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Wood Craft
Ben Wood
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Kaleikini displays his talent; Halekulani finds jazzy groove
DANNY KALEIKINI and friends put on a splendid show at the Hawaii Theatre Friday night. Although Danny is in his late 60s, he hasn't lost a thing from his Kahala Hilton days except a little hair. His voice is strong, his stories are funny, his dancing legs are limber and he still plays a mean nose flute.
Jade Ing Sen, Danny's 1955 Roosevelt classmate, calls him the consummate entertainer. She is so right. Helping make this show superior were
Kit Samson, Jimmy Borges, Gabe Baltazar, Rene Paulo, Iva Kinimaka, Tony Conjugacion, Cathy Foy-Mahi, Penny Silva, Kanoe Cazimero, Joni Albao, Millie Ahloy, Bonnie Kiyabu, Michelle Kama, Jackie Booth, Adam Suapaia and more. It was presented by St. Francis Healthcare Foundation and KINE 105.
Gus Hannemann, representing his brother Mayor
Mufi Hannemann, showed his comedic skill. He may have to answer to the mayor for claiming to be the handsome Hannemann brother. In the show, Danny talked about his Hawaiian, Korean, Chinese and Irish ancestry. Gus said Danny is also Samoan ...
ORTHOPEDIC surgeon
Gabriel Wai Chiu Ma is Maryknoll School's Monsignor
Charles A. Kekumano Award winner. He will receive it Sunday in Hilton's Coral Ballroom. Call 952-7310 for ticket info ...
THE HALEKULANI was in the groove Saturday night as it presented the Springtime Hawaii International Jazz Festival. The All Star Band, with Ginai singing, swinging and scatting all over the place, was hot. Gabe Baltazar and his nephew David Choy are brilliant sax players and their work on "Cherokee" drew heavy applause. Trumpet man DeShannon Higa can tear it up but can also blow sweet and soulful as he did on "Body and Soul." The other fine band members are bassist John Kolivas, guitarist Robert Shinoda, drummer Adam Baron and Abe Lagrimas Jr. on uke. Bassist Steve Jones sat in. The band's pianist Rich Crandall is a joy to watch as he never stops moving and stomping to the wailing. But the classic mover and shaker was guest pianist Shelly Berg. Jazz seems to put Shelly in a state of bliss, his head looking to the heavens (make that ceiling) as he rocks and rises from the piano stool as his fingers rip across the keys. He closed his set with "There Is No Greater Love" and received a standing O. A jam session followed. Festival founder Abe Weinstein attended but illness kept him on the sidelines ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things every Wednesday and Saturday. E-mail him at
bwood@starbulletin.com