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Wood Craft
PIANO man Martin Denny, 89 years young, is happy as a kid about being honored by the Hawaii Jazz Festival. Marty plays with the Don Tiki band at 7p.m. Friday at the Hawaii Theatre. One of Marty's former musicians, Augie Colon, will be in the band as will Augie's son, Lopaka. Marty sat in with vocalist Sydette Sakauye Stanton and a trio at the Kahala Mandarin's comfortable new Veranda on a recent Saturday. Marty and wife, June, came in after celebrating June's birthday. Sydette and pianist Kit Ebersbach were filling in for Loretta Ables-Sayer and Betty Loo Taylor. Loretta and Betty, with bassist Steve Jones and drummer Jess Gobin, perform Thursday through Saturday at the Veranda ... Denny, 89, has
jazz festival gig
The good old days
Marty played exotic music in the '60s at the Mandarin, then the Kahala Hilton. In the 1950s, he was at the late Donn Beach's Dagger Bar, fronting what is now the International Market Place. Healso played the main club, Don the Beachcomber. June was mixing exotic drinks for Donn. She and Marty were married in 1956. Mamo Howell was the star hula dancer at both the bar and in the main club, which had a thatched roof and was where Waikiki Liberty House now stands. Writer Moana Tregaskis, who was Donn's assistant and right arm, remembers a scorpion dropping from the roof down her low cut dress and stinging her. Mamo has put out a line of muumuu and shirts for her clothing line incorporating recipes for the exotic drinks. Beach's ex-wife, Carla Beachcomber Lutz, and hubby, Jess, world travelers from California, flew into town recently, took a Colony Surf apartment above Michel's and tossed a party last Saturday ...
Tania de Jesus and her sleek models share the spotlight with sleek Jaguars at the July 27 fashion show at the Kahala Mandarin's Plumeria. The gals will wear the latest from Escada, St. John and Matador. The Jags are from Garry Brechin at Jaguar of Honolulu ... Loyal Garner talks about her colon cancer with Emme Tomimbang tonight at 6:30 on KGMB, with a repeat at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Carole Kai, Nohelani Cypriano and Melveen Leed discuss their Local Divas' July 28 show at the Sheraton ...
The Academy of Arts' "It's Nile or Never" party is Thursday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The party is a send-off for its impressive "Mystery of the Nile" exhibit, which closes July 30. Entry is $10. Guests are urged to wear Egyptian costumes. Entry fee includes the audio tour of the exhibit, pupus, entertainment and Cleopatrian makeovers by Paul Brown staffers. The Mummy Martini Bar will have beer and wine for sale. Call 532-8722 for reservations ...
Former Gov. George Ariyoshi, president of Prince Resorts Hawaii, was honored with the President's Award at the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii's 150th anniversary luncheon last week at the Hilton Village. Ariyoshi was recognized for extraordinary service to the chamber. G.m. Ted McAneeley's Hawaii Prince Waikiki received the Corporate Member of the Year award ...
Hyrne's pals to party at Aaron's
Aaron's will jump more than usual Wednesday because Audrey Hyrne will celebrate her 40th birthday there with 40 girlfriends. On July 4, I ran into Audrey, Kimo Kahoano and Lois Hunter at a Neiman watering hole and we decided to take in the Independence Day dinner at the Mariposa. Nueva Vida played music and the rockets' red, white and blue glare high above Magic Island was fantastic. Mariposa is a great spot to watch the fireworks ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com