Chris Yeh Quartet Live at The Dragon Upstairs (3-8-2013)

Even the Dragon enjoys Jazz!   'The Dragon Upstairs' in Chinatown that is.  It's been awhile since we last visited this venue.  A must to see!   A mysterious arrival at the top of the stairs.  Surprise!  Muted lighting with vibrant red, black and gold tones, giant face masks, and ornate dragons and mirrors everywhere. 
We like!

On this cozy Friday night in Chinatown, the CHRIS YEH QUARTET on stage belting familiar jazz tunes.  What a treat for our pau-hana week!  We enjoyed 'Cantaloupe Island'!   You can groove with these guys every Friday night between 7 and 10 pm.  Check out the captured golden moment below.  Mahalo Guys!  and Don't Stop The Music!

Slideshow! 

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The Chris Yeh Quartet:
Chris Yeh - sax, band leader
Bailey Matsuda - piano
Louis Benito - bass
Chuck James - drums

Video!

Magic Mushroom Reunion Party II at the Manoa Grand Ballroom (2/15/2013)

After the first Magic Mushroom Party in July 2012, Dennis said "this will be the first and last one." I told him, "never say never." Well, my intuitions were right. Here's the Hana Hou in February 2013 with a crowd just a big as the first one.

ED KANOI of 107.9 Kool Gold kicked off the 2nd Magic Mushroom Reunion Party with a bang! First to hit the stage in sizzling red and black colors, ELECTRIC FISH & THE TOFU FACTORY (aka King Pins) playing "Born On The Bayou". The dance floor immediately filled after the audience filled their tummies at the pupu buffet. Even the Wahiawa Wahine Line dancers had a private dance area near the stage while dancing to "Disco Inferno".

AUDISSEY & FRIENDS was next on stage sporting a new 4-piece horn section, and extraordinaire drummer Alvin Fejarang (former Kapalana).  Special guest appearances by former 'Natural High' vocalists Rob Yamamoto singing "Summer Sun", and Ken Uyeno singing "Soul Man".

WHITE LIGHT commanded the stage with all their signature songs from their days performing in Spencecliff Hawaii Restaurants. Tammie Kotani won a White Light T-shirt for being the first to name those restaurants. Dean Guzman also won a T-shirt for sharing his maki-sushi with Joy Waikoloa. The dance floor overflowed during the "Electric Slide". The evening ended with a hana hou of "We Are Family!" How fitting for this audience of baby boomers and music lovers of the 70s!

Slideshow ! ......





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It was good to see many friends and family enjoying themselves. Mahalo & Kudos to Dennis and Joy Matsukawa for putting together another successful Magic Mushroom Reunion Party.  Hey Dennis! Perhaps a #3? Special Mahalo to all the bands for bringing us back to a special moment in time! Don't Stop The Music!



Electric Fish & The Tofu Factory (aka The King Pins):

Harvey Yamauchi - lead guitar, vocals, band leader
Randal Rosenberg - bass guitar, vocals
Lance Tianer - guitar, background vocals
Harvey Yoshioka - key boards, background vocals
Brad Choi - drums

Band contact & Bio: http://www.kingpinshawaii.com/




Audissey & Friends:

Dennis Matsukawa - lead guitar, vocals, band leader
Alvin Ferjarang - drums
Brad Nakanishi - key boards, vocals
Paul Yokota - guitar, vocals
Galen Onouye - bass guitar
Isaac Nishimura - saxaphone
Chris Ostuka - saxaphone
Gen Miyashiro - trumpet
Kalyn Miyasato - trombone
Rob Yamamoto - vocals (special guest)
Ken Uyeno - vocals (special guest)

Band contact: audissey004@yahoo.com







White Light:

Joy Waikoloa - vocals
Don Tsuha - trumpet
Sherman Kang - saxaphone
Clarence Lau - trombone
Gerald Tomosawa - trumpet and drums
Layne Maeoka - drums
Arex Ikehara - bass guitar
Daniel Kurose - guitar
George Mosier - guitar
Larry Isobe - keyboards
Howard Nakata - vocals
Tommy Kamisato - trumpet

Band contact: joywaikoloa@facebook.com

Band Bio: http://www.70snightclubreunion.com/info/bios/white_light.html

Summer Live at HASR Bistro (2-1-2013)

It's SUMMER in February at HASR Bistro! No, not the season Summer, but the band SUMMER!

The first time I saw Summer play was in 1977 at the Aloha Stadium, for a C&K concert.   I have to re-thank my sister Sharon who bought me and my other sister Terry Ann concert tickets for our Christmas gifts.   Sharon along with her UH college friends frequent the 2nd floor establishment called "Toppe Ada Shoppe" along Kapiolani Boulevard back in the 70s.  Today Walgreens occupies this property.   Sharon would tell us about the bands that played there and the kinds of music they played.   One of their favorite bands was Summer.   Unfortunately I never got the chance to visit the Toppe Ada Shoppe, but luckily Terry Ann had purchased the Summer in Malibu album.   We quickly learned the lyrics to all their songs and the rest is history.

We were so happy to finally see Summer play having missed their last 3 reunion performances due to conflicting schedules.  This evening started with a visit by 2 dancing lions for the Chinatown New Year's celebration.   After the smell of fire crackers and noise faded, we settled into our front row seats (thanks Terry Kakazu!) and it was 1977 all over again!   It was fun to reminisce and sing along to our favorite songs again such as New Years Eve, Forrest, Fire Fly, Plenty of Reason, Kona Daze, No Place Like Home, Love Is, etc. Feeding that lion for good luck surely paid off.   Since the show started later than planned due to the street festivities, the band agreed to play an extra set.  What a treat to hear Juliet (written by Ron And Mackie), Nanakuli Blues, Lahainaluna, Lady Wants to Know, and more.  Later that night I just had to get my guitar out and strum a few more songs. Geez, those were the good old days!

Slideshow!

 
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Summer's next reunion show will be on February 22nd at Terry's Place.

Please enjoy these captured golden moments below. Mahalo SUMMER! and Don't Stop The Music!

    


The Summer Band:

Ron Yuen - Guitar, vocals
Tim Hurley - Bass guitar, vocals
Peter Abiva - Guitar, vocals
Dexter Cadiente - Congas, percussions, vocals

Band contact:  ronyuen@hawaii.rr.com

Audissey Live at Dots in Wahiawa (1-19-2013)

It's a jam session tonight! It's fun whenever you bring a bunch of friend musicians and singers together on stage with no rehearsal.   Anything can happen!  Lead by Dennis Matsukawa a veteran musician, AUDISSEY has been playing Classic Rock, Oldies, R&B, Disco and more since 2004.  The core band has since minimized but Dennis always has an abundance of friends willing to jump on the band wagon (no pun intended) when needed.   Jokingly, Dennis said he always wanted to own an Audi but that never happen so hence the band name.   The band has performed at various Honolulu venues such as Waikiki Yacht Club, Honolulu Yacht Club, Hawaiian Brian's, Ground Floor, Aku Bone, Ige's, Dots and more.   In addition to performing at company parties and class reunions, Audissey has also supported a variety of community events such as Ward Centers Garlic Festival, Hawaii Raceway Park Small Gun Shootout, Hawaiian Water Adventure Park Auto Race Day, and the Wahiawa-Wailua Rotary Club Wine-tasting fundraiser. 

Slideshow!

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On this cool night in Wahiawa, 12 year old Sterling Sakuma on drums, and his mom Sheryl on bass guitar (It's a family affair!).   Also in the dance floor were the Aiea Ballroom Dancers and the Wahiawa Wahine Line Dancers.

Check out Audissey at the Magic Mushroom Reunion Party (an event orchestrated by Dennis himself) on February 15th at the Manoa Grand Ballroom.  Also on stage will be the Electric Fish & The Tofu Factory (aka King Pins), and White Light.

Mahalo AUDISSEY! and Don't Stop The Music!



Audissey & Friends:

Dennis Matsukawa - lead guitar, vocals, band leader
Brad Nakanishi - key boards, vocals
*Sheryl Sakuma - bass guitar
*Sterling Sakuma - drums
*Patrick - bass guitar and drums
*Jr.Natavidad - guitar
*Lester Higa - vocals
*Dean Guzman - vocals
*Walter Damas - vocals, guitar
*Sandy Tsujimura - vocals

*Guest artist.(friend)

Band Contact: audissey004@yahoo.com

Elements Live at Ige's Restaurant & 19th Puka (1-18-2013)

This band is purely high energy & entertaining!   We especially loved their Michael Jackson medley, and watching the singers do their choreographed dancing.

Shar Aoki shares "The Elements bring fun, excitement, and pure entertainment to the stage with their unique mix of music which can only be described as 1/2 show and 1/2 dance party.  Led by Mike Nacapuy, and featuring the incredibly talented and beautiful Annamarie Love, the raw energy and magnetism of Devin Nakasone and the sparkly yet edgy Sharlene Aoki (wink! wink!); The Elements take you on a musical journey from the Oldies, through the 80's, up to today's hottest dance tunes. No two shows are exactly the  same!" The Elements play parties, conventions, and at selected venues around town.  You can catch The Elements next performance on February 15th at Gordon Biersch.

The show ended with the Oppan Gangam-style dance off contest.   Needless to say, it brought the house down with tears of laughter.   What a great way to end the evening.   Please enjoy these captured golden moments.  Mahalo to The Elements, & Don't Stop The Music!

Video!


The Elements Band:

Annamarie Love - lead vocals
Devin Nakasone - lead vocals
Sharlene Aoki - lead vocals
Michael Nacapuy - bass guitar, vocals, band leader
John Loo - keyboards
Ben Juan - drums

Band Contact: Mike Nacapuy @ 386-1010.

Pictures!