Alika sings with a rich baritone and occasional falsetto, plays 4-string, 8-string and baritone ukuleles, viola & fiddle, and bass guitar; performs solo with his ukulele, or plays ukulele and fiddle in a group, accompanied by slack key guitar and bass
Influences
Gabby Pahinui, Sam Li'a, Feet Rogers, Sonny Chillingworth, Genoa Keawe, Dennis Kamakahi, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Glen Campbell
Better known as jazz viola & violin virtuoso and ethno strings whiz Eric Golub, 'Alika' has a Hawaiian pedigree .... A full-fledged adoptive kama'aina, Alika received his BA and MA in Japanese Area Studies and Ethnomusicology at the beautiful University of Hawai'i at Manoa in Honolulu, HI, also lecturing there for a time in the field of Beijing Opera music. While living in O'ahu's lush Manoa valley in the 80s and early 90s and specializing in yellow ginger clear-cutting techniques up on Alani Drive, Alika heard many great traditional Hawaiian music artists including the Peter Moon Band featuring Cyril Pahinui, the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau featuring Israel and Skippy Kamakawiwo'ole, and I Kona featuring Led Ka'apana ..... Returning to the Bay Area, Alika realized he needed to take up singing Hawaiian music, and specifically the ukulele. Before long he was playing authentic mele kui style Hawaiian fiddle on his viola and singing hundreds of traditional classic songs with San Francisco's peripatetic Kapalakiko Hawaiian Band. During the course of more than 100 performances, Alika got the opportunity to accompany many great Hawaiian music artists including George Kahumoku, Jr., Bill Tapia, Willie K, Patrick Landeza and the Big Island's legendary Lim Family. Meanwhile, developing his original baritone singing style influenced by the late Sonny Chillingworth and his unique approach to 'slack-key fiddle' and old-school ukulele strumming .... Alika also draws increasingly upon his 60s folk influences and beyond to the 40s and earlier, channeling the household heroes of his family of origin, Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. Though he brings a jazz musician's sensibility to improvising and phrasing (his biggest overall influence as a singer probably being Gabby Pahinui), Alika is not that fond of more contemporary or 'pop' approaches to Hawaiian song. His approach seeks to get to the fundamental feeling of the original song, as evidenced in his personal theme-song, the 100-year-old 'Ka Makani Ka'ili Aloha' (The Tradewind That Stole My Love Away). ....
A Moment's Sunlight (Fading In The Grass)
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
