Posted on: Tuesday, December 28, 2004

SHOW BIZ
SOS founder welcomes new baby girl

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

BIRTH NOTES: Christmas came early this year for Bert and Sherri Sagum (he's the Society of Seven co-founder, still performing with the original Tony Ruivivar-led edition of the group). The Sagums welcomed daughter Isabella Dominique Sagum on Dec. 19, moments after Sagum did a matinee performance at the Jubilee Theatre at Bally's in Las Vegas; son Christian Sagum, 9, cut the umbilical cord. "It was the first time I was in the delivery room," said daddy Sagum via phone, "because I can't stand the sight of blood." He sobbed when the little angel arrived. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measured 20 1/2 inches. "She was just beautiful." ...

Augie Rey has become a grandfather again — twice — in recent weeks. Daughters Reina Ure and Tahiti Rodriguez gave birth to grandchildren Nos. 14 and 15. Reina's and husband Carlos' daughter, Andrea Keala Pua Ure, arrived Nov. 14, and Tahiti's and Will's son, Aiden William Makana Rodriguez, was born Dec. 6. ...

BEHIND THE SONG: Singer Yvonne Elliman has been tinkering with her original tune, "World of Trouble," which premiered on Edgy Lee's "Life or Meth" ice documentary earlier this month on all network affiliates. "Some people don't realize it's Yvonne," said Lee, "and when they learn it's her song and her voice, they're even more excited. It is a beautiful composition." Elliman is excited about getting the tune properly recorded. "I love the feel of this song and use a didgeridoo symbolically throughout, whenever the evil of the drug seeps through the facade," she said. "Since it has a dramatic, Spanish intensity, I held in my mind's ear Carlos Santana tooling around, then capturing the sadness felt by the main character, in the solo." So now you know. Elliman hopes to make the song available — when, she can't say. ...

CHRISTMAS AFTERMATH: There was an emotional surge during The Makaha Sons' "O Holy Night" at the group's Christmas concert at the Renaissance Ilikai Hotel. Not only did Willie K. join in, but also the City of Refuge Church Choir, with lead singer Benjamin Cross, prompting a standing ovation. Robi Kahakalau and Raiatea Helm were among other performers, and Augie T emceed. ...

Ballet Hawaii's "Nutcracker," staged recently at Blaisdell Concert Hall, was a success on all fronts. Surely, the team of Megan Fairchild and Joaquin De Luz, as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, were the cherry on the cake, though the Arabian sequence, with Daphne Hargrove and Roman Zhurbin, provided mystery and mastery to spare. The snow pas de deux, with Sandra Brown and Timour Bourtasenkov, glistened; and Ben Moffat as Mother Ginger provided broad laughs. Stuart Chafetz and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra's music, of course, provided the crowning glory — and Peter Dean Beck's glorious sets framed Anne Namba's eye-filling costumes. Pamela Taylor-Tongg and Steve Knox, pillars behind Ballet Hawaii, can stand tall and take proud bows. ...

Singer Loretta Ables Sayre and her publicist-husband, David Sayre, held their annual champagne and cookies open house recently at their hillside Hawai'i Kai home. Might be the last one there; the home is for sale, since the Sayres are searching for a larger pad on level land. ...

HERE 'N' THERE: "Stomp!," the percussion show playing at the Hawai'i Theatre through Jan. 2, is family fun no matter how many times you see it. Helps to have a local link (Andrés Fernandez), but the cool rhythms and cacophony of sounds make for a grand buffet for the senses. Go once, go often. ...

Danny Couch has launched a show at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort & Spa on the Big Island, where he performs Thursdays and Sundays. ...

Jeff Coelho, vice president and general manager of Visionary Related Entertainment, who oversees five O'ahu stations (including KUMU AM/FM, K-POI FM, KDDB FM and KQMQ FM), is recovering from knee-repair surgery. So don't invite him on walking marathons for a while; desk duty's fine. ...

Ron Gibson, executive producer of the planned Hawai'i International Musical Conference and Diamond Head Crater concert some time next year, was in town with girlfriend Linda over the holidays. Gibson managed some r&r on Maui, dined at Ruth's Chris Steak House and was ensconced at a buddy's Ha'iku Plantation estate. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.