Pacific Islands Radio (Island Music) Newsletter

Jane's Pacific Islands Radio Newsletter (Island Music)
Vol. 5, Edition No.4, April 2006
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/

I N T H I S I S S U E ____________________________

Objectives
News and Views
Notice Board
Pacific Islands Radio
Feature Artists
Coming Events
Island Music Suppliers
About Books
Links
Letters
It's Time To Chat!

T H E V I E W _____________________________________
Pacific Islands Radio (Island Music) News and Views

Welcome everybody to our Newsletter
for April 2006! It is certainly great
to be back in touch with you all again
and, as always, I would very much like
to take this wonderful opportunity to
sincerely wish everybody good health,
prosperity, happiness, with peace and
harmony.

In addition, I would very much like to
convey my heartfelt thanks to you, our
valued members, who have taken the
time to write, and for sharing with us
all. In this respect, your most welcome
and wonderful messages and contributions
are greatly appreciated.

Please join with me in extending a very
warm and sincere Pacific Island welcome
to, once again, the fantastic record number
of new members who have joined us since
our last Newsletter. Thank you so very
much!

Welcome on board, please make
yourselves feel at home, relax and
enjoy the music! May you also find your
stay with us to be enjoyable, mutually
beneficial and most rewarding!

OBJECTIVES

This Newsletter is a listening guide
to the many listeners of our four
Internet Pacific Islands Radio Stations.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm

This Newsletter will focus on issues
relating to Pacific Island music. It will
also embrace some of the exciting changes
taking place in the Internet Radio Revolution,
as well as updated information on our Pacific
Island Artists, Programming and Playlists.

NEWS AND VIEWS

In the last few editions of this newsletter,
it has been my great pleasure to be able to
present an outline of the traditional and
contemporary music of Polynesia, Melanesia
and Micronesia. This was followed by a
similar general overview of Pacific Island
music in the context of the origins, mythology
and external influences on the music and
people of the Pacific Islands.

In this edition, I would like to share with
you some thoughts on Pacific Island music and
its relevance in the global context of popular
music. Certainly, as a musical genre, Pacific
Island music is distinctive, exciting and
enthralling - it displays a depth of understanding
of human experiences that can touch the very
heart and soul of the listener. Despite all this,
Pacific Island music has not yet achieved the
support, and the success it fully deserves on
the international music scene. Certainly, many
of our excellent artists have achieved superstar
status in their own countries and in the Pacific
region, although, as yet, have not been able to
translate this success onto a global environment.

Indeed, the necessary ingredients for
international success are all present - in the
form of world quality recording studios, top
class musicians, and singers with amazing talents,
along with a loyal and appreciative local support
base. One would perhaps have to ask what needs
to be done in order for these talented people to
achieve international acclaim (as per one of
the beautiful letters below that I have recently
received from Japan by a talented artist from
New Zealand).

The late great Hawaiian musician, Israel
Kamakawiwo Ole' (Bruddah Iz), was one of
those who made the statement that, as island
people, we live in both worlds - the traditional
world of our island people, and the western
world that we are, of necessity, part of. In
this respect, being able to reconcile the often
conflicting demands of our traditional lifestyle,
and western lifestyle, is something that is very
apparent in island life, and thus is a very
important factor in the longer term wider
success of Pacific Island music.

In some cases, it is perhaps a sad reality that,
some of our talented artists, are unable to
reconcile our traditional values with western
values, which can easily swamp those of our
traditional society. Yet, one would have to
suspect that ultimate success as a musical
artist depends on a successful fusion of our
traditional music with the musical expectations
of a global audience.

Out of all our musical groups, we are very
proud to be able to say that Te Vaka has
successfully been able to achieve international
acclaim and recognition and, in many respects,
can be considered a role model for any group
wishing to achieve and enjoy international
success. A performance by Te Vaka is exciting
and completely enthralling - a visual and musical
experience that always stays in the mind of the
audience. Te Vaka, as an accomplished group
of musicians and performers, has been able
to combine exciting dance and vibrant music as
they tell the stories of the mythology and the
many trials and tribulations of our Pacific Island
people.

With most of Te Vaka's songs being presented
in their native language, western audiences, in
the main, do not understand the lyrics, however,
the message is always clear. With a strong and
resonant musical beat, combined with exciting
dance and theatre, the audience is left in no doubt
as to the underlying message of the performance.

As a solo artist, teenage artist, Vanessa Quai, from
the Pacific nation of Vanuatu, is certainly making
a big impression on the musical scene, both in the
Pacific region, as well as internationally. Indeed
Vanessa's achievement in winning the first prize in
the RTV Golden Stag International Music Festival
in Brasov, Romania, on the 23rd September 2005,
strongly suggests that Vanessa has the potential of
being a major international star of the future. With
the support of her wonderful family, including her
father/manager, Nigel Quai, as well as her frequent
musical collaboration with her talented Melanesian
fellow artist, Edou, (our Feature Artist in our
March 2006 edition of this Pacific Island Music
Newsletter), Vanessa Quai, the talented young
lady from Vanuatu, definitely has a very bright
and assured musical future.

I am very pleased to be able to say that our
Pacific Islands Radio is reaching out to a vast
worldwide audience and has generated great
interest, along with a great many requests
from those wonderful people who would like
to purchase our beautiful Pacific Island music.

In addition, there has been many most
welcome e-mails from talented artists from
the Pacific Islands (and worldwide), who
would greatly appreciate the opportunity of
having their music featured on Pacific Islands
Radio. Let me humbly say that this is, indeed,
a great honour coming from such gifted artists.
I have included one such beautiful letter,
below, from an artist who certainly deserves
our assistance and support.

Once again, may I ask you, our valued members,
to assist in whatever way we can to help promote
another of our talented artists. Thank you.

"Jane,
I have been listening to your radio station on-line
from Japan. I am a New Zealander (Maori) but
Tokyo-based musician...I play with all Japanese
musicians and we play regularly around Japan.
We have just finished a 16 date tour of New
Zealand and our 2nd album 'Papatu Road' will
be available in stores in Japan from May 10th.
The album has received critical acclaim from
reviewers back in New Zealand. I belong to a
small independent record label in Japan
called 'Suzuki Records'. They do my promotion
inside Japan, but nothing outside and, because
I am so desperate to reach the wider community,
I am researching avenues myself.

I actually had an interview on ABC Radio
Australia last month with Heather Javis on
'In the Loop'
www.myspace.com/benkempmusic

I have been exploring Polynesian and Asian
influences through music for several years
now. Here is some information on me:
www.benkemp.co.nz
http://www.thread.co.nz/article/1838
http://www.amplifier.co.nz/artist/13972/ben_kemp.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0601/S00109.htm

I would greatly appreciate any support you can
offer. Should you require any further information
i.e previous radio interviews, or MP3's or an album,
please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
E noho ra, Ben"

Finally, I would very much like to thank you,
our valued members, along with our worldwide
listeners, for the incredible and much
appreciated increase in the number of listening
hours and presets on all our four Pacific Islands
Radio Stations. In particular, the support for
our new Pacific Islands Radio Station - Radio
Melanesia - has been just great and, once
again, very much appreciated!
Keep on listening everybody and enjoy the
music! Thank you so very much!

By the way, I should mention also that our
Playlists now include the beautiful tracks
from Edou's latest exciting album, along with
some haunting, beautiful and melodious tracks
from Laisa Vulakoro, our Feature Artist this
month! Enjoy!
(See below under: Feature Artist).
* * * * * * * * * *
NOTICE BOARD

MELANESIAN MUSIC -
"RADIO MELANESIA"

Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased
to be able to advise that Pacific
Islands Radio 28K has now been converted
to "RADIO MELANESIA" - to progressively
highlight the vibrant and exciting music
of Melanesia, along with a selection of
music from Polynesia and Micronesia.
RADIO MELANESIA
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres

OCEANIA MESSAGE FORUMS

I am very pleased to be able to say that,
in addition to our main Oceania Guest Book,
additional Forums have been introduced to
all Web sites of the main islands and islets
of the Pacific, as well as personalities,
along with our Pacific Islands Radio Web sites:
http://pub47.bravenet.com/forum/4004922603

As you are no doubt aware, these Forums
have been most beneficial in bringing together
many people with an interest in and a love of
the beautiful and enchanting music of the
Pacific Islands. You are cordially invited to
share your valuable and important thoughts
and opinions with us all.

Recent additions also include the Web
sites for Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Republic
of Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands,
Tonga, Tokelau, Easter Island, New
Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New
Guinea, Cook Islands and Pitcairn Island,
Niue, as well as our Oceania Postcards
and Picture Galleries - and many more!
Thank you.

PACIFIC ISLANDS RADIO

I would like to mention, in response
to some of the e-mails and messages that I
have received, from those wonderful people
who would like to listen to our beautiful
Pacific Island music, but unfortunately,
are unable to actually listen to the music.

Basically, it is quite easy to access and
enjoy Pacific Islands Radio (our four
Pacific Islands Radio Stations). Once
you have accessed the page, it is most
necessary to firstly log on, in order to
be able to listen to the music. The process
of being able to log on can be achieved
by providing your username and password
before clicking on the yellow 'Play'
button provided on the centre of the page.
Good Luck and Enjoy!

In addition, the many listeners who would
like to purchase the music played on our
four Pacific Islands Radio Stations, in CD
format, can obtain details of recommended
suppliers by clicking on Artists' Profiles
on Pacific Islands Radio Home Page:
www.pacificislandsradio.com

Pacific Islands Radio continues to offer a
range of broadcasting formats in order to
allow a wide range of listeners to enjoy
our beautiful island music.

STATIONS

Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations
play the enchanting music of the Pacific
Islands 24 hours daily.
www.pacificislandsradio.com
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/radio/index.htm

Pacific Music Radio (mp3PRO)
http://www.live365.com/stations/drjaneresture

Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture

Radio Melanesia
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres

Micronesia Music Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/jane_resture

FEATURE ARTISTS

LAISA VULAKORO

Laisa Vulakoro, the Vude Queen, is one
of the most popular singers of all time in Fiji.
Vude, pronounced `vu-n-day' is the music
beat that is unique to Fiji - a combination of
Disco, Rock, Country and Island Style. The
beat derives from the traditional `Meke' or
dance sound.

Laisa has been singing for almost 20 years and,
with 16 published albums to her name has written
and arranged most of her songs. Born on the
remote island of Yacata in Fiji with a population
of only 150, no running water or electricity, she is
the youngest girl of a family of 8 girls and 6 boys.

Her late father, Delai, was a choir-master and lay
preacher of their church. Everyone in the family
sang in the church. Her late father, and a few of
her brothers, are also song-writers. Her band in
Fiji includes mainly family members.

Laisa is currently a Director of the Fiji Performing
Rights Association, which is a non-profit
organization that protects the rights of composers
in Fiji. She has toured most of the Pacific Islands,
including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands,
Hawaii and the Solomon Islands. She has also
toured North America, Australia, New Zealand
and London. She has performed in most of the
top Resorts in Fiji and for many years was the
resident singer at the Regent of Fiji and the
Sheraton Fiji Resort.

Laisa is a Charity Worker who has donated her
time and talent towards helping underprivileged
women and children and is a `Champion' of
promoting young talent, especially with the Blind
School, Hilton Special School and various
orphanages around Fiji.

In recognition of her tireless contribution to
charity, she was awarded a Fiji Independence
Medal in 1996, given only to outstanding Fiji
Citizens and, in 2003, the French Government
awarded her the title of Chevallier of Fine Art
and Literature.

Laisa was named by a well-known columnist
in Fiji as "Fiji's Living National Treasure" in
recognition of her ability to bring people from
all races and diverse backgrounds together
through her music.

Her versatility and talent enables her to
sing many styles of music and her stage
presence makes her the complete entertainer.

COMING EVENTS

"Coming Events" outlines some of the
many events on our musical and dancing
calendar throughout the year hence the
inclusion in our monthly Pacific Islands
Radio Newsletter (Island Music).

As much valued members of our
Newsletter, you are invited to share
any of your thoughts and ideas about
Pacific Island music that you feel
should be shared with all our members.
I am sure that our members would
greatly appreciate your kind gesture
in sharing this information with us.
Thank you so much!

MELANESIAN ARTS FESTIVAL

The third Melanesian Festival of Arts is to
be held in Suva, Fiji, from October 2 to 10
with the theme of the festival is "Living
Culture and Living Traditions." This festival
promises to be the best yet and will feature
rich traditions and contemporary art from
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon
Islands and New Caledonia. In addition,
participation is being invited from countries
with a substantial Melanesian population,
including West Papua, the Australian
Aborigines, Torres Strait Islanders and
Timor Leste.

The Melanesian Arts festival came about in
1995 when it was decided by members of
the Melanesian Spearhead Group that they
should come together and share the many
cultures and to create new cultural processes.

The Melanesian Arts Festival was first
hosted in the Solomon Islands in 1998
with the second being hosted by Vanuatu.

Further information on the Melanesian Arts
Festival will be included in our next Pacific
Islands Radio Newsletter (Island Music)
for May 2006!

MICRONESIA MUSIC ANTHOLOGY

An anthology of traditional Micronesian Music
is available on Micronesia Music Radio:
http://www.live365.com/stations/jane_resture

The anthology can be accessed by clicking on the
Broadcast Schedule after logging in to Micronesia
Music Radio. This should allow you (and our other
listeners worldwide) to determine when the
anthology is available in your beautiful part of
the world.

The Broadcast Schedule can also be accessed at
the following URL:
http://www.live365.com/broadcast/scheduler/?stationname=jane_resture

The supporting Web site to the anthology is:
http://www.janesoceania.com/micronesia_music_anthology/index.htm

GOSPEL MUSIC

Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased to be able
to advise that a collection of some of the most
exciting and absorbing gospel music from the
Pacific Islands is now being featured on Pacific
Music Radio (FM mp3PRO Stereo), Pacific
Islands Radio as well as Radio Melanesia.

With an extended running time of three hours,
the gospel collection has proved to be extremely
popular and features the music of a number of
talented artists and groups from Melanesia,
Micronesia and Polynesia.

Please monitor the Broadcast Schedule of the
above three Pacific Islands Radio stations for
the availability and time for the Gospel Music
collection. At present this exciting collection
is available every Sunday from 12 midday to
3 pm Australian eastern standard time.

Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations play the
enchanting music of the Pacific Islands 24 hours
daily.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm

PACIFIC ISLAND MUSIC SUPPLIERS

The following are some of the main specialist
suppliers of our music from the Pacific
Islands, which are now being used and are
highly recommended by Pacific Islands Radio.

KING MUSIC -
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Kingmusic offers a wide selection of Pacific
Island music which is available on the Internet.
http://www.kingmusic.co.nz/

ISLANDMELODY.COM

Pacific Islands Radio would like to recommend
Islandmelody.com for a selection of traditional
and contemporary music with an emphasis on
Micronesian music.
http://www.islandmelody.com

BWANARAOI MUSIC SHOP -
TARAWA, REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI

For Kiribati music, along with music from
other Pacific Islands and elsewhere, you
are invited to contact the following
exclusive distributor:

Bwanaraoi Music Shop
Republic of Kiribati
Phone/Fax (686) 28236
E-mail: angirota@tskl.net.ki

LINKS

WELCOME TO THE MUSIC
ARCHIVE OF THE PACIFIC

The Music Archive for the Pacific has
been established by the Southern Cross
University, Lismore, Australia. for the
main purpose of providing a collection
of recordings of indigenous music, related
books, journals, musical instruments and
art works to interested persons for
research purposes.

The archive covers the music of the
indigenous people of Australia (incl. Torres
Strait), Papua New Guinea (incl. Bougainville),
New Zealand as well as the nations of the
Pacific Islands - Cook Islands, Easter Island,
Fiji, Hawaii, Nauru, New Caledonia,
Rarotonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti,
Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/arts/music/musicarchive/ArchiveHome.html

MUSIC ARCHIVE FOR THE PACIFIC
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/arts/music/musicarchive/ArchiveArchive.html

************************
LETTERS

The following are extracts from a few
interesting and most welcome letters that I
have recently received about our four Pacific
Islands Radio Stations, our artists and music.
In this respect, it is my great pleasure to be
able to share these letters with you all as I
find them to be most uplifting, supportive,
motivating and encouraging. They also provide
much needed feedback in order to continuously
monitor and enhance the quality of the service
provided by Pacific Islands Radio.

Please join with me in thanking these wonderful
people for sharing their kind thoughts with us
all.
************

Hello Jane,
I would like to let you know how much I
enjoy Pacific Islands Radio. I dance every
night to the tunes. It is great. I live in
Phoenix, Arizona.
www.pacificislandsradio.com

Dear Jane,
From Pensacola Florida. It is 0750 AM here
on a Thursday. What time is it there??? Music
is nice. Calm, relaxing. Makes me wish I was
at sea sailing on to a new adventure. I got to
spend a week in Cocus Keeling about 30
years ago. Take care and God Bless.
www.pacificislandsradio.com

Hello Jane,
I would love to say "Koraba" or "Mesulang"
from both my islands of Kiribati and Palau.
I am proud of being from these islands of
Micronesia and even prouder to be a fan of
this radio station all the way from the Mainland
Phoenix, Arizona. I got the site from a friend
who knew I was half Kiribati and as soon as I
came home I went to search and already emailed
the site to my Dear Mother Anne Hicking Mobel
who has been away from her homeland for over
20 some years, and it gave me pleasure to email
the site.

I have also sent it to my sister who is in Iraq
right now and she is very happy. I hope you
continue with this station and let know if you
need more local music from Palau. I have a lot
of Yapese friends who listen to it too. Ok gotta
go but do check it out cause it will be something
you will truly enjoy!
www.pacificislandsradio.com
http://www.janeresture.com/kirihome/index.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/palau/Palau.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/fedmic/yap.htm

I LOVE THIS RADIO STATION!!! I'm
currently active duty in the military, and I'm
stationed at Langley AFB in Virginia. I've
been looking for Chamorros everywhere,
and I haven't had much luck. I've also been
looking for ANYTHING that can bring me
back home...I finally found it in your radio
station. I could say that you've saved my life.
THANK YOU!
www.pacificislandsradio.com

hi jane, have just found your web site. it looks
great. my interest in tokelau has been triggered
as i have just found that my paternal grandmother
was from tokelau. her name daisy louise smith
and she married or my grandfather robert henry
williams and they lived in fiji.my father was born
27.6.1903 so i guess that puts daisy's approx.
birth back about ten to twenty years. my ask of
you and i know that it is a big ask. is there an
historian on the islands who could direct me to
finding more about my lost grandmother.it's a
sad story my father ran away when his mother
daisy died he was 14 and he lost all contact
with his family.i was born in samoa now live in
australia and in my late years am trying to fill the
gaps.any e-mail contacts you can direct me to
would be most appreciated. it was so good to
hear your music when i hit your site. there is
no hurry for this huge thanks in anticipation.
www.pacificislandsradio.com

Jane,
My name is Kevin Croxton. I live in Fort
Smith, Arkansas and I write music for
documentaries. I am getting ready to write
music for a documentary about a large
group of people from the Marshall Islands,
who now live in Springdale, Arkansas.The
film director wants the music score to sound
like traditional Marshallese music. I have
done lots of research on traditional Marshallese
instruments, music and chants, but can find no
recordings of instruments or chants.Do you
know where I can get some recordings of
traditional Marshallese music and chants? I
want to hear the music so that I can write a
score reflecting the traditional instruments,
rhythms, etc. Also, I want to find some
recordings of old chants by themselves, so
that I could possibly mix them into the score,
if possible. I am supposed to start working
on the music in a couple of weeks. I have
already been acquiring some of the instruments
needed, such as conch shell horn, jaw harp,
etc... I just need to hear some traditional
Marshallese music, and see If I can find
recordings of Marshallese Chants.If you can
help in any way, please let me know.
Sincerely, Kevin Croxton
*************
IT'S TIME TO CHAT

Our Chat Rooms are always available for
online chatting between parties and can be
accessed via Jane's Oceania Home Page:
http://www.janeresture.com or the URLs:
http://pub18.bravenet.com/chat/show.php/1489671900
http://pub32.bravenet.com/chat/show.php/2702076781

COMMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Your valuable contributions and comments
are always most welcome and they can be
sent to me at:
jane@pacificislandsradio.com

Thank you so much everybody for your
very kind support and for being such
important and valuable members of
our Pacific Islands Radio (Island Music)
Community.

At this time of year, I would like to
extend very sincere best wishes to all
members of our Pacific Islands Radio
(Island Music) Club, as well as those
members who participate in the
traditional Easter spirit. During the
forthcoming holy and holiday week,
let us all hope for continuing greater
peace and harmony, good health,
prosperity and happiness, for everybody!
I wish you all the very best and please
take care!

May our God bless us all and, as usual,
I look forward to the pleasure of your
company next time! Happy Easter
everybody!

Jane Resture