Member Since: 8/2/2004
Band Website: kupaaina.com
Band Members:
Kevin Chang (Kahalu'u)
Kalama Cabigon (Kapahulu)
Jay Santos (Kahalu'u)
Stanley Tibayan (Kahalu'u)
Mark Lutwak (Kaneohe)
Lau Aloua(Waianae via Tonga)
Kanalu G.T. Young (Kapahulu) also works with us with compositions when can. Kupa'aina Alumni: Members of the band never fully leave as we are Ohana. Our former drummer Anson Pang has moved to Abilene, Texas. Our vocalist/keyboard/ukulele player Keao Cockett has started his own band but may still join us on stage now and then. Check him out at www.myspace.com/innersession. Luke Solatorio is a maintenance worker at WCC and runs a lot of sound for his church. Luke plays around town with the band Canoes For Rent from time to time.
Influences: In no particular order: Music is influenced by who we are, our environment, our souls and not just music or musicians...our families and loved ones, Halau Ku Mana New Century Public Charter School, Bob Marley, Prof. Cornel West, Jack Johnson and the Kokua Foundation, Alex Kinimaka and the Free-Hi family, the folks on Moloka'i, Tracey Terada, Leo Anderson Akana, Hui Ohana, Pekelo Cosma, music of all former and present members of the Sons of Hawaii and the Peter Moon Band, I Kona, Paulo Freire, Eddie Kamae, Gabby Pahinui, Five Stars (Samoan), Kelli Heath, Patty Larkin, Na Pali, Ledward Kaapana, Kenneth "Boom" Gaspar, Inner Session, Darren Benitez, Buddy Fo, Anita Baker, Kina Shoukichi and Champorros, Kamaha'o, WAR, Ry Cooder, Ernie Cruz Jr., Hapa, JRR Tolkein, Rage Against the Machine, Tom Waits, Joe Pass, Mop Tops, Prince, Toots and the Maytals, WSUP, Ooklah the Moc, Maria Remos, Isley Brothers, Maxwell, Sly and the Family Stone, Jamiroqoi, Buena Vista Social Club, Rev. Dennis Kamakahi, Guy Cruz, Ice Cube, Gandhi, Don Ho, The Girlas, Beat Takeshi, Frank Sinatra, KRS-1, Weird Al Yankovic, Arundhati Roy, Paula Fuga, Solomon Enos, Luther Vandross, Malcolm X, Frantz Fanon, Jesus Christ, Juzo Itami, Kwan Ti, Kuan Yin, Buddha, Tiffany Cruz, Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Mooney, Led Zeppelin, David Chapelle, Mohammed, Richard Pryor, David Fincher etc...
Sounds Like: We sound like ourselves....also, OUR SOUND IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Record Label: Kototama Productions LLC
Type of Label: None