By Burt Lum

Dedication and devotion are redeeming qualities that keep repeating themselves on the Net.

During recent interviews with guests on my radio show, I am reminded that for many individuals, being online is not about making money.

It's all about sharing information and being passionate about their particular interests. This really should come as no surprise because over the years, I've explored many Web sites rooted in these qualities. It's just reaffirming to see this sort of commitment.

Brad White is a local musician whom I first knew as part of a duo called White and Eisenstein. He has reinvented himself through the panflute. A flutist for more that 40 years, his recent work is an exploration into this multicultural, multifaceted wind instrument.

Besides producing numerous CDs of music inspired by the panflute, his site, www.pan-flute.com, is further testament to his devotion to this instrument. The panflute spans a multitude of cultures from Europe to South America and Asia.

Completely developed by White, the site is chock full of music, the history of the panflute, examples of various wind instruments, videos and more.

The variety of tools used to convey the message impresses me. There are Flash animations, embedded music clips, 3D displays and VR effects. It's truly an active and productive mind at work here.

Another example of devotion to music is Clay Freeman's jazz site, www.honolulujazzscene.net. Upon moving here from Hilo a few years ago, he sought out the jazz scene in Honolulu. To his surprise, he found a resurgence of live jazz and wanted to share it with his friends. This gave rise to Honolulujazzscene.net. A dedicated fan, Freeman frequents the scene at least once a week. He's gotten to know all the musicians and club owners and has become something of a central informational dispatch.

What started as a listing of 30 or so weekly gigs has tripled to nearly 90. Freeman tells me it's all about the music. This man lives it, shares it and happily contributes to the resurgence of the Honolulu jazz scene.

Burt Lum is one click away at www.roughtake.com.