The Honokaa Jazz Band made its debut public performance at the recently renovated Ala Moana Centerstage venue yesterday (April 16) to a crowd that was treated to a variety of jazz, blues and R&B standards. The band with more than 30 members are currently touring Oahu and playing at a number of venues this weekend. The Ala Moana Shopping Center concert was the first of several.
The band has a long established reputation of creating memorable performances with a wide range of musical styles, mostly focused on the jazz genre. The band is led by Mr. Gary Washburn who has been a music instructor at Honokaa High and Intermediate School for many years. The Honokaa Jazz Band won a special Grammy Award in 2011 for “its unique and outstanding band program.”
So I been watching this Vlog series for a couple of months now - DAILY BUMPS - with Bryan, Missy, Ollieand Karma.... a family somewhere in the U.S. (don't exactly know which state).... they share a daily video of whatever happens in their family's life of about 15 minutes each day. The videos are tightly edited that gives the viewer a snapshot of "this is what happened today". They're quite an entertaining family as you get to see what is happening on their daily grind.
For a while I had no idea what Bryan or Missy do for a living besides making video blogs.
Bryan is a musician and he recently released his debut single called "This is Home". The song is available for purchase at the usual places... iTunes, Amazon, Google. Check the video out. It's a good contemporary, family-friendly single that is radio friendly to a number of formats including AC, Country and perhaps even Contemporary Christian.
I've liked the few Lynda Kay songs I've heard over the years. This one is a cover from 2013 - "I Put a Spell on You" first recorded by "Screamin'" Jay Hawkins back in 1956 - Kay's send up of the track makes it originally her own. Give it a listen, it's a great cover!
She's also got a new song out. "I'll Never Let You Go" streams on her site. Check it out.
Starting today I will be posting links of mixes that I currently have on my iTunes app for Mac OSX. These mixes show up in the PLAYLIST tab and column in iTunes and are transferred to my various iOS devices.
The first mix is a year by year synopsis of songs that I liked from near the start of the rock era to today. The mix list changes occasionally but as of this posting date this is what the mix is.
Videos: Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (1957) Milky Chance - Flash Junk Mind (2015).
I answered these questions on my Friday 5 Answers blog. Since they were music related, they can also be cross-posted to this music blog, which makes this I believe, the first new entry for 2015.
The questions come from Scrivener's Friday 5 blog. People respond and post answers on their own blogs.
1. What’s a song that reminds you of your parents?
I wasn't at their wedding, but I think "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" was featured then.... way back in 1955. My Dad liked jazz music, big band... Lawerence Welk stuff. He also liked Hawaiian music, Arthur Lyman, Don Ho, The Four Amigoes and even some songs by Elvis Presley.
My Mom was mostly into country music and Hawaiian. However I remember her teaching us "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, "The Bunny Hop" and "Hokey Pokey" when we were kids.
In a nutshell, no one song reminds me of my parents but instead several of them.
2. What’s a song that makes you think of food?
"Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce from 1976... "in the daytime I'm Mr. Natural, just as healthy as I can be... in the night time I'm a junk food junkie, good Lord have mercy on me!"
3. What’s a memorable song from a movie soundtrack?
Theme from "Star Wars" - Song is so good that it is used to start all 6 movies so far. My top 10 movie soundtrack songs:
1. Star Wars - John Williams / London Symphony Orchestra
2. Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever)
3. Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz)
4. A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles (A Hard Days Night)
5. Theme From "Jaws" - John Williams / London Symphony (Jaws)
6. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) - Strauss / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
7. Lara's Theme / Somewhere My Love - Maurice Jarre (Dr. Zhivago)
8. Grease - Franki Valli (Grease)
9. Gonna Fly Now (Theme from "Rocky") - Bill Conti
10. Theme from the "Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - Ennio Morricone / Hugo Montenegro
There are many more.
4. What was your favorite song from 2014?
"My Silver Lining" by First Aid Kit got the most plays last year on my iTunes and iPods. I really liked that song. Haven't compiled my list of Top 100 songs of 2014 yet.
5. What are your favorite songs for when you’re behind the wheel?
1. Deadman's Curve - Jan & Dean
2. Behind the Wheel / Route 66 medley - Depeche Mode
3. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
4. Breaking Into Cars - The Raveonettes
5. Love in a Trashcan - The Raveonettes
6. Slow Ride - Foghat
7. Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood & the Destroyers
8. Suzy & Jeffrey - Blondie
9. The Crunge - Led Zeppelin
10. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
