Brother Noland staged a spirited, luminous performance last night (March 6) — his first-ever concert at Blue Note Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki resort and a relaunch of his brand,
Noland, 68, has been somewhat nomadic in recent decades, mostly invisible to his fans; but he’s been a responsible, quiet, viable and vigorous musician, storyteller and guitarist on the Hawaii scene. In the 1980s, he was deemed to be the Father of Jawaiian Music, with a rhythmic “Coconut Girl” signature hit.
So the unveiling of the Noland now was awesome, nostalgic and a fascinating catch-up of his musical and cultural intersections he’s crossed over time. He fronted an incredibly powerful ensemble of eight, dubbed the Island Incredibles, sharing a few old tunes, a batch of new ones, and atmospheric acoustic revivals of pure Hawaiian mele, updating his profile of the 1980s or thereabouts, when Noland was a budding and prolific trendsetter.
If you hadn’t seen Noland in eons, you might not have anticipated his snow white hair, his dark glasses motif, and his (and his band’s) flurry of colorful Jam’s World-print garb.
The revelation of “Las Vegas,” an unexpected potion of pop tones, was his blast of cultural expression in the music bin, a goofy and giggly exploration of the exodus of beaucoup Hawaii folks relocating to the Ninth Island because of cost of living is way too expensive here. Since families and clans of friends make frequent jaunts to Las Vegas and staying at California Hotel or Fremont, where they hope and pray to score a major jackpot on the slots, the tune has purpose. Finally, there is an anthem for the mad movement to a new ZIP code.
Noland’s voice is not the best in the industry, but he is skillful in channeling his tones to deliver any kind of music. His vintage Hawaiiana was as charming as they come, with a throaty voice articulating the spirit of the era, on “Ka Ipo Lei Manu,” a Queen Kapiolani mele written for her husband, King David Kalakaua, who had traveled to the mainland where he died. The lamentation is quite evident, in Noland’s moody delivery.
In his Hawaiian sector, Noland also shared a “place song,” or “mele pana,” entitled “Mauna Kea,” the mountain on the Big Island where he resides part of the year. The tune showcases the beauty and vista of the region, and living in the elevated heights means he enjoys the serenity and isolation of being “close to God.”
Thus, his musicianship reflects these life choices, crisscrossing in multiple song styles and residency experiences, like toiling in the Outback of Australia, represented in a tune he wrote called “Walkabout.”
He truly is a keiki o ka ‘aina, or child of the land, born in the Palama region, and perhaps that’s why he favors uncommon passions like authoring books via his Ho‘ea Initiative, experiencing and embracing the tropical jungles, sharks, and wilderness survival. This positioning has produced some revealing postures in his music, too, advocating the appreciation of life and culture. on “Are You Native,” “Harbor Town,” and “Signs.”
With this gig, recurring one more time tonight (March 7), Brother Noland (last name, Conjugacion), showcases a loud, proud band of buddies, featuring some of the town’s best instrumentalists and voices, pictured here, from left to right: Tavana on guitar, Gaylord Holomalia on keyboards, David Garibaldi on drums, Kata Maduli on bass, Michael Ruff on keyboards, Fred Schreuders on guitars, and Lila Chris and Olivia Ruff on vocals.
Noland also strums rock guitar and ki hoalu (slack key) and because he allows numerous solo riffs from all musicians on many numbers, the opening performance was an extended show running nearly two hours, cancelling the originally planned second show. That format will continue for tonight’s (March 7) gig – one lone show at 6:30 p.m.
Rumors surfaced that there would be another two-night stand at Blue Note next week, but that’s not true. Instead, Noland’s team is contemplating Neighbor Island concerts on Maui and the Big Island next week…
And that’s Show Biz…
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Brother Noland and the Island Incredibles
Who: Brother Noland and the Island Incredibles, first time in Waikiki in eons
Where: Blue Note Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki resort
When: Opened last night (March 6); final show at 6:30 p.m. today (March 7); doors open at 5 p.m. for beverage and food service
Tickets: $35 and $45, available at www.bluenotehawaii.com and (808) 777-4890. …
