WAITIKI Wins the 2008 Hawaii Music Awards: Exotica Album of the Year!
Our second album, Rendezvous in Okonkuluku , won for Exotica Album of the Year. You helped us win last year and you helped us win this year too!
Visit http://waitiki.com/ for info on Rendezvous in Okonkuluku! Available on CD, Vinyl 12", and iTunes.
About the Band
Started on a whim in 2003 by Randy Wong and Abe Lagrimas Jr., WAITIKI has since garnered praise and critical acclaim throughout the world. In 2005, the group headlined the Hawai'i International Jazz Festival, performing a musical farewell to Martin Denny, who had just passed away. Later that same year, the group made its debut at The Hukilau Festival in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where they performed at the legendary Mai-Kai Restaurant and alongside Robert Drasnin (composer/bandleader of the hit album Voodoo!). In 2006, the group became known in Mexico when their side project, the WAITIKI "Orchestrotica" performed original big band arrangements inspired by Juan Garcia Esquivel at Mexico City's Festival de Mexico, an annual international event that celebrates Mexican culture and the arts.
Recently, WAITIKI won Hawaii Music Awards for its first and second albums, "Charred Mammal Flesh: Exotic Music for BBQ", and "Rendezvous in Okonkuluku" (respectively). The group's first win (in 2007) was a dual honor, in that the category (Exotica Album of the Year) was created for the group, in recognition of their efforts for bringing exotic tiki music back to popularity. WAITIKI's bandleader Randy Wong also received a nomination in the 2007 Ontario Independent Music Awards (Canada) for "Best USA Song" for his exotica composition "Cave of Uldo".
In addition to its exotic music, WAITIKI is also known for its original drink menu; a collection of 'mid-century-esque' Polynesian cocktails crafted especially for the band by some of the world's best known mixologists: including the Okonkulukooler by Jeff "Beach Bum" Berry , the Maharaja's Revenge by Brother Cleve (of Combustible Edison), and the Wai Niu by Kern Mattei (GM of the Mai Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, FL).