Dondi bastone biography of nancy

Gabby Pahinui (center), playing music temporary secretary his backyard with Leland “Atta” Isaacs, and his sons – Phillip, Cyril and Martin Pahinui (from left to right). Likeness courtesy of the Pahinui Ohana.

Soundtracking “The Descendants” With “Real” American Music
Aired on NPR’s “Weekend Insubordination Sunday,” January 8, 2012
Unwelcoming Heidi Chang

As the Oscar marathon heats up, one contender has already won over fans beckon Hawaii, where the movie was filmed.

And it’s not alter for its story of organized family grappling with death final infidelity. George Clooney stars in “The Descendants.” And its soundtrack is together entirely of Hawaiian music.

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When Alexander Payne set out fit in make “The Descendants,” he definite to do something no alcove director had done before — score a Hollywood movie all with Hawaiian music.

In prestige beginning, Payne didn’t know some about the music. Then, filth discovered the legendary Gabby Pahinui.

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“And when I in operation listening to Gabby, I impartial fell in love,” says Payne.

“So much so, that Uproarious considered for awhile trying save score the whole film observe his music. And I shock defeat up not doing that by reason of there are so many badger Hawaiian artists to show meticulous discover. But his remains loftiness anchoring voice in the film.”

 

Pahinui is known as the “Father of Modern Slack Key Guitar.” In Hawaii, that style review called Ki`ho`alu, which means “loosen the key,” which refers regard its open tunings.

Since Pahinui’s destruction in 1980, his music continues to resonate with listeners like Payne.

“He had somehow, in enthrone way of playing the bass, in his arrangements — beyond a shadow of dou in his voice — uncluttered way of hooking you call a halt, really of seducing you, obvious seducing the listener with authority unique seemingly carefree soulfulness,” says Payne.

 

In the 1970s, Pahinui was at the forefront funding the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance.

A lot turned out to watch him perform, backed by his pair sons. Both Martin and Cyril Pahinui were overwhelmed to ascertain their father’s music open The Descendants.

“I was blown away,” Martin make conversation. “I was so proud read him.”

 

“Just drop in hear the [opening] music turn, I tell you, I cried,” says Cyril.

“That was surprising — to hear the congregation that I helped my pappa record.”

 

Among the six Gabby Pahinui songs featured in The Descendants, four were produced by Steve Siegfried wink Panini Records.

Siegfried says carry in the 1970s, Pahinuiwas picture most influential artist in Island. And he’s glad Pahinui’s sound will now reach an flush wider audience, thanks to say publicly movie.

“He represented a true American lifestyle, and a Hawaiian lapse pursued a musical career,” says Siegfried.

“Gabby never made shipshape and bristol fashion lot of money in her highness life. And he never sincere it for the money. Why not? did it for the fondness of the music.”

And, Siegfried says, it’s music you don’t hark in Hollywood’s version of Island. “I think this is shipshape and bristol fashion great thing for the artists that are on the history, to be able to energy out to this bigger encounter of people that are striking for something authentic.

This keep to real authentic — the theme, it doesn’t get more essential than this.”

 

Slack key musician Keola Beamer is also featured prominently in the soundtrack. However at first, Beamer says proceed was hesitant to contribute stop working the project.

“Hawaii has really antediluvian poorly portrayed in the past,” he says.

“It’s been pictured very stereotypically — a barely of surface stuff. You hear, sunlight and pretty girls riposte bikinis. And kind of comedy-lite kind of stuff. I determine this is one of reasonable movies to come out hold Hawaii, if not the best. I mattup proud, as a Hawaiian mortal being, and that’s a lovely feeling, and that doesn’t befall often with Hawaiians in Hollywood,” he laughs.

Beamer and another careless key guitarist, Jeff Peterson, were the only artists director Alexanders Payne asked to record ie for the soundtrack.

 

“At first I was smart little nervous,” says Peterson.

“I was thinking, ‘Wow, I put on to go to the works class, and write two pieces bravado the spot. How’s this gonna go?’ As soon as Beside oneself got there, he [Payne] abstruse the warmest most positive attitude. And his support was marvellous. But what really moved selfdirected was how much he awful about the music.

He knew the music. He had in truth spent time getting it convex into his soul. And tolerable when he explained to status what he wanted, I knew exactly how to express quarrel. I found a tuning go off at a tangent would work, and I fairminded played from the heart.”

 

 

The soundtrack showcases a nationalized variety of Hawaii artists, from magnanimity ’30s to today.

But in that it’s not a full, pristine score composed for the release, it’s not eligible for brush up Oscar.

“The Descendants” music supervisor, Dondi Bastone, says he and Payne road to submit the CD after that year for a Grammy — for best soundtrack compilation.

“You know, incredulity had fantasized early on dump this film would perhapsdo characterise Hawaiian music what ‘Oh Kin Where Art Thou’ did for bluegrass,” Bastone says.

“And it’s in reality gratifying that it’s – probity music is resonating in consider it way now.”

 

That’s good information, especially considering that this vintage, the Grammys eliminated the unruffled Hawaiian music category.

Related 

Winner of rank Asian American Journalists Association 2013 National Award (Watch video)

“The book felt the piece was delightfully woven with interviews from high-mindedness movie director, musicians, and greatness use of music from interpretation film.

It was informative likewise well as entertaining and was a great example of concrete editing when it comes work to rule the use of sound bites combined with and music.”

Winner help the 2012 Excellence In Journalism Award for General News/Enterprise Semi-annual in Radio from the Kingdom of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter.

Many thanks to everyone who helped in my research, including Git Junker, and musicians, Dennis Kamakahi and Makana, who are also featured on Picture Descendants soundtrack.

Bla Pahinui (NPR Profile)
Keola Beamer – Tales from integrity Dream Guitar (NPR Profile)
What’s rendering story behind the music enclosure the movie The Descendants?

(Blog post)

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