Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Kaleikini plays nose flute, sings at Newton's Vegas show

Danny Kaleikini was in Las Vegas last weekend to emcee a UH Alumni dinner at which Jean Ariyoshi was the guest of honor. Later, Danny went to see his friend Wayne Newton at the Flamingo Hilton and was called on stage. Wayne said a longtime entertainer from Hawaii is in the audience and someone yelled, "Don Ho?" And Wayne said "No, the Ambassador of Aloha Danny Kaleikini." Danny sang, played the nose flute and received a standing ovation. Danny and many of his former Kahala Hilton performers will do a show Friday at the Hawaii Theatre ...

Congratulations to Wendy Nagaishi, who has been promoted to guest services manager of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Wendy is the wife of restaurateur David Nagaishi, operations manager for the Shorebird and Ocean House in the Reef Hotel ... Chai's put out a nice spread at the recent Hawaii Opera Theatre reception at Tiffany Waikiki. Owner Chai Chaowasaree was right there making sure all went well with the food and service ...

There aren't many attorneys around who are professional singers but Michel's has one. Lane McKay sings, backed by the view restaurant's guitarist Jeff Peterson, every other Saturday. Lane, of Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher, is on a trip and will sing again April 8. Erika Kauffman sings at Michel's with Jeff on Thursdays ...

Things will be jazzy at Halekulani next Saturday

The SWEET sounds of jazz will be blowing in the Halekulani's rarefied air next Saturday night when those cats in the Hawaii International Jazz Festival Springtime are turned loose. Abe Weinstein is presenting singer Ginai and the All Star Band, which includes Gabe Baltazar and David Choy on saxes, DeShannon Higa on trumpet, pianist Rich Crandall, bassist John Kolivas, guitarist Robert Shinoda, drummer Adam Baron and Abe Lagrimas Jr. on ukulele. Pianist-composer Shelly Berg, the USC Jazz Orchestra director, is also on the bill. This bunch is good, believe me. A jazz clinic will be held during the day and the concert will start at 8 p.m. ... Hotels and Resorts of Halekulani's announcement that world class restaurateur Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa will open Nobu Waikiki in the Waikiki Parc Hotel, the Halekulani Resort's sister hotel, is a major coup ...