On the Scene

John Berger

Hawaii’s Grammy Nominees Celebrate

MUSICAL DREAMS: Eddie Kamae, left, and his wife, Myrna, right, shared their table with Dayna and Kapono Beamer. Kapono Beamer's Grammy-nominated "Slack Key Dreams of the Ponomoe" tells the story of his family heritage with singing, chant, nose flute and Hawaiian percussion as well as slack key.

SHE'S GOING TO LOS ANGELES!: Ledward Kaapana congratulated Duke's Canoe Club bartender Amie Fujiwara on winning the Second Annual Outrigger "On the Beach" Signature Drink Contest. Fujiwara's winning drink, "Pau Pilikea," was inspired by a song on Kaapana's Grammy-nominated "Kiho'alu: Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar." She'll be serving it at a private Hawaii Grammy party in L.A. next month.

ALL-STAR HAWAIIAN ENTERTAINMENT: An impromptu rendition of "Henehene Kou Aka" by Brother Noland Conjugacion, left, Mike Kaawa, 2006 Grammy nominee Elmer "Sonny" Lim Jr. and Haumea Warrington was one of the magic moments Thursday evening at a party for Hawaii's 2006 Grammy Award nominees at the Outrigger Waikiki. Grammy finalists Kapono Beamer, Raiatea Helm, Ledward Kaapana and George Kahumoku Jr. were also there. Kaapana joined the jam session later and thrilled the crowd with his guitar work on "No Ke Ano Ahiahi."

TALKING SLACK KEY: Milton Lau, left, greeted George Kahumoku Jr., center, and Sonny Lim. Lim's first solo album is one of the five Grammy finalists, Kahumoku contributed several "live" performances to Daniel Ho's Grammy-nominated compilation, and Lau is the producer of Ledward Kaapana's Grammy-nominated album.

WHO'LL DRESS RAIATEA?: Grammy Award nominee Raiatea Helm, right, enjoyed the party with her cousin Charice Kaahanui. Helm wants to represent Hawaii's fashion industry in style when she attends the Grammy Awards show in February. Which designer will dress her?

John Berger has covered the local entertainment scene since 1972. Contact him at jberger@starbulletin.com.