M i g h t y J

hi ya’all, special love to our Maui peeps and also to Housey Mousey!!! Man, we keep adding onto your name Waterhouse!

Just returned from Maui. SoulFree, the first group I’ve ever performed in and to be on stage with opened for the Big Mountain Concert. It was none the less better than average, but the crowd was medium, 500 ppl at best? We were so excited to meet them, but I think maybe we just didn’t rank because it just didn’t feel like they wanted to be bothered by us little people.

Sound techs, ya know?! Sound makes such a big difference and being on stage performing time and time again, this isn’t news. But by Big Mountain’s 11th song, the mix was finally taking fit and blending well and finally I thought, “wow, they’re awesome!”

Because the first 8 songs, I was kinda like, ” I love this group, but what’s the big deal?” and its all because of the sound. Interesting how poor sound can make you sound so amateur.

Finally when that was finished SoulFree threw down at the afterparty at Longhi’s in Lahaina and Chris, this guy who USED TO do sound for ‘Ekolu worked the board there and just made them sound stellar!

He also ran the sound for Kanoa’s and Gomega’s set as well as the entire Ho’omau Reunion concert last month at Casanova’s over in Maui. This guy is badass. I can appreciate one who knows how to run a board and make the proper adjustments without too much time passing.

So ya, in a nutshell, pretty awesome, good job SoulFree, nice to see ya’all take root again and props to the sistahs, Cassie Makainai and Johnna!!!

I’ve been writing again, a lot actually. I’ve been writing before this flood of inspiration or motivation, but my material has been so/so. ITs cool how some ppl think a certain song of mine , and I can only speak for myself, is awesome but to me its alright. And then there’s times when I think a certain song of mine fricken rocks, but some might interpret it differently and think its average. No complaints, just enjoying the irony and how concrete it is to put your feelings onto paper and into some chords, later allowing yourself to share it with others thus daring to bare your soul. AND THEN, getting the feedback of others’.

Changes occur in EVERYONE’S lives. And we know this. Spare me the judgment and the conflict or the “you should do this or that”. And this blog is more for me if ever. Sanctify one’s soul.

True, you can choose for yourself and for your life what makes you happy, and need to consider the consequences of these decisions. That’s what kuleana is. No doubt.

Shifts occur in our thinking and we need to know in ourselves that our life is truly what we make it, our own suffering, our own happiness, and our own destiny. Extending myself into what I practice, in this case music somewhat and songwriting, I allow this thing, this heartbeat, this breath to take form.

There are times when information or a storyline would like to not be in plain view making it EASY for readers or listeners, or an audience to witness. And this is the beauty of kaona in Hawaiian music. Your imagination can be as big as you make it, just allow yourself to write whatever it is that you are thinking at that very moment, whatever it is that you are feeling, you are worried about, you are yearning for, you are balancing, you are stable or unstable with. And if the wordplay works for you to not bare ALL that takes place is something you enjoy doing, then take a shot at it. Its fun. Ya know, the Merrie Monarch took place this past week over in Hilo on the Big Island which for Hawai’i is one of the biggest annual Hawaiian events. The biggest and best Hula competition in the world. And today, it is there where you can see one’s approach to Hawaiian mele of old, and I mean ooooooold to the mo’olelo or the storyline of a place, or of fishing, surfing, loving, folklore, and in many of these mele there is kaona. For many kumu hula (hula teachers), selecting a song is founded on many details. If one’s family is from Honaunau, what is the name of the wind or the name of the certain seaweed in Nohili, I can carry on for hours, but seeing the mele happen in one’s mind and then allowing the dance to take that mo’olelo and mele to a level where an audience can see the landscape of Waimea or hear the ka ua Ha’ao rain of Ka’u is trivial and NOT an easy feat. However, even in this alone are there other stories taking place and sometimes you can catch on, and sometimes you miss the train all together. But its okay. If you get it and you understand it, then great! And if all you see is what is in front of you, that’s okay too. IN time , you’ll be able to allow your imagination to witness this.

For poets / songwriters / artists of all colors and trades, hey we all get caught up and flustered and grow unhappy about our situations or our art or lack of art or lack of understanding. But never quit! Never EVER give up~~!!!!

Just keep writing, keep painting, keep sculpting, keep working at ourselves. Its through ourselves that we can attain the best of ourselves every single day and we can’t get there if we just decide to no longer do and create what makes us happy. Hey even if you bake cookies, make um the best freaking cookies anyone could ever eat.

I am most certain I am undergoing a huli au, another change and another shift. I am unafraid for the first time in my life. I admit though, there are some butterflies, some cocoons even inside my opu, but I recognize this and I’m not fighting it.

We fight ourselves all of us. Change can be difficult or hard, but its inevitable. I will return to this Earth again. I will live again after this life has extended itself. I will be the best Mailani I can be.

So for all you open free spirited lovers out there, love to you and love to you who are on the brink of this, love to the willing and love to the fearful.

M.

Technorati Tags: Big Mountain, SoulFree, Maui, Hula, Kaona, Kuleana, Hula Kahiko, Hula Auana, Merrie Monarch, Hawaiian, Art, Change, Shifting, a New Earth, Mo’olelo, Sound Technician, Hawai’i

Aloha folks!!!

We just got back from our amazing trip this past weekend from Hawai’i Island. BIG thanks to Kamehameha Investment Corporation, Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort, Aunty Val, Aunty Marlene Sai, Joshlyn, Paul and the gang at Waimea Music Center, Uncle Kimo and Skylark for MC’ing the event, we were able to share our music and stay at the lovely Sheraton Keahou. We also can’t forget Braddah Moks and Wainani from KAPA..much mahalos and hope to see you folks soon!To all of our fellow awesome musicians and hula dancers that entertained the crowd on Saturday..much respect for all of you.

If you’re ready to vacate and take some time for yourself to relax on the Kona side of the Island, take a trip down to this cozy resort. Its pretty high end with a full spa, gym, comfortable beds and pillows, a balcony with breath taking views, and a mean breakfast buffet. Man, I sound like I am in real estate (yikes)…

The greats were right there on stage and we are so thankful we got to share the stage with the best of them! Hawaiian music is so precious, delicate, and passionate! Fortunately for us, we got to drown in the ambiance of Hawaiian music that evening even after the concert in Aunty’s suite where the best of the best came to once again entertain us all.

Thank you to Kapono’s grandparents for letting us stay at their farm house in Waimea. Whooo, it was pretty cold, I was freezing that evening after we watched the dvd of Dave Matthew’s live in concert. We ate steak and cabbage for dinner, tofu, poi, poke, ah man was so ‘ono!!! And we got to play at Hapuna Beach which is on your way to Kawaihae.

To the boys, thank you for holding it dooooooowwwwwwwn!!! Especially to Kanoa Kukaua of Gomega who doesn’t usually play with our live band, thank you all for making our music spectacular!

Kauikeauoli like many of our last ali’i, tried his best for provide for the Hawaiian people a government in which we could survive the modern world of commerce and trade, he tried to provide health care, and laws that protected Hawaiians from the dispossession we now live and face daily. It was during his time and because of him we now say “Ua mau ke ‘ea o ka ‘aina i ka pono”, and I wish I could have said these things on stage. However, I didn’t stop to think about this event in this way.

On stage, there’s so many things running through my mind like, okay how do I interact with this audience in front of my eyes? Move, dance… Don’t forget the words, smile, sing on key, listen to the music, listen to the girls, blah, damn what was the last chord? My fricken hand hurts because I didn’t warm up my hand! HAHAHAHA!

Anyhow, for all of you out there, that’s the wrap up of the weekend. I hope you are all well, sorry I sometimes misspell my words sometimes. I admit I do not always proof read my blogs, hahaha!

love ya all,

M.

Technorati Tags: Mighty J, Mailani Makainai, Tiki Suan, Jenn JROQ Wright, Kanoa Kukaua, Gomega, Maui, King Kamehameha III, Kamehameha, Sheraton, Kauikeauoli, Kona, Hawai’i, Hawai’i Island, Big Island, Keauhou, Waimea, Hapuna Beach, Hawaiian Music, Marlene Sai, Waimea Music Center, hula, KAPA radio, Braddah Moks, Wainani, Ke Ala Ka Jeep, Kimo Kahoano, Skylark

On that note of change, there is an artist that will be in town that I suggest you all come and see if you’re on the island. Not only is Kanoa our dear friend and confidant, but he is a bad ass when it comes to music. Truly, we haven’t seen anyone his age or within this generation that can play anything and this boy throws down. Rock, Folk, Hawaiian, Reggae, Ragtime, Jazz, you name it, Ska, he does it. We love Gomega because of how diverse this band is and how they push other musicians to be better than they can be everyday in all areas of being a performer, lyricist, singer, musician. He also has a sexy cute keyboard player ~ Cody…

So come on down because Mighty J and Kanoa of Gomega will be there rawkin’ it out!!!!!

When: Dec. 14th 9pm-1am
Where: Tropics (near Farmer’s Market on Ward)

We’d also like to send some love to Ipo, Cody, Hekili, House, Joey, Matt, Will, and all of you Maui boys that came to see Mighty J when we were in Lahaina! If you all want to truly see a musician shred and do something nice and sweet, if you wanna skank with us, enjoy party party, if you want to hula, Kanoa will reach into his black bowler hat and pull out ANYTHING you want, so be there or be square!
Mailani “)

Technorati Tags: mighty j, mighty j tv, video, vodcast, vidcast, video podcast, video podcasting, music, hawaii, hawaiian, audio, hawaiian music, aloha podcast network, mailani makainai, keahiwai, tiki suan, milo shade, jroq, jenn wright, kanalo, simple souls, dr. trey, Doctor Trey, DoctorTrey.com, Daddy Records, music industry, podcast, podcasting, kanoa of gomega, kanoa kukaua, ipo kahele

If there was anything we women wanted to accomplish it was change. This project is beyond the three of us. It was never about us to begin with. For the people who actually enjoy the material and understand our quest, then mahalo.

We apologize if we appear to be arrogant, conceited, cocky rather than willful, confident, and outraged.

We are simple veterans of this industry and in no way are we retiring our posts for the time being until the younger generation is prepared and well equipped to continue our journey. We hope to see this happen in our lifetime. For us, it is a duty of ours to nurture and feed this industry with innovative and different material. It is a human need to be different. That need exists in us all. Can we agree on that alone?

So we chose to do this all of us and if there’s anyone we need to thank it is our label for believing in us enough to put down hard earned funds into this belief of change. It is our producer for creating something solid in our material and within each of us. It is our peers that come out to support us and our fans like G3mini,House,Hekili,Kehau,Rob,Lei,Zaysh,Nols and I may be missing some, (sorry) that hit us on the web or at the shows! They have hung in there with us from the beginning and are still with us now, mahalo.
It is because of shows like Overdrive Live, Dis-n-Dat, Hot Hawaiian Nights, Living Local with the Baraquios, Nighttime with Andy Bumatai, Beach Walks with Rox, KHNL and KHON, neighboring island and international radio stations that allow us to have a place on their stations like KWXX, KAPA, KPOA, Kaua’i 97FM, Molokai and Lana’i stations, Guam’s HitRadio100, KUNV Las Vegas, as well as numerous internet radio stations like Pipeline2paradise.com, etc..and reviews/articles by John Berger and Jason G of the Star Bulletin, Wayne Harada of The Honolulu Advertiser, Melissa Moniz of Midweek, Sassy Magazine and numerous other media mentions that allow us to have a place in the industry. Thank you so much for joining us and doing this for the youth and culture of Hawai’i.
We could at least foresee that at some point in time, our future youth will be creating something different and Hawai’i will then be ready for it. All the conglomerates will be ready for it, the corporate people who choose to support your material WILL be ready for it, and therefore it will be easier for change to happen and for our industry that means you, all of you, all of you supporters and haters of music in Hawai’i, all the people who purchase music out of Hawai’i, listeners of Hawai’i music, to allow for change.

We simply wanted to be better than we were. We wanted our peers and competitors to be better. We want our music to be taken seriously globally. And we wanted for our youth to have something different and new to listen to and for them to open up to this movement.

That is Mighty J’s mission statement. Its more than us being women vs men, its truly about the music and we can still say this after months of a cold wash. Maybe in order for us to have seen a return should we have chosen to do the same thing, to conform, to redo what we’ve known to redo for the past almost 10 years? How would I feel as an artist to do that, I’ve already done that? And this is no way an attack on anyone. This is a tribute to change and therefore a tribute to our youth and for other artists that will finally be doing something new and different. There are artists now that are doing something new and different. Like the Girlas and Inner Session and John Cruz!
We hope to see this change of ours be contagious and infect every artist at some level. Push yourself to be the best you can be! How ludicrous is it that we teach this to our own youth and in schools but we can’t practice this? Truly push yourself everyday to be better than you were before in this one little life of ours. Make something happen. No regrets.

I thank you for taking the time to read this.

Tribute to change

Mailani

Technorati Tags: Mighty J, Jenn JROQ Wright, Mailani Makainai, Tiki Suan, Tribute, Change, HARA, The Girlas, John Cruz, Inner Session, Hawaii Music Industry, Music Industry, Hawaii, women in music, Overdrive Live, Hot Hawaiian Nights, Dis-n-Dat, Living Local with the Baraquios, Nighttime with Andy Bumatai, Beach Walks with Rox, Roxanne Darling, KWXX, KAPA, KPOA, Kauai 97FM, Hit Radio 100 FM, Guam, KUNV Las Vegas, Pipeline 2 Paradise, KHNL, KHON, Star Bulletin, John Berger, Jason Genegabus, The Honolulu Advertiser, Wayne Harada, Melissa Moniz, Midweek, Sassy Magazine, Pipeline 2 Paradise, e808.com, Maui, Lanai, Molokai

DUDE!
There’s a Ferry that plans to go from island to island. Its extremely inexpensive (for now) and many people even like myself would like to take a boat ride instead of plane to travel. Something different for a change and its the new buzz because its like $5 per passenger and $5 per vehicle. Something close to that figure…

However, one of the concerns is what if people start bringing their cars down to the islands neighboring O’ahu. Hawai’i, Maui, and Kaua’i. More traffic for them. And not only that, there’s more resources us local people enjoy that are more abundant on those islands vs O’ahu, we’ve been drained literally. No fish here, no opihi, no LAND, no room for anything as much as before because simply there is just too much traffic, too many people, and not enough land for waste and water for the people and our desendants.

But what if people started going to these places and filled up their vehicles namely trucks or SUV’s and started just TAKING from these islands? Just raping more opihi, more fish, more he’e, lobster, what if people loaded up their coolers and packed it up and went home? Isn’t that wrong? We can no longer trust mankind dude seriously because there’s no control on this issue. Hawaiians for thousands of years practice Kapu (taboo) and cared and watched over these resources making sure that the people did the same. If one would take of these items and it wasn’t the season for it, death would be the consequence. This is how important caring for the kapu was. That is why we have fresh water to drink today and that is why we have had the fish in these waters that we have had in the past up to now! But the people who live here now don’t understand this! Not all of us, because thankfully some Hawaiians practice this notion of kapu, this idea of allowing these beings to grow so that we can have for our future! People think Hawaiians are lazy and stupid, but this is definitely one of the many things that prove otherwise.

Last week, Kaua’i protested against the Ferry! And I commend each and everyone of them for doing so. Please check it out on You Tube. See the county, the whole island of Kaua’i did not want the Ferry. And they let their protests be known prior to the Ferry coming into bay. But did they care? Did they listen? No!

So you know what? Kaua’i banded together and protested there, surfers jumped into the harbor! Dude it was so awesome watching that and I wasn’t even there, I was here at home watching it on you tube and getting chicken skin!

The aftermath is what interests me as well. Protocol was followed with the Coast Guard. They came to get the surfers out of the water, and for the most part, most of the surfers didn’t move. And then the Kaua’i County Police showed up actually to protect the people - the protesters! And then, there were these guys in masks with GUNS! Can you believe it??? They showed up with GUNS as if Kaua’i people had guns! This is a bit overkill , seriously people? Guns and masks. Now, who are the real terrorists?

Basically, Ferry people, Kaua’i didn’t want it so you got what you deserve. You think you can just ram it down people’s throats yea?! I was going to ride on the ferry before this, because I actually would like to see the islands from a boat and it would be cool. But seeing as how you obviously think you’re superior and above us all to just simply do what you wanna do, despite how a community feels shows your lack of respect and your over zealous ego that you will overcome the locals. You can’t buy love. You can’t buy people kay, it doesn’t work that way, not all of us are sellouts! I can no longer support business like you here and that goes for Walmart as well, and Walgreens-all you big box stores that want to take over the world, they are taking over Kailua! They’re trynna run us out of business!

If it wasn’t for the Kaua’i County Police I don’t know what would have happened. Men with guns and masks on?

And right on Kaua’i people for standing your ground!!!!!!!! Ku’e!

This is a small window that shows us how tyrranical and fearful our federal government is. They want to inflict and infect us with fear to control us! But we are not afraid!!!!

This American country has bombed so many countries its not even funny, they even bombed the moon!!!!! With that ridiculous rocket to figure out if there’s water there! Why? What purpose does that serve? And its not your moon!!!!!! ITs EVERYBODY’S MOON!

The people should not be afraid of its government. The government should be afraid of its people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
M.

Technorati Tags: podcast, podcasting, mighty j, mighty j tv, video, vodcast, vidcast, video podcast, video podcasting, music, hawaii, hawaiian, audio, hawaiian music, aloha podcast network, mailani makainai, keahiwai, tiki suan, milo shade, jroq, jenn wright, kanalo, simple souls, dr. trey, Doctor Trey, DoctorTrey.com, Daddy Records, music industry, Kauai, Kaua’i, super ferry, protest, protesters, surfers, government, laws, you tube, Kaua’i county police, boat, coast guard, guns, masks, travel