nice to see the tapa room and haw'n village serenaders I grew up watching the show hiding in the lighting loft .so many wonderful memories thanks for posting
Ah, that is lovely. Andy Iona is simply amazing. I'm a big fan of music from the 20s-50s, and recently really started to appreciate the Hawaiian sounds. I really like Andy Iona's recording of "How'd Ya Do". Really lovely. This is another nice song, Sand is simply dreamy.
Byrd is a reincarnated Kanaka (Hawaiian) ~ where did this little guy from Ohio get dem nahe nahe chops? Amazing. Of course Jules and Andy are also stellar players. Andy was asked what inspired Sand. We all expected it came from some cosmic experience that transported him to the center of the universe. However, he cooly responded that it was from an interlude on the beach! I can soitingly unnastan dat!
The photo at 3:03 featuring the steel guitar of Jules Ah See is of Alfred Apaka and the Hawaiian Village Serenaders and hula dancer Pauline Cockett. Jules (second from left) is probably Hawaii's greatest, while being the most underestimated musician in the history of Hawaiian music. While Jerry Byrd was a good musician, he was not up to Jules' standards of total musicality and innovative genius. Both Jules Ah See and Alfred Apaka ---- whose actual name was Alfred Ah Fat --- were half-Chinese, half-Hawaiian and were close friends. Alfred died of a heart attack, suffered while playing handball at the Atkinson Street YMCA in January, 1960. His closest friend, Jules Ah See, died six months later in summer, 1960. Today, the double steel guitar played by Jules is owned by Hawaii's current best steel guitarist, Alan Akaka. In the history of steel guitar, there have been very few truly great performers. Jules Ah See occupies the pinnacle of steel guitar artistry. In my own music collection, I treasure a single, long play track featuring a collection of the very best tracks of most of Jules' recordings, cobbled together from the old Webley Edwards' "Hawaii Calls" albums, between the years 1956 and early 1960. For those interested in discovering more of Jules Ah See and the Hawaiian Village Serenaders featured on "Hawaii Calls" albums, my advice to you is to haunt the used record shops and ---- if you live in Florida or other locations of retirees ---- frequent the antique, used book and used record shops in particular. If you're lucky enough to find the old LP records, you can record them from turntable to audio tapes, then convert the audio tapes to digital wave format for storage and playback on your computer.
"While Jerry Byrd was a good musician, he was not up to Jules' standards of total musicality and innovative genius." What! Wow! What other universe did you come from? Huh? There will NEVER be a lap-steel player, who could touch Jerry Byrd; And that includes those yet unborn and every Hawaiian player that will ever live. I hold as "prima facie" evidence that Buddy Emmons said, "I got mine from Jerry Byrd!" And Buddy went on to be the GREATEST pedal steel guitarist that will EVER have lived. And that includes those yet unborn! ASK Alan Akaka! and countless native Hawaiians what they think of Jerry Byrd; with few exceptions which are sore "losers". How dare anyone cut him asunder.
No huhu, brother. Artistic greatness is not a quantifiable thing. To say this or that musician is the greatest, is meaningless in objective terms. Both Jules and Jerry were great, great artists, and in my opinion it demeans both to squabble over who’s “better”.
cheers for that, i'll look at their catalogue. He is certainly elusive. This version of sand is a lot slower than the one you usually hear from him - (History of Hawaiian Steel Guitar album). Tho that version has great tremelo vibes with trippy reverb accompanying him, makes it so other worldy
Jules is hard to find. Dont have much myself. i know cord international have just put out a live album with George Kainapu from 1959 with Jules Ah See on steel guitar
We’ll play…… not a song I like or would play myself.Andy Iona a great player.It’s a bit like any tune you either like or you don’t however well it is played.
Listen carefully to the tone of all three. Andy didn't write this as steel guitar show piece. Jules turned it into that form. From late 30s to about 1960,the tone is changing from deep and colorful to thin and whiny. This is due to recording techniques, popular tastes, and guitar type. Great musicians all, but that Nashville session sound doesn't do it for me.
Jules is on a different level. His play is divine work .
nice to see the tapa room and haw'n village serenaders I grew up watching the show hiding in the lighting loft .so many wonderful memories thanks for posting
Ah, that is lovely. Andy Iona is simply amazing. I'm a big fan of music from the 20s-50s, and recently really started to appreciate the Hawaiian sounds. I really like Andy Iona's recording of "How'd Ya Do". Really lovely. This is another nice song, Sand is simply dreamy.
Jerry's version is stellar.
I've been looking for Iona's version of this song, and I finally found it!! Love it.
Mahalo, for this beautiful song. pleasure to hear....
Byrd is a reincarnated Kanaka (Hawaiian) ~ where did this little guy from Ohio get dem nahe nahe chops? Amazing. Of course Jules and Andy are also stellar players. Andy was asked what inspired Sand. We all expected it came from some cosmic experience that transported him to the center of the universe. However, he cooly responded that it was from an interlude on the beach! I can soitingly unnastan dat!
just don't ask me which one i like best.
too beautiful.
many thanks for posting.
Thanks for bringing back old memories. Mahalo
Three of the greats for sure...
The photo at 3:03 featuring the steel guitar of Jules Ah See is of Alfred Apaka and the Hawaiian Village Serenaders and hula dancer Pauline Cockett. Jules (second from left) is probably Hawaii's greatest, while being the most underestimated musician in the history of Hawaiian music. While Jerry Byrd was a good musician, he was not up to Jules' standards of total musicality and innovative genius. Both Jules Ah See and Alfred Apaka ---- whose actual name was Alfred Ah Fat --- were half-Chinese, half-Hawaiian and were close friends. Alfred died of a heart attack, suffered while playing handball at the Atkinson Street YMCA in January, 1960. His closest friend, Jules Ah See, died six months later in summer, 1960. Today, the double steel guitar played by Jules is owned by Hawaii's current best steel guitarist, Alan Akaka. In the history of steel guitar, there have been very few truly great performers. Jules Ah See occupies the pinnacle of steel guitar artistry. In my own music collection, I treasure a single, long play track featuring a collection of the very best tracks of most of Jules' recordings, cobbled together from the old Webley Edwards' "Hawaii Calls" albums, between the years 1956 and early 1960. For those interested in discovering more of Jules Ah See and the Hawaiian Village Serenaders featured on "Hawaii Calls" albums, my advice to you is to haunt the used record shops and ---- if you live in Florida or other locations of retirees ---- frequent the antique, used book and used record shops in particular. If you're lucky enough to find the old LP records, you can record them from turntable to audio tapes, then convert the audio tapes to digital wave format for storage and playback on your computer.
"While Jerry Byrd was a good musician, he was not up to Jules' standards of total musicality and innovative genius."
What!
Wow! What other universe did you come from? Huh?
There will NEVER be a lap-steel player, who could touch Jerry Byrd; And that includes those yet unborn and every Hawaiian player that will ever live. I hold as "prima facie" evidence that Buddy Emmons said, "I got mine from Jerry Byrd!" And Buddy went on to be the GREATEST pedal steel guitarist that will EVER have lived. And that includes those yet unborn! ASK Alan Akaka! and countless native Hawaiians what they think of Jerry Byrd; with few exceptions which are sore "losers".
How dare anyone cut him asunder.
CI got a heart attack at that ymca from teaching scuba diving. There ,;nightly , free of charge.
No huhu, brother. Artistic greatness is not a quantifiable thing. To say this or that musician is the greatest, is meaningless in objective terms. Both Jules and Jerry were great, great artists, and in my opinion it demeans both to squabble over who’s “better”.
Love it!
cheers for that, i'll look at their catalogue. He is certainly elusive. This version of sand is a lot slower than the one you usually hear from him - (History of Hawaiian Steel Guitar album). Tho that version has great tremelo vibes with trippy reverb accompanying him, makes it so other worldy
Few know this but Andy owned several laundromats on Oahu. They were all called Iona Laudramat..
Jules is hard to find. Dont have much myself. i know cord international have just put out a live album with George Kainapu from 1959 with Jules Ah See on steel guitar
Byrd had it made.
where are each recording from? So Beautiful - Jules Ah See seems to be something else entirely! Know where I can get more of him?
stuwmac.com
We’ll play…… not a song I like or would play myself.Andy Iona a great player.It’s a bit like any tune you either like or you don’t however well it is played.
Listen carefully to the tone of all three. Andy didn't write this as steel guitar show piece. Jules turned it into that form. From late 30s to about 1960,the tone is changing from deep and colorful to thin and whiny. This is due to recording techniques, popular tastes, and guitar type. Great musicians all, but that Nashville session sound doesn't do it for me.