Site - Open Directory Project - Become an Editor Modified by Google - ©2005 Google Advertise with Us - Jobs, Press, Cool Stuff...

Hawaii Resort at Waikiki

Latest reviews of The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki, Honolulu, HI Primary Navigation Overview | Hotels | Things to do | Restaurants | Map | Flights | Cars | Deals | FareChase Honolulu, HI: Search Travel Travel > United States > Hawaii > Oahu > Honolulu > Hotels > The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki > Read Reviews Email this page Print The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki, Honolulu, HI - Yahoo! User Ratings & Reviews Back to The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki, Honolulu, HI main page SPONSOR LINKS Matching hotel deals: Honolulu Hotels The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki : Save up to 50% on Hotels Expedia, Inc. Photos, rates, virtual tours. Find the hotels you want. View more hotel deals for Honolulu Yahoo! User Rating: Overall Service Cleanliness Location Value 1 Star 5 Stars Write a Review Read these reviews when and how you want them: SORT BY: Most Recent | Positive | Negative | Most Helpful 13 of15 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: For the Price, you can't beat it! by A Yahoo! Traveler 10/03/04 Overall: Only 100yds from Waikiki Beach 1-2 bedroom suites some with full kitchens Hot-tub and pool on the 27th floor (saw whales on my last visit) You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 10 of11 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: Location Location Location by Todd Crosby from Seattle 12/01/04 Overall: The best hotel in Waikiki for the price. It is priced like hotels on the canal but it is 1/2 block off the most prime spot on Waikiki beach, 1 block from the Royal Hawaiian. Everything is walking distance, shopping, best restaraunts, etc. But shhhh. It's also the best kept secret. You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 6 of6 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: The best family hotel.... by EC from San Jose 02/14/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value Our family of four stayed in a two bedroom, two bath suite and it was GREAT! The suite was very clean and very spacious. We liked the two minute walk to the beach and the awesome valet parking. The full kitchen is perfect for making breakfast, preparing lunch for the beach or just making a fresh pot of coffee. The staff was very nice and I highly recommend this resort/hotel for families. You have found this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 6 of7 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: Good Location/Value by brendajoanneknowles from Vancouver, BC, Canada 04/24/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value PROS: has pool, close to the beach, restaurants, shopping CONS: jazz cellar noise at night, view of ocean limited We have stayed at the Imperial many times and is great value. The pool is wonderful for laps or playing and there is a secluded hot tub. On the bottom floor, there is a ABC store that carries everything you need or forgot to bring. Very close to lots of restaurants and lovely walks along the beach or around shopping areas. Across from beach hotels, easy access to beaches. Owners lounge has internet access, big screen television, pool table, fitness room for ladies and men, etc. You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 6 of7 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: We are heading back next week! by A Yahoo! User from Las Vegas, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee 02/27/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value PROS: Within walking distance to everything in Waikiki CONS: Can't see ocean very well out the windows. We have stayed at this same place 4 times in the last 15 years and are headed back again next week. We love it. The pool on the top of the hotel is wonderful if you don't want to fight the sand, but you are only across the street and between the large beachfront hotels from Waikiki Beach. Great location for walking to anywhere downtown Waikiki and the bus stop is only about 3 blocks away. We LOVE IT THERE! We started going in 1989 with 14 family members and this year there will be 29 of us. What a great family vacation! You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 5 of5 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: See you this summer by Richard Sandoval from Los Angeles, CA 02/17/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value I own a time-share at this resort and I love it here.Prime location for everything.Great service and valet.I'll be returning this summer, look out for us Bernard. You have found this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 4 of5 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: Too nice, staff great by A Yahoo! User from San Diego, Ca. 07/12/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value Last Visit: May 2005 Great for: Families, Singles, Business, Romance We loved our stay at the Imperial, the staff were friendly and very helpful. We've stayed at a lot of timeshares in our life and this was one of the best. The only dislike was the traffic noise, other than that there was nothing more I could ask for. You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 4 of5 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: 2nd time in Waikiki and we wouldn't stay anywhere else! by A Yahoo! User from Louisville,Kentucky 06/07/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value Last Visit: June 2005 Great for: Families, Singles, Students, Business, Beds, Pool, Spa, Internet Connection, Romance, Luxury, Hip/Trendy Scene, Nightlife The people at the Imperial are the best you will find anywhere. Everyone from the valets to housekeeping to the management staff do everything they can to make your stay the most enjoyable vacation of your life. The hotel is always spotless inside and out with every attention paid to detail. Being just across the street from the beach and one block away from the best shopping in the U.S. makes the Imperials location A-1. The pictures on this site does not do the hotel justice. It is a very nice place with beautiful rooms, full gym with a private workout area for women who prefer privacy, 3 jacusies, his and her saunas, and a georgious view from the rooftop pool. As I said my famile will only stay at the Imperial when we are in Hawaii. Enjoy your vacation! You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 2 of4 Yahoo! Users foundthe following review helpful: Don't Stay Here!!! by monakayk 10/09/05 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value Last Visit: October 2005 The Imperial Hawaii Resort is the worst and dumpiest hotel I have ever stayed in! Usually we stay in moderate priced hotels such as: Comfort Inns but we do expect clean-nice rooms. We stayed in the 'PALM SUITE' price range $258-$271. This so called suite had one bedroom, which hardly had room enough to get around the bed from one side to the other. There was no dresser in the bedroom...the TV had to be mounted on the wall. The bathroom adjoining the bedroom was so small that only one person could be in there at a time. I could've washed my hands, used the toilet and washed my feet in the shower (no tub) at the same time if I wanted too--that is how small it was. The sink--had no counter area at all to it, therefore I had to place toiletries items on top of the toilet tank! There was only room for a glass near the sink which we placed our toothbrushes in. In the living room there was a pull-down double bed, and small. Also in the living room was a small dinning table that was virtually useless because when the bed was pulled down we had to shove the table up to the window just to make room for the bed. The coffee table had to be slide up to the couch to make room to walk around the bed when it was pulled down. The 'full kitchen' was a joke at this price range. There was a very small microwave, a mini refrigerator that bearly had room for a few items. There was a stove with an oven on top of it that dated back to the early 70's and didn't work well! A coffee maker but no coffee,etc was provided. As for cleaniless....we had to call housekeeping the minute we got into our suite because both bathrooms had mildrew on the tiles! Housekeeping did show up later that evening while we were at dinner and 'tried' to clean it...but there still remained mildew on many of the tiles throughout our stay. Mainly due to the fact that these bathrooms had not been cleaned properly in years and not renovated at all since the 70's when it was first built, therefore the mildew was so embedded in the grout of the tiles...it would not come out! The maid service here was only once in 7 days....therefore we only received clean towels once or we could personally go down to housekeeping and get more on our own! Remember...this is a 'resort' suite and with a price range of almost $300 a night and we had to get our own towels. Even when we called housekeeping and asked for more..they refused to bring them to us. The floors were only vacuumed once in 7 days. The linens on the beds were never changed in 7 days and the bed in the bedroom was only made up once. The pull-down bed was never made up or linens changed at all in 7 days! The bathrooms were only cleaned once in 7 days...other than the extra cleaning we got because of our complaint of the mildew on the tiles our first day, which the bathrooms should've been cleaned properly to begin with before we checked into the suite! The walk to the beach was short...but the beach was the worst I have ever been to with major hotels right on it and located on Waikiki. The sand (if you call it that) going into the ocean was full of large rocks--not pebbles--but ROCKS! So large in fact that if I wasn't careful walking into the ocean...I could've turned my ankle. So needless to say, we did not swim at this beach...but ended up walking down quite a ways to a better beach. So much for a close beach area to our hotel---NOT! The pool area was not much better. There was no view of the ocean but out one window. There is a huge, tall brick wall all around the pool area due to the fact it is located on the roof of the building. I felt very closed in...even though I was totally outside and on top of a building! Do NOT stay here. It is a DUMP!!! You have found this review helpful.( Report Problem ) 0 of1 Yahoo! User foundthe following review helpful: Below Average Hotel and Poor Yahoo Reservations Help by A Yahoo! User 01/05/06 Overall: Service Cleanliness Location Value Last Visit: December 2005 The hotel rooms are stuffy and small and smelly. Yahoo did terrible reservations confirmation....said confirmed but reservations did not exist at hotel. No view. Smelly place...really bad smell You did not find this review helpful.( Report Problem ) Back to The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki, Honolulu, HI main page SPONSOR LINKS Matching hotel deals: Honolulu Hotels The Imperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki : Save up to 50% on Hotels Expedia, Inc. Photos, rates, virtual tours. Find the hotels you want. View more hotel deals for Honolulu Yahoo! FareChase: Search dozens of websites, find a cheap airfare

Hawaiian Music - A

SURFING FOR LIFE -- Hawaiian Music & Hula Hawaiian Culture: 3 pages [ Previous page ] [ 1 ] [2 ] [ 3 ] [ Next page ] Hawaiian Music - A Brief History Hawaiian music is a unique blend of several early influences from abroad with ethnic Hawaiian chants. It has spawned the adaptation of guitar to several distinctly Hawaiian sounds and styles, notably slack key and steel guitar. This singular Hawaiian blend has given birth to such world-class musical talents as Gabby Pahinui, The Tau Moe Family, and The Sons of Hawai'i, who have all helped spread the Hawaiian sound and culture throughout the world. All of these great musicians are featured on the sound track of SURFING FOR LIFE which includes 17 songs of Hawaiian music. The general history of Hawaiian music begins in the mid 1800s, when visitors from all over the planet came by sea to Hawai'i, bringing with them instruments such as the violin, guitar, ukulele, piano, accordion and flute. Hawaiian music was rooted in old religious chants and hymns, which the native Hawaiians then mixed with the musical rhythms, sounds and instruments they heard from international visitors, immigrants and missionaries. Secular music was influenced by a variety of people including those of Mexican, Italian, German and Burmese descent. When early Mexican cowboys ( paniolo ), then still under Spanish rule, came to Hawai'i in the mid-1800s, they brought their guitars with them and taught the Hawaiians to play them in the Spanish style. The Hawaiians had innate musical talent and many became quite interested in the guitar. They largely followed the paniolo lead in guitar style and tuning. But, the Hawaiians soon adapted the tuning of the guitar to suit their own traditional Hawaiian songs and chants, loosening the guitar strings or "slacking" them. This allowed them to play bass on the loosened bass strings while playing a song's melody on the treble strings. They played a finger picking style with a steady rhythm to accompany singing and hula dancing. The slack key guitar method became so popular that families began developing their own unique styles and were very protective of their string tuning secrets. For this reason the slack key guitar style wasn't openly shared or taught within the islands for a considerable time. Ki ho' alu , or slack key has been called Hawai'i's back porch music, folk music and soul music. Its beautiful rhythms and magical way of capturing the aloha spirit are now taking international center stage. Slack key guitar -- melodious, intimate and relaxing -- is a sound now being sought the world over. Slack key festivals are popping up all over the Mainland and in many countries including Japan. Hawaiian music is also distinguished by its steel guitar style which was invented and developed in Hawai'i, largely by accident. In adapting the guitar to suit their own musical styles, Hawaiians often used a steel object and later a crafted steel bar to slide along the strings, producing a unique tone which was then integrated into the developing Hawaiian sound. The exact origins of the style and its technical inventor are widely debated; but three individuals -- Hoa, Davion and Kekuku -- may have discovered the technique independently of one another and are credited as its inventors. The steel guitar was featured in several Hawaiian bands in the early 1900s, as well as on some of the earliest recordings of Hawaiian music. Above, Hawaiian Youth, 1920 The popularization of Hawaiian music around the world began in the last quarter of the 19th century, mainly through the publishing of many of Queen Liliuokalani's songs in the United States. The early Royal Hawaiian Band played the first Hawaiian hit song, Aloha Oe , (composed by the Queen) in San Francisco in 1883. Hawaiian King Kalakaua, known as the Merry Monarch for his love of music and hula dancing, was also a skilled musician and prolific composer. Starting in 1915, the American populace was swept up in a craze over everything Hawaiian, prompted by the publicity over the traveling Hawaiian troubadours and their exotic and romantic island images. In particular, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915, taking place in San Francisco, served to introduce the unique Hawaiian sound to the world. Major recording and touring by Hawaiian bands began very shortly thereafter. Among the numerous musical influences on Hawaiian music as it evolved were gospel music, American pop such as Stephen Foster, country and western, ragtime, swing, European light opera, and jazz. The Hawaiian eclectic genius was to blend all of these international influences with their own sophisticated rhythms and guitar stylings, and to make the mix uniquely their own. After its introduction in the United States and Canada, Hawaiian music found its way to Europe during the early 1900s. The music combined slack-key and steel guitar with prominent use of the ukulele mixed with traditional Hawaiian chants and tones, The Mainland home of Hawaiian music in the '20 and '30s was the Lexington Hotel Lounge in New York, ruled by Hawaiian band leader Ray Kenney. There were many Hawaiian musical troupes touring the U.S. and Europe in the first three decades of the 20th century. One of the most popular, Jenny Wilson and her troupe of hula dancers, performed in Germany and throughout Europe. Prominent among the ambassadors of Hawaiian music in the 1920s and '30s was The Tau Moe Family which had considerable influence on the evolution of early Hawaiian music. Tau Moe, his wife and two children traveled the world in the 1920s and beyond, showcasing Hawaiian music and culture as "The Aloha Four". The group was one of the first to tour Europe during the Hawaiian cultural expansion, and for many years the family of four played in Europe, India and Asia. Queen Liliuokalani and King Kalakaua Tau Moe's life of music began as a child in Samoa. Travelling with his father, a Mormon missionary who set up churches and taught music, Tau learned his love of music from his father. When Tau was 11, his father moved the family to Hawai'i, and it was there that he was introduced to the musical styles he would grow to love and then showcase around the world. In Hawai'i, Tau Moe learned the steel guitar from M.K. Moke. He soon met another steel guitar player, Rose, who was to become his wife. The two joined a travelling show and began showcasing their musical talents. They couple had their first child, Lani, in Japan, and she too joined the family act that would come to be known, with the birth of son, Dorian, as the "Aloha Four." During the 1920s, Hawaiian music was sweeping the world with its own lilting and melodic sound. At the height of their popularity, Tau Moe and his family played for numerous world leaders in Germany, in Paris, Brussels and Japan, mesmerizing foreign audiences. They worked with a circus troupe, toured with the Josephine Baker show to Venice and played steel guitar music to an eager audience in Egypt. They also were profiled frequently in the press. The Tau Moe Family in 1970, Coutesy, Bishop Museum Years later, Tau and Rose retired, but not before leaving an indelible mark on the history of Hawaiian music, as one of the earliest musical forces to bring Hawaiian culture to international audiences. The Rounder Records CD, The Tau Moe Family with Bob Brozman, re-recorded many of the Tau Moe songs of the '20s and '30s with the original instrumentation. Two tracks from this CD, He Aloha No A Honolulu and Aloha Means I Love You , are on the sound track of SURFING FOR LIFE. Tau Moe Cover, Courtesy Rounder Records One of the greatest influences in spreading the gospel of Hawaiian music and steel guitar was the immensely popular radio program, Hawai'i Calls , rated the most popular program in radio history. Originating on July 3, 1935 from the Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach, it featured the Harry Owens' dance orchestra with Webley Edwards as producer and Master of Ceremonies. The show's purpose was to showcase real Hawaiian music performed by Hawaiians in Hawai'i. A good portion of the songs were sung in English so mainlanders could recognize and learn to sing them. This created the hybrid style known as hapa-haole , Hawaiian music with English lyrics. At its peak in 1952, Hawai'i Calls was broadcast to 750 stations in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Korea, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The show popularized a number of songs during its heyday including Sweet Leilani , The Hawaiian Wedding Song , and Little Brown Gal . The American craze over Hawaiian music began to fade in the late 1950s and '60s as other new music styles (especially rock and roll) took hold on the Mainland. But by the early '70s, Hawaiian music began to return to the mainstream and gained significant recognition and respect through the work of some of Hawaii's finest musicians, who spawned a revival of traditional Hawaiian music and also introduced newer styles. These great musicians, such as Gabby Pahinui, Eddie Kamae and The Sons of Hawai'i, have imprinted Hawaiian music on the world scene as much more than a trend. The music -- beautiful, distinctive and long-lasting -- represents the tonal and rhythmic expression of aloha. Hawai'i Calls Radio Performers, with Hilo Hattie in the Hat. Courtesy Hawai'i State Archive Charles Philip (Gabby) Pahinui was born in Honolulu in 1921. Hailed as "the folk hero of the Hawaiian music world," Gabby spent over 40 years playing in cafes, restaurants and nightclubs. Later, he spent another ten years focusing on studio albums and concerts. His long career created a large and extremely loyal following who regarded him as the quintessential Hawaiian musician and a revered representative of the Hawaiian people and culture. To many, Gabby Pahinui is synonymous with the resurgence of Hawaiian music. Interestingly, the great Hawaiian musician didn't like Hawaiian music as a boy. Growing up, Gabby was a fan of classic American jazz which greatly influenced his music over the years. As a boy, Gabby was a child musical genius. He was self-taught and never learned to read music. He learned to play the stand-up bass at age ten and started playing gigs as a child. Much to his parents dismay, he preferred to listen to his favorite jazz artists -- Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and others. Gabby learned to play many of the jazz harmonies of the time and especially liked "modern jazz." Although the influences of jazz are evident in Gabby's music, he was Hawaiian to the core. Gabby gained fame through his melding of jazz with traditional Hawaiian music and the slack key guitar. He first began playing slack key guitar in the early '40s and recorded Hi'ilawe , his first hit, in 1947. He learned his slack key from a Hawaiian musician named Herman, and has referred to him as the greatest slack key musician he had ever seen. Gabby picked up slack key guitar and made it his own, incorporating his favorite jazz rhythms and beats. Over the course of his lifetime, he was a major force in bringing slack key, previously a non-taught technique kept within the 'ohana or extended family, out into the open and to a very wide audience. Gabby Pahinui Gabby's amazing slack key talent overshadowed the fact that was also a highly skilled steel guitar player. In addition, his superb guitar playing was matched by his extraordinary vocal prowess. He had a lovely, unique falsetto voice that had enormous appeal to his audiences. Musical talent aside, Gabby was beloved by Hawaiians and musicians alike for his raucous personality, his infectious vitality and the way he put his soul into his music. It is often repeated that Gabby was unique in projecting a great power within his music. From the time he played his first gig, musicians have recognized in Gabby a distinct natural talent and the ability to live and breathe his music as a set of personal convictions. His talent was so impressive that it obscured his sometimes ostentatious behavior. As a young man, Gabby often infuriated club owners by his behavior during the gigs he played. He was continuously irresponsible, he had a drinking problem for years, and was a poor money manager. But he enjoyed a joyful and vivacious life that led him to be adored by almost everyone who met him. Club owners, no matter how annoyed they were by his behavior, could not dispute that Gabby had an incredible natural talent, even as a very young performer. Gabby's club circuit spanned almost 40 years during which he played with almost every important local musician -- Eddie Spencer, Andy Cummings, Tommy Carter, Joe Kaimi, George Kainapau, Gigi Royce, Alvin Isaacs, Eddie Kamae, David Nale, Fred Punahoa, and Abraham Maenwa. During the 1940s and '50s, Gabby spent a long time playing with Andy Cummings and his Hawaiian Serenaders. In the mid-sixties he began to concentrate on recording albums and concerts. In 1959, he joined Eddie Kamae in founding the highly influential group, The Sons of Hawai'i and continued to pursue solo slack-key guitar recordings. The Sons then recorded two great albums in the '60s. Gabby Pahinui on Left with Bandleader Andy Cummings at Far Right In 1971, Gabby recorded a blockbuster album with The Sons of Hawai'i on Panini Records. The album was released at an important point when Hawaiian music and culture were gaining momentum and its wide distribution put Gabby (and The Sons) right into the spotlight of the Hawaiian music renaissance. The two tracks from this milestone album on the SURFING FOR LIFE sound track are Ku'u Pete written by Irmgard F. Aluli and Mary Kawena Pukui and Hanohono Hawai'i . Gabby began playing more concerts, drawing larger crowds, the likes of which had only been seen at rock concerts. Gabby's contribution to the cultural renaissance of Hawaiian was enormous. After his last album with The Sons of Hawai'i, Gabby made an album of his own with his four sons called "Rabbit Island Music Festival." A few years later, he recorded "The Gabby Pahinui New Hawaiian Band" with mainland guitarist Ry Cooder who has said that Gabby was perhaps the finest guitar player he had ever met in his life. Gabby joined Cooder in recording another album, "Chicken Skin," notable for its worldwide release by Warner Brothers. In 1977, Gabby released another album, "Gabby Pahinui's Hawaiian Band, Vol 2" that was widely hailed as a milestone in Hawaiian music. The Sons of Hawai'i Cover In 1980, Gabby died at age 59. He had arrived home in the morning after staying out all night drinking and playing music with friends. He was playing golf with musician Andy Cummings when he collapsed on the 11th hole. The next day, all of Hawai'i mourned his death at Honolulu Hale. Musicians, fans and thousands of friends mourned this unique man who had changed the face of Hawaiian music. Gabby Pahinui has been the most important force in contemporary Hawaiian music to date. The Sons of Hawai'i, who recorded their first albun in 1962, represents a cross-section of Hawaii's greatest musicians. The group was formed by Gabby and Eddie Kamae, the islands finest ukelele player, and originally included David "Feet" Rogers on steel guitar, and Joe Marshall on bass. Each of these musicians brought with him a lifelong love of music and considerable musical expertise and experience. The group spent four months together collaborating, sharing their ideas, rehearsing and trying to develop a sound that would express a group identity. In 1960, the group's sound began to gain widespread popularity when they opened at The Sandbox in Honolulu and after the release of their first album in 1962. (Hula Records 503). The Sons of Hawai'i. Left to right: Joe Marshall, Dennis Kamakahi, Eddie Kamae, David "Feet" Rogers Despite its rapid success, the group would go through seven evolutions, as members came and went through the years with each new member bringing distinct musical sounds and talents to the group. Gabby and Joe Marshall played with other groups. The second incarnation of The Sons came together in the mid '60s, this time Kamae, Gabby, and Rogers welcomed new members-- Atta Isaacs, a slack key artist; Bobby Larson, and Norma Isaacs on Bass. Later, a third version of the group included Kamae, Marshall, Rogers, Sonny Chillingworth and Zulu. In 1970, the group reassembled to record another album, this time with Moe Keale, another ukulele player. This landmark album, The Sons of Hawai'i, was marked by a very distinctive sound, was wildly popular and is considered a classic. Between 1973 and 1982, The Sons underwent three more incarnations. In 1973, Dennis Kamakahi, a recognized Hawaiian singer and songwriter, joined in. Gabby did not take part. In 1977, Keale left the group, and in 1982 guitarists George Kuo and Raymond Balles joined forces. Rogers had fallen sick with Cancer. Since 1992, Kamae had divided his time between music and a career making documentary films focused on Hawaiian music and culture. But the group he founded and leads, The Sons of Hawai'i continues to perform their wonderful music and to ensure their lasting mark on Hawaiian music and the world. For over 40 years, The Sons have popularized the slack-key and steel guitar sounds and have creating many classic Hawaiian songs, an eloquent and beautiful tribute to the Hawaiian culture and language. Hawaiian musicians, notably Gabby Pahinui, Tao Moe, the Sons of Hawai'i, helped transform Hawaiian music and its unique styles from a music closely guarded by families (the 'ohana) to one which was openly shared by Hawaiians with the world. Styles that had been passed on from father to son were embraced on the Mainland when audiences were thrilled by Hawai'i's most talented musicians. Hawaiian musicians have also adapted other musical styles to fit into what is uniquely Hawaiian, continuing the eternal evolution of the music. The popularity of slack key and steel guitar has continued in recent years as an integral part of an island movement to explore and restore traditional Hawaiian culture to its people. Eddie Kamae One of the most lasting contributions that Hawaiian music has made to the world lies precisely in its adaptability and its openness to the influences of other styles of music. Just as early Hawaiians took foreign sounds and instruments and made them their own, Hawai'i's most famous musicians have also enjoyed the freedom to explore dissimilar musical influences and make a mark for themselves in musical history. Hawaiian music continues to be an evolutionary art form, a blend of old and new Hawai'i that has left its uniquely beautiful, melodious and heart-felt imprint on world music. Other Hawaiian Musicians, Record Companies Backyard Jam There are so many excellent Hawaiian musicans who deserve to be recognized in this history. Due to lack of space, we would simply like to thank and recognize the musicians whose music was featured on the sound track for SURFING FOR LIFE. The songs and musicians include Ku'u Kika Hahiki by Ozzie Kotani, Pu'u Anahula by Dennis Kamakahi, George Kuo and Cyril Pahinui of the Hawaiian Slack Key Band, Charmarita , Maunaloa Blues and Pahakulo by George Kuo, Kohala by Moses Kahumoku, Punahele by Ray Kane, and Kona Kai Opua , Haha Waipi'o , Nanca (NANEA) Ko Maka, He Aloha No O performed by The Malle Serenader (featuring Gabby Pahinui and "Feet" Rogers). Four record companies licensed this beautiful Hawaiian music for our use in SURFING FOR LIFE. Three of the labels have specialized in Hawaiian music, and we want to honor their work in recording and distributing so much fine music from the Islands of Aloha. Here are brief histories of Hula Records (now Hawai'i Calls), Panini Records and Dancing Cat Records. PANINI RECORDS, INC. Panini Records has been recording Hawaii's finest music for over 30 years. It was founded by Lawrence Brown, Witt Shingle, and Steve Siegfried in 1971. The Label's first release was the milestone record, The Sons of Hawai'i, which achieved enormous recognition and a large new audience for Hawaiian Music. Panini Records also recorded slack key guitar great Gabby Pahinui. The Label's second album, released in 1972, was made with Gabby Pahinui and entitled Gabby. The album featured Gabby, and his sons Bla, Phil, Cyril and Martin Pahinui in a focus on slack-key guitar and strong vocals. A year later, Gabby recorded Rabbit Island Music Festival with Panini, this time he and his sons were joined by Sonny Chillingworth, Leland Isaacs, and Randy Lorenzo. Panini released an album recorded by Pahinui in conjunction with Sunday Manoa, a group comprised of Peter Moon, Roland, and Robert Cazimero. The album, entitled Sunday Manoa 3 , featured the song Hawaiian Lullaby . In 1974, Panini released a live recording of some of Hawaii's greatest musicians at a concert in Waimea. The album featured Gabby, Sonny Chillingworth, Leland Isaacs, Genoa Keawe, Peter Moon, Roland, and Robert Cazimero. During 1975 Panini recorded the famous Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band with Gabby's group and Ry Cooder. The historic album produced was called the finest collection of Hawaiian music to date. The album, distributed worldwide through Warner Brothers, was highly successful. Panini recorded several albums of Peter Moon's music, notably Tropical Storm , an award winning album featuring Randy Lorenzo, Cyril Pahinui and Boddy Hall and including the hit song Island Love . Moon also recorded Malle , a more traditional arrangement of Hawaiian songs. Between 1982 and 1991, Panini was mostly inactive, emerging in 1991 to record The Pahinui Brothers album with Gabby Pahinui's sons. The album featured Ry Cooder, David Lindley and Jim Keltner and became a wonderful compilation of slack key, rock and country, and was distributed worldwide by BMG Music. Panini Records has continued to be an essential element in the distribution of classic, traditional Hawaiian music to the world HULA RECORDS Hula Records has the oldest and largest catalog of Hawaiian Music in the industry and has been dedicated to distributing Hawaiian music to the world since 1947. Founded by Donald McDiarmid, Sr. and carried on by son and grandson, the company is now named Hawai'i Calls Inc. for the first radio show of the same name broadcast in Waikiki in 1935. The first Hawai'i Calls show was created and hosted by Webley Edwards and showcased top Hawaiian musicians. At its peak, the show could be heard on over 700 radio stations in North America and internationally in New Zealand, Mexico, South America, and South Africa. The most popular radio show in history, it popularized a number of shows during its heyday including Sweet Leilani , The Hawaiian Wedding Song , and Little Brown Gal . Hawai'i Calls continues to promote Hawaiian music around the world, and distributes recordings of many of the musicians that have contributed to the SURFING FOR LIFE soundtrack. Among the great Hawaiian musicians recorded on the Hula Records label are: Gabby Pahinui, The Sunday Manoa, The Sons of Hawai'I, The Maile Serendaders, Mahi Beamer, The Kahauanu Lake Trio, Kawai Cockett, Geneo Keawe and Alfred Apaka DANCING CAT RECORDS Dancing Cat Records was founded in 1983 by pianist George Winston with the goal of promoting the music of those who had inspired him. After releasing some albums of his favorite musicians, he decided to focus instead on the music of the Hawaiian slack key guitar. Winston had been a student of the slack key guitar for over twenty years and became dedicated to preserving it. He focused Dancing Cat's resources on producing recordings of traditional slack key guitar masters, and then later, on younger players. Dancing Cat has been distributing Hawaiian music to the continental United States and the world ever since. Since its inception, Dancing Cat Records has produced 25 recordings in the ongoing Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters series. Recorded guitarists include Sonny Chillingworth, Barney Isaacs, Ledward Kaapana, Moses Kahumoku, George Kahumoku, Leonard Kwan, Dennis Kamakahi, James Bla Pahinui, Ray Kane, and Cyril Pahinui among others. Dancing Cat Records has been successful in reaching a large number of people across the U.S. and around the world through artist interviews and recording reviews. Dancing Cat artists have appeared on The Today Show, The Disney Channel, ABC News in Philadelphia, Bay TV in San Francisco, NBC News in Seattle, and NPRs All Things Considered. Founder George Winston was also featured in a PBS concert special in December of 1996 in which he played a duet with Keola Beamer and Chet Atkins. Dancing Cat compiled a CD entitled The Language of Dreams devised solely to educate people across the country and the music industry in general about Hawaiian Music and the slack key guitar. The CD includes interviews with George Winston and Keola Beamer, Sonny Chillingworth, Ray Kane, Cyril Pahinui, and others and was aired promoted to over 1,300 radio stations across the country. Hawaiian Culture: 3 pages [ Previous page ] [ 1 ] [2 ] [ 3 ] [ Next page ] Ray Kane