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Wood Craft Ben Wood |
Betty Loo gets Borges’
singing birthday giftPianist Betty Loo Taylor's 75th birthday last Saturday was made much happier by Jimmy Borges who sang with her trio at the Kahala Mandarin's Veranda. Betty and Jimmy have a 30-year musical relationship. He sang her request, an emotional "What Kind of Fool Am I?" bringing tears to Betty's eyes. Loretta Ables Sayre sings with the trio. She teamed with Jimmy on a jazzy "S' Wonderful." Guest Joey Peralta also sang. Betty's trio is made up of bassist Steve Jones and drummer Sonny Froman. Dancing is encouraged. Jimmy and wife Vicki dined earlier in the hotel's beachfront Plumeria and he harmonized with strolling musicians Kalani and Sheila Maio and hula dancer Raelyn Tang ...
SWINGIN' ON: Jimmy helped Jason Mora and Billy Kong get their Thursday night jazz session at the Royal Garden Hotel off to a grand start. Jimmy isn't returning to the club scene, he just worked the opening, which drew the beautiful people. Backed by pianist Dan del Negro, drummer Stacy Tangonan and big bass man Jones, Jimmy was in top form, singing swinging Sinatra hits and other numbers. He had vocal help from Anita Hall, Sonya Mendez and Keahi Conjugacion. Anita sang tunes sweet and hot, including "Don't get "Around Much Anymore" and "My Funny Valentine," before she and Jimmy let it all hang out on a duet of "All of Me" ...
Matt's at George Clooney's
Pops Conductor Matt Catingub is at George Clooney's L.A. home today as music director for a fund-raiser for Nick Clooney, George's dad and the late Rosemary Clooney's brother. Nick, a newspaper man who was host for American Movie Classics, is a Democrat running for Congress in Kentucky. Hollywood stars are expected to attend ... Hilton's Tapa Ballroom will be transformed into an Italian countryside March 27 for "A Taste of Tuscany," a Big Brothers Big Sisters benefit. Chefs Sam Choy and Todd English, who owns a chain of restaurants and was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2001, will be in the kitchen. Tickets are $200; call 521-3811 ...Cheesecake Factory's Rachel Ellenberger is following the sexual abuse accusations at U. of Colorado closely because she played soccer there in 1997-2001. She knew Katie Hnida, the ex-kicker on the football team, who said she was raped by a teammate. She also knows Hawaii's Brian Cabral, the former St. Louis High and Colorado gridder, who was an assistant football coach at Colorado and was named to be interim head coach when Gary Barnett was placed on paid leave for "insensitive" remarks about the rape allegation. "Brian's a cool guy," Rachel said. She met Brian when she coached his daughter, Nellie, at a soccer camp ...
Ring a ding for Bada Bing
HBO is inviting friends to a party to mark the fifth season of "The Sopranos" March 27 at Pier 19 with Dominic Chianese, who plays Uncle Jr. The party will feature the Bada Bing Dancers. Wow! An invitation is a must ... La Pietra's Hoopla fund-raiser at the school next Saturday, 5:30 p.m., will have a Moulin Rouge Evening theme. Great trips are among auction items. Tickets are $200; call 922-2744 ...
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