John Berger
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Past articles by John:
Natalie Ai Kamau is ‘still in the dream’ over second Grammy nomination
Natalie Ai Kamauu isn’t navigating unknown territory in Los Angeles today as a Grammy Awards finalist. She hit that mark once before in 2016. → Read More
Pianist Rene Paulo headlined top jazz clubs, late-night spots
Premier cabaret and showroom pianist Rene Paulo, known for his transparent Kawai grand piano, died Wednesday at Tripler Army Medical Center. He was 92. → Read More
Celebrate Hawaii’s favorite superhero at ‘Kikaida Forever!’
Ask anyone who was in elementary school in Hawaii in the mid-1970s about their childhood and you’ll hear lots of stories about “Kikaida.” The Japanese television show about a noble android’s battles with the monsters of a powerful criminal organization was one of the first tokusatsu (“special effects”) series shown here. It was an instant hit with young viewers and was at least as popular in… → Read More
Waianae’s Ilima Shim to appear on fourth season of ‘Tough As Nails’
Born and raised on the Big Island, Ilima Shim’s first brush with fame came when she was on the Konawaena High School varsity track team and earned a place on the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Track and Field All-Star Team in 2003. → Read More
Diamond Head Theatre nears completion ahead of its January debut
When Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote their 1949 Broadway musical “South Pacific,” about the experiences of American military personnel serving far from home during World War II, they voiced the feelings of countless men with a song titled “There Is Nothing Like a Dame.” If Rodgers and Hammerstein were writing these days for Diamond Head Theatre Artistic Director John Rampage, they’d write a song… → Read More
Holiday Happenings: A hand-picked selection of upcoming events
Christmas is just two weeks away. The days are dragging for kids of a certain age and younger, while adults may feel they’re flashing by at warp speed — too much to do, not enough time to do it! So take a deep breath — hold it, exhale slowly — and take a look at a fresh curated list of upcoming events. Whatever catches your eye, be smart, buy tickets or make reservations today. And plan on… → Read More
Taimane explores her heritage with ‘Hawaiki’
“Hawaiki” Taimane Diamond Entertainment LCC If Enya, the Irish singer-songwriter best known for her 1988 international hit, “Orinoco Flow,” had ever decided to explore Polynesian music, the results might have been something like what is heard in “Hawaiki,” the opening track and title song of the newest album by mononymous recording artist Taimane. Taimane explains in a narrative passage within… → Read More
New compilation celebrates Hawaiian falsetto tradition
“Hawaiian Falsetto Vol. 1” Various artists (Haku Records) When Hawaiian falsetto virtuoso Richard Ho‘opi‘i created the Richard Ho‘opi‘i Leo Ki‘eki‘e Falsetto Contest on Maui in 2003, he gave male falsetto vocalists a third platform for competition. Island falsetto singers were already challenging each other at the Clyde “Kindy” Sproat Falsetto and Storytelling Contest on the Big Island and also… → Read More
HBO reality show ‘We’re Here’ earns Emmy for its Hawaii episode
The HBO reality show “We’re Here,” created by Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram, follows show stars Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela Laquifa Wadley as they go to small-town America recruiting residents to become their “drag daughters” and perform with them in a one-night drag show. → Read More
Kolohe Kai releases new album ahead of upcoming tour
Born in Honolulu, Roman De Peralta grew up with a love of the ocean and ocean sports. When he formed a band with some friends at Castle High School who had similar interests, they chose the name Kolohe Kai. (A Hawaiian dictionary translation is “mischievous sea.”) The group’s first album, “This is the Life,” was released in 2009. → Read More
Slack key guitar festival returns to Waikiki
Hawaiian slack key music returns to Waikiki this weekend as Milton Lau and the Ki-ho‘alu Foundation present the 40th Annual Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival “Waikiki Style” Saturday at the Waikiki Aquarium. Slack key master Ledward Kaapana shares the bill with Kawika Kahiapo, Ho‘okena, Brother Noland, Bobby Moderow, Ken Makuakane and Barry Flanagan , Dwight Kanae, Kamuela Kahoano, Stephen… → Read More
Hawaii island teen takes top honors at Rubik’s WCA North American Championship
Matty Hiroto Inaba was visiting Japan with his mother in 2015 when a Rubik’s Cube caught his eye. His mother wasn’t sure her son would stick with the challenge of solving the iconic three-dimensional combination puzzle, and Matty eventually wore her down and returned home with a cube to Waimea on the Big Island. → Read More
Tickets for ‘Hamilton’ to go on sale Thursday
Lin-Manuel Miranda challenged convention when he re-imagined the United States’ wealthy Caucasian “Founding Fathers” as Hispanic and African American, set the story to a score that combined elements of rap, jazz and contemporary urban music, and called it “Hamilton.” → Read More
Roy Sakuma’s Annual Ukulele Festival marks its 52nd — and last — year with a virtual event
In 1971, Roy Sakuma was a young man with a dream. → Read More
Comedian Jo Koy to perform on Maui next month
Comedian Jo Koy — famous in Hawaii for selling out 11 shows in the Blaisdell Concert Hall in 2017 — is returning to Maui for three nights next month at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. → Read More
Author Chip Hughes celebrates publication of his sixth ‘Surfing Detective’ mystery
The first time Chip Hughes came to Hawaii, it was for jungle warfare training. Hughes had a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California Western University — nicknamed “Cal Surf” for its excellent surf breaks — and planned to get an MBA, but a low number in the draft for military service had put his future in jeopardy. Joining the Army National Guard seemed better than waiting… → Read More
Stylistics show postponed due to COVID situation
Hawaii will have to wait a few months longer to enjoy the music of the Stylistics. A “COVID-related situation” has forced the group to reschedule the show to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2. The change of date has made it possible to move the show to the Blaisdell Concert Hall. → Read More
List: 2022 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards finalists include Kalani Pe‘a with 11 nominations
Three-time Grammy Award-winner Kalani Pe‘a is the front-runner as the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts announces finalists in 30 categories for the 2022 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. → Read More
Raiatea Helm to perform with Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
Zachary Helm wasn’t surprised when his daughter, Raiatea, asked him for an ukulele; music was part of every day life for the Helm family, and so he bought her an instrument. Nothing more was said about it until months later, when she sat in with several relatives at her mother’s birthday party. The year was 1999, and performing for family at age 15 was the first step towards a stellar career for… → Read More
Jack Johnson announces 2 upcoming concerts at Waikiki Shell
Jack Johnson announced today that he will perform at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell in July. → Read More