| Author |
Topic: Early history of the Hawaiian steel guitar in Europe |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
|
Posted 10 Jul 2007 7:26 am |
|
Dear folks,
Does anyone know of any resource for - or have any direct knowledge of - the history of the Hawaiian steel guitar in Europe in the pre-war era?
The "Paris, Plages d'Hawaii" CD has awoken my curiosity about this. There are many loose bits of info and anecdotes:
- Lap style 7-string Selmer/Maccaferri manouche guitars made in France.
- The luthier Maccaferri bringing back National cast aluminium Electric Hawaiian 7-string lap steels with matching amps from the USA for two of the top French steel guitarists of the time, Gino Bordin dubbing his "la guitarre magique" - "the magic guitar".  (Where are these today?)
- A German luthier making Weissenborn-style steel guitars until the Nazis put a stop to that ("exotic" - not allowed).
- A French musician trying to escape wartime occupied France into Spain and having his two National Tricones confiscated by the German army.
So many unsubstantiated bits of interesting history. Where can one find out more? 
Best regards,
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
|
|
 |
basilh
From:
United Kingdom
|
Posted 10 Jul 2007 9:11 am
|
|
| write to John Marsden. |
|
|
|
Les Cook
From:
Derbyshire, UK
|
Posted 11 Jul 2007 8:13 am
|
|
As far as steel guitar in France is concerned then you should contact Cyril Lefebvre in Paris . Cyril has been researching this for some time and has amassed a large amount of information about Gino Bordin ,Alex Manara and others. Bordin was the 1st to play a 7 string Selmer Hawaiian ...this is well covered in Francois Charle's book about Selmer Maccaferri (if you can find a copy that is).Bordin was a good friend of Maccaferri and it was for Gino that he brought the electric Nationals back from New York .
Some of these stories and others ,will shortly be in an article Cyril and I are writing for Dirk Vogel's magazine .And Grass Skirt Records is currently working with Cyril on a Bordin reissue Cd when even more will be revealed ! |
|
|
|
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
|
|
|
|
Colin Brooks
|
Posted 11 Jul 2007 1:16 pm
|
|
Fred, the guy who was supposed to have had his Nationals half inched on leaving France was the Argentinian master Oscar Aleman. He wasn't a steel player, he played much like Django.
Don't know about German Weiss style guitars, but George La Foley made a few hollowneck Hawaiians in London in the 20's. Mine is like this one,
http://harpguitars.net/knutsen/foley.htm
Do you have the cd of Sam Ku West (and the Sol Hoopii one) that Les Cook put out on his Grass Skirt Label? Sam worked and died in France. Another Hawaiian who worked in France was Kanui (Bert?) of Kanui and Lula. Their superb 78's still turn up in the UK.
If you want to talk to me about this stuff I live in Lewes very near you, and am in the Brighton phone book.
Aloha, Colin |
|
|
|
Les Cook
From:
Derbyshire, UK
|
Posted 11 Jul 2007 4:30 pm
|
|
here's a photo of Gino with his magic guitar !
Best way to make contact with Cyril is via the website of the Ukulele Club de Paris ...http://www.ukuleleclub2paris.com/main.htm
.John Marsden doesn't use email ...I'm sure Colin will give you his postal address though if you call him .
(Colin ...it was Bill Kanui who spent many years in Paris ,along with several other Hawaiians who went there after the Bird of Paradise tours,like Joe Pune and the Kamoku Brothers)
 |
|
|
|
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
|
|
|
|
