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Topic: Iz Kamakawiwo'ole & Makaha Sons with Steel Guitar |
Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 26 Feb 2012 11:59 pm |
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Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and the Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau first appeared on the Captain & Tennille Show in Hawaii" back in 1978. Israel “Iz” and Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole, Mel Amina and Moon Kauakahi were doing the vocals with Sonny Lim on Hawaiian steel guitar. In all pictures, Iz always has the uke in his hand. In this video they sing the song,
Ka Pua E or My Flower (Just click)
Skippy as the older brother was the leader of the Makaha Sons. Unfortunately, Skippy died of a heart attack about 4 years after the video. Iz died 15 years later in 1997. The flag at the State Capitol was lowered to half-mast on July 10, 1997, the day of Kamakawiwoʻole's funeral as he lay in state in a koa wood coffin at the state capitol building in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one who was not a government official.
Israel "IZ" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole became famous outside Hawaii when his album Facing Future was released in 1993. His medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" was subsequently featured in several films, television programs, and television advertisement commercials. "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" has sold over 3 million copies in the USA.
For those who like Iz there are thumbnails at the video site.
Aloha, 
Don
Last edited by Don Kona Woods on 27 Feb 2012 9:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 27 Feb 2012 9:02 am
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| Beautiful! |
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Kevin Brown
From:
England
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Feb 2012 10:47 pm
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Kevin,
Thanks for posting the YouTube presentation of Iz's talking to his people along with his musical number. He gave a very moving talk to the Hawaiian people present in this video. They loved him and it is very touching to watch the finale.
Iz was a very spiritual person and he became even more so in his final days on earth.
Here is some Hawaiian Gospel from the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau in their early days. Remember Iz, the larger boy, is always holding the Uke.
Here is their arrangement of He Touched Me
Aloha,
Don |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2012 12:37 am
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FYI, the video Kevin posted documents an incredible moment in Hawaiian music history, as Iz had been seperated from his Makaha Sons bandmates for years after an acrimonious split, resulting in Iz's tremendous solo career as the Son's became even more famous than before. You see Iz near the end of his life, finishing a short set at the Hoku Awards show, and unknown to him his old pals whom he probably hadn't even spoken to in ages came onstage to join in the finale. This was a moment most of Hawaii figuered would never happen, a brief reformation of the top group of that long era, and you can see the emotional results from all involved. Of course, half the State of Hawaii claims to have been there that night. 
In that video and in this one, you see bassist Nathan Aweau, who now resides in the current version of The Sons Of Hawaii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyQGn6E3Lcg |
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Kevin Brown
From:
England
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Posted 28 Feb 2012 2:42 am
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| Thanks Ron, i felt there was something very special going on there, and now I know why. What an interesting piece of history captured on film, a real diamond of a find. |
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Bill Wynne
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 12 Mar 2012 6:06 am
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Um, no, my brother. That would be Analu Aina. Analu was Iz's bassist for many years and now records with Uncle Eddie Kamae and performs with him each Sunday at Honey's at Ko'olau.
Nathan Aweau was Don Ho's bassist.
~ Bill |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 12 Mar 2012 10:06 am
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| Bill Wynne wrote: |
Um, no, my brother. That would be Analu Aina. Analu was Iz's bassist for many years and now records with Uncle Eddie Kamae and performs with him each Sunday at Honey's at Ko'olau.
Nathan Aweau was Don Ho's bassist.
~ Bill |
See, told ya so!
WTF would I do without you and Derrick, Bill? I know the truth will always come out if I just fog up the air! |
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Bill Wynne
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 14 Mar 2012 8:25 am
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| Bill Wynne wrote: |
Um, no, my brother. That would be Analu Aina. Analu was Iz's bassist for many years and now records with Uncle Eddie Kamae and performs with him each Sunday at Honey's at Ko'olau.
Nathan Aweau was Don Ho's bassist.
~ Bill |
See, told ya so!
WTF would I do without you and Derrick, Bill? |
It is, after all, my only useful purpose in life. I think if you rolled myself, Derrick, Jeff Au Hoy, and Basil Henriques into a single entity, you would get no better musician (there are natural limits, you know!), but a veritable walking encyclopedia of Hawaiian music. This plus 50 cents still won't get you a cup of joe at Wailana Coffee House. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 14 Mar 2012 8:51 am
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| Bill Wynne wrote: |
| Wailana Coffee House. |
Which is where the 4 of you should be playing nightly! |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 14 Mar 2012 10:55 pm
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| Quote: |
| I think if you rolled myself, Derrick, Jeff Au Hoy, and Basil Henriques into a single entity, you would get no better musician (there are natural limits, you know!), but a veritable walking encyclopedia of Hawaiian music. |
Bill, while I agree with you in your above statement, I think that if you add the name, John Marsden, from England, that you will have a more complete veritable, composite walking encylopedia of Hawaiian music. 
On another note, I had the best cup of coffee that I ever remember having at the Wailana Coffee House. It was Kona coffee.
Aloha,
Don |
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Bill Wynne
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2012 10:22 am
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| Don Kona Woods wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I think if you rolled myself, Derrick, Jeff Au Hoy, and Basil Henriques into a single entity, you would get no better musician (there are natural limits, you know!), but a veritable walking encyclopedia of Hawaiian music. |
Bill, while I agree with you in your above statement, I think that if you add the name, John Marsden, from England, that you will have a more complete veritable, composite walking encylopedia of Hawaiian music. |
Too true! And, don't you know, after years of hearing his name mentioned around my home, by other Hawaiian music aficianados, in the steel guitar club newsletters, and elsewhere since I was about 5 years old (or 35 years ago), I just received a letter from the man himself a few weeks ago. I hope it is the beginning of a long correspondence (long, if not, perhaps, slow since he wrote me a proper letter - with paper, a stamp, and everything). |
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