Playing With The Best…
…has been a theme for me in this month of March 2008. I feel so fortunate! On March 1st, I performed with two of Maui’s great long-time musicians- Benny Uyetake and Glenn Kakugawa - at a corporate event in Wailea at The Grand Wailea resort. What a night! Not only are they awesome musicians, they are real jokers and can be downright hilarious. Needless to say, we had a blast! (there’s a shot of us that I just posted in the Photo section above) On March 15th, at the Ocean Arts Festival in Lahaina, I had the pleasure of performing on stage with Wilmont K (Willie K’s younger brother). Wilmont’s voice and guitar playing are amazing. Oh- that voice! Plus, his knowledge of Hawaiian history and how he weaves it into his performance is a real treat. Then, to really top it off, my good friend and fellow veteran Stickist, Bob Culbertson, joined me under the Banyan Tree this past Sunday March 23rd for a Stick Jam at the Lahaina Arts Society Art Fair! In my opinion, Bob is one of the instrument’s greatest players and, for me, it was an honor and a privilege to play with him. The audience was stunned by the amount of music that can be produced by two 12 string Grand Sticks (I’ve also just posted shots of Bob & I in the Photo section above). In a recent email to his members, Lahaina Arts Society president Al Harty said:
“We enjoyed fantastic music by Michael Kollwitz & his visiting friend, Bob Culbertson, both playing their unique Chapman Sticks, on a wonderful Easter Sunday under the Banyan Tree! What a rare, rare treat!!”.
A big mahalo (thank you) to all for making this such an enjoyable and memorable month for me. Aloha and Kani Ka Pila! (”Let’s Make Music!”)
National TV Exposure This Week on CurrentTV
Last May, filmmaker Roy Plisko of Phoenix, Arizona, posted the mini
video documentary (that we shot in October ‘06) on the web at
CurrentTV. Subsequently, it was voted in to their Number One slot in
both the United States and Great Britain. Late last year the rights
were sold to CurrentTV for national broadcast on their network of
dish, cable and satellite TV stations. The other day we heard from
CurrentTV that our “Stick Man” video is ready to go and it will most
likely be airing nationwide Wednesday and/or Thursday of this week.
You can check their television schedule (and find out where it may
air in your area) at: http://current.com/tv. If it doesn’t broadcast
in your area, you can also watch it on your computer; just search on
CurrentTV for “Stick Man”. Special thanks to Roy and the folks at
CurrentTV for this national exposure of The Chapman Stick (the
coolest instrument you’ve never heard of!)
My New Apple iTunes Release…
…is a collection of 15 songs entitled “Greatest Hits- Vol. 2″. It is up, and ready for downoad at this moment: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=268678474
Hope you’ll enjoy this album of original solo Chapman Stick recordings for the holidays. Put it on your iPod and take me with you wherever you go!
In addition to my Hawaiian Stick music album, I’m also recording with Lance Israel to create an album of healing, meditative songs on The Chapman Stick and Lance’s Native American flutes and Japanese shakuhachi flute. We spent the last two days recording under the enormous banyan tree in Old Town Lahaina. Lance comes to Maui by way of Sedona & Flagstaff, Arizona (my old stomping grounds) and I’m pleased to be working with him on this important project. I’ll keep you posted if you sign up for my monthly e-newsletter below. A hui ho!
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About Michael K
Michael Kollwitz is one of the 'first generation' of Chapman Stick players. He began his studies with the inventor in 1976. The Chapman Stick® is easily the most radical innovation in stringed instruments since the invention of the electric guitar. Conceived by Emmett Chapman of Los Angeles, The Stick is unique among stringed instruments as it is played with both hands simultaneously in a piano-like fashion; tapping and holding strings to frets (rather than plucking or strumming).
Both hands play melody, bass and chords independently and together to create a full, rich sound. The Stick incorporates the essence of guitar, bass, keyboards and drums- all into one SWEET instrument! The musical result is a soothing sonic blend of strings that sound almost like 2 or 3 talented musicians- all at once!
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