Music and marketing

The Hawaii Music Awards celebrate
the tie between music and
the music industry

Star-Bulletin staff

Back for another go at becoming the official barometer of the local music scene, the Hawaii Music Awards takes place at 4 p.m. Sunday at Hawaii Theatre.

Unlike the Na Hoku Hanohano industry awards, the Hawaii Music Awards recognize non-Hawaiian musical genres, as long as it's generated in Hawaii -- rock, jazz, Latin, pop, reggae, country, classical and other styles are noted as well as traditional Polynesian melodies and performances.

According to awards creator Johnny Kai Lorance, it's all a matter of market awareness, "selling" the concept of music in Hawaii through an annual event. "This statewide celebration of music and music business supports the effort to save music-related jobs and keep our tourism industry growing with new, exciting and innovative marketing programs," said Lorance.

In this vein, Sunday's celebration will include a lifetime-achievement Governor's Fine Arts Award to Don Ho and Sony Corp., to be presented by Gov. and Mrs. Cayetano. There's also a Mayor's Performing Arts Award, this year going to Emme Tomimbang.

Other special awards will be given for music education and for contributions to the opera and symphony.

The core of the evening, however, will be for contributions in various categories -- including, for the first time, "International Hawaiian Music" -- and performances by artists such as Sudden Rush with Tenderoni, Ben Vegas, Loyal Garner, Cory Oliveros, Damon Williams, Aaron Aranita, Razed in Black, Kainoa Kamaka, Sean Kennard, Johnny Sweetbread, Sabrina and, from Japan, The Birds. Special appearances by Paul Ogata, Kehau Baijo and Kamele Lindsey.

Admission is $20; $18.50 in advance at the box office and Connection outlets. Information: 528-0506.

The Honolulu Community Concert Band, directed by Ernest Taniguchi, will perform at 3:30 p.m. as a warm-up.

A post-celebration party at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Hawaiian Hut includes a pupu buffet. Admission is $8; proceeds benefit the nonprofit Hawaii Music Awards.