Frank Sinatra would have tipped his familiar fedora to the music-makers who took part in two Honolulu concerts that featured his songs last week. The shows were totally different in presentation but were both throughly enjoyable, and audiences let the performers know it by their applause.
The first event was Rhythm & Wine with Jimmy Borges singing through the Sinatra songbook with strong backup at the Elks Club, and the other was Sinatra Bop starring marvelous trumpet player Eddie Henderson. Henderson was backed by sax/flute player Rocky Holmes and three members of the fine Honolulu Jazz Quartet at Halekulani’s Lewers Lounge. Sinatra was born 100 years ago on Dec. 12, 1915. He died May 14, 1998, at 82.
Borges knew Sinatra well enough for Ol’ Blue Eyes to allow him to use his music arrangements. Borges sang Frank’s hits as dancers were swinging along or embracing during ballads.
Among his numbers were "Fly Me to the Moon," "New York, New York," "Time After Time" and many more, climaxed by a powerful version of one of Sinatra’s greatest, "My Way." Outstanding keyboarder Dan Del Negro surprised me with his vocal chops, starting things off with "I’m in the Mood for Love" and "I’m Beginning to See the Light."
Holmes, blowing a mean sax, was also part of the band along with bassist Steve Jones and drummer Darryl Pellegrini. Augie Rey, whose term as Elks exalted ruler and president ended Tuesday, wound up the music fest singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."
Trumpeter Henderson, 74, who has a medical degree, was the psychiatrist for hard-thumping, foot-stomping pianist Theolonius Monk. "That was a trip," Henderson said prior to his Halekulani gig. Henderson’s parents, both entertainers, knew trumpet legend Miles Davis and Henderson said when he was a kid (17) he played for Davis in the star’s home and Davis said, "Eh, you sound good but that’s me." High praise. Louis Armstrong alsogave Henderson a few trumpet lessons when he was 9.
The tight group backing Henderson: bassist John Kolivas, drummer Von Baron, pianist Del Negro and Holmes, was cool and used a variety of beats on songs such as "Green Dolphin Street," "Autumn Leaves" and "Body and Soul." My favorite was "Surrey With the Fringe on Top," with Henderson and the band taking us on a swinging ride …
Former UH official Lynne Waters, now holding a key post at the University of Texas, found the weather freezing but her reception warm in the Lone Star State. In an email dated March 6 she wrote: "I’ve been vice president for communications at the University of Texas at Arlington for all of five working days now and two of them have been closed for snow and ice. Yikes!" She added that a member of her staff was stationed at Barbers Point and sang out "Aloha" and "Mahalo" at her department’s welcoming reception, and another gave her a beautiful white orchid plant. "Texas hospitality is almost as legendary as Hawaiian," wrote Lynne, a native Texan …
A celebration of life for former Punahou athletic great and highly respected Farrington football coach Al "Eki" Espinda Jr., who died Feb. 20 at age 78, was held March 22 and packed Punahou’s Thurston Memorial Chapel. Espinda was in the class of 1954 and was an all-star in football, basketball (team captain) and baseball. He played end in football.
His teammate was powerful Al Harrington, who blasted through the opposition, leading Punahou to the championship in their senior year. Harrington and team quarterback Harry Pacarro spoke twice during the event. Espinda played football and baseball at Purdue U. He was an assistant to Farrington head football coach Tom Kiyosaki from1959-1966 and was head coach from 1967-1981. Pacarro and Dr. Frank Kometani gave eulogies. Bill Ka‘ai; Gordon Miyashiro; Rolina and Eki Faagal; and Jesse Sapolu, who was coached by Espinda, starred at UH and earned four Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers, gave remembrances.
Senate President and Farrington grad Donna Kim read a Senate resolution noting Espinda’s contributions to the community …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
