shown: Shaka Jeremiah, Sonny Kalua, Bruce Spencer

I had heard that Chai’s is a great place (some say THE great place) to hear Hawaiian music in Honolulu. It’s a contemporary fusion restaurant at the foot of the Aloha Tower, and many of the most popular artists play there regularly.

I went there to shoot Maunalua on a Thursday night, and while the place wasn't even half full, there were a couple of big parties, including a family of 15 or 20 celebrating their father's birthday.

Bobby Moderow, Manualua’s frontman, is the kind of performer who wants his audience to participate, and he often asks the people out there if they want to sing a song or dance a hula with the band. Of course, he asked the birthday boy if he wanted to get up on stage. There was a moment of hesitation, but only a short one.

Revese "Shaka" Jeremiah came up, not as a shy audience victim, but as a skilled performer and falsetto singer. His cousin, Sonny Kalua, accompanied him on bass and sang his own brand of Hawaiian Elvis. There's something very Gulf Coast about this mid-Pacific performance.

The only remaining member of Maunalua left on stage was Bruce Spencer, uke and vocal harmonies.

get some chicken skin

Shaka

meet Harry B

Hawaiian Steel Great