Tag Archives: Slack Key

LIVE 099 • Mauna Loa Slack Key

Slack Keybig island, blue sky guitar, Elixir Polyweb, Hawaii, Holualoa, ki ho’alu, kona coffee, ksm141, mauna loa, nick borho, shure, Slack Key, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught

Here is my cover of “Mauna Loa Slack Key,” one of the relatively few surviving original songs from legendary slack key kupuna Fred Punahoa. Though “Uncle” Fred never made a full album, he did make a notable appearance on the Waimea Music Festival album which features Mauna Loa Slack Key along with another of Fred’s originals, “Punahoa Special.” Uncle Fred’s legacy also includes fostering amazing Big Island talents of the next generation such as Ledward Ka’apana and Sonny Lim. Like the Punahoa Special, Mauna Loa Slack Key is an often covered song in the slack key world. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, 10/11/07.

LIVE 092 • Opihi Moe Moe (Taylor 310ce)

Fingerstyle, Slack Keybig island, blue sky guitar, Elixir Polyweb, Hawaii, Holualoa, kailua kona, Ki Ho'alu, kona coffee, ksm141, leonard kwan, nick borho, open G, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, shure, Slack Key, Taro Patch, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught

Here’s a recently found cover I did of Leonard Kwan’s signature tune, Opihi Moe Moe. One of the most popular songs in the slack key repetoire, this song has been covered perhaps most prominently by Led Kaapana; in fact, Chet Atkins even recorded a version after hearing it from Leonard on a visit to Hawai’i. Notably, Leonard himself recorded several versions of this song including variations such as Opihi Bounce. Opihi Moe Moe is a fun song to play that lends itself to little variations, and everyone seems to bring something different to this deceptively simple song. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, 1/4/2008.

LIVE 094 • Gabby Style Hula Medley

Live, Slack Keybig island, blue sky guitar, Elixir Polyweb, Gabby Pahinui, Hawaii, Holualoa, Hula Medley, kailua kona, Ki Ho'alu, kona coffee, ksm141, nick borho, peaceful guitar, Pure Gabby, relaxing guitar, shure, Slack Key, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught

Today’s post is a performance of “Hula Medley,” which pays tribute to Gabby Pahinui’s hugely influential recordings of the same name (both the early solo verision, and the version found on Pure Gabby). Many have covered this over the years, with one of my favorite versions appearing on Sonny Chilingworth’s Sonny Solo album. Per below, my recording of the medley here includes a slightly different lineup of songs. Hope you enjoy.

Medley:
Intro / Nani Wale Li’hue
Wai’alae
U’lili E
Aloha ‘Oe

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, in fall of 2007.

LIVE 091 • Fronds in the Wind at Wai’alae Beach Park in Kahala

Live, Slack Keyblue sky guitar, diamond head, east oahu, Hawaii, kahala, kaimuki, Ki Ho'alu, nick borho, open G, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, relaxing music, rosewood taylor, Slack Key, Taro Patch, Taylor 412ce-R, taylor grand concert, waialae beach park

Here’s a recording of my slack key song Fronds in the Wind at Wai’alae Beach Park in Kahala. Appropriately, it was a windy day, but nice and the park was not super crowded. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 412ce LTD (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir strings, ES1) direct through a Boss DD-2 delay pedal, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

LIVE 089 • Bumble Bee Slack Key

Fingerstyle, Live, Slack Keybig island, Fred Kelly, Hawaii, Holualoa, Ki Ho'alu, kona coffee, ksm141, peaceful guitar music, relaxing guitar, relaxing music, shure, Slack Key, Taro Patch, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught, thumbpicks, tranquil song

Demo recording of original song Bumble Bee Slack Key, inspired in part by the nalo meli, honey bees buzzing about their business. I wanted a song that was both lively and mellow and think I achieved it. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, 12/16/07.

LIVE 093 • Hilo Rag (Dennis Kamakahi)

Live, Slack Keyblue sky guitar, dennis kamakahi, ear trumpet labs, edwina, Hawaii, Ki Ho'alu, mauna loa tuning, nick borho, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Slack Key, sons of hawaii, taylor 414ce-NR, taylor classical guitar, taylor nylon

Hilo Rag is a super fun tune to play from Dennis Kamakahi’s oeuvre. Better known for lyrical songs like Koke’e, Hilo Rag makes me wish I heard more of Dennis’s instrumental work. I was fortunate enough to meet Dennis and son David years ago and see them play, both on stage and in smaller back porch style jam sessions. I remember Dennis dressing sharp in his kind of urban paniolo style, complete with boots and cowboy hat. Like I say, this is such a fun song to play I can never just play it once when I’m running through songs (and will be posting an alternate take on my other channel soon). Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 414ce-NR (Rosewood/Spruce grand auditorium nylon string) and an Ear Trumpet Labs “Edwina” microphone.

LIVE 065 • Pualani Slack Key (Demo, 5/16/06)

Live, Slack Keybig island, Hawaii, kailua kona, Ki Ho'alu, open G, Slack Key, Taro Patch, Taylor 310, taylor 310ce, Taylor 310e

This is a demo of a slack key song I wrote years back called “Pualani Slack Key.” Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i, 5/16/06.

LIVE 096 • Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (Taylor 912ce)

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, celtic guitar, fiddle tunes guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, kona, Martin Simpson, O’Carolan songs, open tunings, Pierre Bensusan, relaxing music, Slack Key, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert, Tony McManus, Turlough O’Carolan

Here is another version of my arrangement of Si Bheag, Si Mhor (Little Fairy, Big Fairy), reportedly the first song composed by famous 17th century bard Turlough O’Carolan. This version was recorded on my 912ce, which I feel is a perfect guitar for this arrangement. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 912ce (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light strings) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 067 • Waimea Ride (Slack Key Improvisation)

Live, Slack Keybig island, Hawaii, hawaii ranch, Holualoa, kamuela, Ki Ho'alu, mauka, open g tuning, paniolo, Slack Key, Taro Patch, Taylor 310, Taylor 310e, waimea cowboy

Today’s song from the vaults, “Waimea Ride,” is a slack key improvisation that blossoms from a familiar type of descending figure. Though often used as part of a turnaround, this type of walk down has also been featured as a melodic device in a number of songs, most notably Leonard Kwan’s classic signature tune Opihi Moe Moe. I also recall Ozzie Kotani using it in some of his songs. Anyway, I thought the descending figure and overall pace of this improv might evoke the picture of a Paniolo riding downslope on horseback, ergo the title. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM 141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, 1/11/08.

GEAR 516 • Koa as a Tonewood

Uncategorizedacoustic guitar, big island, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, hawaiian forest, Hawaiian koa, Ki Ho'alu, koa taylor, mauna loa tuning, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, Slack Key, taylor grand concert, Taylor k22ce

Today we explore the use of Hawaiian koa as a tonewood, also discussing the wood’s origins in mauka forests in Hawai’i, its historical uses in native Hawaiian culture to modern day usage, and forestry stewardship. Koa is a bright, relatively dry tonewood with punchy low-mids; clear, sparkly highs; and sweet chiming overtones. Not only is koa a good sounding wood with a strong heritage, but it is also a beautiful wood that can exhibit stunning figuring. Koa guitars are excellent for jazz, folk and rootsy fingerstyle, and slack key among other applications.

Recorded with a Taylor K22ce (solid koa grand concert with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD gauge set) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

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Slack Key and Fingerstyle Guitar