Show Biz
Catch glimpse of Taj Mahal in 'Songcatcher'
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
FACES 'N' PLACES: Taj Mahal, a sometimes Kaua'i resident, has a cameo in the delightful "Songcatcher" film, the story of a song collector who finds a wealth of wonderment and a treasury of music in the wilds of Appalachia in the early 1900s. Janet McTeer, as an ethnomusicologist eager to record and document what the population passed on mostly aurally, reminded me of the way Eddie Kamae ventures (with his camera) into the psyche of rural Hawaiians to open up and share, through his documentaries, the rich tales and atmospheric tunes of the Hawai'i of yesteryear. "Songcatcher" is playing only at the Koko Marina theaters ...
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TRADE WINDS: The Wall Street Journal late last week was researching a story on tribute music, in the wake of the Sept. 11 catastrophe, after reading our online story on DisGuyz's "Our Nation in Song" and John Kolivas' "Remembrance." Reporter Jennifer Ordonez called to inquire about the group and the song, and wound up interviewing DisGuyz singer and co-author of the tune, Jason Lent. Depending on her findings, a story could be imminent ...
Kolivas' gig with his Honolulu Jazz Quartet last Wednesday at Studio 6 of the Musicians Union drew a standing-room crowd, with the premiere of his tribute song. The audience included Donald Yap, conductor of the Diamond Head Theatre orchestra providing music for "Jekyll and Hyde" (Kolivas plays bass in the orchestra), Lyle Ritz, Andrea Young, Robert Shinoda and Keahi Conjugacion (who joined guest singer Azure McCall to finish the concert). Next HJQ concert is Oct. 12, same place. Kolivas ran into jazz artist Bobby Watson (who was here for a concert at Kapono's). They discussed his song and they both sang it on
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PERSONALITY PARADE: Kennedy Theatre's forthcoming "Much Ado About Nothing" will be much ado about something — it will be director Terence Knapp's swan song. The veteran actor-educator and scholar of The Bard and overall stage wizard is retiring ...
That "For the Love of Loyal" benefit, from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Oct. 7 at Windward Mall, is to help Loyal Garner with her mounting ($100,000) medical bills amassed in her battle with cancer. Teresa Bright performed a tune at the Perry and Price Hanohano Room show last Saturday, to help promote the event with organizer Carole Kai. Sonya Mendes, Van Diamond, Nalani Olds and Tino and the Rhythm Klub have joined the list of participants ...
Garner came out of sick bay to help judge a special "Hawaii Stars" contest Sunday at the Hawai'i Theatre. It was a benefit for Variety School ...
Rene Kam of Salon Consultants International played host to the Miss World Hawai'i Pageant contestants at Don Ho's Island Grill last week — with Mr. Tiny Bubbles showing up to sing his signature song. The contest has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Mamiya Theatre ...
Collette Colangelo, former Maui resident and an Emmy Award-winning author and director, brought her family to see the "'Ulalena" show at the Maui Myth & Magic Theatre in Lahaina. Colangelo and Wendall Warrington (a guitarist-vocalist with "'Ulalena") were showmates in Tihati's "Lahaina Whaling Spree" show, circa 1980, at the Royal Lahaina. Director-writer of the revue then was Stan Michaels, now the g.m. of the multimedia hit show. Colangelo was in town to audition Hawai'i performers for a Disney production ...
And that's Show Biz ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays. Reach him at 525-8067, e-mail at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.
