In separate gigs, entertainers Willie K and Shari Lynn demonstrated they are worthy returnees on the Blue Note Hawaii roster at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort.
Presume Robert Cazimero, who performed Friday night, will join that elite hana hou club; Melveen Leed earlier achieved her Blue Note stripes.
Indeed, the town’s loaded with troupers who need work; and Blue Note is hiring locals. Some have the savvy to deliver patter with the performance; others share wonderful music, not necessarily in the jazz realm, but fall short. A cohesive thread — call it an act, with charisma and charm — is vital to underscore the musicianship.
Willie K does just about everything — a little jazz, blues, Hawaiian, country and even name dropping — to galvanize a solid show. There’s the traditional Willie on “Red Sails in the Sunset,” evoking a warm summertime afterglow, making it an unexpected medley with a refrain from “Over the Rainbow.” Flamenco uke-strumming defines the Spanish Willie; the Yiddish Willie is all in his posturing, a la Tevye from “Fiddler on the Roof.” The Hawaiian Willie offers a jazzercised “Beyond the Reef,” while the Italian Willie makes “O Solo Mio” exceptional. Willie is Mr. Everything. …
Shari is on the same page, tapping her multipronged roots in the great American songbook and her background as a club singer and theater performer to produce a well-rounded package. Her song bag is bountiful: “Send in the Clowns,” “I Got Rhythm,” “An American in Paris,” “Here’s to Life.” …
For the full reviews, see my Show and Tell Hawaii blog at staradvertiser.com. …
WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Martin Nievera, the former Honolulan who’s a superstar in the Philippines, will headline the 24th annual Filipino Fiesta’s Flores de Mayo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Kapiolani Park. Also on the bill: Sam Mily and Gelo, Elvis Presley impressionist Leo Days, Jordan Segundo, 2012 Miss Universe runner-up Janine Marie Tugonon and emcee Al Waterson. …
Playwright August Wilson’s maternal niece, Kimberly C. Ellis, gives a free lecture titled “May All Your Fences Have Gates: August Wilson’s Hill District,” at
5:30 p.m. Monday at Kennedy Theatre, Room 1, at the University of Hawaii. The talk is co-sponsored by The Actors’ Group, which has produced Wilson’s plays, and UH. …
RANDOM NOTES: Roy Sakuma, proprietor with wife Kathy Sakuma of the Roy Sakuma Ukulele Studios, perhaps had the best line when he and other veteran showbiz folks were inducted into the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts’ Lifetime Achievement ranks in ceremonies April 30 at the Ala Moana Hotel. Sakuma, creator of the summertime Ukulele Festival at Kapiolani Park, was buried in lei when he graced the stage. Because he dropped out of high school, he quipped, “Now I know how you grads feel.” Jake Shimabukuro, a former student of Sakuma’s, performed “Wipeout” with fellow former students Nick Acosta, Nelly Toyama Baduria and Daniel Baduria, and leaked another secret: The uke instructor also excels in the Las Vegas casinos. …
Other Lifetimers included Jon de Mello (with Robert Cazimero serenading from a piano and Sky Perkins hula-ing); Elaine Ako Spencer (who sang during her awardee slot, performing alongside fellow honoree Hiram Olsen, joined by Casey Olsen and Ocean Kawili); and Neva Rego and Betty Grierson, voice teachers, whose pupil Aaron J. Sala performed an aria. …
Lifetime legacy laurels were posthumously bestowed on Joe Keawe Sr., Sterling Mossman and Augie Colon. …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com. Read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at staradvertiser.com.
