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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, February 17, 2005

SHOW BIZ
'Twas a hectic three days for Reichel

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

GO, GRAMMY, GO: Keali'i Reichel had the roughest Grammy schedule among five nominees, considering he did three Valentine's weekend shows Friday night and Saturday (a matinee and evening show) at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, then caught the red-eye to Los Angeles to make it in time for the noontime off-air presentations of the Hawaiian music album of the year Grammy award on Sunday. ...

And Alan Yamamoto, president of the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts (which presents the local Na Hoku Hanohano Awards), also was a jet-setter. Had to take an early Los Angeles return flight to be home by midday Monday to tend to client Jay Larrin's Valentine's Day concert at the Radisson Outrigger Prince Kuhio hotel. ...

The underdog, Charles Michael Brotman and his ki ho'alu compilation, "Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2," won the prize; its all-instrumental format "spoke" universally to voters of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, which sponsors the Grammy. Wonder what this will mean for future competitions, since language and culture are part of the qualifications for consideration? The guitar nod prompted Ron Jacobs, radio veteran, to chuckle somewhat, since he worked with some of the strummers from the "Home Grown" album era, including John Cruz and Ken Emerson. ...

Winner Brotman, meanwhile, said that while his feet are on the ground, "my head's still in the clouds."

He didn't get to haul home his trophy to Kamuela on the Big Island. "They'll mail it to us, when they get the stuff (nameplate) on," said Brotman. "Words can't describe the range of emotions we went through; we were so honored and so humbled." Already, there are queries about tours. ...

BEHIND THE SCENES: Musical director Melina Lillios was in the pit conducting the orchestra rehearsal with the cast of Army Community Theatre's "Miss Saigon" on Sunday, when comedian Frank DeLima walked across the stage, meeting up with the multi-talented Kathe James, who does his costumes and who's coordinating the wardrobe for the ACT production, which runs Feb. 24 to March 12 at Richardson Theatre. DeLima bows his own revue this Saturday at Big D's Showroom at the Queen Kapi'olani Hotel. ...

Dalton Tanonaka's oldies group, Flashback, will do another American Red Cross benefit at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Shack Mililani. Koa-bowl donations will be accepted, similar to a fund-raiser earlier in Kaimuki that brought in $1,100. Donors who offer $10 get to sing with the band. Good fun, good cause. ...

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.