Stayed at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel, which featured a nice show every evening, fronted by Rudy Aquino, good uke and vibraphone player, replete with hula and one night a young local guy walk-on with an amazing voice in the nahe nahe style (sadly no steel, but man what a great addition it would make to the gig).

When driving around, found a pretty good FM Station, 105.1 KINE.

If you're headed to Maui in the next few months, take note of this series, especially Feb. 1

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“I always knew that there was something out there that I needed to get to.
And it wasn't where I was at that particular moment."
-Bob Dylan

[This message was edited by Greg Simmons on 09 January 2006 at 04:10 PM.]

You sure chose the right place to base your visit; And THANK YOU for the great report / promo. Seems to me that although Kaanapali's mindset (and that of the vast majority of Hawaii's business powers-that-be) is primarily $$$$$, accentuated by a cornucopia of glitzy souveniers made "2000 miles away"; The powers that be in Kaanapali also recognize the treasures of historic / romantic Hawaii that many if not most People come to encounter ....and those powers serve those interests probably better than any other area in the State. Strolling the beach-walk at Kaanapali and exploring Maui is far superior to the "wally-world" that Waikiki and any number of other locales has become. Although, ....there are certainly mighty fine establishments all over the State to be found by pretty deep and comprehensive searching.

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Also, isn't it nice and EFFECTIVE that the Slack Key website you referenced actually actively promotes Slack Key rather than a "club" immulating promotion!? Promoting the Style, Artists and Venues sans any "club" membership, sure seems to me to be far superior in promoting the SUBJECT than promoting only the Artists that are members of a "club" that falls far short of such effective promotion. Also notice that ADVERTISERS support such an approach as slackkey.com. ~~~~~~~ Now, .....where can we find such promotion for the Steel Guitar in Hawaii??????

(Sorry lord, ...lost my head there for a minute, ...and god bless all them starvin pygmies down in new guinnea too, ...amen)........

Come on man... do a little research before you make your ideas known to the world. Your thinly veiled attack on the HSGA is completely unfounded.

You say:

quote:

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Also, isn't it nice and EFFECTIVE that the Slack Key website you referenced actually actively promotes Slack Key rather than a "club" immulating promotion!? Promoting the Style, Artists and Venues sans any "club" membership, sure seems to me to be far superior in promoting the SUBJECT than promoting only the Artists that are members of a "club" that falls far short of such effective promotion. Also notice that ADVERTISERS support such an approach as slackkey.com. ~~~~~~~ Now, .....where can we find such promotion for the Steel Guitar in Hawaii??????

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OK - Here goes:
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Go to the HSGA "Who's Playing Where" webpage: http://www.hsga.org/new_design/gigs.htm

We list all performing HSGA members in a tan colored font. Non-HSGA members are in a white font. Looks about 50/50 members vs. non-members to me. Ken Emerson, Michaelle Edwards, Owana Salazar, Iaukea Bright, Benjamin Cheney,Kalei Bridges, The Moonlighters, Buck Giles, Eddie Palama are not members of the HSGA. But guess what? We list their gigs because we promote the music.
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Go to the HSGA "Audio by Members" page: http://www.hsga.org/new_design/audio.htm

We give ANY HSGA member their own personal webpage to showcase their music. This is FOR FREE, without any pop-up ads or musical censorship. This is a free service and a free perk of membership. You do not have to be a performing artist with a record contract or CD to sell. Any member can showcase their music

Go to the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions website and look...
Where are the slack key artists that aren't part of the HSKGP concert series? There are many great slack key artists worldwide. Why aren't they listed and their gigs promoted?
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The HSGA is a non-profit organization

I applaud what Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions, Inc is doing. Anything that furthers non-mainstream music is fine with me. But look at their site. They are a profit making organization.

From their site:

quote:

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Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions is located in West Maui. The company is incorporated in the state of Hawaii.

HSKGP's first production is a year long concert series at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui. The Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series performs every Wednesday evening. By popular demand, the Series has been extended again through December of 2006.

The first volume of an audio CD of compilation of performances was awarded the 2005 Hawaii Music Award and was a nominated finalist for a Na Hoku Hanohano Award (Hawaii Academy of Recording Artist annual awards.)

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Completely different business plan than the HSGA, if you ask me.

I guarantee you that someone in the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Productions organization is making money.
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Not fair Denny.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 09 January 2006 at 08:17 PM.]

I'm posting my reply in a new message chain ("Soliciting some HSGA kudos"), so as to not hijack Greg's posting.