Hawaiian music Canadian-style – the Malihini Boys
Victoria-based
musicians Jake Galbraith and Rod McCrimmon – the Malihini Boys – offer the
music of
Hawaiian
music is a rich and complex mélange of many influences – mele (native chants),
Christian hymns, swing jazz, cowboy music, and much more. The music is full of
haunting melodies, passionately felt and playful lyrics, and musical
virtuosity.
Jake
and Rod perform a variety of songs from the islands – some of the classic steel
guitar instrumental pieces, hapa haole (“half white”, often tin-pan alley)
songs, songs from the ki ho’alu (slack key) repertoire, and Hawaiian house
party songs. Performances feature a mixture of well-known hits, new and old,
and lesser known treasures from the Hawaiian repertoire. Their shows can also
include translations of the Hawaiian lyrics and spoken vignettes highlighting
Hawaiian history and culture.
“Malihini”
means newcomer in the Hawaiian language. While Jake and Rod are relative
newcomers to Hawaiian music, their 40+ year individual careers as performers
provides a rich backdrop for the presentation of their Hawaiian repertoire. As
avid frequent visitors to the islands Jake and Rod have come to love the music
of