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Wood Craft Ben Wood |
Symphony Pops Beatles
concert was sensationalIt's only January but the Honolulu Symphony Pops salute to the Beatles last weekend could wind up being the best concert of the year. What's more, no big star was brought in from the mainland or elsewhere to carry this tremendous show, featuring the music of what many consider the best group ever. Saturday's sold-out crowd stood, applauded and screamed for more from talented vocalists Anita Hall, Glenn Medeiros, Henry Kapono and Matt Catingub, the brilliant pops conductor who also played terrific piano and arranged the music. I have always loved Anita's singing and Saturday night her dancing moves were hot attention-grabbers. She is bigtime. The vocalists got the happy audience to sing along on "Hey Jude" at the end of the concert. The orchestra was outstanding and was augmented by the expertise of bassist John Kolivas, drummer Sonny Froman and guitarist Jim Mancuso, who is also the symphony's V.P. of operations. The audience stood and yelled for an encore and got a rousing version of "Twist and Shout." The musicians got out of their chairs and danced to the song. It was joyous, as was the whole concert ...
Clooney praised Matt
It was interesting to read in both daily newspapers' People columns Tuesday that Bette Midler's CD, "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook," and Clooney's "The Last Concert" are both in the running for the Best Traditional Pop Vocalist Grammy. Midler does not want to compete against the late Clooney and may withdraw. What the People stories did not say was that Clooney's "Last Concert" CD was cut during her November 2001 Symphony Pops concert here with Catingub conducting. Catingub is quite proud that Clooney said, "Matt is my favorite arranger of all-time." High praise from Clooney, one of the best female singers in the business for some 50 years. She died in June 2002 at age 74. ...Honolulu magazine's 20th annual Hale Aina Awards party, featuring fine food and wine from top isle restaurants and wine distributors, is always great and Sunday's event at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom lived up to expectations. Helping to make it a success was the Hawaiian music of the Sons of Waikalua -- Ellsworth Simeona, Baba Alimoot and Dwight Kanae. The event, which benefits community college culinary programs, is presented by American Express. Honolulu Editor John Heckathorn has been involved in all 20 Hale Aina Awards. John Alves of Pacific Basin Communications and Tom Mullin of American Express co-chair the Hale Aina Ohana ...
Mandarin happening
The Kahala Mandarin held a lively Chinese New Year party Thursday. Many guests, as well as hotel G.M. Jan Goessing and wife Suzanne, wore colorful Chinese attire. Lion and dragon acrobats, a calligrapher, fortune teller and two palm readers were part of the entertaining event organized by Eric Kwan and Vivienne Gan. People jammed the Oriental "Lo-Hei" salad tables and tossed their own salads. Roast duck and pork on steamed buns and beverages were offered. Models displayed Shanghai Tang fashions. Fireworks brought the enjoyable evening to a close ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
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