A few weeks ago my friend Bruce and his wife Yaling from hawaii-aloha.com invited me out to see Makena’s show at the Royal Hawaii Hotel (aka the Pink Hotel) in the newly renovated Monarch Room. It’s part of the “Curators of Hawaiian Music” series. It was a fabulous live show that brought you through the history of Hawaiian music and lifestyle. You can check out more about Makana by checking out his myspace page. 

“The “Curators of Hawaiian Music” is a weekly cocktail-style show each Thursday evening The series was created in an effort to bring the rich musical legacy of The Royal back to life and to pay tribute to Hawaiian culture as part of the re-culturalization of Waikiki. ” from the Royal Hawaiian website

The series of shows featuring Maunalua & Cecilio & Kapono will run from now until December. for more information on the “Curators of Hawaiian Music” at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, click here. 

And as if that wasn’t enough, in the audience was ukulele master Bill “Tappy” Tapia, he’s 101 and still going strong.

We heard he was heading down to a restaurant in town to play and we decided to go along and try to see him play in an intimate setting. 

Well as luck would have it he was done by the time we go there and missed him play. I asked if he wouldn’t mind playing one more song for me. And to my surprise, he pulled out his ukulele out and sang “Happy Hapa Hula Girl” for me and my friends. 

It was amazing experience to be so close to legend, I was a little star struck, and we were both wearing our pink shirts! Thank you Laurie for capturing the moment!

Yaling with Uncle Bill

Below with Michi & Mihana. He’s touring Japan, I wish Uncle Bill safe travels.