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Wood Craft
Ben Wood
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Leed sings jazz at Chai’s, has Da Flaming Laulaus at Pagoda
Hale Kaohu Roland sends word that she attended the Hui O Hawaii of San Diego luau last month in the middle of a heat wave and
Melveen Leed was the star. "It was hundred something," Mel said last week by phone from Portland, Ore., "I took off my shoes and sang on the grass for two hours. I did a Mary Poppins thing with an umbrella over my head to protect me from the sun. A guy would spritz me with water for some relief." Melveen had a gig Saturday at Patrick's Hawaiian Cafe in Vancouver, Wash. She sings jazz Thursday nights at Chai's, 7 to 9, backed by pianist
Tennyson Stevens and bassist
Steve Jones. Melveen's a cool jazz singer. I've always felt she is at her best singing jazz. She will show her versatility at the Pagoda Friday, backed by two members of what she calls
Da Flaming Laulaus Band,
Waipa Purdy and
Kimo Paleka. Da Flaming Laulaus -- only
"Da Tita" could think up a name like that ...
ONWARD: Nora Meijide-Gentry's two daughters, Candes Gentry and Corin Balding, along with Mirella Monoscalo, tossed her a birthday luncheon Oct. 6 at Stage. Thirty-five people attended ... Mountain Apple has released "Back to Romance" by the Matt Catingub Orchestra. Besides Matt, featured vocalists and musicians include: Cecilio and Kapono, Hapa, Fiji, Jeff Peterson, Robert Cazimero, Eric Gilliom, Afatia, Kaukahi, Jake Shimabukuro, Bruce Hamada and Jimmy Borges. The album is packed with great romantic standards ...
'Lion King' cast members in Halekulani show
Some "Lion King" cast members and
Jordan Segundo will appear in a cabaret show at the Halekulani Monday. It's a benefit for "Destination: Groove Dance Hawaii," whose dancers will appear. Things begin with a reception at 6 p.m. Call 373-9911 for tickets priced at $100 and $200. Tickets will also be sold at the door ...
Duane "Dog" Chapman drew over 3,600 fans at a Wal-Mart Maui book signing Saturday. Dog's wife,
Beth, was with him. The store sold out all copies of Dog's book, "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide," as well as "Dog the Bounty Hunter" DVDs ...
Dave and
Nery Heenan are off to Washington, D.C., Friday, where he will teach Global Strategy to Georgetown MBA students. They will return shortly before Christmas ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things in our Hawaii. E-mail him at
bwood@starbulletin.com