LIve Music at the Honolulu Night Market: MOJO, and Jerome James & Activ8 Electro Jazz (4-20-2013)

 

This was our 2nd visit to the monthly Honolulu Night Market on Auahi Street.  Check out their website: http://www.honolulunightmarket.com/.  

The event has grown since the first one and and we suspect it will continue to grow all in part of the Kaka'ako Redevelopment Plans by KSB.  We highly recommend everyone checking it out.  It's a safe event to bring the family to, including pets!  We even saw the famous 'Hokulani' there with Norman Dung.  Entry to the Honolulu Night Market is free and so is the parking!  We like!  Be sure to bring cash to make it easier on the food trucks and the garden bar.  And if you need coffee, there are 3 locales to get your fix.  Lots of street treats, arts & crafts, fashion, and of course music! 

On this clear starry night in Kaka'ako, we caught a sample of 2 bands.

MOJO - which stands for Music Over Judgement and Oppression, is a reggae band that combines ska, punk, rock, dub and hip hop to create a sound that can not be categorized.  Check out their website at http://www.mojoreggae.com/band_bio.  This 3 piece band puts out a lot of energy.  We sat in the front row to get a better look at the band.  After 30 minutes or so of watching their drummer, we felt like we had worked out too.  We enjoyed watching the young ladies free-style dancing on the side of the stage.  Whether their moves were choreograph or not, it excited the band and gave them more MOJO to play (no pun intended).  You can caught MOJO on May 17 at the Mai Tai Bar, and on May 25 at Hawaiian Brian's.




JEROME JAMES & ACTIV8 ELECTRO JAZZ - We had the pleasure of meeting Jerome at a Jazz gig a few years back at the former Aku Bone Lounge.  The son of a noted drummer, this guy is very innovative.  Check out Jerome's website at http://www.jeromejamesjrums.com/index.htm.  Each time we see Jerome perform, it's sometime outside of the box.  We were not surprise when we saw his group of horn players, jugglers, and minds parading down Auahi Street with Jerome in a one of it's kind portable drum set complete with sound system, wheels, and lights.  An instant crowd magnet!  It was kinda like Modern Acid Jazz.  I'm sure we'll be seeing this group invited to other street festivals. You can catch Jerome James Activ8 Electro Jazz at the Dragon Upstairs in Chinatown located
above Hank's Place every 2nd Friday night.




Pictures from the Night Market............

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Mahalo for a great night in Honolulu! & Don't Stop The Music!

LS 34 Live for the Moms On a Mission Rock & Roll Night for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii (4-6-2013)

Okay, I have to plug one of my favorite bands, LS 34.  This band plays classic rock from the 60s and 70s.  Music that I grew up with and enjoy very much.  It's also the band that my wife Sandy sings for. Yes, I'm being partial, but they really are good.  'LS' stands for Lovin' Sounds, which is the band's original name when they played the high school and military circuit back in the late 60s.  Members graduated from high school in 1970 and went their separate ways to pursue college, careers and family.  However, in 2004 guitarist Harold Kageura got the band back together to jam for fun.  In Summer of 2004 the band (with a few new members) got invited to performed at their 1st gig - the American Heart Association Oahu Heart Walk at Kapi'olani Park.  That was 34 years from the last time they played together in High School. Hence the '34' in LS 34.  It's been 9 years now and the band (currently 11 members) still meets monthly to jam and perform at selected gigs.  Check out their website at http://ls34.blogspot.com/

On this night in Waikiki at the Hale Koa Hotel Banyan Tree Showroom, LS 34 was the featured band at the 1st Annual Moms On a Mission Rock & Roll night, a benefit for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii; hosted by Lina Girl of KCCN FM100, and a special performance by Drill Team Hawaii.  The music lineup - purely Rock & Roll! CCR, Santana, Spirit, Rare Earth, Doobie Bros, Grand Funk, etc.  The event was so successful, the band was invited back to perform next year (March 22, 2014).  Check out these captured golden moments below.

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You can catch LS 34 at their next public gig on June 29th at Dot's  In Wahiawa, a benefit fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Wahiawa-Waialu.  Tickets on sale at Eventbrite.com.

The LS 34 Band:
Craig Kim - lead drums
Eugene Nakabayashi - guitar
Jenson Tamanaha - congas, percussions, vocals
Karl Nishio - timbales, drums, guitar, percussions, vocals
*Kenneth Uyeno - vocals
Mike Gonsalves - bass guitar, vocals
*Milton Matsusaki - lead guitar
*Ronald Ishikawa - lead guitar
Ronald Hanagami - vocals
Sandy Tsujimura - vocals
*Wesley Nakashima - keyboards
Chad Nugal - sound

* Original Lovin' Sounds

Mahalo for the great time LS 34! & Don't Stop The Music!

Dr. Jazz Quartet Live at JJ Bistro & French Pastry (3-22-2013)

There's Live JAZZ in Kaimuki?   Well it's about time! 

JJ Bistro & French Pastry now hosts live music on Friday nights from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Come early for free preferred parking at the back lot, or you'll have to hunt for street parking and might have to pay the meter.  The food is European and Lao cuisine.  Very fancy.  The prix fixe menus are a good deal.  Also owners of the adjacent Crab City restaurant, the menu will also offer a Seafood Basket filled with steamed lobster, crab, shrimp, scallops and corn on the cob.  This seemed to be a popular item with families and couples.  It was entertaining to watch people being creative and working with their shell fish.  No liquor license here, so feel free to bring in your own wine and beer. And don't forget to check out the dessert showcase and bakery counter.  So many delicious choices to pick from.  They also offer espresso and French pressed coffee.  We like!  Reservations are recommended.   This place is no secret to the community and gets busy early. 

On this night, the DR. JAZZ QUARTET.  Dr. Jazz an assuming nick name, is a real physician by professional trade.  He plays the saxophone, and will sing a special song or two to his wife in the last set.  Sharing the stage tonight with Dr. Jazz, 3 exceptional guitar players: Nando Suan, Micheal Barquez, and Dale Macahdo.  Songs are typically standards and instrumental with fun rotating solos. The first time we visited they didn't bring a microphone.  This time they did bring a microphone and invited me to the stage to join them.  The stage area is small but once you start singing everyone stops eating and watches you.  A captive responsive audience is a good thing.  Especially when they clap and hana hou you.  Think we'll visit with them again over coffee, but only after we enjoy our seafood basket and a chocolate pyramid.

Mahalo Guys! and Don't Stop The Music!

Pictures below.............

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Video!