Bonnie Raitt is auctioning off some premium tickets with backstage passes to her O‘ahu and Maui concerts. Mālama Hawai‘i and the Pūnana Leo O Maui are the beneficiaries of her philanthropy.

Native American Radio has selected Ululoa Production’s “Halelū – Songs of Christmas From Hawai‘i” for a special Christmas day broadcast. Recording artists Cody Pueo Pata, Liz “Kopa’a Tita” Morales and Joni DeMello were interviewed about their participation on the CD, a benefit for the Maui Food Bank and the Neighborhood Place of Wailuku. The 1-hour show will air at 8 AM (live streaming from nativeamericacalling.com) and again at 2 PM at nv1.org.  E Halelū!

Building on the extraordinary, sold-out success of the 2006 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO – the only major national conference dedicated to songwriting and composing – ASCAP will stage an even larger, more comprehensive event for music creators, April 19-21, 2007 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. Recording Academy members can register for the conference at the low price of $250 – that’s $145 off the regular cost of registration! Recording Academy members who are also members of ASCAP get an additional $25 discount. You can register for the conference here.

The Houston Chronicle has a very interesting feature on the growing popularity of the ‘ukulele among pop and rock musicians, include Pearl Jam’s Eddie Veder, Bruce Springsteen and many others.

John Burnett of the Hawai‘i Tribune-Herald conducts a more extensive interview with Keali‘i Reichel than some of the other reviews I’ve pointed to recently. Yes, K, it would be wonderful to have you perform over here again soon. Note: Free registration on the Tribune-Herald website required to access the article.

This 8th annual scholarship fundraising event will be held at Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the UH-Mānoa Campus on January 27, 2007. Download the attached registration file for more information

The Son’s new DVD should be available in quantity this Thursday afternoon. Border’s at Ward Center will have their shipment in time for tomorrow’s (Sunday) in-store performance. If you want a copy for yourself (or as a gift for someone special), run down at catch that performance at 2PM. They will zip down to Waikīkī immediately afterwards for the Sunset On The Beach festivities from 5 – 5:45p.m. There will also be an autograph session before and after their performance.

The preview video of the DVD is now available on their site as well. I received a preview copy, and it is really outstanding. The Sons are at their musical (and comedic) best.

Kenneth has two free performances this weekend – tonight (Friday) at the Windward Mall stage at 5PM, and tomorrow at the Borders on Maui at 2PM.

The Mākaha Sons will be performing at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center tomorrow evening (Friday, Dec. 15) at 7:30PM.

Better known for its coverage of national politics, the Washington Post has a review of Keola Beamer and family’s recent performance there.

Could their be a better way to wrap up this this holiday season and enjoy a Hawaiian Christmas tradition with the Brothers Cazimero at Hawaii‘ Theatre with on December 21st, 22nd, and 23rd? For Tickets: Call (808) 528-0506 or go to http://www.hawaiitheatre.com. Tickets are already on sale and going fast.

More news from the Mountain Apple Company is available in their December newsletter.

Belated congratulations to Ray Sowders, his Ho‘omālie was named the 2006 Just Plain Folks Music Awards Hawaiian Album of the Year winner. JPF is a community of over 40,000 songwriters, recording artists, music publishers, record labels, and many other industry professionals. More information on JPF can be found on their website.

The Mākaha Sons are awaiting the arrival of the DVD from the manufacturer, and hoping they will be here this week. The Sons have a video preview on their website that will be available for public viewing on Wednesday. I got a sneak peek myself, and believe me the DVD will be worth the wait. The Sons have included selections that cover the range of their career from the very beginning to the present, including Kāhea O Keale, Ali‘i ‘Iolani, I’ll Remember You, Mehameha/White Sandy Beach, Ka Lama ‘Ae One and Kamali‘i O Ka Pō/Hanohano Wailuanuiahoano.

Performing with the Sons are the beautiful dancers of Hālau Hula Olana. The lovely ladies perform such notable numbers as Sophisticated Hula/Get Hep To Swing and Poli‘ahu as well as a powerful kahiko number, Ke Kuko E Ka Manawa. Hōkū Zuttermeister and Barry Kimokeo take time to join the Sons with their renditions of Shores of Hale‘iwa and Riders In The Sky, respectively.

Along with the news of the Son’s DVD, Kawikanui Kahele sent along the cover graphic for Hoku Zuttermeister’s upcoming CD, it appears below. I have yet to hear Hōkū in person, but have heard wonderful things about him and am very much looking forward to hearing this.

The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB), the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) and Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) present the Hawaiian Music Conference Series to educate and share the business of music.

Come learn the music business from those who make the music in the islands like songwriters Keli‘i Tau‘a, Keali‘i Reichel and Kawaikapuokalani Hewett. Recording Engineers Gaylord Holomalia, Dave Russell and Jake Rohrer will cover the “other side of the glass” and learn music law basics and developments in music law from Entertainment Lawyers Bill Meyer and Darin Leong from New York. Kenneth Makuakāne will provide the keynote address.

Join us at the Namahana Dining Hall of the Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus on January 27, 2007, 8:30am, for this once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from the masters in the Music industry.

Registration is $55.00 and includes lunch and all conference materials. To register you may call (808) 935-2180 or register on line at: http://hiedb.org/Conference.htm

For more information, contact Skylark Rossetti (808) 935-2180.

For those cruising about O‘ahu this weekend, here are a couple of free performances to catch…

Saturday, Dec 9

• Kenneth Makuakāne, Borders Ward Center, 12PM
• Keali‘i Reichel, Borders Ward Center, 4PM
• Brittni Paiva, Sam Goody, Pearlridge, 1PM

Saturday, Dec 10

• Brittni Paiva, Ward Warehouse stage, 1PM
• Kenneth Makuakāne, Borders Pearlridge, 2PM

Harry B. Soria has been presenting Territorial Airwaves for 28 years, and now, TerritorialAirwaves.com provides a new venue for his vintage Hawaiian music radio show. The site includes an ever-growing multimedia archive of the radio program’s 28-year history, as well as restored and unrestored vintage Hawaiian recordings, old-time radio ads, video, rare photos and memorabilia. Read more about it in this Honolulu Advertiser feature.

For you folks in California, don’t forget the The 6th Annual Hawaiian Christmas Concert with The Mākaha Sons. Guest Performers are Darlene Ahuna, Hōkū Zuttermeister, and Barry Kimokeo. December 9, 2006, Mandeville Center – UCSD, 9400 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA. 6pm Craft Fair 7pm Show. For more information call 619-426-1953, email tulaproductions@yahoo.com or visit their web site at www.tulaproductions.org.