Slack Key from Ka `Elepulu

Welcome to Kaleponi Records, my musical home on the web. My name is Fran Guidry, and I play kika ki hoʻalu or Hawaiian slack key guitar.

Kaleponi is the Hawaiian word for California, where I live. Ki hoʻalu, or slack key, has a direct link to California history. The guitar was carried to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi by vaqueros from California. You can read more about the history of slack key guitar on the Dancing Cat Records web site.

Slack key guitar is named for the retuning that characterizes the style. Most of these new tunings feature loosened, or slackened, strings which give a deep rich sound.

My personal slack key history goes back to 1999 and my first visit to Hawaiʻi. When we turned on the TV in our Waikiki hotel room I was captivated by the playing of Keola Beamer. I knew in an instant that I had to learn to play this beautiful music. Over the years I've learned from great players and teachers like Ozzie Kotani, Keola himself, Patrick Landeza, Kevin Brown, Cyril Pahinui, Kawika Kahiapo, Raymond Kane, Dennis Kamakahi, and Ledward Kaapana.

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

We found a new spot for our stay in Hawai`i and our time there was enchanting. So appropriate because the name of the subdivision is Enchanted Lake, the haole name given to Ka `Elepulu, the Moist Blackness, as the Hawaiians called this once productive wetlands and pond. Our hosts are situated on the stream that connects the pond to the ocean, on those brief occasions when the mouth down at Kailua Beach Park is dredged and the waters of the lake and ocean mingle for a while.

We found our view of the stream to deliver constant delights. Fish splashed and schooled, water birds swam and swooped, paddlers and kayaks and stand up boarders cruised by along with fishing boats and party barges.

Our hosts charmed and entertained us with their chickens and pigeons, craft hours on the lanai, kanikapila, and talk story. I was inspired to shoot a video tribute to our hosts and their home, and came up with a new arrangement of Wai O Ke Aniani, a tribute to the sparkling waters.

It was lots of fun collecting the shots of the paddlers and birds and learning to shoot timelapse video of the sunrise and sunset. And we feel lucky to have spent time with our new friends on Ka `Elepulu Stream.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 at 5:44 am and is filed under Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.