Ukulele

Lyle Ritz, a revered bass player, who was also known as the “Father of Jazz Ukulele,” died last week in Portland, Oregon. Since the late 1950s, Ritz has had a huge impact on musicians in Hawaii and he also once lived in the Islands. HPR contributing reporter Heidi Chang has this remembrance.

‘Ukulele virtuoso Taimane will make her Hawai‘i Theater debut this coming weekend.

After parting ways with Mountain Apple recording she’s set out to push her music into larger stage productions.

   Don Ho first spotted the ‘ukulele phenomenon, Taimane, when she was thirteen, and recording deals and international gigs have followed.  This Saturday, she releases her new album, “We Are Made of Stars,” at the Bishop Museum on the lawn under the stars and in the planetarium.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports.

All are invited to this free CD release party Saturday, March 28 at the Bishop Museum, Planetarium and Gallery Lawns, 7-10pm.  

Ages All Ages, Picnic on the Lawn. BYOFC (Bring your own food and chairs!)

The ‘ukulele is unique part of the history and culture of Hawai‘i. Older instruments can tell their own stories—a fact that one collector wants to share with a broader audience both in the state and around the world. Jackie Young has his story.

A bill to name the official state musical instrument stalled and died last week in conference committee because both houses could not reach an agreement.   But there is still hope for passage of another measure that could do the same thing before the session adjourns Thursday.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka explains.

The National Conference of State Legislatures ranked Hawai’i number one for having the most interesting legislative proposal in the country.   It has nothing to do with the state budget … minimum wage increase or proposals to buy conservation land.  The number one topic in the national publication’s monthly magazine has to do with a bill naming Hawai’i’s official musical instrument.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka provides an update on that measure.     

Officially designating Hawai’i’s State Instrument is proving to be far more difficult at the State Capitol than many lawmakers ever anticipated.   As HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, legislation is seldom easy and far from being simple.   

State lawmakers considered more than 500 bills today before a critical legislative deadline, Thursday.  Proposed measures must be approved in the originating House in order to crossover to the other chamber for consideration.   As HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, all bills have a long way to go and there are no guarantees, not even for the one of the most popular instruments in Hawai’i.