Show Biz
Earth, Wind & Fire plans January concert
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
SHOW BREEZES: Details are being finalized, but count on Earth, Wind & Fire — with 10 to 12 members, led by Maurice White — to perform Jan. 5 at the Blaisdell Arena. The group has a loooooong hit list, including "Shining Star," "Sing a Song," "September," "After the Love Is Gone" and "Let's Groove" ...
And Brian McKnight, of "Back to One" fame, is set for a Feb. 2 gig, venue to be announced ...
Quite a hubbub backstage at the James Taylor concert at Blaisdell Arena Saturday night. Besides Graham Nash, who took the stage, the celebs hob-nobbing with Taylor included Yvonne Elliman, the former Islander and Roosevelt grad of "Jesus Christ Superstar" fame (and disco hits such as "If I Can't Have You"). After years of traveling and Mainland life, Elliman has come back to Honolulu. Phil Nakayama had the backstagers gleeful with his '82 photo of Taylor (with hair), which the singer signed for him in 1995, his last time here before the Saturday sellout ...
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PERSONALITY PARADE: When Diane Ako, KNHL anchor-reporter, ties the knot Saturday with Claus Hansen, a partner in the Affordable Caskets Moanalua Mortuary, they will have top-notch entertainment at their wedding reception at a Diamond Head estate. Rene Paulo, who recently marked 50 years of marriage to wife Akemi (real name Lillian) with a big family celebration in Las Vegas, will come out of retirement to man the keyboards. The house band will include Bryan Kessler, Steve Jones and Ignace Jang, with Jimmy Borges on vocals, and Hawai'i Pacific University student (from Denmark) Sumee Mikkelsen, an up-and-coming singer, also will perform. For the record, the groom also is a Dane ...
Borges, by the way, had a terrific Florida tour with Honolulu pops conductor Matt Catingub in three concerts with the Florida Symphony, in St. Petersberg, Clearwater and Tampa. Standing ovations greeted them, with folks particularly applauding the Frank Sinatra song bag. "There were a lot of kukui-nut leis and shaka signs in the audience," said Borges ...
How many celebs does it take to give a sumotori a lift? Nineteen, it turns out. For the Bon Ami Konishiki Golf Tournament coming Sunday, to support the Konishiki Kids Foundation at Ko Olina Resort & Marina Golf Course, participants include Kimo Kahoano, Emme Tomimbang, Dave Vinton, Howard Dashefsky, Danny Kaleikini, Jimmy Borges, Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Rick McMahon, Russell Siu, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Sid Fernandez, Dan Cooke, Robert Kekaula, Larry Price, Roy Tokujo and Marriott's Brad Snyder and Michael Kosmin ...
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RANDOM NOTES: Daniel Ho, former Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner, is known primarily as an instrumentalist and composer, with scores of credits for himself and as a backup musician (and producer) for others. He's never been a singer, but that may change, he told the Perry & Price audience last Saturday. He credits an over-the-counter spray, Afrin, for easing his breathing, which enables him to sing. Seems it also helped him in a moment of crisis on Kaua'i, when he had to fill in for an ailing partner. So don't be surprised if Ho winds up doing some vocalizing in future projects. But please, don't try this on your own. ...
And that's Show Biz ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays. Reach him at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.
