>> From the Library of
Congress in Washington DC.
>>JOHN FENN: I'm John Fenn from
the American Folklife Center
at the Library of Congress and I'm
here today with Ledward Kaapana,
slack key guitar player,
ukulele player and singer.
And we're going to chat a little
bit about Hawaiian music, culture,
language and get your background.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
We're going to have fun.
>>JOHN FENN: we're
going to have fun.
So, I know you talk a lot
about family and learning how
to play as a young child.
Why don't you give us a
brief overview of growing
up with all this music around you
and how you picked up the guitar.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Well, Because
living in Kalapana we were
so isolated from everything else.
No electricity, you know, learn
how to live the old style,
we went fishing, we went
hunting, you know, swimming.
And besides all that there's music.
My dad, my mom, uncles and
aunties, they all played music, so,
I was so fortune, growing up every
day, every day I hear music and back
in those days my family
no one plays music.
They played from the heart,
you know, from within.
So, that's way I learned
how to play this music.
Down the keys, you know, it would
be the major keys like G, F, A,
anything after that would have been
second F, Second A. Which I found
out A7 is second A,
C7 is second F, so,
then I had all my uncles
they all played music.
Uncles and aunties they
all play slack keys.
>> Okay.
>> so, as I was growing up I
could see all the different style.
So, I learned by watching how
they fingered the keyboard
and how they tuned.
I remember all the tunings
as I was growing up.
>> Which tuning do you
use most often now?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: we call this the
tera fast [assumed spelling] tuning.
What it is the standard
tuning on the guitar,
the first string right here, so
this would be an E. so, what I did,
I dropped that E down
to a D, so it's a D now.
the sound of the E would be here.
So, I went down to D. And this
stays the same, this is a B string.
Stays the same right
here, this is a G string.
And then right here the
fourth string it's D
and then the fifth string from
the A. I tuned it down to G.
And then the sixth string is like
the first string, from an E I went
down to a D. So, there's two
D's and we treat these --
one here, one there, this is octave
and the other one is right here.
So. This all the D notes.
And then you have the B's.
Then I have two G's, the third
string and the fifth string.
And when you strum
against the strings
like this it's a G major chord,
on a standard [inaudible],
the standard when you have
to hold the G like this.
now I don't have to, I just go...
And that's what's lucky,
we tuned the guitar,
so we call this a tera fast tuning.
And the technique of playing
this style the thumb does all the
base notes.
[ Guitar Strumming ]
So the thumb is doing.
and then the finger does
all the melody chords.
[ Guitar Strumming ]
So, you have the base going steady
and then the finger's doing
all of the melody chords.
>>JOHN FENN: You make
it sound so easy.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: it is.
>>JOHN FENN: So, when you were
younger and there was music all
around you, did someone put a guitar
into your hand and say, "Here,
play," or did you pick one up out
of your own out of inspiration?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: When I was young
we couldn't touch the guitars.
All we could do was watch
them play, you know.
you know, living in Kalapana we're
so isolated from everything else.
So, we used to have
parties that goes
on for months, not weeks, months.
and from the first
house to the last house
in Kalapana we were all related.
So, everybody we would share
whatever we could bring.
You know, we're fishing, some were
hunting, and we all shared the food
and the parties keep on going.
So, the only time we could touch the
guitar is when they were all drink.
You know, they having fun.
After that we don't
touch it when they --
you know, because they don't
want you to touch the guitars,
because they don't want the
guitar brake or, you know,
so we don't touch it, so I just sit
there and observe what is happening,
how they tune the guitar
and I'm just listening.
And the trick is the
ear have to be good
to know what you're doing, yeah.
Have to really listen.
>>JOHN FENN: So, you start
playing when you were 4?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: When I was
6 years old I played ukulele.
I started with the ukulele.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah,
started with the ukulele and then
as the years went on I
started playing this.
we were getting older already.
When I was about 8 years old
I could touch the guitar.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: And I
start playing like, you know,
strumming all the rhythm.
My dad and them playing the music.
And then my mom says, "Oh, you
got good rhythm, you know,"
because we listening
it and we playing it.
And finally we were able to play
with them at parties or whatever.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
And in that situation would you
learn by playing or would an uncle
or your dad sit down
with you and teach you.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Oh, no.
they didn't teach us.
I learned by watching what they
did and remember what they did
and that's how I learned, you know.
Same like them, you know, just knew
the music keys and the tune in,
I remember all the tune ins.
But my uncle used to be kind
of one step ahead of us,
because he knew I wanted to
learn how to play the guitar.
So, what he would do, because he
know every time he put the guitar
down I grab the guitar
and forget the fingerings.
Not knowing that every time he put
the guitar down he always slacken
on the other string that I
would see it, he puts it there.
>>JOHN FENN: Keeping
you on your toes.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
keeping me on my toes.
Until I finally found
out what he was doing.
So, I guess, he puts it down there,
he walks outside of the house
and he's outside listening
and he's having fun.
Because in Kalapan we don't have
electricity, so we don't have no TV.
I was like the cartoon actor
for him and he's laughing.
So, finally I caught on because
the thing that he sound --
I see his finger like this.
sounds good, yeah?
So, the next thing I know, he slack
this string so it wouldn't sound
like this, it would sound like this.
I said, something wrong
with this string.
And then I found out, I
tune it up, you know, soft.
And I said, ah, there's the
note, because my ears are good.
I knew what he was doing.
I slack another string
on him, put it down.
he caught on.
He look at me and he says, "Oh, you
smart, now I'm going to teach you."
And when he say he's going to teach
me, all he does is just plays guitar
and tells me watch what he's doing.
yep.
>>JOHN FENN: And what
about the singing?
You learned to sing
from your mother?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: yes, from my mom.
Then the little key key, the high
falsetto singing I learned it
from a gentlemen back in 1963.
He came -- because, by the 7th
grade we were playing music.
I mean, me and my brother,
we were just jamming.
We were playing like professions.
So, the gentlemen came
in and asked my daddy
if we could take off
and play with him.
So, we were only 8, we played in
the night club that served liquor,
so my dad and mom had to come
there and we had child labor board
and that gentlemen used to
sing all the time falsetto.
The last song I did
that's the song he sang.
And just watching what he did.
And it just came out natural.
You know, like watching
how they play music.
I just listen to him and
it just came natural.
And after that I see
all the guys singing,
before they called it falsetto.
I used to ask him,
I said, "Gentlemen,"
his name was David Chung, he's
best already, I said, "David,
how do you sing high like that?"
He said, "Well, when I was a baby,"
yeah, I says, "I used to cry a lot."
Oh, yeah. I said, "yeah,
I used to scream and cry."
But he was just joking.
>>JOHN FENN: It seems like
humor is a big part of -- KL
>> yeah, that's why I'm like
this, always having fun.
>>JOHN FENN: So, you're playing
with your brother at a young age
and then you two started
a group together, correct?
When did Ohana start?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
Ohana started in 1972.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Our first
CD we did in Waikiki --
we played at a club called Chuck
Sellers [assumed spelling].
In 1972 we had our first album.
It was called, "Young
Hawaii place, Oh, Hawaii."
So, it had me, my three
brothers and my cousin
who named Dennis Bravower
[assumed spelling],
they were singing all
this high falsetto.
At the time, at the time I
think I only sang two songs,
because I was more guitar player
and I was more singing harmony.
I love the -- three
point harmony, yeah.
Dennis sing high falsetto,
my brother used
to sing the alto and I used to sing.
>>JOHN FENN: What inspired
you three to start the group?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
Listening to my dad.
We all grew up in Kalapana.
Yeah, as we were young, that's
all we hear every day and listen
to them sing, so my mom
had all the song books.
She was singing all the words and I
grew with there, and just you hear
that every day and you get
so used to hearing that
and you start singing
without playing,
we just sing along with them.
It starts from there.
>>JOHN FENN: Now, the group,
Ohana is credit as being part
of a resurgence of
traditional Hawaiian music
and culture in the 70s.
What was your connection to that
movement or your interest in it?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: my
collection to Ohana?
>>JOHN FENN: No, to the
movement to the resurgence
of traditional Hawaiian music
and culture and language.
It was part of that
whole cultural movement
and the group is often credited to
be part of that, but I'm wondering,
was that part of your
interest in forming the group,
or because you did the young
Hawaii, sings Hawaiian.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: no, I guess
from the time we group
up it was so natural.
We always played music, my
cousin used to live not too far.
We could walk down the road.
And every time, we played, in
Kalapan, from the first house
to the last house every plays music.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: all the
family, they all have their own.
And then the further in Kalapala
you go, the better the music is.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: We
come from the last house.
I'm just joking.
>>JOHN FENN: I'm sure you're not.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Lot of humor.
Yeah, but, you know, we were young,
so we just continued the
tradition, we just carried on.
And then at that time, they
didn't know, I didn't know --
I never had the idea I was going
to be an entertainer today.
Not, you know, wasn't in my
mind what I was going to do.
Didn't' even know until we started
playing music and because back
in that day when you played music
nobody got paid to play music.
We used to play parties,
my mom and dad,
we called it kakua
[assumed spelling].
Kakua means free.
So, we used to go to parties, every
family goes and they play music,
nobody gets paid, we
just have a nice time.
And finally we played and
we got money involved.
It was interesting to us.
So, you know, the money, plus we
were traveling all over the place,
without paying for our, you
know, tickets to fly here.
We get used to that and as the
years went on it became one
of the things I love to do.
and today I'm just sharing the music
and whatever kind of
stories I can share.
>>JOHN FENN: I want to go back
to slack key a little bit.
What -- for you, what
defines slack key?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: What defines
slack key, what defines slack key?
To me when I first heard
slack key my dad then --
it's just the style and just
how the thing grabs you.
growing up you hear this music and
then it makes you feel good inside.
Especially some of us we
hear this music and it kind
of heals, the music heals.
So, we felt -- I just fell in love.
And the more I hear it the
more I want to do it, so.
>>JOHN FENN: So, it's not
necessarily a set of tunings are --
it's part of how you grew up.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, grew up
and learn how to play from within.
We always play from within.
So, when I play that style of
music the reason why I like it is
because slack key it comes from here
and to me there's no stress, no --
the more you play and the more
better you feel and it's open
to all the feelings, you know.
how can I say this?
anyway, it comes from the
heart, from inside, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: That's a
good enough definition.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: No, but, because
of this music and what it does
to people, you know, I go into the
hospital and see patients like that
and I play for them and I see tears
come under their eye and I see them,
you know, they're so happy.
Some shows that I determine on the
road, there's people in a wheelchair
that comes inside and people
that have to do dialysis.
There's one lady that come in
there and she said, "You know, sir,
I was supposed to go to dialysis,
I'm so glad I came here."
I said, "Why?"
She said, "I feel more better
than going to dialysis."
It just makes me feel good in side
and I just say mahalo [assumed
spelling] to the lord above.
We call it [inaudible], yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: So, I noticed in
your playing earlier today a lot
of influences of other
styles of music too.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yes, yes.
>>JOHN FENN: a lot of
jazz phrasings and record.
And a little bit of
blues thrown in there.
so, it seems to me like
slack key is also open
to inclusion of other sounds
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I guess for me
because I love all the other types
of business besides Hawaiian
music I just love it, so,
when I play my guitar
it just comes natural.
You know, like, I always say that
I can do that one song 10 times
and the same one song 10
times will sound different,
because there's a lot of feelings.
So, it's feelings from inside
that come out into my guitar.
We sometimes get surprised,
like, "Oh, something new,"
you know, like, it just comes.
Where I'm not reading, I have to
read the song sheet and it's going
to be the same over and over.
That's why I love slack key.
That's what it does for me.
That's what it does.
make me put more in and just enjoy.
And I've been enjoying
this all my life.
>>JOHN FENN: So, how
do you teach that.
Because you teach -- do
you teach slack key notes?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, I do.
That's the hardest part for
me, you know, teaching --
I can teach, it would take forever.
So, what I tell the people
is bring their cell phone
or camera to video what I'm doing.
But before they do that I say
I play the song for you then.
So, I play the simple
-- and I play real slow.
If I do a song, I say, okay, let
me show this, show them this song
and the song would be slack key
lullaby and the song goes like this.
So, I go. I play slow for them.
[ Music ]
So I tell them that's part one and
then part two would go like this.
[ Music ]
So, I do that slow as I
can and then they listen,
so that I can get them
familiarized with the melody.
I say this is how the melody go.
And I say -- it's only two keys,
it's just back and
forth, G, D7, G, D7.
And that's all you use.
And I say, you listen
how the melody go.
So, I said, "Now, take your camera
and I play the whole song for them."
After the whole song is done and
then part from one to two and --
and by the end of the class
you're playing the song.
And then if they're not all
there, they got it on the video
where they can go home and see the
rest, because it's not on paper.
And the good thing about it is when
they got it, they say, "Mr. Kapana."
I say, "yes."
"Oh, we got it."
Yeah, let me hear it.
And I hear the -- and
I say, "Oh, good job."
Let me see.
They give me the guitar.
So, I play the song
again and they look at me
and they say, "Mr. Kaapana."
I say, "Yes."
They go, "you didn't
teach us that part."
So, -- so I'll tell them, oh,
I have to save some for me.
>>JOHN FENN: So, if someone
watches that video and practices
for 40 years, they could be okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yes.
So, that's the way I teach.
It's not -- I mean, when I first
started teaching it was real
stressful for me because I
don't write nothing down.
because I don't know
how to write down,
but I just know how to play it.
So I told -- you know, all
those teachers that teach,
I try to go to the class, I ask
them, "Can I come see your class?"
they said no.
They don't want me to
come to their class.
They said, you know, they tell me,
"Why do you want to
come to the class?"
I just want to see how you teach the
student, that's all I want to know.
And they tell me, "You just
teach them the way you learned."
And I said, "Really?"
And there's a gentlemen back
in Hawaii, she's icon too,
her name is Ozzie Kultonic [assumed
spelling], so I asked Ozzie,
Ozzie said, "No, Led, you
teach them the way you learned,
that's the best way."
I said, "Why?"
She said, "Because it's from here."
And I tell you, for ever since
that time I teach them like that
until I would -- I said,
"You just want" I said,
"I can't have somebody
write the tab out."
Oh, no, no, no, we
don't want to tap,
we just want to play
the way you play.
I said, "Okay."
Then just sort of do the
video and help them, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: Are you finding
that there's young players
who are wanting to learn slack key?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: There's
quite a few back now, you know,
new generation coming up
and they play slack key.
The reason why because they
watch -- because from Ohana,
the generation they
learned from there.
You know, the first time they
ever heard three guys, you know,
singing all this high music
and three part harmony
and to hear all this music going on,
we just inspired all
the next generation
and it started from
there until today.
So all these young ones -- once in
a while they go on and do their own,
you know, regular music or whatever
they love, but they always come back
to the tradition and
carry on the music.
So.
>>JOHN FENN: Is there
one person who's credited
with establishing slack key
as an approach to music?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: as one person?
>>JOHN FENN: Yeah, is there a story
about the first slack key player?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: The only guy
who would know would be Gabby
Pianute [assumed spelling].
>>JOHN FENN: Okay, yeah,
that's the name of that --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, yeah,
Gabby Pianute, that's the only one.
As I was growing up, you know,
he was one of my inspiration,
Gabby, all the ones before me.
[inaudible], you know, Ray
Connie, I was inspired by them.
But, yeah, Gabby was
the one that I know
who that people that
know him top today.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
You also teach ukulele,
or just guitar?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: ukulele too.
>>JOHN FENN: Yeah?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
The same way, yeah.
I love ukulele.
You know.
>>JOHN FENN: So, there are
techniques in playing that can go
between guitar and ukulele?
Like with your fingering or your --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: My -- you know,
I play my ukulele the
same way I play my guitar.
The only difference about the
guitar I got two strings more.
But, you know, all the
fingering they're all the same.
I play, like, I look at
the finger part I just know
where everything is.
same like the ukulele.
Only thing, there's a ukulele
you have only four strings,
so sometimes I hit each
string two more times.
>>JOHN FENN: To make up --
it's a musical mathematics.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Just have fun with it.
Yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: Now, when you're
going to compose a song
or arrange another
song for a recoding,
how do you choose whether you're
going to do it on ukulele or guitar?
Or do you choose, does the
instrument just tell you
which one to --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: No,
I just think about it.
I sit down -- well,
sometimes I don't think,
I just start playing the song and
it comes, you know, like, I'm --
especially on the stage when I'm
playing live in front of everybody,
all these things out of
the blue sky just comes.
And some get up and look at me and
say, "Where did you get that from?"
I say, "it just comes."
It reminds me of when I was going
to school I used to be in the band.
I used to read all these notes, all
these sharpest, I used to, you know,
in the class in band and the band
teacher is go, you know, reading.
I play my horn and the next thing
I hear these notes in my head,
and look at the song, hear
the notes and I just play on.
And the band teacher stops
the whole class, stop, stop.
He looks at me, goes, "Mr. Kaapana?"
I say, "yes."
He goes, "What's that
note on your music sheet?"
And I go, "It's not there."
And he goes, "Play the
notes on the sheet."
Okay. I play the note
and I hear it again.
so, I keep on creating -- after
that class is over he said,
"Okay, everybody, you go.
Mr. Kaapana, you stay back."
I say, "Oh, I'm gonna get it."
I stay back and he walks up to me
and he goes, "Mr. Kaapana," I said,
"Yes," he says, "Where
do you get the notes?"
I said, "Well, you
know, it just comes,
I hear it in my head
and I just play."
And he goes, "you know
what that is?"
I said, "Nope."
He said, "That's gifted."
Oh, thank you.
after that, that's why I didn't
read notes, I just play it.
he goes like that, he smiles.
Everybody got music sheet
accept me, I just got a stand.
[inaudible].
I just got that black stand there.
>>JOHN FENN: So what can you
tell me about Just Press?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Just Press.
Okay, Just Brass is --
Just Press is my uncles,
because they don't read notes in
Kalapana, He's always pressing
on his guitar, so he said, when
I asked him what he's' doing,
he looks at me, he
don't know what key,
he just looks at me,
tell me, "Just press."
I said, "What?"
yeah, just press.
So, I start pressing
and he looks at me
and he tells me, "Press
the right key."
>>JOHN FENN: So there's some
learning with that step.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, that's where Just
Press came from.
Yep.
>>JOHN FENN: So, is that an approach
you use in your own playing?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, there's I
do, it's called, Its All She Dragged
and Sweet Georgia Brown,
but we call it Just Pressed.
and I mean, I'm overhanded
the guitar.
I play on the guitar and
talk and bells and everything
and running my fingers
down like this.
we call it Just Pressed.
>>JOHN FENN: Can you
demonstrate that for us.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Nope.
No, the reason why, the song is
-- you have to have accompany.
>>JOHN FENN: Oh, okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
Because we read them
in the back, it doesn't come out.
>>JOHN FENN: It doesn't work.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: you know,
like playing bells on top,
like my dad used to
play Maui chimes.
[ Music ]
>> So, just press.
>>JOHN FENN: Now, the technique
of the bells or the chimes --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: The chimes, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: is that something
you learned growing up?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: yes.
>>JOHN FENN: yeah, okay, so
you would watch people do that.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I used
to watch my dad do that.
that's' where I learned
that son, from my dad.
>>JOHN FENN: Are there other
techniques that you developed later
on in your career by
continuing to just press?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: Because I
notice when you were playing
on stage you were doing a
lot of muting of the string.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah, yeah,
that's why I created -- [inaudible].
If I'm mute I go -- wait.
[ Music ]
So, I'm just hitting
the strong like this.
muffling the string, yeah.
Stuff like that, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: And is that
common slack key in general?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Not
during -- my dad --
I think my uncle Fred used
to do a little of that.
So, I think that's
where I picked it up.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
How am I feeling --
I think it's the right one
to do, I just put that in.
>>JOHN FENN: throw it in there.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Just throw
it in and hopefully it works.
>>JOHN FENN: I think the
evidence indicates it does.
You've also played with players
in a bunch of different styles.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yes.
>>JOHN FENN: You know,
people from --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I did I
think 1992 it was called Masters
of the Shoe Strings.
Yeah, with Jerry Douglas,
Del Farlow,
the jazz guitar player,
Wade Anderson.
Quite a few people.
Rockabillies, Albert
Lee, he was there.
Yeah, we traveled all over,
all over the United States.
>>JOHN FENN: Did you pick
up any techniques from them
or were you just teaching them?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: No, we sit down
and Hawaiians we call it conna
kopila [phonetic spelling]
where we just jam and everybody
just having fun watching different.
We all have our own style.
To sit down and play we
just giggle like, oh, wow.
You know, Ray Flack, I remember
Ray Flack he goes on the stage,
first time I see him,
the stage is all dark
and all you see is this spotlight on
his back and his back facing the --
and somebody goes,
"There's Ray Flack."
And he goes like [blows] and all
this dust, you know, and he goes,
bang, and more dust and then he
starts -- you know, say, "wow, man."
I just like, oh, man,
I have to follow him.
I'm the next guy.
I said, "Oh, man, that's
a hard act."
and I say -- but you know,
let me tune this guitar,
I show you what I do.
[ Guitar Sounds ]
Because -- see, I had
to follow him, I said,
"I got to get something
down," you know.
[ Guitar Sounds ]
So I did a song called, my
uncle taught me this song,
it's called monolo --
monolosaki [phonetic spelling].
[ Music ]
And he over hands the guitar
like this and he says,
"The song that will start called
the Hawaiian [inaudible]."
You know, he said, "all you
have to do is watch the hand,
and it never leaves the
-- or watch the fingers,
they never leave the hand."
So, and the song go like this.
[ Music ]
So, I did the song right after him.
She said I have to go on there.
I said, "oh, I got to do the song."
So I did the song and in my pocket
I had this battery fan, you know,
on the airplane I turn on the
fan it was hot in the place.
So, I got this fan,
huh, I take the fan off
and people all clap, yeah, yeah.
Then after the song's done, I
take the fan out, I go like this.
You know, my fingers, you know
my fingers, to go like this.
they started clapping.
So, I walked in the back in
the back into the dressing room
and Ray Flack he's back
there and he looks and me
and goes, "Gee, I like your act."
I tell him, "I like yours too."
We had good fun after that,
we started sharing music
and just having a ball
in the back there.
>>JOHN FENN: yeah,
that sounds pretty fun.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Then
again, we had [inaudible].
I got to know all of them so good.
I mean, I learned so much from them
about getting real professional
on the stage and complimenting
one another, it was awesome, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: And then
-- so that was a tour.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
That was a tour, yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: and you've also
done recordings with others,
with people from other
styles as well, haven't you?
>>Ledward Kaapana: Yeah, Eric Gibbs.
Eric Gibbs is one of
them, I played with him.
Quite a few.
>>JOHN FENN: So, as you're
exploring all these styles,
do you feel like you're continuing
to learn and expand your --
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah.
After [inaudible], you know.
But one thing -- one thing about
playing with any artist, you know,
I play with all kinds of music,
I'm not afraid to play with anybody
because you got to pay attention.
The ears to me is the
most important.
So, I listen to what they're doing.
you know, when we go out
there and do festivals,
especially when we
staying at the hotel,
you got all these blue grass
players, country western,
they all in the lobby playing.
I walk in the room and so I'll
just pick a band and I say,
"Hey, can I join you guys?"
They say, "Yeah, sure, come in."
So, I jump in with
the blue grass guys.
They're playing and while they're
playing I hear how the music going
and I'm ready in the back of them.
They don't tell me, "Oh,
we're in the key of G
or we're in the key of A."
I just hear that, I find it and
I'm already behind them playing it
and they look at me like, wow.
Because to hear this Hawaiian flavor
mixing up with the blue grass.
So, they tell me, "You
want to take one?"
Yes, so I take a lead, they
look at me and they go,
"Whoa, take another one."
Sure, I take another one.
And then it goes around,
right, everybody takes one.
So, they goes to the next guy, says,
"Oh, it's your turn," the guy says,
"Nuh uh, not after this guy."
I say, -- you know, we
all have fun and then --
they tell me, "How you
learn how to play?"
I said, "Oh, I just listen."
I said, I don't -- if you know
the music they're playing,
but I have real good ears, I
just listen and I'm right there
with them, just having fun.
And got to come from inside, always.
If you really pay attention
and I always said the ears got
to be good listening
to what's happening.
If not, if you don't listen
good, you know, I going to be all
over the places instead
of paying attention.
Like back home I always tell them,
when I used to play in a group,
you know, we always call a
guest artist to come on stage,
so I always tell them,
somebody come on the stage.
You got to pay attention, pay
attention to what they're doing.
Huh? They tell me, "Huh."
I say, "Yeah, because if
you think you know the song,
you don't know a song, they're
going to do the same son, you know,
but everybody got their own style."
So you got to listen to the
beat, how they sing them,
because I told them,
you know, the guy came,
he's singing the same song, this guy
I know, he's paying attention, no,
he knows the song,
so he plays the song.
Next thing I know, the
guys not even over there,
and this guy's changing key on him.
See, you got to pay attention.
The guy doesn't sing like
you, he sings his way,
so you got to pay attention
to whoever comes on the stage.
Like, me, if I go on stager to play
for somebody, I got to pay attention
to what he do so I can be right
behind him complimenting or yeah.
>>JOHN FENN: So, it
seems like to me, I mean,
part of the stories you've been
telling about growing up with
such music around you and the
tradition of slack key is something
that is flexible, so you're
continuing it be exploring it
and expanding it.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: it actually,
yeah, yeah, and sharing it.
Yep.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: And besides
slack key I do a standard tune.
I love standard tuning, because
the standard tuning you can play
anything, you know.
I'm all over the guitar.
The slack key you're
limited to certain.
The reason why I play slack
key was because I play solo,
so I try to make the music full
and I'm singing [inaudible].
So, that way it sounds
there's somebody
in the back helping you playing it.
So you sound full.
So, that's why I always
play slack key.
But if I play with a
group I tune it up.
And when I play [inaudible], so when
I turn my guitar up to standard,
Josh says, "Oh, no,
it's kick ass time."
He knows, he just knows.
And when I -- he says,
"Oh, he's going to --
" There's no limit on the standard.
To me no limit you do
anything you want to do on it.
I just -- I mean, you
got everything,
I can play any kind on this.
I can do it on the slack key tune,
but the slack key tune you have
to work harder than
the standard tuning.
Yeah, the standard tuning, I
love standard tuning, I love.
>>JOHN FENN: When you were growing
up, with people switching back
and forth between slack key
tuning and standard tuning,
with those month long parties
and the musical environment
or did you learn slack
key tuning initially?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I learned
slack key from my dad.
My dad and my uncles
they awfully standard.
And my dad played guitar, he played
saxophone, piano, violin, auto harp,
ukulele, you know,
they all played that.
You know? So, then I played
learning slack key from my dad.
My mom taught me how to
play standard tuning.
She told me, you have to learn
how to play the standard tuning.
I'm glad, and the first
standard tuning was the key of C,
and I was so small
and I had to stretch.
And, you know, I said -- oh,
you got to keep on practicing.
Kept on practicing until
your fingers get used to it.
And then my uncle told
me you have to use pick.
Because in Kalapana we
don't have no electricity,
so nobody can use guitar,
so I started with holly pick
before I could play without pick.
So, now I play with pick, so
I cannot play without pick.
I don't have the pick, I
can't even play the guitar.
I mean, my fingers
get all tangled up.
The picks -- one thing with
the pick, the note is clearer.
I can go loud, I can go
soft, in between, you know.
There's actually, you know, so, so
that's why when I play with guys
with acoustic they playing without
picks my guitar is louder than them.
so, when it comes to their turn
to play the lead I just back off
on my picking, because I go soft,
you know, if I'm picking loudly,
if I'm picking loud it go --
[ Music ]
Then if I bring it down a little.
[ Music ]
So, I just kind of
lighten up on the picks.
>>JOHN FENN: That's
your volume control.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
Volume control, yeah.
I think, yeah.
So they can hear his guitar,
because he doesn't have a pick.
>>JOHN FENN: Do you play
electric guitar also?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Oh, I love
it, actually, I got a 335.
>>JOHN FENN: You'll have
to bring that along.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: teach
that -- yeah, I got songbird,
got actually -- yeah, electric.
Like playing the electric
typewriter.
>>JOHN FENN: What kind of stuff do
you like to play on your electric?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Pipeline.
>>JOHN FENN: Pipeline.
I came across a video
of you playing Pipeline,
while writing some [inaudible].
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Ghost
writers, yeah, all that, yeah.
I do that.
I do that, yeah.
Well, Ohana, we were
playing all electric.
>>JOHN FENN: Oh, okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I had a 335.
My cousin had a 350
Gibson and my brother,
he plays bass, so,
it was all electric.
Even in the [inaudible]
I was playing electric.
Then, because I started
playing solo,
so I ended up playing acoustic.
Good for slack key
the acoustic guitar.
But I do miss electric.
I love playing electric.
>>JOHN FENN: So, your solo career,
you've been solo for some time now.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah.
I think I've been solo since 1989.
19 -- yeah, 1989 when I first came
up for the Smithsonian playing
on the Mall with Uncle Rick
Honey and then Nancy [inaudible],
all of us came up,
I started from there
and from there I went solo
the first time in my life.
From here they flew me all the
way out to Nashville to play
and [inaudible] went to Atlanta.
So, we were separated and I
said, "Oh, man, I don't know."
First time through Nashville, I
don't know what I'm going to play.
So, I go in the hotel and I start
practicing, "sweet little honey,"
and I'm doing all these
English song.
Beyond the reef, songs
that I don't do back home.
I said, oh, because
I want to make sure
that when you stop singing the
Hawaiian music I sing that.
when I went to the club and
play they were asking me
for all the songs that I
threw out of my repertoire --
I threw it out and started to
bringing the pearly [inaudible],
how about singing [inaudible].
So, when they say that I
knew they came for Hawaii.
And some other ones said,
[inaudible], you know,
they mentioned all
this Hawaiian song.
I fell right in the
groove and I start playing.
>>JOHN FENN: Okay.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: So,
from the time I was in --
the first solo G, so from this
time in I wasn't afraid after that.
I started playing all this
music and continue to play.
Every -- I found out the more you
play the guitar the more you find
things on the guitar.
There's never an ending.
You know, I keep on playing
and I find all this stuff
and I get so surprised.
Oh, I kind of school myself.
All the years I lost out.
Ohana, back home there's
entertainers they go --
they play when they work.
After the job is done the
guitar goes in the case,
don't come out until the next week.
I used to do that then I
started bringing the guitar out,
then I started playing, that's
how I got better and better,
because I could hear all the
fingering and all the changes.
So, I [inaudible] man, I should
have done this a long time.
[inaudible] I told
you how many times.
Yeah, but I learned something.
And I said, "You know what,
every time I grab my guitar
and I play I always find
something else there."
This morning, there's many more,
you just got to look for it.
It's there.
So, I just work on it.
I just love to play now, you know.
Every chance I get.
I'm in my garage, you
know, I'm [inaudible].
>>JOHN FENN: So, you've
played all over the world?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yes.
>>JOHN FENN: Do you have a
favorite place that you've played
or some place that you haven't
played that you want to get to?
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: No.
I guess I just love traveling and
I'm meeting new people, you know.
The next thing you know when I'm
back in Hawaii they come and say,
"Remember me, you know,
you came here."
I say, "Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes."
But sometimes I don't remember, you
know, so many faces have been going.
>>JOHN FENN: Do you have a
list of places you've played.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: I went
to Paris, I went to Paris,
I went to Japan, I went to Germany.
I went all over the
United States just --
>>JOHN FENN: And people are always
wanting to hear the Hawaiian.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Yeah,
yeah, every place I went
to was always Hawaiian music.
And they always say, "Oh, man,
you think you bring
back so many memories.
You take me back to
our younger days."
I say, "Thank you, man, I feel
great you say, thank you so much."
I mean, to me it's a blessing
and I always say [speaking
foreign language] the lord
above for all these blessing who are
open in my heart and go out there
and share this with the world
and, you know, bring it home.
And the next thing you know
you have all these fans
from all over the place.
And today it's more
like on Facebook,
so many friends and
they can see you.
And some will come to Hawaii, you
know, it's nice that you meet,
you know, families like that.
They come to the shore and they say,
"Hi, Mr. Kaapana, you don't know us,
but we know you through YouTube,
we watch you on YouTube."
So, they come to the show and they
see it and they go, "You know,
you're better than YouTube.
You see on YouTube it's okay,
but when you see me live is
another different whole ball."
They've seen what's happening
on my guitar and they in front
and it's just like overwhelming.
Your [inaudible], anybody
can be, you know,
I just love to share
the world, you know.
I always tell myself, I'm
going to [inaudible] forever,
so then, just give it here.
I share it all.
I share -- I make everybody happy.
If you're happy, I'm happy.
>>JOHN FENN: That's good.
Good generosity.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Thank you.
>>JOHN FENN: Well, I want to
thank you for this interview.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Thank you, sir.
>>JOHN FENN: And for
entertaining us today.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA: Thank you, dog.
>>JOHN FENN: It's been
very wonderful learning.
>>LEDWARD KAAPANA:
Thank you, mahalo.
Mahalo.
>> This has been a presentation
of the Library of Congress.
Visit us at loc.gov.