jasonblack

[jasonblack]

Thirty Years Ago, Steve & Teresa’s “Catching A Wave” Captured the Sound of “Authentic Hawaii”

When you think of Hawaii, two things should instantly come to mind: surfing and lush, soulful Hawaii music. Riding waves and riding rhythms are just naturally in their blood.

Steve & Teresa’s underrated classic 1983 single, “Catching A Wave” is a perfect expression of that fact, combining both into a melodic Hawaiian guitar song that captures your imagination—and the magic of living in the islands. Waking up every day in paradise, riding waves, having fun with friends and family, and feeling a strong connection to the tropical natural beauty that’s all around you. Think of it as the perfect soundtrack to William Finnegan’s globetrotting 2015 surf memoir, Barbarian Days.

“I just got back from a surf session in Hanalei Bay on Kauai and there was a melody in my head, the chorus,�� Steve Ma’i’i’ said. “A progressive melody line, ‘Island tradewinds blow, I know where I’m going’. I wrote the song that day in the hotel.”

While surfing, inspiration strikes. Simple enough. But, the story of the making of the album and its current 2020 reissue on Honolulu’s label, Aloha Got Soul goes much deeper.

Originally, the acoustic guitar-and-bass duo emerged from a vibrant music scene in the 1970s and 1980s that included local luminaires in both traditional and modern styles like Gabby Pahunui, The Cazimero Brothers, The Mākaha Sons of Niʻihau featuring Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole, Olomana, Kalapana, Cecilio & Kapono, and Peter Moon, among many others.

Growing up in that fertile “Hawaiian Renaissance” period, both artists have deep roots in native Hawaiian culture. Steve was the bassist for musician and cultural activist George Helm, and Teresa was the daughter of hula dancer Carol Bright and musician Daniel Bright. Together, they joined forces to create a fresh, electrifying take on timeless jazz standards, traditional Hawaiian jams, and hapa-haole classics.

“One night, Teresa was playing a gig in Waikiki and her bassist at the time couldn't make it,” Steve remembers. “So, my sister gave me a call and asked me to sub in. From that night on, Steve & Teresa became a regular duo. Honestly, we never practiced—we would just show up and jam together. I guess we got paid to practice.”

During the late-1970s and early 1980s, one of their regular ongoing gigs was at Pat’s in Punalu’u, a low-key hangout spot for local musicians located outside of town and up on the North Shore. One evening, influential studio engineer Rick Keefer, who had recently moved to O’ahu from Seattle after working on Heart’s third album, heard Steve and Teresa perform. Their authentic sound inspired Keefer to convince the duo to record a full-length album with him.

A few days later, Steve and Teresa were at Keefer’s Sea-West Studio to cut their first record. The entire session was done and dusted in only three hours. Everything was recorded live—acoustic guitar, electric bass, and the pair’s intoxicating vocal harmonies—with no more than two or three takes per song. Just like that, with Keefer’s technical expertise and creative vision, Steve and Teresa created an original album that has stood the test of time in Hawaii and beyond.

“We walked in without a setlist,” Steve recalls. “We simply wrote down songs we’d been doing over the past one to two years. We were instinctively in tune with each other and we did it all in three hours. We’d been practicing on stage for a few years so we went into the studio and recorded our live set. It was really like a live album.”

“The magic of it was that we had so much material to work with,” he continues. “Some of the open spaces on that record are just as important as the music. It’s just guitar and bass—and there are even a few mistakes and you can hear those too. Looking back now, I wonder how I ever sing like that.”

Beyond “Catching a Wave,” the fruit of their labor delivered a short string of sparkling pearls like the Hawaiian luau jam, “Sadie,” the slow love lament, “My Desire,” and the more melancholy, old Hawaiian tune, “Kaho’olawe Song.”

Due to their early success, Steve and Teresa worked together on two more albums, 1983’s Ocean Blue and 1986’s Intimately. Ocean Blue embraced a new direction in the studio with a full band including drums and synthesizers. However, Ocean Blue wasn't received as well as Catching A Wave was, with all its added production elements. So, with Intimately, the duo went back to their original format and sound. In 1988, their song, “Uwehe, Ami, and Slide” won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award (local GRAMMY) for Best Song of the Year.

Ultimately, the band broke up due to “creative differences” and, in the aftermath, Teresa’s international solo career soared to new heights while Steve opted to stay close to home and provide for his family by maintaining a local landscaping business. (Rick Keefer passed away in Hawaii in 2013.)

Decades later, that’s where Roger Bong, 32, comes in. The Honolulu-based DJ, tastemaker, and independent label owner first became aware of Catching A Wave through underground crate-digging circles. As he points out, the album is highly coveted among hardcore collectors. One day, a friend told him there were some records in the donation pile in the lobby of their apartment building. He immediately ran downstairs and found Catching A Wave sitting there like an uncovered dusty treasure. Dreams do come true.

Then, in 2013, Bong befriended Steve and even helped get “Catching A Wave” licensed to Psychemagik’s awesome and eclectic UK compilation, Magik Sunrise. They’ve kept in touch, and through a mutual friend, Kit Ebersbach, who is an accomplished musician in his own right and Teresa’s keyboardist, Bong was ultimately able to get her blessing on the LP reissue. It’s a record he can’t wait for everyone to hear again.

“Locally, it's an unsung classic,” Bong affirms. “As a composition, the song has enjoyed a long life in the repertoire of local musicians, but sadly, the original recording has been lost to time. This reissue gives the album and the original song a second chance to impact a new generation of fans here in Hawaii, and throughout the world.”

“It was really the first time people had heard Teresa sing on a record and her voice was amazing—one in a million. She had a real throwback style that was distinct and reminiscent of the jazz crooners,” Kit Ebersbach said. “It was their debut album and also a breakthrough record for her. After that, people around town and even in Japan knew who she was and she became part of the pantheon while winning multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.”

Cory Oliveros, a local musician, included his signature rendition of “Catching A Wave” on his 2012 album, Repertoire. Growing up, he first learned the song at family gatherings when his cousins would play it during kanikapila, or impromptu, island-style backyard jam sessions. Ever since, he has included it in his performance, typically as the opener to his live sets around town. “Opening my set with ‘Catching A Wave’ is the best way to ensure the rest of my performance goes well,” he says. “To me, it’s kind of like a lucky charm or a positive blessing.”

“The simplicity of it. The message of it,” Steve says, lamenting on why “Catching A Wave” has endured all these years. “It relates to Hawaii and the lyrics are nice and light. Teresa’s voice is pitch-perfect. It just sounds like authentic Hawaii.”

[jasonblack]

Robert “ÆOLUS” Meyers and The Forgotten Beginnings of Hawaiian New Age

Since 2010, Aloha Got Soul has made waves by mining Hawaii’s undiscovered musical past. With its first two LP releases, the Honolulu-based rare soul label run by Roger Bong has reissued forgotten gems like Mike Lundy’s 1980 funk-soul album, The Rhythm of Life and Aura’s self-titled disco debut.

For its third full-length release, Bong, 29, has decided to broaden his original vision for Aloha Got Soul beyond 1970s and 1980s funk, soul and disco jams from the Islands to include electronic music.  One night back in 2014, Bong was browsing on the ambient blog and record label Sounds of the Dawn when he came across ÆOLUS’ ethereal second album, Rays. Digging into it further, he realized that Global Pacific, the New Age label that originally released the record, had at one time been based in Hawaii.

“I jumped around the room for a few minutes, freaked out about finding ÆOLUS’ music and the notion of a New Age or experimental scene in Hawaii,” he recalls. “Until then, I’d only been familiar with ‘70s and ‘80s jazz and soul.”

With his new find in mind, Bong got Robert Myers’ phone number straight from Sounds of the Dawn and reached out to ÆOLUS himself. Together, over the next two years, they collaborated on a comprehensive retrospective of Myers’ four solo works including 1982’s Aeolian Melodies, 1985’s Rays, 1989’s The Magician and 1993’s High Priestess. The result is a 13-track magnum-opus: ÆOLUS: A Retrospective.

The idea of experimental electronic music in Hawaii, specifically New Age, sounds like an exotic curiosity. In truth, there was no local scene to speak of at the time, as Bong himself points out in the release’s liner notes: “One might assume that ÆOLUS carved a new path for electronic music in Hawaii, but the islands never quite fully embraced the burgeoning New Age scene that ÆOLUS found himself a part of during the 1980s and early 1990s.”

Yet, even though ÆOLUS was charting his own creative course, Hawaii always been known as a diverse cultural and musical mecca: an open-minded and accepting safe haven where East meets West in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Musically speaking, jazz, funk, soul, rock, reggae, and traditional Hawaiian music all mix and mingle together to inspire all kinds of artists, create a laid-back island vibe and most of all, reinforce a strong sense of welcoming togetherness or “ohana” (Hawaiian for “family”).

“On the surface, you could say it's the natural beauty and the warm people,” Bong agrees. “Dig a little deeper and I’d say it’s ‘Aloha spirit’ that inspires so many artists here in Hawaii.”

In 1975, when he was 22, Myers transferred from San Diego State University to the University of Hawaii to study ethnomusicology and to surf. Over the next two years, he immersed himself in world music including specific study in sitar, shamisen, hula, South Indian singing, Javanese gamelan, and even Middle Eastern ensemble. He notes that, “Most important, at the time, was my introduction to shamanism and how [shamans] were the holders of not only the music of a culture, but the spiritual and cultural epicenter of any given people.”

In his spare time, he surfed all over Oʻahu, hiked through the mountains and down into the lush, green valleys, and ultimately, “was exposed to the culture and the unflinching beauty that is Hawaii.”

In addition to his ongoing academic studies in world music, he discovered and was inspired by visionary electronic and New Age artists of that era including Vangelis (Specifically China), Jean Michel Jarre, Brian Eno, Philip Glass and Giorgio Moroder, among others.

In the years following graduation, he became an accomplished working musician playing bassoon for the Honolulu Symphony as well as flute and percussion for other groups around town. He was a leading member of the local avant-garde performance arts scene as well as presenting his own solo work and collaborative concerts throughout the Islands.

“I was not a part of the greater island music scene at least not the clichéd island scene,” he says. “I was a member of isolated music scenes on O’ahu and the outer islands.” Ultimately, you can hear ÆOLUS — and all of his early musical influences — on A Retrospective. Standout selections like the contemplative constellation, “Orion” leads you on a deep journey inward with echoing flute and reverberating synth. Then, the meditative “Mystery of Music Park” wafts like a love song to reassure your senses. Next, “Archangel Michael” heralds the breaking dawn with resounding trumpet-like synth stabs. It’s heady, late-night headphone listening — and totally transportative.

Now, Myers, 63, lives in Portland, Maine and works as a counselor and psychotherapist, as well as continuing his passion for music on various side projects. But it’s been exciting to connect with Bong and bond over Hawaii and his early electronic compositions—and collaborate on this exclusive Aloha Got Soul reissue. “Roger has been a joy to work with,” Myers says. “He’s very musically informed and impeccable in his business acumen. His mission to bring forward undiscovered and underexposed Hawaiian music to a wider audience is inspired and genuine. I’m honored that Roger found me and I’ve been enlivened by his energy and diligence for our collaboration.

Bong, who’s busy right now working on an upcoming Aloha Got Soul documentary (set for a release in late summer or early fall), agrees: “Robert has been positive, insightful and very responsive all the way through. I only wish we lived closer so we could hang out more often.

He adds: “I think fans of Aloha Got Soul are curious because this is a real departure from our previous releases. My hope is to expand the Aloha Got Soul imprint, as well as expand the perspectives that people might have of AGS and of Hawaii.”

“So far, the response to the record has been spectacular,” Myers affirms. “It’s been a dream come true to breathe new life into this music.”

[jasonblack]

City By The Bay

Fall in love with San Francisco, a world-class, cosmopolitan city without pretense.

How do you spend the ultimate guy-friendly getaway in San Francisco? Well, eating and drinking and sporting your way across the city, of course. First and foremost, forget all the tourist attractions like Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, The Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Coit Tower and riding the cable cars. Either you’ve already been there, done that or you can check them out next time with the family. Let’s face it. You have more pressing business to attend to while you’re here. Like where to get a proper pint of Anchor Steam (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/) on tap. Next, San Francisco is a walking city (at a manageable seven miles by seven miles square) so the best way to explore it is on foot or by using the host of convenient, cheap transit options like the subway, buses, taxis, and, ultimately, there’s always Uber (https://www.uber.com/). Pick an activity or a whole neighborhood you’d like to explore like Union Square, North Beach, Chinatown, or The Haight and get lost. You’ll find your own personal favorites along the way. Finally, here’s a quick tip on the weather: Expect the unexpected. So be sure to bundle up and layer your clothing. The old adage is true: “If you don’t like the weather in San Francisco, just wait a few minutes.”

Where to Dine & Drink

During your man-centric stay in the Bay, an authentic steakhouse trip is a must. But which one of our many fine establishments should you choose? Personally, I’d recommend that you opt for a local landmark like the House of Prime Rib. Former No Reservations TV host Anthony Bourdain is a fan. As he himself described it while sitting down to dinner, “This is the American Dream right here.” The House of Prime Rib (http://houseofprimerib.net/) serves their fare in the English Tradition which means that it’s carved at your table, to your preference, from a stainless steel serving cart. Your massive cut of meat includes a generous portion of sides like salad, baked potato, Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach and fresh horseradish. There’s even a sumptuous dessert cart (if you make it that far). This place is always popular so there will be a wait. Why not down a few classic Martinis at the bar while you wait for your table? I do.

One place you absolutely must imbibe at is Bourbon & Branch (http://www.bourbonandbranch.com/), a 1920s Prohibition-era speakeasy-style craft cocktail cathedral located in the Tenderloin. Experience the ambiance of that long gone époque in an actual speakeasy that operated illegally at its location from 1921 to 1933. It’s a real treat. Outside, only an unassuming “Anti-Saloon League” sign signals the way. Inside, you’ll enjoy its dark and cozy environs while celebrating with proper cocktail service. The menu is impressively extensive featuring hand-numbered bottles of rare bourbon, exceptional scotch, world-class rums and tequilas, and beyond. Your imagination’s the limit. A quick tip: Make sure you secure an online reservation beforehand because you will need the secret password to get in nightly. B&B is hard to find and tough to beat. And, you can even slip next-door to the Wilson & Wilson Detective Agency (http://www.thewilsonbar.com/), a gumshoe-inspired bar that’s a perfect overflow option.

Where to Play

The best news to hit San Francisco in recent memory is the opening of Levi’s Stadium (http://www.levisstadium.com/), the brand new home of the San Francisco 49ers (http://www.49ers.com/). Located south in sunny Santa Clara, the state-of-the-art facility features an open, airy design, spacious entry plazas, lots of luxury amenities like 165 private suites and 9,000 club seats, stadium-wide WiFi, mobile connectivity, and so much more. It’s a great showcase for innovation in Silicon Valley and a perfect way to spend an afternoon during your stay in the Bay.

If you’re longing for a sporting life beyond football, the Bay Area has got you covered. We have tons of great options. I’d recommend enjoying the day at AT&T Park with the San Francisco Giants (http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/), an evening in Oakland cheering on the Golden State Warriors (http://www.nba.com/warriors/) basketball team, and, if you’re here in the fall, don’t miss all the action as Oracle Team USA defend their title in the 35th America’s Cup (http://www.americascup.com/) race that takes place in the San Francisco Bay. It’s spectacular!

Where to Stay

When you visit San Francisco, the best and easiest locale to stay in is Union Square because it’s right in the heart of all the action. As you’d expect, it’s also a massive tourist mecca like Waikiki so I’d be mindful of the crowds when you come. Now, there are lots of lavish accommodations to choose from in the City but one that stands out for me is The Clift Hotel (https://www.morganshotelgroup.com/originals/originals-clift-san-francisco), a luxury boutique hotel centrally located in the Tenderloin just steps from Union Square. It’s modern, elegant and usually lively at night. It’s also sits nearby to many fantastic bars, restaurants, and clubs. But first, check into your deluxe suite and head straight to the Clift's famous and historic Redwood Room to grab a signature craft cocktail like the Redwood Room Martini or the Clift Manhattan. It’s a sexy bar experience you’ll not soon forget. On the weekends, the lobby area transforms into an upscale party for SF’s beautiful people. Definitely dress to impress.

If The Clift’s modern chic aren’t to your taste, I’d recommend one of San Francisco’s many classic luxury lodgings like The Palace Hotel (http://www.sfpalace.com/), which debuted in 1875 as the world's largest and most luxurious hotel. Today, the Palace’s 552 immaculate guest rooms have been newly restored creating a perfect balance of function and comfort. And, The Palace is sure to indulge you and your crew with the impeccable quality of service that gave the Age of Elegance its name. Located just south of Market Street in the Financial District, it’s perfectly situated right across the street from The House of Shields (http://www.thehouseofshields.com/), a true English pub opened in 1908 where you can get a tasty pint of Stella and a shot of Irish whiskey before plotting out your action-packed evening of adventure and mischief ahead. Bring on the night!

[jasonblack]

N is for Namesake

Hidetoshi Nakata has two lifelong passions: Soccer and sake. A few years ago, the 36-year-old former Japanese soccer star retired from the sport following the 2010 World Cup in Germany. Then, he took two well-deserved years off to rest and recuperate. During that time, he traveled extensively throughout Japan and the rest of the world. Surprisingly, he travels so often, he doesn’t own a house back home.

At the moment, he’s in town alongside his manager to attend some VIP sake tastings and promote his very own luxury brand, simply called N. The last few years have been a whirlwind of getting the word out about the new venture. Reclining into a white-on-white booth at Morimoto’s in the Modern Hotel over lunch, Nakata looks relaxed although a tad tired from his travels. It makes sense. He’s been swamped.

As the story goes, when he retired, he packed his bags and visited over 100 cities around the world. He wanted to see the world outside of the pressures of football. He visited many areas throughout Africa and Asia with serious social issues and cooperated with local aid organizations to tackle charitable projects. During his travels abroad, he realized that soccer was such a worldwide sport and gave him the opportunity to use it as a communication tool.

“Even if you don’t speak the same language, soccer is a truly universal language,” he says. “All you need is a ball and a place to play.”

During his extended travels, many asked him about Japan and he realized that he did not know much about his native country. So he flew home to do the ultimate staycation and explore his homeland. He packed up a car alongside a writer and a photographer, and set out to travel all 47 Prefectures. After a total of three years, he has just four more to go. His extensive travels in Japan focused on local culture, agriculture as well as traditional arts and crafts.

While out there on the road, the centuries old authentic Japanese craft of sake making seduced him. So what does a retired soccer pro do for an encore? Become a master sake maker, of course. “For those years, my true focus was on craftsmanship. I was fascinated about what they’ve been doing over the past 100 years. They know how to make it so I traveled to 44 prefectures in Japan. I visited about 200 makers and I even got a sake sommelier degree. I learned the art and craft of sake from the masters themselves.”

Just last year, his very own N label was finalized and he was involved in the process every step of the way, from the custom sake recipe (in collaboration with Takagi Shuzo in the Yamagata Prefecture) to the indigo blue bottle to the custom “N” calligraphy that adorns each bottle. Only 800 bottles will be produced each year. Each 720-milliliter bottle retails here in the US for $2,069.

So what does a chilled wine glass of N taste like? Well, let’s ask the master himself. “It has a strong, subtle taste but it’s easy to drink. It’s really more of a sipping thing. Somewhere between white wine and red wine so it can pair with fish and meat.”

Finally, the age-old question emerges: Sake, hot or cold? “Some sake can be enjoyed hot,” he says leaning back in his white-on-white cushion. “But generally speaking, hot sake is not so good quality-wise. The heat masks the taste. Quality sake is made to be drunk chilled like a fine wine.”

Beyond N, he has plans to develop a hand crafted, artisanal sparkling sake. So, the million dollar question becomes, why premium sake? Nakata-san shrewdly knows the answer. “The number of traditional sake makers is shrinking. At the same time, the global demand is rising. Overall, the sake market is increasing. So I believe that there’s a real opportunity there.”

Beyond the business benefits and the obvious bottom-line, Nakata-san believes that the current perception about sake must change. He’s hoping to help educate global consumers in the same way that tequila has done in recent years. “Right now, people don’t really order sake by brand. They simply order by taste. What goes well with their meal. That needs to change in order to ensure sake’s sustainable future.”

During that time, Nakata transformed himself from being an unlikely ambassador through football to becoming a bona fide ambassador for Japan and its historic culture. Today, he seems genuinely proud of that accomplishment more so than any trophy or medal from his playing days. “It’s very important to retain my own culture as well as promote my culture.”

Kampai!

[jasonblack]

Concert Collective

“Let’s meet at Brian’s.”

Before cell phones, before texting, before Twitter, there was Hawaiian Brian’s. Smack dab in the middle of town on Kapiolani Boulevard, it was the meeting place in the ’90s for those looking to connect and shoot pool with friends before heading out for the night. Party animals assemble.

Local owners Lee Anderson, 25, and his dad, Glenn, 60, are banking that it will become a destination again. Together, they’re collaborating on a major renovation on this landmark pool-hall-meets-live-music venue. Christened The Crossroads at Hawaiian Brian’s (after delta blues great Robert Johnson), the revamped space will feature a 500-person concert space (up from its existing 150), a gastropub-style eatery, and rotating art exhibits curated by Chinatown’s own tastemakers from the Loading Zone.

“We’re excited because we really wanted to expand the space, emphasize live local music, and provide better quality shows right here in Hawai‘i,” says Lee, who started there flipping burgers as a teen. “Actually, this is the first time Dad and I have officially worked together. We’re both big supporters of everything local and we wanted to create some community.”

Over the past four years, Hawaiian Brian’s has established a reputation among on-island and visiting musicians as a high-quality live music venue. Along the way, it’s had some great local and national acts pass through its doors on the way to or from Asia. Everclear, Silverstein, The Yardbirds, Taj Mahal and August Burns Red to name just a few. When it finally reopens on August 20, that tradition will continue. Notable upcoming acts include The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Volumes, and an annual Hawaii Metalfest featuring We Came As Romans and Crown The Empire.

“In addition to building community in Hawai‘i for local artists and musicians, we’re always keeping up with the latest technology and new gear,” says Glenn with a sly smile. “I’ve got my wish list.”

Beyond the dynamic father-son duo, the Andersons have reached out to a host of local artisans to help them focus their efforts. Chef Eddie Mafnas, 37, and Jeff Sampson, 47, of Firehouse Food Truck fame are putting together their gastropub menu featuring spicy, smoked BBQ, and world-fusion cuisine.

“They’ve been established there for a long, long time,” says Sampson. “And, with the remodel, it was a perfect time to jump and work together. We’re food people and they’re live-music and events-marketing people so it was a natural fit.”

To date, the response from the local music community has been emphatically optimistic. Everyone from promoters to musicians are excited about the proposed upgrades and the possibilities ahead. Their pièce de résistance is the addition of a deluxe green room that can be entered from the parking lot so that bands can flank their fanatical fans.

“Working with Hawaiian Brian’s is great because they’ve always been a big supporter of local music in all genres,” says Jack Doom, owner of Underworld Events, a local metal/punk/hardcore promotions company that’s been booking shows around town for a decade. “Every touring band that’s come through has had a great impression and wants to come back. The current renovations will make it easier for me to bring popular bands out. And the local musicians are very satisfied with the professional set-up.”

Adds local musician and Mano Kane main man Chris Chorley, 29, “Hawaiian Brian’s always provides excellent sound and stage experiences. It’s great because it’s all ages, and there are too few all-ages venues in town. We’re happy that there will be a brand new concert venue — and look forward to playing on the brand new stage!”

 A father. A son. An artist. A chef. A promoter. A musician. They’ve all banded together to realize this common vision. A dream and a team. A new chapter begins.

[jasonblack]

Bolt from the Blue

When you meet Henry Kapono for the first time, you discover something like a bolt from the blue; he’s surprisingly soft-spoken and shy for a Grammy-nominated and Na Hoku Hano Hano award-winning musician.

So how does this chary, critically acclaimed crooner deal with the limelight of touring and playing live? That’s easy. He lets his tunes do the talking.

“Music is what makes me feel comfortable,” opines Kapono (the Hawaiian word for “righteousness”) Hosea Kaaihue, chatting in a Hawaii Kai neighborhood coffee shop near his home. “It’s what I use to communicate with people and I think that it works for me.”

With an esteemed professional career spanning 40 years, most notably, as one-half of the '70s pop duo Cecilio & Kapono, he has become a household name throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. Actually, my generation grew up on their sun soaked blend of contemporary and folk rock with classics like “Friends” (1974) and “Sailin’” (1977). It’s no wonder. It’s through song that his true spirit of aloha shines through.

Yet, even with all this well-deserved success, Kapono remains an unassuming, humble island boy from simple beginnings. Born and raised in Kapahulu, a small town located just beyond the Waikiki Strip, the young Kapono spent a lot of time playing in the neighborhood, going to the beach and hanging out with his family and playing music. At age five, he began singing in a children’s church choir. Then, his dad—who he tips as a big influence—taught him how to play ukulele. From there, he fell headlong for the sound of the guitar when a friend showed him a few chords. The rest is manifest destiny.

Nowadays, Kapono’s enjoying raising his family (including wife Lezlee and six-year-old twins Kapono and Cassandra) while playing close to home in the same neighborhood where his started his professional career. So what does he like most about serenading in his old Waikiki stomping ground? “I like the ambience of Waikiki,” he affirms. “I grew up there so I feel at home. I used to walk to the beach with my dad all the time. It’s definitely got its own distinct personality.”

At the moment, you can catch this legendary singer/songwriter at his regular weekly gigs at Hilton Hawaiian Village. Audiences love his acoustic, “feel good” vibe at Tropics Bar & Grill on Saturdays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Kapono says that he’s been doing the five-piece Hilton show over the past two to three years and pulls a diverse mix of visitors and locals alike. It’s an idyllic end to a fun-filled day in paradise. “I try to keep it laidback and casual. You’ll feel like you’re in the tropics. Mostly, I want fans to feel good, so I mix it up and drop in some cover tunes, too.”

[jasonblack]

A Case of the Mondays

Tonight is Monday night in Waikiki, usually a low key evening on the Kapiolani Strip. Upstairs at Tiki’s Grill & Bar, however, a playful pau hana crowd is just starting to filter in. As the sun sinks beyond the horizon, the entire space is bathed in the crimson light from a procession of red paper Chinese lanterns. Signature mai tais begin to flow as the large curved tiki-themed bar fills up with parched patrons. And the band, donning matching green-and-white tapa print aloha shirts, strikes up their opening set.

After a rousing opening number, Jassen Tolentino, one third of Tiki’s regular Monday night house band Canoes 4 Rent comes over the PA to welcome everyone to the show reminding them: “Please no requests! Save it for the next band,” he chuckles. “We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.”

Over the past two years, this trio of ukulele player Albert Makanani, uke/guitarist Duane Ing, and guitar/bassist Jassen Tolentino has been playing Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. As they describe it, their two-hour set offers an eclectic mix of popular music including country, R&B and even some Hawaiian music standards. Some repertoire highlights include Bob Marely’s “Good Lovin’”, John Cruz’s “Shine On” and The Eagles “Best of my Love” as well as “uncle” Carlos Santana, the Temptations and a country medley closing with actual yodeling. YeeHAW!

“What we like most about playing each and every week in Waikiki is that we get to meet tons of new, interesting people,” affirms Tolentino. “On Mondays, we always get a good mix of local regulars, visitors and even vacationing couples that return to see us year after year. It’s cool.

Originally, the guys randomly met while attending Windward Community College. One day, they realized they shared music as a common interest and decided to jam together. “I didn't know it at the time,” recalls Tolentino. “But I was auditioning for the band.” Apparently, his “audition” was trial-by-fire because together, they played a wedding that very weekend.

The band’s moniker itself was also kismet. “Years ago, there was a sign on my wall that simply read: Canoes 4 Rent, 10 cents,” recalls Ing. “Somehow, it just stuck.”

“People still call us up and ask us if we rent canoes, or what?” he adds with a rye smile.

No ten cent canoe rides here, just musical journeys that rush and roll like a river.

Row your boat...gently down the stream.

[jasonblack]

Strummin' Siren

The sweet, signature scent of plumeria wafts through the air as her long dexterous fingers dance along the ‘ukulele fretboard like sunlight playing across the rolling ocean waves. At the moment, 23-year-old ‘ukulele phenom Taimane, accompanied by classical guitarist Jasmine Skurtu, are jamming through a 20-minute medley of classic 1960s surf music including Dick Dale, The Ventures, a smattering of Japanese pop, and, finally, the classic Ventures’ 1969 hit “Hawaii Five-0” as a finale. While strumming, she passionately sways back and forth like a wild palm standing barefoot in a loose black jumpsuit while closing her eyes and, at times, losing herself in the music.

Out in the comfy, open-air SWIM Bar, it’s a challenging listen for the merry mix of residents and visitors. But the crowd pays close attention to the cascade of chord changes while enjoying a radiant Waikiki skyline and their happy-hour drink of choice: the Mai Tai.

Later, after her looping roller-coaster hour-long set, it’s clear how much she relishes playing here at the Hyatt Regency. Over the past five years, it’s been her home and it shows. She’s poised.

Confident. Comfortable. “This was my very first show where I got to play for an hour,” remembers Taimane, smiling of her start. “That was a big deal for me at 18. And now, it feels like it’s my living room where I can try out new things. I always enjoy seeing familiar faces of both visitors and locals who always come back.”

It’s no wonder she’s so at ease performing for massive, ever-swirling crowds in Waikiki. She’s been doing it for almost her entire life. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Taimane (whose name means “diamond” in Samoan) started strumming at the tender age of five. A year later, she won her first youth contest. By age eight, she was a seasoned professional, standing out on world-famous Kalakaua Avenue, entertaining visitors and locals passing by on the street. The busy concrete strip became an early proving ground for this blossoming musician.

Actually, that’s where she met her destiny. One of Don Ho’s close friends saw her performing and invited her to meet the famous Hawaiian entertainer himself. He liked what he heard and incorporated her into his regular show.

First, she contributed one song, then two. Soon, she was winning the crowd over with her youthful exuberance and stealing the show with her ample ability. She was a natural. But she’s quick to point out that she owes a lot to her talented uncle. “He taught me how to connect with the audience,” she fondly recalls. “It’s really shaped the way I perform and knowing which songs will work.”

In addition to her weekly Friday evenings at SWIM, you can catch Taimane and her magical uke at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and other select venues throughout town. At her show, she favors a broad spectrum of music including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Beethoven, Brazilian bossa nova, Phantom of the Opera flourishes, and even Spanish flamenco music. Taimane is quick to point out that her playing owes much to flamenco’s energetic, staccato style. “It depends on what kind of mood I’m in. But I’ve grown up playing in Waikiki so I know what works. My audience loves songs that are recognizable and familiar to them.”

Her talent has also afforded her the unique opportunity to travel abroad extensively. A few recent destinations include Japan, Canada and New York City. And she jets to the neighbor islands all the time for performances. Next up, she’s off to the mainland for the annual San Diego Uke Festival. “I really enjoy traveling because it’s always an adventure. But I always love to return home to Hawai‘i and my family.”

As if her rigorous touring schedule weren’t enough to keep her occupied, she recently signed to local label Mountain Apple Records to produce her recently released album ‘Ukulele Dance and its companion DVD. The album is filled with half original material and half popular covers. Lately, she’s even been writing songs for each planet in the solar system for a special performance entitled Taimane’s Universe in Chinatown, Honolulu’s emerging local arts and entertainment district. “I have a couple original songs. I enjoy doing more visual music and having a theme when I play. It’s fun and challenging to put a story to it.”

For Taimane, it’s clear—the best is yet to be written.

[jasonblack]

Mahina over the Mokes

It rose up out of the ocean like a god. Like clockwork right at sundown, it came up out of the water on the horizon full and round and luminescent just to the left of the twin Mokulua Islands. Breathtaking.

Every month, Kailua residents flock like lemmings to Lanikai Beach for the rise of the full moon. Apparently, it’s a regular ritual on the Windward side of the island. And I can see why even though it’s something I never heard about before. It’s so beautiful and primal and transcendental. In other words, perfect.

As I stroll down Mokumanu Street toward the water, there’s a solemn feeling in the air and the smell of salty sea spray fills my nose. Cars pull up and park along the roadside. As I walk by, a whole entire family—three generations strong—hop out of a classic cocoa Jeep Wagoneer with dusty folded beach blankets in hand. Someone grabs grandpa’s hand and helps him along. He’s committed but he can’t move so well anymore. And I thought, “This is really cool.” This is something that they’ve probably done together as a family for decades. It’s one of their traditions: a treasured memory.

When I got to the beach just after 6 p.m. I was virtually alone. It was nice and quiet, just the way I like it. There was just the wind and the surf and I. Then, slowly, a few families started to trickle in from the street through the overgrown beach access trail. After awhile, there was a sizable crew of adults, and a wild, swirling herd of kids who were running around the beach playing a version of tag they’d just made-up. Or something.

Then, at about 7 p.m., it was Showtime. Right on schedule, the clouds parted like a red velvet theater curtain and the moon stepped out unto the stage of the twilight sky. It was glowing like magic. Suddenly, it seemed like everything around me slowed and stopped. Time seemed to fold in on itself while we were gazing skyward at the full moon. I didn’t even dare to blink, lest I would miss a moment. It was magnificent. (Words fail sometimes.)

As the night wore on, the adults clustered together in small tight-knit groups commiserating with a beer or a glass of red wine in hand while the kids ran around the beach in a pack with green or purple glow-sticks on their wrists. What a great idea! (Although I suspect that it was as much about the kids having fun as it was their parents being able to find them again in all that starry darkness.) It was a great night.

Finally, after a few hours of fun, it was getting late. There was a yawn or two rolling through our group. One of the kids ran up for a hug and started to rub their heavy, tired eyes. It was time to pack up and get ready to go. Of course, no kid would claim that they ever wanted to leave. NO MOM NO! And why should they? To them, this summer night was paradise. They got to stay up late, eat pizza, and run around with their friends all night. But it was time for home and brushing and bed.

As we were leaving the beach, my friend took one look at me and stated the one thing we were all thinking: “Look at them. They don’t know how good they have it here.”

“True,” I said. “But they will someday. And they’ll remember it, this night for the rest of their lives.”

And I believe that’s true, too.

[jasonblack]

Soul Glow

Tahiti Rey and Jason Alan are the perfect acoustic accompaniment to a serene Hawaiian sunset.

On a balmy, breezy May evening, it’s golden hour at the Sunrise Pool Bar at the laid-back, chic Waikiki Modern Hotel. At the moment, there’s a smattering of hotel guests and residents enjoying pau hana as they cluster around some small tables poolside. A light, warm trade wind blows across the cement and wooden bar while out, on the horizon, the moored ships in the nearby harbor sway gently side-to-side.

Under an overhanging canopy of blossoming Miami pink bougainvillea, Tahiti Rey and Jason Alan are strumming the opening chords of Colbie Caillat’s 2007 hit “Bubbly.” As they hit the chorus, a young hapa girl in a kid’s plastic green hula skirt runs up and begins doing a mock hula while they play. Everyone laughs and smiles at this genuinely heart-warming scene.

Rey and Alan’s mix of contemporary acoustic soul and intoxicating two-part harmony is the perfect romantic accompaniment to sipping a signature Modern cocktail and taking in a sunset at the start of another memorable evening in paradise. Tonight’s audience is feeling it too with rounds of warm applause in-between their heart-felt renditions of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me”, Bob Marley’s “Good Lovin’”, U2’s “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, and Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” as well as a few well-timed original tunes including “Give Me Butterflies.”

“I think our audience finds us because we offer them an alternative to the usual Waikiki entertainment,” affirms Jason Alan, one half of the dynamic duo between their hour-long sets.

As the story goes, the two met about a year ago through a producer they both had in common for their respective solo projects. The chemistry was right and they’ve been playing side-by-side ever since. A quick peek at their monthly gig schedule will show you that offering an alternative in Honolulu for visitors and residents alike is paying off big time.

Each week, Rey and Alan run the musical gauntlet playing at the Modern, the Hyatt, Tiki’s Bar & Grill, Apt. 3, and the Mai Tai Bar among other local hot spots. On some nights, they’re double-booked with shows at two different venues in a single night. And, most weekends, they’re captivating audiences at private events and weddings around town. So, with their hectic, non-stop gig schedule, how do they keep it fresh night-in and night-out?

“What we enjoy most about playing out in Waikiki is meeting new people,” says Rey, who was born and raised in Kailua as the talented youngest daughter of notable local Latin entertainer Augie Rey.

Alan, who originally hails from Phoenix, Arizona, agrees: “We’re lucky that we get to play for people every night and it’s helped us define our own style.”

As we speak, the two are in the process of defining their stripped-down, authentic sound even further by writing and recording their first album together. And, Rey says, they’re finding that process very challenging.

“We’re working hard to try and figure out what we want to say,” concedes Alan.

So, if you’re lucky enough to catch these rising stars out by the Modern’s Sunrise Pool Bar on Wednesdays, inside at the Lobby Bar on Friday nights or at a local event over the weekend, what can you expect from their show? That’s simple: Pure soul.

 “Our audience can expect songs we love in a passionate way,” responds Rey.

 “It’s easy when you love what you do,” chimes in Alan. “And I think that comes through in our show.”

[jasonblack]

Stay Thirsty

Craft tequilas are stirring up a lot of excitement Stateside.

Tequila is a true chameleon in the spirit world. So versatile, it can blend together with a multitude of flavors to give you a pucker punch in the palate. The taste combinations are virtually endless; from the tangy sweet and sour of a classic top shelf margarita to the bright citrus of a grapefruit, passion fruit or guava refresher to the spicy kick of a three-alarm habanero chili hangover cure. Beyond the shady environs of the cocktail glass, fine tequila sheds its camouflage and steps out into the sunlight to be admired and enjoyed for all of its complexity and rich, layered flavor.

Now, when you think of tequila as a category, consider it in the same way you would champagne. It is the name given to a distilled spirit specifically produced in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Mexico. Today, 380 million agave plants are harvested in that region each year and the plants take about 5 to 9 years to mature. As a spirit, tequila is also differentiated by the fact that it only uses the blue agave plant for production.

In general, a craft or “small batch” 100% agave tequila is defined by the industry standard of producing 50,000 cases or less. At the moment, popular brands like Patron and Don Julio own the lion’s share of the craft tequila market. Others produce less than 20,000 cases a year. And some, considered to be super tequilas, produce between 5,000 and 10,000 cases a year. But, regardless of the production numbers, the true test for any craft tequila is taste.

“The real difference between craft and mass-market tequilas is linking the raw material to capturing quality flavor in the bottle,” opines Jake Lustig, head of Mexican brand Las Joyas del Agave. “More agave pungency. More complexity. More minerality. Distilling the agave mash at a slower rate. All of this extra labor-intensive effort retains more of the purity and flavor of the spirit in the final product.”

“The best tequilas out there at the moment are the ones that are made from one brand, one distiller, and represent one distinct taste,” affirms Ryan Fitzgerald, Director of Spirits and Cocktails for Beretta Pizzeria and Bar, a craft cocktail hotspot in San Francisco’s Mission District. “They’re focused on flavor profile, heritage and family to create real authenticity in their tequila.”

“Generally speaking, craft spirits like tequila are growing in popularity due to the whole farm-to-table movement,” says Chandra Lucariello, Director of Mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits in Honolulu. “Consumers want to support local, and just like the local farmers, the local distilleries produce limited quantities of product while putting their heart and soul into it. Most of these distilleries aren’t in business to get rich. They are in it because they love what they do, and the public can see and taste that in the glass.”

Since tequila’s distillery process is as complex and varied as modern winemaking, tasting is paramount to finding that one perfect tequila you’ll love and enjoy sharing with friends and family. In general, premium 100% agave tequilas fall into four basic categories: Blanco (or silver), reposado, anejo and extra anejo. Blanco is un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months by law in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels. Reposado (meaning rested) is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months, but less than a year. In addition to the sweetness of the agave, the tequila takes on the more complex flavors of the oak. Some distilleries even use recycled bourbon barrels, some new and many reuse their barrels. All these factors contribute to a wide spectrum of wonderful flavors. Within Mexico, reposado is the most popular category of tequila. Anejo, (aged or vintage) is aged for minimum of one year, but no more than three. These golden tequilas, as they’re called, represent a variety of complex flavors and textures. And, since 2006, extra anejo has been added as the newest category and is aged for three years or more. As you’d expect, these are the most rare and expensive tequilas on the market. Like wine, aging tequila transforms the taste in the mouth, mellowing the heat, adding complexity and highlighting desirable signature notes like oak, caramel, butterscotch and vanilla.

Unlike tequila that can only be produced in Jalisco, mescal is currently being produced in seven of Mexico’s 31 states. Yet, the most respected ones come from the southwestern state of Oaxaca due to its longstanding tradition, perfect climate and mineral rich soil. Since there are over 28 varietals of agave plants, mescal also has the distinct luxury of experimenting with other types of agave beyond the renowned blue agave that’s used only in tequila. In terms of overall market share, mescal is still in its infancy as the 1% to tequila’s controlling 99%. Beyond the business, mescal is exciting because it offers some interesting and unexpected mouth flavors. From brand to brand and batch to batch, mescal can be wildly different.

Richard Betts, co-founder of Sombra Mescal, has been making his own mescal since 2006 and is a big believer in this spirit’s promising future: “Mescal is the mother of all tequila. It’s the most authentic taste of old Mexico. When you want to go and drink the essence of this spirit, you should go and drink mescal. It’s the truth.”

Las Joyas’ Lustig agrees: “It’s a very exciting time because there are a lot of possibilities for different tastes. Currently, there are no rules in mescal. We’re doing it all by intuition. What you get is amazing variations between batches from one producer and between various producers throughout the Oaxaca region. There are lots of nuances between the bottles and there’s plenty of amazing, incredible variation in styles. It’s truly the Wild West at the moment.”

As our agave aficionados point out, the first thing to consider when selecting fine tequila (or mescal, for that matter) is simply, are you planning to mix it up in a classic cocktail? Or, are you destined to sip it on the lanai while contemplating life like a fine single malt scotch?

Expert Jake Lustig recommends: “Look for a value 100% agave tequila for mixed drinks. You can make real authentic margaritas with the right amount of heat that will penetrate the sweet and sour of the mix.

Similar to wine, when you’re sipping tequila, try some from different regions and find one that you like. There will definitely be others from that same region of Mexico that you’re sure to enjoy.”

“Tequila has so many distinct flavors that it tailors itself to making great cocktails,” says Beretta’s Ryan Fitzgerald. “You can do so many great things in the glass with it. I like to introduce a bit of mescal into my tequila cocktails to add some smoke to it. Remember, just because a drink has tequila in it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a margarita.”

In the end, you don’t always have to drink tequila. But when you do, make it quality, craft tequila. Stay thirsty my friends.

[jasonblack]

Born Strummin'

Taimane Gardner and her Ukulele

There are two distinct sides to twenty-three year old ukulele phenom Taimane Gardner. One is the sweet, demure, soft-spoken young lady who’s currently sitting and chatting inside a local Kaimuki neighborhood coffee shop. The other is a true force of nature on stage blasting through twenty-minute medleys of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles without batting an eyelash.

“I’ve always been comfortable on stage,” she concedes. “Since I was about 15, I don’t ever remember being nervous before a live audience.”

It’s no wonder she’s so comfortable performing for others. She’s been doing it for almost her entire life. Born and raised in Hawaii, Gardner (whose name means “diamond” in Samoan) started strumming at the tender age of five. A year later, she won her first youth contest. By age eight, she was a seasoned professional, standing out on world famous Kalakaua Blvd. entertaining visitors and locals passing by on the street. The busy concrete strip became an early proving ground for this blossoming musician.

Actually, that’s where she originally got discovered. One of Don Ho’s close friends saw her performing and invited her to meet the famous Hawaiian entertainer himself. He liked what he heard and incorporated her into his regular show. First, she contributed one song, then two. Soon, she was winning the crowd over with her youthful exuberance and stealing the show with her ample ability. She was a natural. But she’s quick to point out that she owes a lot to her talented uncle. “He taught me how to connect with the audience,” she fondly recalls. “It’s really shaped the way I perform and knowing which songs will work.”

Currently, you can catch Gardner and her magical uke at the Hilton Hawaiian Village among a few other select venues around town. At her show, she favors a broad spectrum of music including Led Zeppelin, Beethoven and even Spanish flamenco music. Actually, she’s quick to point out that her playing style owes much to flamenco’s energetic, staccato style. “It depends on what kind of mood I’m in. But I’ve grown up playing in Waikiki so I know what works. My audience loves songs that are recognizable and familiar to them.”

Beyond Waikiki, Gardner also enjoys playing in Chinatown, Honolulu’s emerging local arts and entertainment district. “I love playing down there because it pushes me to experiment with new directions. Local audiences tend to want more original material.”

Her talent has also afforded her the unique opportunity to travel abroad extensively. A few recent destinations include Japan, Canada and New York City. And she jets to the outer islands all the time for performances. Next up, she’s off to exotic locales like Thailand, Paris, France and Australia. “I really enjoy traveling because it’s always an adventure. But I always love to return home to Hawaii and my family.”

As if her rigorous touring schedule weren’t enough to keep her occupied, she recently signed to local label Mountain Apple Records to produce an album as well as a companion DVD. She’s planning on it consisting of half original material and half popular covers. “I have a couple original songs. I enjoy doing more visual music and having a theme when I play. It’s fun and challenging to put a story to it.”

For Gardner, it’s clear the best is yet to be written.

[jasonblack]

Fly or Die

Fixed gear fanatic Massan Fluker rides with an angel on his shoulder.

Massan Fluker rides like he’s got a death wish. The 31-year old fixee flyer bombs down steep hills, outmaneuvers city buses and snakes through bumper-to-bumper traffic with ease. It’s clear he’s got a passion for pedaling that sometimes puts him in harms way.

Recently, he put his own life and limb to the test by bombing the treacherous Berkeley Hills. As the story goes, he went up there at the crack of dawn around 6 a.m. and filmed a few establishing shots at the top. Then he and the cameraman set-up the hood-mount and took a few runs to test out his gear.

Captured online for all to see, the final footage of that fateful ride is unbelievable. At one point, Fluker actually climbs up on the seat and sticks his trailing foot off to use as a brake on the back tire: “It was definitely one of the fastest runs I’d ever done,” he recalls of the do-or-die decent. “I’m really grateful that we got it on film because I don’t think I’ll be doing that on a track bike anytime soon. I want to go back on my road bike and see how much more speed I can get.”

Since he’s been riding his whole life, this Bay Area native makes impossible rides like this insane down Centennial look basic. But, as he points out, he first climbed aboard a track bike about 11 years ago. And, from there, he’s never hopped off. “Growing up in San Francisco put me onto track bikes. Once I realized what it was and that it wasn’t so easy to just ‘pick up’, it made me want to get one more. Track bikes are really elegant machines, so I was also attracted to the bike, not just the riding.”

As you’d expect, the Bay Area fixed gear scene has changed greatly over the years. Like most groups, it began as a hardcore bike messenger town and, in recent years, has blossomed into all facets of modern ride culture: hill bombing, distance, freestyle, and beyond. “The entire fixed gear scene has evolved greatly as a whole. More people are riding bikes because more people are exposed to it.”

He adds: “My favorite style of riding is simply ‘riding bikes.’”

Recently, Fluker made the move from his hometown of San Francisco to Brooklyn to ride more and focus on his own photography. Actually, when we spoke, he had just got back from a collaboration art opening of his work with a friend over in Japan. So, in his mind, how do the East Coast and West Coast scenes compare?

“There’s way more people in New York compared to San Francisco. As a result, there’s also way more cyclists in Manhattan. In San Francisco, the community is small but strong. In New York, there are four or five communities in one.”

Strangely enough, when he’s not riding, Fluker enjoys walking around the city and taking it all in. It’s his way to relax and recharge. “A cup of coffee and an Apple iPod with good walking shoes can make for a great day, especially in New York.”

Creatively, he’s inspired by everything around him: the city, photography, movies, and friends. And, of course, he is continually inspired and passionate about expressing himself through riding: “I don’t really think about it that much, but if I were to stop riding, it would be a total change of lifestyle. I’m just used to doing what I’ve been doing. I still love it.”

Life is a wild ride. So what’s it like to ride along with him through the mean streets of the city at midnight? That’s simple.

“I like to lurk.”

[jasonblack]

Stay Gold

Scott Caan thrives on pushing boundaries on land and sea.

There’s no denying it. Scott Caan is a charismatic guy. Even now, at 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning, his one day a week off from the daily rigors of shooting the second season of Hawaii Five-O, he’s on. Lounging on the lanai of his two-story, Mediterranean-style white stucco house nestled on the slopes of Diamond Head, he’s chatting about wrapping up the eighth and final season of Entourage, the HBO show about making it big in Hollywood.

At 35, Caan should know a thing or two about Hollywood. He’s lived around the entertainment industry his whole life. It’s the family business. Acting is in his blood. And, if you’ve seen him in such notable films as the Ocean’s Trilogy and Gone in Sixty Seconds, you know it’s true. He’s good. Real good.

But, somehow, he doesn’t seem entirely comfortable claiming himself as a bona fide movie star. He refers to “the arts” sarcastically, not pretentiously. And he’s seemingly more at ease with being seen as a regular guy from the neighborhood that can act then a back lot big shot. Beyond acting, he enjoys a variety of personal interests like surfing, skating, bikes and hip-hop, as well as screen writing and photography, which he discovered later on in life.

Growing up in LA, he admits to having tough times at home. It was an unconventional upbringing with mom and dad, Sheila Ryan and James Caan. So, at 13, he ended up connecting with some local kids he looked up to and wanted to emulate. “I hung out with kids that I thought were interesting, and they just happened to be hoodlums, B-boys, criminals, skaters and surfers.”

During his teen years in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, surfing and skating was on the rise. But it wasn’t cool or commercial yet. In fact, it was mainly for kids from broken homes, derelicts and dropouts who wanted to feel like they belonged. Somewhere. Anywhere.

“Back then, it was punk to surf and skate,” affirms Caan. “It was its own little culture. Today, six-year-old girls from [Brentwood] get surfboards for their birthdays. It’s not like it used to be.

“Now, skateboarding is so blown out. Surfing is so blown out. Hip-hop is so blown out. It’s a whole different thing. When I was a kid, those were the kind of things you did when you wanted to be anti-establishment. It was your way of saying, ‘Fuck you.’ And I definitely fell into that category.”

At the time, Caan recalls that dad was not amused. “My dad was an athlete, and I always played sports when I was younger. Then, when I started surfing, skating, and dancing, my dad was like, ‘What are you doing? You don’t skateboard, there’s no team. You don’t surf, there’s no team. You guys just hang out on the beach.’”

But Caan remembers being instantly drawn to it. He felt like he’d found something that suited him. It was his. “I think that it was a combination of being a kid and the people I looked up to, and the people I wanted to be like. I was always an athlete, so I felt like that was the way to go. Also, I wanted to skate and surf, because it was something you did your own way. It was creative self-expression. There are no stats in surfing and skating.”

Even though he didn’t understand it, Caan is quick to point out that his dad always tried to be supportive of his son’s alternative interests. “My dad, from when I was a kid, was always like, ‘If you’re going to do something, be fucking good at it. Get after it.’”

And, over the course of his life, that’s exactly what Caan’s done. In the process, he’s taken risks, pushed his own limits and tackled new challenges. He admits to continually staying busy in order to keep himself sane. He hates being bored.

“I hate simple, the same shit every day. I can’t imagine how I ended up on a T.V. show. You know? Talk about repetitive.”

Early on, one thing Caan discovered he had a passion for was rapping alongside Alan Maman (aka The Alchemist). The boys met and hung out even though they went to different schools. Caan was also friends with Maman’s older brother. They all had similar interests in graffiti writing and B-boying. So Caan and Maman got together one day and hatched a plan. “When I met Alan, I was like, ‘Fuck man, let’s try to make a group.’ He said, ‘All right, let’s try it.’”

So they started writing rhymes together. After a bit, they felt like they had a routine and were ready to cut a demo. Through a mutual friend, Mike Perretta, better known as Evidence from Dilated Peoples, the guys hooked up with a producer willing to help them out, Quincy Jones Jr. Caan and Maman worked tirelessly with him at his studio, ultimately polishing up their demo, and Jones Jr. started shopping it around.

After a chance meeting, Ice Cube was interested and wanted to sign the guys to his label. “I’m in ninth grade and I’m sitting in Ice Cube’s office, and [NWA’s] first album, Straight Outta Compton, was my bible. I was like, ‘This is the fucking coolest thing ever.’” But Caan also remembers that things didn’t quite go according to plan.

The two met with Ice Cube about the possibility of working together. Caan was ecstatic. But Maman wasn’t convinced. “Then I remember Alan said, ‘I don’t like this shit. I’m not a hood. I’m from Beverly Hills. You’re going to put me in a hoodie and have me talk about 40 ounces and shit. That ain’t me.’ I was like, ‘Well, who gives a fuck what we’re doing. Let’s go.’ But Alan talked me out of it.”

He was like, ‘No, man. Come on, let’s keep it real.’ And I’m like, ‘Fuck, ok, let’s keep it real.’”

But their luck turned when they coincidentally met B-Real from Cypress Hill. Instantly, the guys hit it off. They had a lot in common and knew a bunch of the same Venice locals. It felt right. And most importantly, B-Real insisted that they maintain their own identity. The Whooliganz, as they were known, were on their way. “Next thing I know, I’m 16 and on tour with Cypress Hill and House of Pain,” says Caan. “It’s still the best time of my life. They were like family. They took care of us.”

While they were over in Europe as roadies, they were slated to perform their first debut single, “Put Your Handz Up” on a talk show in London called “The Word.” Caan describes it as the English version of David Letterman. But the label wanted them to change up their sound to be less like late-’80s hip-hop and more like early ‘90s house music that was emerging at the time. Instead, the guys ditched the show and went to Amsterdam for the weekend. “On Thursday night, we got on a flight to Amsterdam, and didn’t even tell anybody. We just bounced. Alan, Seth Binzer, the lead singer of Crazy Town and I went and just wild out for four days, flew straight home, and when we got home they were like, ‘You’ve been dropped from your record label.’”

That was that. Finished. Finito. From there, Maman opted to plunge behind the scenes and pursue his interest in making beats. He’s gone on to become an accomplished hip-hop producer in his own right, working with the likes of Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Ghostface Killah and Snoop Dogg. He’s also continued to support old friends producing for Dilated Peoples, Cypress Hill, Everlast (formerly of House of Pain) and even Crazy Town. Currently, he’s signed to Shady Records and working with Eminem as his DJ.

For his part, Caan had no idea what to do next until he got a call — pure luck — about a movie audition for 1995’s A Boy Called Hate. At the time, he had no desire to give up on his lofty hip-hop dreams. But fate had other ideas, and this part was too intriguing to pass up. The story centers on a kid who gets out of juvenile hall and shoots somebody. He goes on a road trip on his motorcycle with a girl, runs away from the law, and ends up saving her from being raped.

Caan decided to go for it. “Fuck it, I’m James Dean,” he says.

He auditioned a couple of times and finally got the part, beating out a teenage Joaquin Phoenix. While on set, he had an epiphany. “When I was on that movie, I didn’t know if I wanted to be an actor, the guy holding a light, if I wanted to push the dolly, if I wanted to shoot or if I wanted to write it. I was just like, ‘This is home. Whatever this is, whoever these people are, this group of misfits, from the grips to the writers.’ They seemed like my kind of people. I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

From the start, he was hooked on the creative process of filmmaking. “I was really into this mix of humans to make one thing. Everybody’s doing something different to make this one thing, and the whole process, I really fell for that big time. I was like, ‘Oh, ok, this is it.’ I still don’t know what the fuck I want to do, but I know I’m in the right world.”

Immediately upon wrapping the movie, he signed up with Playhouse West, a theatre group in North Hollywood that Caan’s mom had studied at years earlier. He wanted to explore what acting was all about. And he wanted to make sure he learned it the right way. His father’s advice about “getting after it” was ringing in his ears.

While there, he wrote small scenes for himself and others using a pencil and paper. Finally, on the urging of a friend, he decided to buy a computer and capture a few. Caan and his acting buddies ran some of these homespun scenes by Robert Carnegie, the lead acting coach and mentor of Playhouse West. He liked what he heard and urged Caan to keep going: “Write more.”

“So I started writing plays,” says Caan, excited and inspired. “Every Thursday, my mission — there are a bunch of classes at Playhouse West, but Thursday night was the elite class, where you were if you had been there for a couple years, and you hadn’t gotten kicked out, or you hadn’t cried too many times because you were abused, Thursday night was ‘the space.’ It was a lot of good people like Val [Lauren], James Franco, Ashley Judd, Mark Pellegrino, and I. It was a really good group of actors. Every Thursday night, you showed up to battle, and ‘Who’s going to kill it tonight?’ So, my goal was to write something for every Thursday night. I would piece it together, and then we started putting up plays.”

Sparked by this experience, Caan was hungry to expand their weekend audience from 150 each night with Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances to 150,000. The only way to do that, he reasoned, was to write a movie.

So he fired up his laptop and got to work. During that period, he banged out a couple of scripts. Some of them sold. Some of them didn’t. But one stood out. It was the script that became 2003’s Dallas 362. It was a movie Caan wrote in only three weeks but he contends was a big turning point for him. It had to be. It was a movie he wrote, starred and even made his directorial debut in. He was in total control from the start.

“I thought, ‘Fuck, if I’m going to make a movie, and I’m going to be the director, I want to write it in a way that I know it’s not going to drive me crazy, and I’ll be able to do it all.’ So I literally wrote this script in 20 days. I was like, ‘Here it is.’ And the producer, who had seen one of my plays and read a few of my scripts said, ‘Let’s go.’ He had already raised the million dollars to make it. I couldn’t have been more confident in my life, because I wrote it knowing that I was going to have to shoot it. I knew every shot. I was so prepared.”

Due to past movie-making experiences, he also knew exactly what kind of director he wanted to be; the kind that knew what they were doing. “I had been in a lot of movies, and I noticed the best directors were the ones that would walk into a room and go, ‘All right. This is what we’re doing.’ Then I saw other directors that would come and bite their nails and go, ‘Ok, what do you think? What should we do here?’ I decided, ‘Those guys suck, and these guys don’t.’ I knew exactly what every frame of this movie was supposed to be.”

“If someone asked me a question, I was like, ‘This, this, and this.’ The producers were like, ‘Wow, man, you’re going to be a great director.’ I hadn’t even done anything. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to be a good director one day. It just meant that I was on top of my shit.”

“Still, that movie specifically, there’s a ton of stuff I would have done differently, but I’m super proud of it. I’m super proud of doing everything, and it gave me the confidence to be able to say, ‘Oh, I can totally do this.’ I think that’s a huge thing. I think there are so many people that are talented, but there is part of them that says, ‘You can’t do that.’ The most successful people have a combination of things, and obviously, talent is one of them. But a huge part of it is the confidence to go, ‘Ok, I can do this.’”

Talent is golden. But confidence is king. In that respect, Caan admires another ‘80s rapper who’s transformed himself into a credible actor, a producer and now, a big time show runner: Mark Wahlberg. They worked together on Entourage. “He’s a good actor. But look at what he’s done. He’s not Lawrence Olivier, but the dude is like, ‘I can do anything. I can produce this. I can make these shows. I can put these people together. Yes, I’m an actor, and I can show up and hold the gun, and everybody’s impressed by me.’ But he’s a smart dude who says, ‘I can do this, this, and this. Don’t dare me that I can’t make a billion dollars next year. I’ll rap. I’ll be an underwear model. I don’t give a shit.’”

He also has similar praise for another well-known colleague who Caan collaborated with on Ocean’s. “Look at George Clooney, too. He’s a talented dude, but he’s also like, ‘What can’t I do? I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that.’ I guarantee that there are a lot of people out there who can do that as well, but a big thing is being able to say, ‘No. I envision this for myself, and I can really do this, that, and the other.’”

Caan admires their bravado and seems well on his way to emulating their example with his own string of upcoming projects in the development pipeline. He hints that one is teaming up with his dad.

His accomplishments on Dallas gave Caan the confidence to branch out and test himself creatively. After the movie wrapped, he discovered that he had a passion for photography. It all came about through working with Phil Parmet, his director of photography. During the movie the two became friends and Parmet taught Caan how to handle a camera.

“I’d gotten a camera that year as a gift,” remembers Caan. “He said, ‘I used to shoot with this camera.’ So he taught me about shutter speeds, f-stops, composition, and why he shoots the way he shoots. The preparation for that movie was like school for me. By the time the movie started shooting, in that two-month period, I went from not even wanting to pay attention to cameras, to, ‘Phil, I think, can we be here instead?’ He would smile, and he saw that I’d gotten the bug.”

Smiling, Caan recalls becoming totally obsessed with clicking away and capturing the moment. “I was shooting and shooting. I was taking more pictures than anything else. I wanted to travel to shoot photos. Someone said, ‘Let’s have a birthday party for you this year.’ I’m like, ‘All right, well, I’m going to show some of these photos that I shot.’”

And that’s exactly what he did. In 2004, he did a one-man show for his birthday at his friend’s menswear store called Kingsbury in LA. For his debut, he only showed ten prints. But a few of them sold and that inspired him to keep shooting. Next year, he returned with 20 prints. He did it for five years in a row. Shoot. Print. Show. Repeat. His goal, every year, was to come up with a bigger and better show of new photographs. Finally, in 2009, he collected his best images together in a coffee table book called Scott Caan Photographs Vol. 1.

“The last party I had was the book opening on my birthday,” he says proudly. “I haven’t really shot any photos in about a year and a half, but it’s because I’m on this show.”

The secret to his obsession with photography lies in its purity and its permanence. “To me, photography is one of my favorite things because I don’t give a shit about what it’s supposed to look like. When you write something, 30 people are going to give you their opinions, and then you have to rewrite it. You direct something and everybody has an opinion. You produce something, it’s even worse. As an actor, you have a director telling you how to do it. Me, and that thing [the camera], we’re just out there doing it. If I see a photo, and I like the way it looks, I’m going to print it.

“Then, of course, someone goes, ‘Oh, I like this one. I don’t like this one.’ But they don’t change. You can’t change a photo. It’s like, ‘That’s what I took. If you don’t like it, I’m sorry.’”

Then the conversation swerves toward motorcycles, a love affair Caan’s had since his rebellious teenage years riding dirt bikes. And let’s face it. Who doesn’t love to look cool like James Dean or Paul Newman blazing down the highway? “If I really loved bikes, then I should get a Ducati and do 120 around turns. But I like doing a burnout with a suicide shift and doing beelines through traffic because it makes me feel like I’m Dallas from The Outsiders. Those are just the kind of people I looked up to.”

At the moment, Caan’s cherished 1960 Panhead, a bike he’s had for six years, is in the shop. Another buddy from high school, Yaniv Evan from Powerplant Choppers, is working on it and fixing his brakes.

Chuckling, Caan launches into the ongoing repair saga that is this bike. “I called him up, ‘Yaniv, this back brake doesn’t work.’ The front brake is irrelevant. It’s a suicide shift with a back brake that’s not working. ‘It’s a death trap.’

“He said, ‘Well, what do you mean they don’t work?’ I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m telling you, the rear brake does not work.’ He said, ‘All right.’ So, I drive the bike over to him.

Then I get a phone call that night at 1 a.m. ‘What’s up, dude?’ He said, ‘I’m in the hospital.’ ‘What happened?’ I said. ‘I crashed your bike. The fucking brakes don’t work.’

"But he wasn’t kidding,” Caan says, pausing for comedic effect. “It was as if he was giving me new information that I didn’t know about.”

Like his passion for vintage bikes, Caan also has the same fascination with surfing. He enjoys riding all kinds of exotic, one-of-a-kind boards. Sometimes, it’s just to get a reaction in the water. “I ride Alaia, and weird boards all the time. I love the feeling, but I also love people going, ‘Holy shit. He’s riding a piece of wood.’ There’s something about the show-off side of surfing and skating. It’s not as fun if someone didn’t see you do it.” Later, we round up the troops, including his girlfriend, grab some surfboards from his storage unit in the garage, and walk a few blocks down to the beach. On the way to Tongs, a local surf break, a car driving by slows to a crawl, obviously recognizing the actor. A camera pops out on the driver’s side and starts taking photos while the passenger yells out, “We love you, man.”

“Thanks,” says Caan, turning around. He graciously stops on the sidewalk and poses for a few candid shots with his Alaia, a traditional Hawaiian wooden surfboard in one hand and a casual shaka in the other. He’s polite, giving them a story and a memory to share with friends and neighbors. After a minute or so, he walks on.

“You’re one of us,” gushes the guy from the car, encouraged by Caan’s graciousness. He’s referring to the fact that because of the show, locals here on the islands have claimed Caan as one of their own. He’s now a member of the ohana in the same way original Five-0 actors Jack Lord and James MacArthur were before him.

“God bless,” Caan calls back as the car speeds off. He hangs a left down the public access alleyway towards the surf. At the end, he jumps into the water and paddles out toward the outer reef break and the clear blue horizon.

[jasonblack]

Goodnight Moon

Geoff McFetridge and Yong-Ki Chang create skate dreams with Solitary Arts. Suite 203: The square, brushed-metal sign on the door says, “Solitary Arts.” This must be the place.

Stepping inside S.A. HQ is like entering a skateboarder’s Fortress of Solitude. Colorful boards hang in a row on the whitewashed wall. Piles of black and white printed T-shirts, Solitary Arts logo stickers and boatloads of skateboard memorabilia are strewn about. In the back, there’s a small workshop for building boards and filling incoming orders. It also serves as a chill, well-lit space where Yong-Ki Chang, one half of S.A.’s dynamic duo, dreams up new designs and tests out new shapes.

After coming back from a regular morning session at Pacifica Skatepark, he’s sitting quietly at his computer banging out emails while music plays in the background. He’s in the midst of making arrangements for S.A. to join an upcoming artist showcase in Los Angeles. Pulling away from pressing biz, we dive into the formation of the brand.

In 2005, Chang was inspired by a T-shirt graphic by artist Geoff McFetridge, which boasted the words “The Solitary Arts.” It was an idea McFetridge had created in 2000 as a poster for an art show, a concept derived from the amount of time he was spending drawing and creating as well as the things he did for fun: surfing, skating and bike riding.

Inspired by this artwork, Chang decided to build an entire skate brand around this concept of “solo creation,” so he sat down and developed a business plan. He also designed his first board, Big Red, inspired by a red, plastic ’70s-style cruiser he bought right out of someone’s garage. Finally, with plan in hand and a strong sense of purpose, he reached out to the artist to get his blessing. Later, the two pow-wowed in LA.

“In the beginning, I wanted to get Geoff’s approval on what I was doing,” recalls Chang. “It was important for me to get his OK. To my surprise, instead of just saying ‘Yeah man, go for it,’ he wanted to create a partnership and do it together.”

Fortuitously enough, McFetridge had been itching to start his own skate brand. “So we started talking and Yong-Ki had good ideas. He also knew everything about board design, and the business aspects of running a skate company that I had no clue about. It was a good fit.”

From the start, it was a genuine partnership. Chang, in San Francisco, handled all the product sourcing and day-to-day business while McFetridge, in LA, handled all the graphics.

For the newly born company, the first task on their to-do list was to develop a logo. This is always a daunting endeavor, but especially within skateboarding brands where there are a multitude of classics: the Independent Trucks’ cross and the Girl Skateboards’ feminine symbol, to name a few. They designed and piloted many, but only one made the final cut: the waning moon.

“That logo really stuck,” opines McFetridge. “My friend calls it ‘moon and pizza,’ which I think is great. Actually, it’s a moon with a little armless character on his chin. The logo felt quiet and dreamlike. The little guy is night surfing, riding on the moon. It’s very graphic while maintaining an ethereal quality.”

Chang wholeheartedly agrees: “I make stickers of everything we do. Stickers are a huge part of skateboarding and a perfect test for any artwork. And, in everything we were doing, the waning moon continually rose to the top.”

“Solitary Arts is about re-thinking skateboarding,” continues McFetridge. “We don’t want to be outsiders really to skateboarding, but maybe we are like when skateboarding dreams. If skating is the day, then we are the night.”

He’s right. Through its logo and the vibe of the brand as a whole, Solitary Arts has a certain whimsical, dreamlike air to it reminiscent of popular children’s nighttime stories like Goodnight Moon or Where the Wild Things Are. And it’s all by design, perhaps because 40-year-old McFetridge, who has been skating since he was 13, has kids. So how did the concept behind the brand come about?

“As an artist, you have to self-critique. I’m always trying to gain perspective on what I am doing. For S.A., I just applied this technique to looking at skateboarding. The surprising thing is that I didn't see anyone else looking at things in this same way.”

Instead of focusing on the technical side of skateboarding, where you can easily get consumed by progression and endlessly learning trick after trick (otherwise, you’re not participating in real skateboarding), the S.A. brand is content with gliding and carving down the street. McFetridge’s mantra is simple: “Sliding over concrete is AMAZING.” This stylish perspective is counter-intuitive to the “all lip, no flat bottom” way that modern skateboarding is seen today. “But what about everything else?” he asks.

In essence, S.A. is a re-exploration of the ’70s sidewalk-surfing roots of skateboarding. And that’s just the way the guys like it.

Now, with logo in hand and a few years of experience under their belts, they have an entire product line in their arsenal, including boards, wheels, T-shirts and, of course, plenty of stickers. Alongside the original Big Red are two more freewheelin’ models: the mini-cruiser Pocket Horn and the longer, pointy-nosed Piano Pinner. Along the way, S.A. has even done a few board collaborations with Girl and Undefeated. But Chang remains ever-vigilant and super protective of the brand he’s built alongside McFetridge. There won’t be a full-sized street model anytime soon.

“It’s all about maintaining a niche market. We’re dedicated to producing a quality, handmade board, and everything we do is made right here in California. We’re proud of that. For most, a skateboard is the only piece of commercial art they can afford, so we try to make it worthwhile.”

The ongoing, dreamlike, sidewalk-surfing art project that is Solitary Arts is also a good way for McFetridge to simplify and then amplify his ideas through basic black and white graphics. And, like skateboarding, the ideas just flow.

“The ideas behind S.A. are so clear to me that I draw things all the time that just scream out S.A. They just sort of leak out. Because, really, when I talk about S.A., I’m really talking about creativity, and much of my work has been always been about creativity. To me, creativity and skateboarding are interchangeable. I guess that’s a central idea of S.A.”

Chang concurs: “I think it’s been good to harness Geoff’s work in skateboarding while, at the same time, it gives him a real commercial outlet. For many fans, it’s their entryway into his work.”

Through his studio, Champion Graphics, McFetridge has maintained a successful career as a commercial artist working on notable brands like Nike, Pepsi, MTV, Stussy, Chocolate Skateboards, Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records and many others. At the moment, he’s even doing some work for Bushmill’s Whiskey. But his S.A. graphics will always be his most pure and personal work, closest to his heart.

The next stage in the brand’s evolution is sponsoring team riders and developing prototype models for them. And, in classic S.A. fashion, instead of promoting a few young guns, Chang and McFetridge opted to pick up two experienced pros who are in their 40s: Jef Hartsel from Honolulu, Hawaii and Venice Beach, California, and Bob Lake from Virgina Beach, Virginia. As McFetridge explains, it’s been a real creative challenge to create graphics for these skateboarding icons.

“Everything sort of goes out the window when you are dealing with guys like that. It is hard to do work that lives up to the depth of an individual. And those are some exceptional dudes.”

So far, Chang is stoked with the results. “I think it’s important to push people, even Geoff,” he says. “It’s always the best way to get great work.”

Looking to the future, the guys will keep stretching, pushing themselves, the brand and skateboarding as a whole, in new directions. Fulfilling their dreams.

“I’m an idealistic person,” says McFetridge. “I’m always trying to make my life better and part of that is making my art and my life one. On the flip side, inevitably, as my life changes, my art changes too.”

And Solitary Arts rolls on.

[jasonblack]

Off the Wall

Greg “Pnut” Galinsky’s boundless creative energy keeps going. And going. And going.

Greg Galinsky is a total blur as he moves around his subterranean basement studio in San Francisco’s Lower Haight district. He’s gabbing on the phone, signing his “Pnut” moniker to a few small pieces and gesturing for me to grab a seat, all in one fluid motion. He can’t stand still, constantly swirling around his tight, dark, bomb shelter-like space as if he’s a possessed Energizer bunny with a Cheshire Cat smile stretched across his face.

Once my eyes adjust to the lone light bulb flickering in the ceiling, I’m not surprised to find artwork close by. Actually, it’s everywhere. There’s a large, square, muted blue and white canvas piece pinned up on the wall. It looks done, although he contends he’s still toying with it. Always adding to. Always subtracting from. There’s also a blood-red Cuba-inspired windowpane on another wall from a past exhibit, complete with Latin religious candles, an empty Maker’s Mark bottle and plastic beads. There are pieces with tropical ocean motifs like wide-eyed tiki-heads, swaying palm trees and rolling ocean waves strewn about. And, lined up along the floor like soldiers, are stacks and stacks of more found windows. Each one offers up a different painted musical instrument: a trumpet, a drum and a guitar from a recent series he did.

Out in the warm sunlight of a rare clear-blue August day in the City, we stroll down the street to a café, grab a cup of coffee and dive headlong into the past.

“Skating is all about style and I’ve tried to bring that vibe into my work and into the art world,” he says while slurping his murk and sucking down heaters.

That’s not surprising when you consider that Galinsky was born in Santa Monica, California and raised in Venice by his Burmese mom and Lithuanian dad. At that time during the mid-’70s, it was ground zero for classic Dogtown and Z-Boys riders like Tony Alva, Stacey Peralta, Jay Adams and the rest of the Zephyr crew. Those guys, and their pioneering hardcore skate style, influenced him from day one.

“Growing up, we wore Levi’s, Vans and a crisp white t-shirt like it was a uniform,” he recalls. “That’s just what you wore.” It’s a look (and an aesthetic) he still swears by today.

Yet even before he joined up with the Dogtown gang to carve up empty kidney pools all over the Westside, his original inspiration to skate and create came from his parents. Early on, his dad shared his love of surfing, skating and photography while his mom shared her love of clothes thanks to a longtime career in high-end fashion. As he’s fond of saying: “Dad taught me about self-expression. Mom taught me about fashion.”

Then, at 6 years old, right around the time his dad picked out his first skateboard at the Zephr Skate Shop in Santa Monica, Galinsky started drawing. And drawing. And drawing. As he recalls, he didn’t really want to do anything else. Obviously, along the way, he was heavily influenced by the things he loved most in the world like skateboarding, surfing and living near the Pacific Ocean. Like his father, self-expression was certainly coursing through in his blood.

At 19, Galinsky entered Otis Parson School of Design to begin his formal artistic training. But he ended up leaving just three months later to pursue his dream of creating art and manufacturing his own signature clothing line.

After moving up to San Francisco in the early ’90s to focus on his craft and furthering his own creative endeavors, Galinsky launched Junkies, a streetwear collection he produced with WSTRNCV’s Imani Lanier. Named after junk yards and junk collecting, not for William S. Burroughs-style heroin-chic drug addicts, the initial response to Junkies was positive and the orders poured in. Unfortunately, after a few successful seasons, it faltered. Speaking about cutting his teeth during that early part of his career, Galinsky has some fond memories: “I felt like this was a perfect place to live and work and be creative. There were so many talented people here in the City doing cool shit and I just wanted to be a part of it.”

In the aftermath of Junkies, Galinsky redoubled his efforts to develop his own fluid style of artwork, and he’s been churning out quality ever since. From skating, he learned to “always be practicing so you can develop your own style.” It’s what continually drives him forward.

And it shows. You can see Galinsky’s playful, energetic personality coming through in his work. Over the years, he’s mastered a number of different mediums including paintings on canvas, large-scale murals, product collaborations, textiles and applications on industrial design. But, strangely enough, his most unusual (and awesome) canvas to date was painting a Playboy playmate for a magazine editorial shoot. “Women have beautiful lines,” he contends with a sly glance.

Along the way, he’s collaborated with a host of quality action-sports brands that understand and appreciate his unique laid-back, skate-centric West Coast point-of-view, including Alva, Levi’s, Vans, O’Neill Surfboards, Stussy, Volcom, FTC Skateboards and Western Edition Skateboards. And he’s always stoked to work with everyone.

In addition to his ample surfing and skating roots that admittedly are “a huge inspiration” to him, Galinksy also draws on more established artistic movement touchstones in his work. They include mid-’50s Blue Note album cover artwork designed by artist Reid Miles (who was in turn influenced by the Bauhaus school of design) and the cubist master himself, Pablo Picasso, whose work taught him that you can always “paint outside the lines.”

And he often does exactly that, playing with the positive and negative elements of his creations like the back and forth surging for speed in a skate-able pool. You can clearly see this interplay of artistic styles throughout Galinsky’s work. When asked about his fascination with taking warm primary colors like blue and green and transforming them into his preferred muted palette of turquoise, aquamarine, teal, sea green, asparagus and pine, he responds, “Well, I love gazing out at the ocean and reproducing those distinctive colors in the studio,” he says. “Plus, I’m colorblind. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between black, brown and blue.”

Craziness. But colorblind be damned, there’s no stopping Galinksy and his unabashed love of color theory. Next up for him are a bunch of shows: one a private installation alongside skate legend Steve Caballero here in the City, and another a hip-and-cool one-man show at The Camp in Costa Mesa, CA.

Ultimately, Galinksy remains humble and super grateful to be where he’s at, doing exactly what he loves most in life and making a real living doing it. What more could an old-school skate kid from Venice ask for?

“Always believe in yourself and never give up,” he says, blowing smoke rings while polishing off his java. “Just do what you love and the rest will come.”

[jasonblack]

The Collector

David Watkins breathes new life into vintage style with Goodbye Heart.

“I think guys love to collect,” opines vintage menswear purveyor David Watkins, speaking from his San Francisco-based showroom studio. “When I was a kid I had a rock collection, a stamp collection and a baseball card collection to name a few. As my interests changed, so did my collecting habits. Now I’m proud to say that I have a collection of rare vintage clothing.”     Goodbye Heart is just that, a rare vintage collection love child of Watkins and his wife Amanda Hughes-Watkins that specializes in rare leather garments, vintage designer suiting and of-the-moment vintage silhouettes. Together, they pride themselves in showcasing signature items including ’60s and ’70s boutique leather jackets like East West Musical Instruments pieces, various handcrafted leather items, oversized bags and ’70s rock ’n’ roll t-shirts. Clearly, Watkins’ desire to collect heritage drives him and it’s a labor of love that started back in the late ’90s while he was attending Chico State in Northern California.     “I noticed that Levi’s jeans and vintage t-shirts were selling for crazy prices,” he recalls. “So I started hunting them down and selling them as a part time job. When I graduated, I moved down to San Francisco and jumped into it full-time. Around that time, the market was changing and inventory was getting more difficult to find. I had to start branching out.     When I first met my wife in 2004, she helped open my eyes to a broader spectrum of vintage, introducing me to classic vintage designer pieces to look for, and inspired me to expand my personal aesthetic.”     And, from there, Goodbye Heart was born in 2008. Today, the majority of their business is by private appointment but you can also browse their beguiling wares online. Yet, this leads to the obvious question, what are you looking for when you’re out hunting? Go on. Spill it. “I’m always looking for unique pieces. My personal aesthetic tends to lean towards vintage Americana, rock ’n’ roll, custom leather pieces, oversized canvas and leather bags, pre-’70s denim, motorcycle related items, one-of-a-kind pieces and anything with unusual wear.”     As you’d imagine, he’s unearthed many memorable treasures over the years. A few big finds stand out. The first being six pairs of Levi's jeans from the early 1930s through WWII. They were all reclaimed from the same owner with amazing wear from years of use out on a ranch. Also, in the last year, he purchased a huge lot of dead stock boots, jeans, pants and shirts from a long shuttered work wear store that had opened in the early 1930s.     But there’s one beloved item that especially stands out in his memory. And it involves the courtship of his wife. “I remember an East West Musical Instruments leather jacket I found in my wife’s closet when we were first dating. She was putting together a pile of stuff to sell and tossed it into the pile. I told her I could easily sell it and she’d have plenty of money for something else. She agreed and it sold in 24 hours. Instead of getting something for herself, she surprised me and used the money to fly us to Europe. We had only been dating a few weeks at the time and that’s when I knew she was a keeper. And now we’re married with a beautiful three year-old daughter named Luella. So that’s definitely my all-time best find.”     When he speaks about the thrill of the hunt, you can sense Watkins’ eyes light up. He loves it. And this passion for collecting drives him to roam to all sorts of out-of-the-way, untouched barns in West Coast towns like Yuba City, Grass Valley, Palm Springs, Novato, Portland, and a few others that no one’s ever heard of. Upon arrival, he connects with random strangers, digs for cool stuff and relishes the adventure every step of the way. “What keeps me going is that every day is something new. Everyday is its own treasure hunt. I’ve been doing it long enough that sometimes I’ll get a sense that I’m going to find something that day, something unusual, and I actually do. It’s amazing. And I do a lot of hunting for other people too. Many of my clients have a hit list of what they’re looking for and it’s a cool challenge for me to find them all.”     Clientele-wise, Goodbye Heart mostly caters to the Japanese market, vintage shop owners who have an incredible appreciation for Americana. He concedes that without their undying support it would be a very different business. But, over the years, he’s also built some lasting relationships with designers of major retail brands, stylists and collectors. Apparently, one-of-a-kind never goes out of style. “Our customers are guys who know that if they’re looking for something that no one else has we probably have it. They enjoy the history, the detailing, and the quality of a genuine vintage piece. If you’re wearing something of ours, chances are you aren’t going to run into someone else wearing that same piece.”     Here he makes an important distinction between vintage wear and items with historical significance. He considers anything pre-1970s as vintage. On the other hand, items with historical significance can be anything from a baseball uniform worn by Willie Mays to a leather jacket worn by Amelia Earhart. And, of course, inspirational design pieces can span both of these categories potentially. As he explains, it all depends on the eye of the beholder, the modern designer. Watkins also acknowledges that current designers are influenced by vintage all the time. It’s their stock in trade for collection inspiration. Over the past few years, he’s noticed that plenty of famous designers including Tom Ford, Levi’s, Balenciaga, and most recently, Miu Miu have mined inspiration from the past by copying a classic East West Leather Instruments jacket. “It’s so funny because I sell the originals,” he says.     Personally, Watkins is most inspired to share his very specific style aesthetic with others, one that’s defined by quality and collectability. Case in point is his most recent acquisition. “I recently purchased a late 1800s-early 1900s work shirt that’s completely shredded, dirty and completely unwearable. It’s quite possibly the only one in existence and that’s what gives it its value. A modern designer could be inspired by the wear, the cut, the label, the color of the shirt and so on.”     So what would you consider to be the holy grail of vintage? “For me, the holy grail would have to be a pre-1900s pair of Levi’s jeans. Finding a pair of pre-1950s jeans out in the wild is becoming rarer everyday, and with each decade you go back to, it’s exponentially more difficult to find. Before the ’50s, jeans weren't a part of fashion. They were purely functional, worn and repaired until they were beyond repair, and then they were thrown out or burned in a trash bin.”     Currently, Watkins’ must-find summer hit list includes authentic work wear and boots in addition to the usual signature items that gave Goodbye Heart its avid following. “Right now, I’m looking for large leather and canvas bags, backpacks, mountaineering and engineer boots, things that can be worn on a hike in the hills or in the city.     Year round, I’m always looking for East West leather pieces, vintage motorcycle wear, and pre-1970s denim. I’m also a big fan of outerwear. I always buy that year round as well and put it away until the fall.”     Smart move. Looking forward to this year’s fall season and beyond, Watkins believes that vintage work wear as a trend will remain strong. He explains: “I see British vintage pieces becoming more collectible and inspirational, especially Belstaff, Lewis Leathers and Barbour. Beyond 2011, it’s hard to say. I think classic vintage from heritage brands will always be collectible such as Levi’s, LL Bean, Filson, and the like. Dead stock pieces are getting harder and harder to find so I only see those becoming more collectible and valuable over time.” Over the past few years, Watkins has been toying with the idea of opening his own retail store in San Francisco. They’re just holding out for the ideal perfect spot. In the near future, they’re also planning a cross-country shopping adventure because what’s more truly Americana than an old fashioned road-trip.     No matter what the future holds for Watkins, his family and Goodbye Heart, he’s humbly excited by the possibilities of what’s waiting for him out there on the horizon. “I’m always looking for the next big score and I hope that I continue to be lucky, constantly evolving and learning something new every day. I’ve enjoyed the freedom that this path has afforded me and I’m lucky to have a very supportive wife and daughter who enjoy treasure hunting with me.”     Happy hunting.