Vernacular Volcano Lanai Music

Homebred — Homespun — Homegrown — Homemade

The word vernacular refers to a way of being, doing, and making that is community and self-reliant, as opposed to formal exchange — and/or from vertical distribution — produced and transported from elsewhere. It’s about reciprocity patterns as integral to all aspects of life.

Tomas Belsky Six Musicians

Obviously, traditional native Hawaiian culture has much to instruct on such ways.

I bring up this word vernacular because it speaks to the activities of people that are not motivated by thoughts of exchange. Vernacular refers to autonomous, non-market related actions through which people satisfy everyday needs — beyond bureaucratic control (some might add incompetence). In this vernacular mode, satisfying of our needs in turn shapes these actions in a sort of feedback cycle that likewise elevates our satisfaction — try that next time you plop down for your Super Big Gulp Slurpee™!

All right, all right.. What I started out to do is to note that yesterday I had the pleasure to once again go kani ka pila with my friend Wes Awana, on Wes and Nancy’s back lanai up in Volcano. We were fortunate to have Kahele Miura join us for our little jam. I say jam — we’ve been couching this in terms of rehearsal for a certain bi-cultural semi-enigmatic alternative-tourism-visionary and a gig he’s throwing our way. Me, I just always enjoy playing tunes with these guys.

Once again Wes on baritone ukulele, Kahele on 12-string, both singing, and me playing my Dobro or a Chinese made Alvarez brand acoustic flat-top. Wait a minute! Does that qualify as vernacular? Well, no, I s’pose it doesn’t. Now where’d I put that Slurpee anyway..

Recordings are 128 kbps* mp3s:

E Ku’u Morning Dew

Sweet Memory

Wahinee Ilikea

Kaulana Kawaihai

Waimanalo Blues

Opihi Man

Kahulu We’e O Ke Kai

On the Island

*These songs were originally recorded at a 192 kbps bitrate. Compared to the posted 128 kbps rate, you get a little nicer top-end, etc. And while his jam ain’t exactly an exercise in perfection (can’t change any goofed notes!), if you might like to download the 192 kbps-versions, drop a line or something and I’ll get right on it.