Posted on: Thursday, March 10, 2005

SHOW BIZ
'Ukulele master to begin weeknight gig at Chai's

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

CLUBLICITY: Expect 'ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro back on the club circuit, at Chai's Island Bistro on Thursdays starting March 17. Shimabukuro, who'll perform from 7 to 9 p.m., has released a new DVD, "Million Miles Away," which recapitulates his 2004 Japan Rainbow Tour with informal home-video-type footage plus some concert sequences, including a live gig with Japan's Devil String Quartet. ...

Lewers Lounge at the Halekulani hotel has reopened after renovations, with a varied lineup throughout the week. Timothy Kallen (piano) is featured on Thursdays and Fridays, Lenny Keyes (piano) and Rocky Holmes (sax and flute) are in residency on Saturdays, Noly Paa (vocals and piano) is featured on Mondays and Bruce Hamada (bass and vocals) and Jim Howard (piano) rule on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Music begins at 8:30 p.m., and continues till midnight weekdays, 12:30 a.m. weekends. ...

Tino and Anela (that's Tino Ibach and Anela Kahiamoe, from Tino & the Rhythm Klub) are doing a duo thing from 8 to 11 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Shell Bar of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. TRK is on the convention/special-events circuit, bypassing club gigs for a while, with Tino also working on a CD for summer release. ...

NAME-DROPPING: Model Rochelle Sanchez Ovitt and boyfriend David "Friends" Schwimmer celebrated her birthday last week with dinner at Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana hotel. Her mother and brother were in the dining party, too, with Tim Carvalho attending to their needs. A musical celebration also was held at the Karaoke Hut in Kapahulu, with her pals Jordan Segundo and Juliet Lighter. ...

Also at Aaron's: Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek of The Doors, who were in for dinner three times, visiting with assistant g.m. Derek Haderman, who fronts the heavy-metal band Crucible. ...

TJ Tario, a piano prodigy who's 10, wowed 'em when he performed at a recent Sanders Piano winner's concert. On that Sanders TV spot, that's Tario with the winning smile, and he's the one performing the music your hear. Noted keyboarder Lisa Nakamichi, a former student of Ellen Masaki, made a guest appearance too. ...

AROUND TOWN: Saint Louis School's "Aida," the first high school production of the Tony Award-winning musical by Elton John and Tim Rice, is a bona-fide hit at Mamiya Theatre, where it's playing through Sunday. Certainly, Mahi Kekumu's presence as Radames — he was in the Broadway ensemble for nearly two years — brings up the caliber a few notches, but Leihoku Pedersen Ellsworth's enactment of the title character deserves cheers, too. Tani Lynn Fujimoto and Ellorin Joy Davis are alternating as Amneris in the love triangle; Fujimoto's "29 Down" Discovery Kids filming limits Fujimoto's availability. Kekumu's mom, Donna Kekumu, helped create his costumes, finishing those belts down to the wire, and Ellsworth's mom, Lauren Apiki Ellsworth, was understandably jittery about her daughter's first leading role. For the pupu party gala, Saint Louis teacher Ray Abregano solicited the kokua of his hula brothers from Robert Cazimero's Halau Na Kamalei. ...

SIGHT 'EMS: "Mardi Gras Follies," playing through March 19 at The Banyans at Pearl Harbor, is drawing packed houses. The 50th anniversary edition is the last — and what a way to go. Jack Cione, the director for the past two decades, makes his die-hard troupers do everything from "Carnivale"-plumed dances to "All That Jazz" motifs. An "In the Mood" sequence, where singers are coifed in big hair and wartime gear, is an audience fave. Mariko Lyons and Claudio Otero's Argentine Gauchos bit also is an evergreen, and Alton and Cathy Waiamu bring vocal dexterity to the ranks. Some sing, others lip-sync, and still others tap dance — and couples like baseballer Benny Agbayani's parents, Benny and Faith Agbayani, as well Dr. John Kotake (Cione's dentist) and his wife, Karen Kotake, add familial fun. ...

"Miss Saigon" cast members went karaoke singing at Henry Loui's one night, joined by Cathy Foy. Joey Caldarone went to see "Aida" at Mamiya Theatre with fellow "Saigon" performers Shawna Masuda, Sam Hesch, Keoki Kerr, Chris Villasenor and Melina Mellios — all of them gave the production a thumb's up. ...

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.