Gabby 'Pop" Pahinui

Great time at the Waimanalo Beach Park last Saturday for the Gabby Pahinui Music Festival.  Our group, from kumu Cyril Pahinui's Bishop Museum students played 4 songs and did a great job.  Cyril sat in with us which made our sound even that much more rich.

Ever since learning slack key and especially the Pahinui Family special open C tuning, I have a closer connection to the land where I live and the history that's so important to music and other culture.  To me, slack key is like the mainlands country music and American jazz all mixed together.  Originally, Jazz became a music of a people and a place and grew to what it is.  Slack Key is the same thing, it's a music of a people and a place but because of where we are, it doesn't spread as rapidly as jazz.  Anyone who listens to country music can easily feel the two-step beat and the bright happy feel.  Like art, this is my own opinion and how I feel what slack key means to me.  But most importantly,  Gabby Pahinui's resurgence in the 1970's was in tune with the greater Hawaiian cultural revolution. He had his band of friends, families and others brought to light not only a more modern sound but more importantly,  at that particular time, was the more traditional songs that told stories and also served to reintroduce the Hawaiian Language to those who wanted to reconnect and get involved in the movement of re-culturing.  And on it's most basic level, it's just darn good music with some incredible performers.  I am humbled to be in their presence and will do my best to uphold the traditions of nana ka maka; ho‘olohe ka pepeiao, “Watch with the eyes, and listen with the ears. Thus one learns."