The PahinuiWay
Cyril Pahinui, son of the legendary Gabby Pahinui, carries on a family tradition, playing Hawaiian music all over the world. Now he’s planning the big Gabby Waimanalo Kanikapila to raise funds to build Hawaii Museum of Music and Dance. Pops would be pleased
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This gig is impromptu, improvisational, yet impressive.
No doubt it will be a sentimental occasion for Cyril and his brothers Martin and James “Bla” Pahinui, three of the 10 siblings in the Pahinui household who followed their father’s footsteps into successful musical careers.
It’s been a while since the brothers have recorded or performed together. Cyril plays each Wednesday night at Kani Ka Pila Grille in the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. Brother Martin joins Kawika Kahiapo there on Thursday nights. “Bla” is retired and does occasional gigs with his band Hukipau. The brothers’ last project was a private label recording in 1992.
But - surprise! - the talented brothers are back in the recording studio working on another collaboration, and if all goes well, the release could be out this year. A Pahinui reunion would be landmark.
Meanwhile, Cyril continues to be the keeper of the flame of kihoalu music. He travels extensively and conducts workshops at Bishop Museum, UH-Hilo and in Waimanalo.
In conjunction with the Waimanalo festival, there are ukulele, slack-key and steel guitar workshops on Aug. 6 and 22. Cost is $40 per session; registration at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Learning from a Grammy Award-winning musician is a chicken skin experience. It’s a marvel to learn from a master who is self-taught and still tunes his instruments by ear.
“We didn’t get music lessons, and most of the musicians in those days didn’t read music,” Cyril recalls. “In fact, my dad would slack all of his strings and hide his guitar in the closet at night because he knew we would sneak in to try to figure out this tunings once he was asleep.
“We really had to work hard to learn. That was the style in the old days. If you really wanted to learn, you would have to listen. It was all eyes and ears.
“Dad opened the doors for a lot of people. So many entertainers knew my dad. Even today when I travel in Europe and Japan, people come up with old LPs. My dad made the crossover.”
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The same can be said of Pop’s third eldest son. Cyril is carrying on the Pahinui tradition and reaching audiences in significant venues.
Cyril has twice played at Carnegie Hall, has contributed to two Grammy Award-winning albums, received several Hoku Hanohano Awards, and recorded on more than 25 Hawaiian musical releases.
The singer-musician is known for his technical virtuosity, rhythmic adaptations and instrumental harmonics. Yet his sound is distinctively “Pahinui” and evocative of Gabby’s signature style and presentation.
Those with a musical ear will appreciate the seamless way Hawaiian music can blend subtle influences from other genres.
Cyril explains, “My dad would sometimes ask me to play familiar Beatles and Stones riffs as introductions to traditional Hawaiian songs. Most people probably don’t even realize it, but some of the intros and my arrangements are the distinguishing parts of my dad’s renditions.”
A roving slack-key ambassador, Cyril participated in the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society guitar convention in Nashville for seven years. These days Cyril is content to tour occasionally and play concert halls.
“My younger days, I used to close the bar and before you know it, the sun is out. Today I have to put it on low gear and take it slow,” says the 60-year-old.
Yet we detected none of that low-gear mode the day we interviewed him. He had just returned from a radio appearance on Perry & Price, was promoting a July 3 gig with the Brothers Cazimero at Bishop Museum and rushed off to check on preparations for the Pahinui Waimanalo Kanikapila.
Cyril’s poised, soft-spoken demeanor defies the super-star within. He’s a chip off the old block.
Reminds one of the historic footage showing his dad after ripping through a rousing rendition of his signature tune Hiilawe. At the conclusion of the song, Pops unassumingly turns to the camera and says, “How da stew?”
Like the Pahinui music tradition, it’s ono.
For more information on the Gabby Pahinui Waimanalo Kanikapila and T-shirt purchase, go to gabbypahinui.com.
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