Hawaii
COULD the timing have been any better for Honolulu Pops conductor Matt Catingub to have scheduled jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall in three Blaisdell Concert Hall appearances. She was just nominated for a Grammy for best album, a nearly unheard of occurance for a jazz album that wasn't even among the top 200 selling CDs in the country. Then Headline News Krall kept
fans enthralledplayed an interview with Krall over and over again the day before her opening Friday. Little wonder the three days were sell outs, and well worth it. She's a top-notch pianist and vocal stylist who radiates sex and intimacy without all the trite tricks used by so many singers. A nice sense of humor too, when in one lively number she found herself musically adlibbing "Crocodile Rock," signature piece of Sir Elton John next door at the arena. "Nah, that's not the real thing," she quipped after pausing and then resuming where she was. Great performance ...
SPEAKING of the bespectacled and beknighted performer at the Arena, Elton John enjoyed a big pre-concert meal backstage to get his energy up. Promoter Tom Moffatt got Sam Choy to whip up his Macadamia Nut Crusted Chicken, Salmon Wellington and Bacon-wrapped Shrimp Christopher for the performer and his entourage. Moffatt had another clear winner on his hands, as just about everyone in the arena loved the show. And that included Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who was on his feeting clapping and waving with the enthusiastic crowd ...
A Sommer place
YOU know a place is hot when a film star like Elke Sommer finds herself waiting in line to get in and check out a nightclub. But that's what Elke and about a dozen pals were doing at Zanzabar in the Waikiki Trade Center one day last week. Apparently, the people working the door were too young to know who she was, and failed to give her the "celebrity treatment" that exists in nightclubs everywhere. Then G.M. Peter Dietrich spotted her and proceeded to take her and her group on the royal Egyptian tour ...SPEAKING of actresses, Emmy and Golden Globe winning thespian Jane Seymour and her husband, actor/writer/director James Keach, will be appearing at the Lodge at Koele Saturday night as part of the Lanai Visiting Artist Program. If you aren't familiar with her films ("Live and Let Die," "Somewhere in Time," etc.) you'll know her as "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." ...
BEST line of the week came from Dr. Ralph Cloward, who's 92. He told retired Punahou president Rod McPhee that he planned to get a sex change in two years. McPhee was more than a little skeptical, but listened to the nonagenarian's reason anyway. He'd heard, says Dr. Cloward, that women lived six years longer than men, and he wanted to be around to see 100 ...
Let's Pretend
WELL, it's come to this! Mike Rosenberg, G.M. of KITV, the ABC affiliate, has sent notices to all sports bars and those who have satellites at their disposal, that there'll be enormous fines for anyone airing "Monday Night Football" live next year for people who are too grown up to "close their eyes" and pretend the game is being played later. If KITV refuses to show the game "live," despite the time change causing an afternoon start, he should know football fans will go to great lengths to see it live. KITV's alternative is to show it twice -- once live, and later delayed for prime time ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com