The Carmen Haugen Quartet

Presenters’ names: Keith & Carmen Haugen, Ron Miyashiro, Frank Uehara

Main Stage
Saturday, May 5, 10:00 am

Title of latest album: Author! Author! An Anthology of Original Keith Haugen Compositions

Genre: Eclectic; Hawaiian, Christmas, country, children’s, etc.
Island Viking
List price: $20.00

The album: Local singer/songwriter Cordell Keith Haugen has compiled an anthology CD with 24 of his best-known compositions, appropriately dubbed an “eclectic potpourri.” The CD includes Hawaiian, Christmas, patriotic and country songs, even a children’s song – all taken from nine earlier recordings. The CD, “Author! Author!” was released by Island Viking (IVCD 107).

“Author! Author!” is what fans call out when an artist performs original material that is thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. It’s what singer-songwriters, composer-musicians love to hear.  “It’s like hearing ‘hana hou!’ only better,” said Haugen, whose variety of songs are represented in the new release. “It not only means they like the way you performed a song, but they like the song, and they know that you wrote it.”

Among the songs on this CD are “I Ka La ‘Apopo,” which won first prize in the Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band’s 1993 Ho‘okuku Mele for new Hawaiian lyric songs about the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom; and two songs that were chosen as theme songs for Aloha Bowl half-time shows: “It’s Christmas (All Over The World),” sung in 1990 by The Love Notes, and “We Still Care, The Pearl Harbor Commemorative Song,” sung by Keith & Carmen Haugen and members of the Sounds of Aloha Barbershop Chorus in 1991.  Other cuts include the patriotic songs that won for the composer the prestigious Aloha Spirit Award from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i, and songs that were on the 2001 Country CD of the Year, 2002 Patriotic CD of the Year, and the 2004 Single of the Year – all in the Music of Hawai‘i People’s Choice Awards. In March 2006, the Music Foundation of Hawai‘i awarded Keith & Carmen the first ever Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement by a Musical Group, for their more than 30 years of performing in Waikiki and around the world, and for their ongoing support of Hawai`i and other artists.

On this CD, you’ll hear guitar, ‘ukulele, steel guitar, slack-key guitar, chant, piano, strings, ‘ili‘ili, ipu, congas, bird calls, chimes, vocal solos and four-part barbershop harmonies, children’s voices, U.S. Senator Dan Inouye, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, drums, bugle, even fiddles.  You’ll hear everything you might expect from arrangements in an “eclectic potpourri” chosen from albums of many genres over decades of recordings. There’s something for everyone, all written by Haugen, and recorded by the composer and friends.  Among the “friends” are such well-known artists as Danny Kaleikini on nose flute, Isaac Ki‘ilehua chanting, the late great Augie Colon on percussion and bird calls, the beautiful voices of The Sounds of Aloha Barbershop Chorus, the Sugar Cane Express Barbershop Quartet, The Waimanalo Keikis, Carmen Haugen, Nanilisa Pascua, the country fiddling of Jay & Katie Linsky and Lee Carney, and such noted Hawaiian musicians as Robbie Kaholokula, George Kuo, Gordon Manuel Freitas, Don “Geezer” Humphrey, Eddie Palama, Guy Tseu, Pierre Grill, Greg Sardinha.  It’s called Volume One, a promise that at least one more such collection is in the making.

Reviews for members of the quartet:

Keith Haugen owns a place in Hawaiian music history for his work as a performer, composer, recording artist and record producer, but he also enjoys acoustic country/folk music. This CD single also contains his anti-war medley, “Cease Fire”/“Simple Song of Freedom.”

– John Berger, Star-Bulletin, on album “I Just Don’t Look Good Naked Anymore”

The Chamber said Haugen, who teaches Hawaiian language and music at the Star of the Sea School in Wai‘alae, was being recognized for having “given back to the military through his talent and creativity in honoring the memory of all who served.”

Lynn Cook,  chairman of the Aloha Spirit Award Committee for the Chamber, said that Haugen has “freely offered his time and talents” in hundreds, perhaps thousands of hours to the military community.

“This accomplished entertainer and composer has used his musical talents to honor our men (and women) in uniform,” Cook said.  She pointed out that even at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Haugen often fills requests “that honor all of you.”

– Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i Presents its 2001 “Spirit of Aloha” Award to Keith Haugen

In March 2006, Keith and Carmen were honored by the Music Foundation of Hawai‘i as the first recipients of the Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement as a Musical Group – quite an honor when you consider all of the outstanding groups in the Islands.  They were honored for more than 30 years of performing Hawaiian music in Waikiki and around the world, and for their contributions to other artists and the community.  They responded by releasing a new anthology CD with 22 cuts from six of their earlier recordings (1978-2003).  Five are medleys, so there are 27 songs in this collection, including eight of Keith’s compositions.  The new release celebrates the latest honor and their 25 years of recording Hawaiian music.

http://www.hawaiiansong.com/alohm.html

Presenters’ bios:

When Keith and Carmen Haugen semi-retired after 35 years performing in Waikiki – including 17 years as the longest running act in the history of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel – they continued to perform in concerts and casual engagements as K&C. Then five years ago, they teamed up with Frank Uehara, a pakini master with about 30 years experience on the bucket bass, and became known as KFC.  When Ron, “the piano man” Miyashiro joined KFC, they became The Carmen Haugen Quartet.  Collectively, the four have been performing Hawaiian music for more than 170 years.

They are still in demand for events where traditional Hawaiian music and hula is the order of the day.  Since they formed the quartet, they’ve performed in concerts in Honolulu, on Kaua‘i and on the Big Island.  They also produce a “Music with a Message” concert, featuring Keith’s compositions, and the annual Peace on Earth Concert, featuring some of Hawaii’s top artists.

Ron continues to perform solo at a variety of venues, including Chuck’s in Waikiki, and La Mariana Sailing Club, one of the most popular “piano bar” artists in Honolulu for more than 50 years.  Carmen is an alaka‘i hula, and Keith, who teaches Hawaiian language, is the composer of more than 200 songs.

Keith and Carmen have won many awards for their recordings and now lead the local industry in a most unusual category – giving away their music.  In the past two years, more than 600,000 Hawaiian music fans and patriotic Americans all over the world have downloaded more than 4 million recorded cuts FREE from their www.hawaiiansong.com web site.

Other albums:

I Just Don’t Look Good Naked Anymore

A Lifetime of Hawaiian Music

Na Mele Hawai‘i Punahele

‘Ukulele Lady

Looking Back: A Hawaiian Anthology

The Village Where I Went to School

It’s Christmas (All Over the World)

A “Peace” Medley

Lullaby

Agnes Kimura: In the Hawaiian Style

Peace Lily, performed and written by Keith Haugen, from his album AUTHOR! AUTHOR!