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Thanks to Hodaddy, we discovered that the amazing ARTHUR LYMAN still plays Waikiki! Moondoggy, Wagner and I head to the New Otani Hotel to catch Arthur's afternoon show. We actually planned our weekend around Art because Art is so excellent. If you don't know what I mean, run to your nearest record or thrift store and purchase "Taboo," a masterwork in the genre of exotica, or in any genre really. Wagner sucks down a few piña coladas in anticipation.
Related links: Commercial site with "Taboo" audio files. Don't believe that critic, Richie Unterberger, though. Groovy mod tiki squad Arthur album cover, "Music Of Hawaii" (Arthur is the green polystered babe with the red dressed babe at his feet). The Cocktail Nation: links to exotica-related sites |
| Thou Art Lyman! Here's the vibes master in action. A band buddy from years ago, Poki Poli, happened to catch the same show, and joined Art on vocals for a couple of numbers. I think they're performing "Pearly Shells" together here. By this time, Arthur had noticed Wagner, and kept looking at him curiously. |
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Arthur is extremely gracious for a guy who used to have his own Vegas show that included girls sliding down fire poles. He called Wagner, "The Man," and posed with him here. Yes, that's Art. Thanks to my starstruck state and inferior film, I achieved this wonderfully art-ist-ick silhouette portrait. Art stuck around to chat for a bit. Apparently, his Dad was a professional vibes player and taught him to play, but Arthur was more interested in becoming a fireman (the fire pole connection!). Fate intercepted in the form of Martin Denny. He joined up with Martin Denny's outfit right when exotica was hitting the big time. Arthur quickly went on to form his own group, and released the hugely successful "Taboo" in 1958. Exotica records were some of the first to use "3dimensional" or Stereophonic sound, a perfect showcase for Lyman's bird calls. He still whistles some calls while he performs. In fact, Arthur continues to put on an amazingly sublime performance. Check him out while you can at the New Otani Hotel on Fridays from 12-2pm. How can you beat the price of FREE? |
| Before we leave, we stop by the bar to thank our bartender, Gerry, for making some really excellent piña coladas. Wagner agrees, but feels a bit bloated. He looks a little bloated too, don't you think? |
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