I hope it's Walter . . (in appreciation)

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 13 Mar 2007 3:53 pm

I'm probably the last person around here who is into vintage Hawaiian music, yet has never been to this site before. But just in case . . .

In partucular, click on the link below and scroll down to Bill Ali'iloa Lincoln and "Kawaihae Hula". Everything I have by this group features Walter Wailehua on steel. I love his tone and feel. I've been trying to copy his work on "Ku'u Milimili" from Cord Int. Legends of Falsetto compilation. At first, things seemed to lay out sort of awkward in C6, then I remembered reading that he used D9 alot. (Just lower the 4th string to F#) so I did that, and suddenly it all fell into place much easier.

http://www.territorialairwaves.com/inde ... =3&start=1

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 13 Mar 2007 4:27 pm

Yup, it's Walter. He played a Multi-Kord pedal steel, so you'll hear him go between C6 and D9 within the same song. I love his work with Bill Lincoln. I can only hope to play half that tasty someday.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 13 Mar 2007 5:02 pm

You are way too modest Jeff. We all know what you are capable of. I think you have already arrived!

Of course I knew it four years ago when I met you

BILL

John D. Carter · Post by **John D. Carter** » 13 Mar 2007 5:41 pm

Nice link Scott. Thanks. Interesting stuff! I would have sworn that a woman was singing if I had not known better. Jeff I agree with Bill, I love the rendition of Aloha Oe that you recently put up. Give us some more!

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 13 Mar 2007 8:50 pm

Ha you guys are too kind. But honestly, I wasn't trying to be modest... guys of that era, Walter, Jules Ah See, David Keli'i, Jerry Byrd... they just had this uncanny sense for backup fills behind a singer. Right in the pockets, purposely avoiding the melody notes taken by the singer, a well spread mix of sparse to more complex runs throughout the song. I think it came from being completely surrounded by the music. I feel that I and lot of people my age are struggling when it comes to backing up a singer or even just soloing. So many styles of music have come to pass in the last century that we're overwhelmed with the choices. I guess I'm more of a purist but a lot of times I listen to recordings of my own playing and think, geez who is this guy and his chop-suey playing trying to be all these different things at once? If I'm not playing too busy, I'm dull and timid.

Listening to these recordings from the 40's and 50's, not just Hawaiian--there was a symbiotic balance between every element in the band... everybody knew their place, nobody stepped on anybody else... everyone listened to each other... it wasn't about shoving a ripping guitar solo in your face... a good group sound was the ultimate goal.

Music was an art gallery; now it's an amusement park. At least that's my impression of things.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 13 Mar 2007 8:52 pm

so you'll hear him go between C6 and D9 within the same song

That is a good ear Jeff. Walter generally played alot of single string with chords generally on the whole notes. A very simple but delightful style.

John, I understand your reasoning about Bill Lincoln sounding like a female. He had one of the highest falsetto's of all of the Hawaiian men singing falsetto.

What has been somewhat humorous to me is seeing and hearing some of the 400-500 pound Hawaiian men singing falsetto. They were also good.

Aloha,

Don

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 15 Mar 2007 8:20 pm

Whoa, had a few more listens and I think I spoke too soon. My ears are telling me Tommy Castro now. The resolve (second to last and last note) in the vamp almost sounds like Jules' touch. I'm totally confused. Leaning toward Tommy though.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 16 Mar 2007 11:31 am

Hmmm, good thing I hedged a bit in my subject line. Being it's Bill Lincoln, I was ready to assume that it has to be Walter on steel. Leave it to me to find a possible exception to the "rule". Truth be told, I don't have the ear to pick out the sometimes subtle (to me) nuances amongst players of that era. Unfortunately, I have to rely on liner notes when available, which are often frustratingly sparse in the session personel department.

No one would happen to know if that's Tommy Castro on "Aloha Ku'u Pua" by Alvin Isaacs and his Royal Hawaiians" (on another Cord release, Night Club Hula Hawaiian Style, track one?) I ask selfishly, because the solo and fills were one of my early "successes" in copying by ear, and I always wondered if that was Tommy Castro who I think played with Alvin Isaacs often?

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 17 Mar 2007 4:06 pm

Scott, I also learned from copying that recording of "Aloha Ku'u Pua"! That steel player's picking is nice and solid, real punchy. I loved listening to that recording. Now I can't find it. I think you're right... from what I can remember, it was very Castro-esque. Then again, Jules early playing tricks me... he sounded similar with the single note solos?

I think that same complilation CD contains a recording by Bill Lincoln of "Kalena Kai". Now that's classic Walter Wailehua. I'm sure on that one.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 17 Mar 2007 4:50 pm

That's Tommy Castro on Aloha Kuu Pua when they were called the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders.

As for Bill Lincoln, he had two steel players . . . Walter Wailehua and Eddie Bush.

Sounds more like Walter to me on this song. I'll double check later. Off to work I go.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 18 Mar 2007 4:29 am

This is an earlier version done by Bill. The footnotes says it was recorded on January 1, 1945.
I have one of Bill's albums called Mahalo Nui, and the same song is on there.

I've heard many say that Walter and Eddie Bush was the steel players for Bill Lincoln but after carefully re-listening to this recording it doesn't sound like any of them when comparing the recordings I have of Walter and Eddie.

I took out what recordings I had of Tommy Castro and seems like this is our man, so I'll have to agree with Jeff.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 18 Mar 2007 10:08 am

Jules early playing tricks me

Jules has got to be the toughest player to figure out when it comes to "Guess who's the steel player".

He is a chameleon of the steel guitar, and can change his playing to suit any singer or style of song arrangements.

Here are two examples of Jules different styles of playing where he goes from WOW! to WILD AND JAZZY!

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MTM3ODQ4

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MTM3ODYx

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 18 Mar 2007 11:58 am

I've heard that guitar before, on some recordings with no info as to who the steel player was. It has an unusual tone,and shows on the slower tunes.

Maybe his Magnatone.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 19 Mar 2007 9:15 am

Derrick, I was always under the impression that the recording of "Hawaiian Hula Eyes" you posted featured Pua Almeida on steel.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 19 Mar 2007 12:32 pm

Hi Jeff,

This version of Hawaiian Hula Eyes came from this CD album of Alfred Apaka by Cord International.

All the songs sound like the same steel player and Jules and other members of the group is credited on the back of the CD insert with a photo. No mention of Pua on the insert as being a featured steel guitarist on any of the songs on the CD.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 19 Mar 2007 5:55 pm

Derrick:

That's some very tasty uptempo Jules Ah See on "Analani" that you posted above.

Who are the vocalists and what is the source of that recording? Live somewhere or old LP or what?

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 19 Mar 2007 8:11 pm

Okay, did some listening over the weekend and I'm pretty certain that's Tommy Castro on the Bill Lincoln recording.

Derrick, maybe I have a different version of that CD because the booklet mentions Steppy De Rego and Pua Almeida also as steel players in the Randy Oness group which backed Alfred (see the individual song descriptions). To my ears, that clip of "Hawaiian Hula Eyes" sounds very much like Pua by the pick attack, tone and overall eccentricity of phrasing.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 19 Mar 2007 9:58 pm

As for Bill Lincoln, he had two steel players . . . Walter Wailehua and Eddie Bush.

Derrick where did you get your information that Walter and Eddie Bush, especially Eddie Bush, backed Bill Lincoln on the steel.

I have quite a few cuts of Bill Lincoln and on my cuts it is Walter Wailehua and Joe Custino on steel.

Perhaps all three of them played for Bill, but I had no knowledge that Eddie Bush ever did.

Aloha,

Don

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 20 Mar 2007 2:16 am

Sorry Don,

Didn't proofread my writing and goofed on the last name. Meant to have said Eddie Pang.

Mitch, the recording of Analani came from Alfred Apaka and his group when they performed at the Hilton Dome. Their perfomances was broadcasted "live" on the week-end.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 20 Mar 2007 4:09 am

Jeff,

Looks like I spoke too darn soon before bring out the magnifiying glass. I'll have to ask Micheal Cord to start making the fonts a lot larger for us old pharts. I need a vacation.

Yes, Songs 1-5 is of Pua and Steppy. Since you have the CD, do you think that they both played together on this cut? Who's doing all the neat volume swells?

Harry Soria probably never had a photo of the Randy Oness gang together which is why they ended up using the Tapa Room Gangs photo with Jules on the steel on the CD insert.

Anyway, here's another mystery. I was just listening to Micheal Cords other CD, Lei Of Stars.
Track 6 is of Mel Peterson w/ Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs and his Royal Hawaiian Serenaders singing "E Naughty Naughty Mai Nei". The steel player does the same type of volume swells. Same steel player?? If yes, I thought Tommy Castro was the only steel player for the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders?? Have a listen.

http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MTQwNTkz

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 20 Mar 2007 10:57 am

I can't shed light on the mystery, but I have a cut with what sounds like that same steel player with Mel Peterson called "You're At A Luau Now".

The track you posted sounds like it could have come from the same session. It's on the same Cord "Night Club Hula" compilation I mentiond above. The steel player isn't named in the liner notes, just the band (Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs and his Royal Hawaiians). Interstingly, I haven't caught a single volume swell on that one, but everything else--tone and attack--are identical to my ear.

Thanks for posting the great songs. The volume swell work is amazing. I don't have anything quite like those in my collection of Hawaiian music--even in my stuff with Pua.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 20 Mar 2007 2:50 pm

Hi Scott,

I have that same CD. No volume swells on this song. Guess, the effect just works well with certain songs. My other albums with Pua on steel doesn't have him doing volume swells too.

On the same CD you mention, Night Club Hula, track 12, Pua is listed playing with Randy Oness on the song "Kuu Ipo Pua Rose". Now this sounds more like Pua to me on the steel.

If you go to the Territorial Airways web-site, Harry Soria gives a great sample of Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs & the Royal Hawaiian Serenaders. (there's a small photo too)

This super group he says consisted of: Alvin Isaacs Sr., Tommy Castro, Benny Kalama, and George Kainapau.

The Steel Guitar Forum

I hope it's Walter . . (in appreciation)

I hope it's Walter . . (in appreciation)

my bad