Just Back From the Big Island

HaleKai

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I just got back from ten days on the Big Island where I spent a lot of time checking out the Uke scene. There's a nice shop in Kealakekua called Just Ukes. Their inventory was down a bit but they had several high end ukes and a good selection of Kalas. A little further up the road is Sam Rosen's Holualoa Ukulele Gallery. He teaches ukulele making and has several of his student's ukes on display and for sale. He has a website. In Kailua Kona there's Soundwave Music with a very large inventory and also the Music Exchange. The latter is in the King Kameamea Mall and appears to beat all internet pricing that I've seen. (Don't ask, I got myself in trouble there and am afraid I may have contracted UAS)

Every Wednesday there's a Kanikipila in the Keauhoa Shopping Center just off Alii Dr from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. There's a varying assortment of local amateur players who are very friendly. They welcome newcomers and are very non-threatening in their format of play. (A big difference from a Bluegrass or Old Time Jam) Info can be found on konaweb.com in the Big Island Music Events page. There are links to the songs they play if you'd like to prepare beforehand. The webmaster there, incidentally, is KonaBob, inventor and maker of the Walking Bass. He can be found at the session either playing the bass or his self-made lapsteel guitar.

While waiting for my flight at the Kona Airport I ran into two gentlement returning to Oahu. One turned out to be married to the great-granddaughter of Manuel Nunes, self-proclaimed inventor of the ukulele. (He did make them, but the inventor part was his marketing hype.)

Later, while waiting for my connection in Los Angeles, a met a lady with a uke case sporting an Ukulele Underground sticker. She said she got it from a performer on Kuaui the night before.

I have no connection to any of the above, but was just so overwhelmed with the hospitality and abundance of things musical, that I had to share.

Aloha,

Don
 
sounds like you had a great time.
i wish i could go to hawaii!
its been 15 years since ive last been there!
when i was 5!
 
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