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Original Post By:
Wiley
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Date: 5/7/2008 2:45:53 AM |
Unbelievable as it may seem, this foundational resource of Hawaiian kanikapila, is now out of print, and its future is unclear.
The distributor/publisher `Oli `Oli Productions LLC is no more, and there are no book stores, music stores or general merchandise stores in the islands that have or can get any more books. NONE! The mainland sources have dried up too!
Ok, so here's the scoop...
One of the principal contributors to the book, Carol Wilcox, and her husband, have indicated that a revised and expanded edition is scheduled to be ready in time for the Merry Monarch Festival (MMF) next year. The MMF festival is scheduled for April, 2009.
http://www.merriemonarchfestival.org/about_merrie_monarch_festival.html
Scalpers have already started showing up on Ebay and Amazon. The $24.95 book is now being offered for $50+...USED!
Good luck with your search for the "Big Blue Book"... Unfortunately, it appears that the bones have pretty much been picked clean. |
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Posted By:
mLKauai
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Date: 5/7/2008 4:57:44 AM |
wow.....
good book; glad i got mine; even tho the binding leaves a lot to be desired.
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Posted By:
feedajane
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Date: 5/7/2008 8:05:49 AM |
Wow, indeed! But glad they're putting an expanded version out.
mLKauai, the first one I had (and still have) had a weird binding issue. I resolved it by "sewing" the ends of the spiral together very neatly w/ red dental floss. It solved the problems I was having w/ it. My Mom's copy, on the other hand, didn't have this problem.
But perhaps you're just not a fan of the spiral binding to begin with? Sorry to ramble.
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Posted By:
Jared Denhard
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Date: 5/7/2008 9:12:47 AM |
Are they going to put the actual melodies in the next version, I wonder? $25 is a little steep for a book of songs that you can't play unless you already know them.
It will definitely be a much more valuable tool in preserving and passing on the tradition if the tunes
are included.
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Posted By:
Teletodd
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Date: 5/7/2008 10:07:56 AM |
| I think the songs are on their website.
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Posted By:
Wiley
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Date: 5/7/2008 12:54:25 PM |
Details about the new version are slim to none. I do know that there will be more songs. As to whether the melodies will be included is still a mystery.
Abbreviated MIDI tracks for most of the current book's songs is available here:
http://mele.home.att.net/list_HeMele_Options.htm
Hopefully, more information will flow as the months roll on.
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Posted By:
Wiley
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Date: 5/7/2008 12:56:01 PM
(Updated: 5/7/2008 12:59:16 PM)
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| EMPTY... Ooops!
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Posted By:
mLKauai
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Date: 5/9/2008 2:59:30 PM |
Wiley?
whats the ooops?
the midi will come in handy; havent checked if still avail.
but the book is THE book of Hawaiian songs; fortunately i have heard most of them in my life...
maybe a bit ambitious for "new to Hawaiian music" but for folk like Wiley who may immerse themselves in kanikapila groups; a must have.....
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Posted By:
Tonya
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Date: 5/9/2008 5:12:24 PM |
Frankly, I didn't think the $25 price was steep at all, considering the wealth of songs, the translations and the brief history about many of the pieces. No, the melodies aren't there but I don't think that was the market for this effort. I believe the authors intended to perpetuate the songs, meanings and chord suggestions for those who wanted to carry on the tradition of backyard playing with friends, either on-island or off.
I cherish my copy--I have a tradition of asking those I've played from the book with to "autograph" it--either at their favorite song or in the intro pages. Now I have a record of many newly-made friends and just flipping through the pages brings back musical memories. It's not like those ukuleles with "famous" players' signatures--these are names and short thoughts by ukulele players who may not typically play more than a basic chord progression and Hawaiian vamp but they have the true spirit of aloha, whether island-born or not.
And yes, the spiral binding on the first versions wasn't very effective in design; I had my whole book re-drilled and re-spiralled (is that a word?) but I warned the printer they'd best not trim off one of those autographs in the process or their name would be mud.
I look forward to whatever "He Mele Aloha" metamorphs into--and I'll surely buy it. But I'll never get rid of my original.
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Posted By:
feedajane
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Date: 5/9/2008 7:14:14 PM |
Tonya- I LOVE your idea of having people sign your book- how sweet!!!!
And I also like what you have to say about the melodies not being included. Not that melodies being included is a bad thing, but it is a book intended for kanikapila... usually chords suffice for that kind of playing.
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Posted By:
Grandpa Jim
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Date: 5/9/2008 8:35:42 PM |
Good used copies are available for less than $5.00 on Amazon or Alibris. I just ordered one for $4.21 plus $3.50 shipping.
Jim
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Posted By:
Wiley
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Date: 5/10/2008 4:33:34 AM |
Grandpa Jim,
Are you sure you got "He Mele Aloha" and not "He Mele O Hawaii" book???
Amazon has one used copy of "He Mele Aloha" for a little over $65....SIXTY-FIVE!
Alibris does not have any "He Mele Aloha", but plenty of "He Mele O Hawaii"...which is not the same thing at all.
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Posted By:
Grandpa Jim
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Date: 5/10/2008 2:38:24 PM |
OMG, you're right, Wiley!
He Mele O Hawaii was one of the titles that turned up when I searched on He Mele Aloha and I didn't read carefully. Thanks for the tips, the original one and this one. I've requested to cancel the order.
Jim
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