Borges thrills at latest bash by Hawaiian Air hostesses

For Friday, November 16, 2012

By Ben Wood

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 16, 2012

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FORMER Hawaiian Airlines DC-3 hostesses threw another fabulous party at the Ala Moana Hotel Saturday night. The women of Koa‘e Kea("high-flying bird") are talented: Many of them danced hula as they did in the '40s and '50s on neighbor isle flights. This kamaaina party was special, as singer Jimmy Borges was booked and he turned it on with his jazz and pop numbers. Pianist Betty Loo Taylor was supposed to back up Jimmy with bassist Steve Jones and drummer Darryl Pellegrini but was injured in a fall, and Dan del Negro stepped up. Guests were given lei as they entered the Garden Lanai Room to the sounds of Naluhoe — Vicky Hollinger, Kawika McGuire and Joe Recca.Joe danced "Kahipukai" with his daughter Delys.Manu Bentley put aside her cane and danced "Kawohikukapulani" beautifully. Halau o na Wahine Hula Nani — Alice Booth, Delorinne Wong, Kathy Wada, Eula May Sweet, Likelike Davis, Marian Zahn andVivian Luning — danced to "Ho‘onanea" andmoved quickly to "Kaneohe," which tells about the first electricity in the islands.Emcee Hale Ka‘ohu Rowlanddanced to songs of the island on which she was born, "Aloha Kauai" and "Nani Kauai." Lorna Kaeck sang the ever-popular "Waikiki" as Janu Cassidy's hula more than lived up to the classic. Ivanelle Mountcastle Choy told the story of the wonderful parties held at the home of Francis I‘i Brown as Roy Benham sang "Keawaiki." Roy also sang the doxology after B.J. Feldman gave the prayer before dinner.
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