Announcer: Pau Hana Years, a new day for older Americans, a time for living.

Your host, Bob Barker Bob Barker: Hi and welcome to the program for and by the senior citizens of Hawaiʻi today on Pau Hana Years our guest is long time island resident, piano teacher, and entertainer Momi Jones.

(Instrumental music) BB:   Momi Jones, well Momi wasn't that one of your own compositions?

Momi Jones: Yes, the name of it was Kui tree.

BB: Is there a story behind how you happen to write that?

MJ: Well, there's a story, my father-in-law used to take care of the water in, in, Schofield.

BB: Oh.

MJ: Way up in the mountains.

It's the name of it should be Kukui tree.

Oh, but they, they didn't, wasn't able to pronounce the word Kukui tree at the time.

So they called it ku tree.

BB: Oh, Ku tree.

MJ: So now they call it Ku tree but the real name of it is Kui tree.

BB: Oh, yes.

MJ: And I didn't sing the words.

I'm supposed to sing the lyrics to them.

BB: You have a little laryngitis today, too, don't you?

MJ: I couldn't reach the high note.

So I better not sing it.

BB: Where were you born, Momi?

MJ: Uh, in Portland, Oregon.

BB: In Portland, Oregon.

Did you come from a musical family?

MJ: Yes.

My father was one of the bass singers that from these islands that traveled with the Bird of Paradise.

BB: Oh, he's he was from the islands I see, uh-huh.

Traveled with the Bird of Paradise.

That was the original show?

MJ: The original show with Walton Tully, and I remember such stars like Lenore Ulrich, William Desmond, and Bessie Barriscale.

BB: Oh yes, yes, uh-huh.

Your mother musical?

MJ: My, my mother is, no my father was the one that was the musician of the family.

My mother was from the Kamaka Stillman family, and my father was the nephew of King Lunalilo.

BB: Oh, he was, oh, yes.

MJ: His grandmother was Kalolaina and his mother was Maʻemaʻe Kaili—Kailihaʻo who was King Lunalillo's cousins.

BB: Well, well now.

MJ: And then we had such family as Daddy Bray and Bill Taylor and Sammy Amalu and the Napoleons and all that family.

BB: All the same family.

You mentioned the the show, Bird of Paradise.

Were you somewhat born in a trunk?

I mean, did you travel as a child?

MJ: I traveled with the show, during the winter months, and during the summer months, BB: As a little tiny child?

MJ: As a tiny child till I was about six.

And then we came to these islands.

BB: Oh.

MJ: My mother was tired of traveling.

And so we came here.

BB: There was something that your father was involved in, in the Kawaihau Glee Club, wasn't he?

MJ: Well, that was in the 1900s, and hundred and five.

Before he went to the mainland, he, that was one of the, the very famous Hawaiian glee clubs in Hawai'i.

There was Jim Kulolia, Jim Shaw, and all the famous singers of these islands at that time.

And they traveled also in the mainland, BB: Traveled all over the mainland, too?

MJ: They traveled all over the mainland.

BB: Now, you playing a slack key piano style, don't you?

How did how did that come about, what?

MJ: Well, I began thinking of Kewalo Basin, which used to be Squattersville at one time, BB: That's where Hawaiian Village sits now, huh, over in that area?

MJ: No, the Kewalo Basin, at the, uh, Fisherman's Wharf.

BB: Oh, that area, uh-huh.

MJ And all that area.

I began to think about that, and then then the Hawaiian slack key began to come back to me this is years ago.

This is 1941, 42.

And I just made up a little lyric of the old Hawaiʻi and the new Hawaiʻi.

BB: Oh.

MJ: And so I called it Hawaiian boogie.

But everybody said oh it's, it's slack key piano BB: Would you do some of it for us, now?

MJ: Alright.

A number of years ago there weren't any bars.

There was a funny little old place called Squattersville.

You'd go there and you'd hear a tune that sounded like this.

It really wasn't funny.

It was a grand old place where all the Hawaiians got together and sang and played music.

And it was really wonderful.

You'd hear this: (Instrumental music) MJ: And there was a little girl called Meleana she'd go to Kalihi and you hear this: (Singing): Henehene kou ʻaka, kou leʻaleʻa paha, he mea maʻa mau iʻa, for you and I. MJ: Then you'd come to Kakaʻako and you hear this: (Singing): Meleana ē, Meleana hoʻi, Meleana ka wahine lomilomi ia.

MJ: But things have sort of changed in Hawaiʻi, you'd go down to, go down to Pauahi and Smith Street and you'd hear a song, song that sounds something like this: (Singing): I can't give you anything but love (cheechee!)

That's the only thing I've plenty of (cheechee!)

Diamond ring, Woolworth doesn't sell (cheechee).

I can't give you anything but love.

MJ: Then there was another cute little spot called Ginza and you'd hear a girl called Mawnan Smith singing: (Singing): Ana ko kawaiya Kankan-Musume, Akai blouse sandal haite, Dare o matsuyara Ginza no machikado, Tokei nagamete sowasowa niyaniya, Korega Ginza no Kankan-Musume.

MJ: But then you'd go to Waikīkī and there was the Gourmet, and you'd hear me at the piano singing: (Singing): My funny Valentine, sweet comic Valentine, you make me smile with your heart.

Your looks unphotographable, unphotographable, yet you're my favorite work of art.

MJ: Then this funny little girl called Meleana went to San Francisco and this is what she heard: (Singing): Call for Bob Barker.

MJ: And she came right back to the old Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiian Theatre: (Instrumental music) BB: Great, great.

Momi, you had a radio show here in Honolulu years ago didn't you?

MJ: In 1928.

BB: '28.

What kind of a show was it?

MJ: It was a Mac and Momi all requests program, he did, it was a breakfast show.

BB: What station was that on?

MJ: On KGU.

BB: KGU.

But you played and?

MJ: I played all the requests and I didn't know half of the number that I made a stab at it, of those years.

BB: Who was Mac, the announcer?

MJ: Mac was Bruce McDonald, a radio commentator.

BB: You know a lot of the old time Hawaiian entertainers didn't you?

MJ: Yes, those days Joe Kamakau used to appear on the on the program and the transit Hawaiians, Johnny Alameida, and the, the Recreation, Park and Recreation had a program run by Ethel Maury, those days, you remember those days?

BB: Yes, yes, uh-hu.h.

MJ: And Homer Tyson used to be with us too.

You remember him?

BB: Uh-huh.

MJ: Great.

BB: Yeah.

MJ: Those days.

BB: You.

You translated a great old song into Hawaiian, Bill Bailey.

MJ: Yes, I did, BB: Would you do that for us?

MJ (singing): Hoʻi hoʻi mai, Bill Bailey, hoʻi mai kaha oe.

(Singing in Hawaiian) MJ: Now Bill Bailey went to China, to Hong Kong, and this is how they greeted him there: (signing in Chinese).

MJ: And when he went to Tokyo, this is the way it happened: (singing in Japanese).

MJ: When he went to Korea, he was greeted (singing in Korean).

MJ: In the Phillipines (singing in Fliipino).

MJ: In French (singing in French).

MJ: In Germany (singing in German).

MJ: In Spanish (singing in Spanish).

MJ (singing) Bill Bailey, hoʻi mai e ne, Bill Bailey hoʻi mai e ne, Bill Bailey, hoʻi mai e ne.

BB: How long have you been entertaining, Momi?

MJ: As long as I can remember.

BB: When, when did you take up piano as a child?

MJ: Well, we used to do the summer months with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey.

BB: Ohhh!

MJ: Because of winter months, we do the Bird of Paradise.

So my father was a barker and he'd work with the with the Ringling, Ringling circus, that when when Ringling was alive.

BB: Mm hm.

MJ: And I'd sit in the when we do out, street ballyhooing they'd call it.

BB: Yes, yes.

MJ: I'd sit on the front with, with a calliope player.

BB: Oh, did you?

And you'd play the calliope?

MJ: He'd say all right now you hit this note and that note and I'd hit it.

That's how I started my piano career.

BB: I think every kid who’s ever seen a calliope wanted to play it, or at least touch one of the notes.

MJ: Yes, it was quite something.

BB: So that's the way your piano started?

MJ: And my piano started and and you know how the kids with the circus would all get along and do, they'd get them to do acts for the show.

And once in a while we'd walk a tight wire or do something with the show or water the elephants.

BB: Uh huh, help put up the tents.

Well, then, when did you go out on your own in the entertaining business?

That is become a professional entertainer yourself?

MJ: In 1923 or 24.

I began to play with the bands here.

BB: Here, mm-hm.

You, you have done all your entertaining, I mean, have you lived in the islands since that time?

MJ: I lived in the islands.

BB: Since that time, done all you're entertaining here.

Where are some of the places?

MJ: Oh a few, a few spots in the mainland.

I did shows in San Jose.

Sterling Mossman and I did a show there.

BB: Oh, did you?

Where are some of the places you've played, appeared here and played?

MJ: Oh, practically everywhere.

BB: Practically every place uh-huh.

You mentioned some of the old time entertainers a while ago.

There was Antone Kaoo.

MJ: Antone Kaoo was the greatest hula exponent.

He, most of these hula teachers now have taken lessons from him.

That was in the early 20s.

And he died very, very early.

He was so graceful.

It was unbelievable.

And he had such a hula exponents when they danced their hula skirts with touch their heads.

And one of them was Annie Hila, Mary Mitchell, Hilda Kauakahi and ever so many, but these are the greats.

Uh, most of the those that are living now will remember them.

Because you don't see the hula skirts touching heads anymore.

BB: No, no.

MJ: They, well, the hula teachers now try to do that.

And well we have very good hula teachers here now, too.

BB: There were, there were more male hula dancers back then, too?

MJ: Yeah and they danced with a snap of their fingers.

And it was beautiful.

BB: I like to see male hula dancers.

You, you teach piano now?

Where do you teach?

MJ: At Metronome Music Company.

John Lai owns it.

BB: And where's that located?

MJ: On Hotel Street.

I don't even know the address, anymore.

BB: And what, what age students?

Do you teach, any particular age?

MJ: I take them from three.

BB: From three up?

MJ: Up to any age.

BB: There's no top age?

MJ: No top age.

BB: You find they're easier to teach at that young age than after they get along in years, or?

MJ: Well it all depends.

Some of them has a photographic memory and they memorize and then they can't read afterwards.

BB: Oh yes.

MJ: But the reading is most important for the student.

BB: A couple of years ago, this particular Christmas time, didn't you, didn't you have a rather unusual happening in your studio?

MJ: Yes, I walked in to my studio, and lo and behold, with the bottom leg and there was a box next to the piano was a spiderweb in the shape of a Christmas tree.

BB: And this was a Christmas time.

MJ: And this was right at this time.

BB: What did your students think of that?

MJ: My students were ecstatic.

And I said shall we have someone take the picture?

No, we just keep it sacred, they, the little kids, said.

So we kept it until February.

They had little squares with little pieces of paper in perfect squares in the shape of a Christmas tree just little blocks.

BB: Yes.

MJ: And web.

BB: You doing anything else besides teaching piano these days?

MJ: Right now we're in the perfection stage of recording for Bobby Gurashi.

He's a up-and-coming composer.

He's a pharmacist and he's a composer.

And we're practicing his music to perfection, try to get it perfected as much as we, BB: You mean he's the composer, or does he perform, too?

Or do you, no you're doing his music?

MJ: We're doing his music.

No, I have a guitar player and a drummer and a bass player.

My bass player's here today.

BB: Oh, you play with a group most the time when you entertain or do you do a lot of solo work?

MJ: I usually use a bass player, Charta Leung usually accompanies me BB: But you, do prefer having a group with you or?

MJ: I like a bass player.

It's nice to have somebody back you.

BB: Did you ever play the organ?

MJ: Yes I do.

I play quite a number of instruments.

BB: You do?

What other instruments do you play?

MJ: Oh, I stab at that the bass, the ukulele, the guitar, the saxophone, and I make sounds with a trumpet that sounds awful.

BB: But did you ever do much with the organ or just?

MJ: No I haven't done much with the organ.

BB: It doesn't, does it satisfy you as much as the piano?

MJ: No, I'd rather have the little old piano.

BB: Many people, many pianist feel that way.

They don't, they don't just feel right with an organ.

MJ: An organ is nice in church.

BB: Of course they're getting so many organ-type instruments today with all these gadgets.

MJ: Now you don't even have to work at it.

BB: And you don't even have to learn anything.

MJ: Just push buttons.

BB: One button and the whole orchestra plays Momi, will you close the program with another of your compositions?

There's one that you've written, what is it, "Don't Say Aloha?"

What, what's the background on the writing of that?

MJ: Well, "Don't Say Aloha--We're More Than Friends," just came to me one day and I just wrote it.

BB: Uh-huh, sat down and wrote it.

Okay, "Don't Say Aloha--We're More Than Friends."

MJ: Aloha means hello.

Aloha means goodbye.

Aloha means, I trow.

So sweetheart don't you cry.

Don't say aloha, we're more than friends.

Don't say aloha, I'll make amends.

Don't even sigh a last goodbye.

For there's a tear in your eye, my darling please don't cry.

Don't say, aloha.

I'll miss you so.

Don't even try to go.

Don't, I hope you'll stay in my heart always, our romance must never end.

Don't say, aloha, we're more than friends.

Don't say aloha, I'll miss you so.

Don't even try to go.

I hope you'll stay in my heart always, our romance must never end.

Don't say aloha, we're more than friends.

BB: Thank you, Momi.

Momi Jones longtime island resident, piano teacher, and entertainer' who's going to do our closing theme.

So that's Pau Hana Years for today.

Until our next program, this is Bob Barker leaving you with this thought: Music is a friend of labor it lightens the task by refreshing nerves and spirit.

MJ: (Singing in Hawaiian)