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Crescendo
Matt Catingub
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Hits will heat Three Dog Night’s turn with Pops
Opening weekend with the Honolulu Symphony Toyota Pops will be unforgettable. I'm thrilled to write that we're kicking off my 10th-anniversary season as Pops conductor with two exciting and impressive debuts. Rock icons Three Dog Night are joining the Pops for the first time, and Hawaii's own Paula Fuga will make her symphony orchestra debut.
Three Dog Night
Performing with the Honolulu Symphony Pops
» In concert: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
» Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall
» Tickets: $29 to $94
» Call: 792-2000 (days) or (808) 524-0815, ext. 245 (evenings), or visit www.honolulusymphony.com
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Those who were tuned into the radio in the late '60s and early '70s will remember that Three Dog Night ruled the charts. In 1975 the band had sold nearly 50 million records, and we're still counting.
From the early days, the band had a knack for identifying great songs -- especially those by unknown songwriters. They were among the first to record songs by Randy Newman and Elton John.
The band remains a huge radio favorite. Some of their hits: "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," "Joy to the World," "Family of Man," "An Old Fashioned Love Song," "Try a Little Tenderness," "One," "Shambala" and "Black and White." Even if you can't identify all the titles, you'll instantly recognize every great melody. Suffice it to say, each Three Dog Night song is a classic.
Three Dog Night continues to reach out to new audiences, including symphony orchestra fans. Three Dog Night's 2004 "35th Anniversary Hits Collection" featured arrangements with the London Symphony Orchestra as well as the Tennessee Symphony. This weekend, look forward to hearing all the band's hits, interpreted with appealing symphonic arrangements that stay true to the original versions.
Paula Fuga -- recently named most promising artist at the Na Hoku Hanohano awards -- will join us for the first half of the concert. Paula, who recently released her debut CD, "Lilikoi," has an unforgettable, sweet and soulful voice. It's the perfect match for our Pops orchestra. Paula's style is a blend of jazz fusion, reggae, rhythm and blues, and Hawaiian, but it's impossible to place her in any one category.
Some say Paula is the new face of Hawaiian music, and after taking a listen to "Lilikoi," you'll find it hard to disagree. Paula's universal appeal is such that all Pops fans are certain to appreciate her exceptional style and phenomenal voice.
Fans of "American Idol" will remember Paula from the third season. Her "Big Girls Rock!" and ukulele playing left an indelible impression on many of us. As her career has evolved, she's continued to stay true to her roots. She writes her own music and lyrics, and weaves Hawaiian language and "organic" instruments, such as the nose flute, into her songs. It's an honor to work with Paula -- and write her first orchestral arrangements -- for this meaningful event.