[ HAWAII AT WORK ]
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Musician must I am a working musician. I've been a professional bassist in Hawaii since I graduated from University Lab School in 1972. When my wife gave birth to our son Sean, I needed to find an extra source of income. I purchased professional recording equipment and started Sean's Song Productions in the bottom floor of my house. I eventually outgrew that space and 4 years ago formed a partnership with Bryan Kessler (one of the founders of Hawaiian Style Band) called S & B Productions with offices in Waikiki at Eaton Square. So, I guess more accurately, I am a musician/recording engineer/music producer -- and more.
branch out
Steve Jones’ job is more
than keeping the beatToday was a pretty typical day. I started at 8:30 a.m. at the downtown office of one of our major clients, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning. PREL is working on the NearStar project, which is an interactive Internet-based program that teaches English as a second language to children using animation with a digital audio workstation on site. We record and edit all of the spoken dialogue that is used, as well as create all of the sound effects for the animation. I began by recording the voice of Loretta Ables Sayre for some vocabulary-building activities. After recording her voice, I then edited the words into individual sound bites and prepared them for use in animation. I worked on creating sound effects for one of the animated games that are a regular feature of the program. I draw from various resources for sound effects that include CD sound effect libraries, online sound effects libraries, and create my own sound effects in the recording studio. After completing those tasks I handed the edited product over to the production supervisor and left for an 11 a.m. production meeting with Bryan at our studio.
We met with one of the artists we previously recorded for a Christmas project. She is now interested in recording her own CD. We are a one-stop recording facility, providing the arranging, producing, hiring of studio musicians, recording and mixing of the CD. And, as musicians, we have even composed original music for our clients.
At 1:30 p.m., Bryan and I sat down to put the finishing touches on a project of our own called "Hawaiian Healing Journey." We have created an hour-long musical journey using acoustic instruments, native Hawaiian percussion implements, and authentic sounds of Hawaiian birds, the ocean, the forest, and other sound effects. With the current spa boom and focus on stress-busting, we designed this CD for use during massage therapy or just for relaxation.
At 3:30 p.m., I had a conversation regarding equipment rentals for an upcoming Japanese convention at the Hawaii Convention Center. Having lived in Japan for a while I use my knowledge of the audio world as well as my Japanese language ability to work in the local convention market. I often act as a liaison between local audio staff and the Japanese producers of the convention events. This job involves handling the instrument rentals for Japanese superstar Saijo Hideki, who will be performing at the convention. The list is extremely long as the band will not be bringing any of their own equipment. Everything down to the last guitar stand is listed and I need to make sure they get everything they need.
At 5:30 p.m., I get ready for my performance at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel with the Betty Loo Taylor Trio. We have been at the Veranda for 2 1/2 years playing jazz and accompanying various vocalists. My first love has always been music and I look at this part of my day as the big payoff. Playing Jazz uses another part of my brain than the one I've been using all day. I can pretty much go on autopilot and enjoy the music.
At 11 p.m., I'm done for the day. I pack up my bass and head to my home in Mililani. Tomorrow I'll get up and do it all over again, but I'll make some time for my son after school and have dinner with my wife, Lee Ann, before my evening performance. At the end of the day I always know that I am truly blessed to be able to do what I love, and to have loving family and friends around me.
Hawaii At Work features tells what people do for a living in their own words. Send submissions to: business@starbulletin.com.
