Shahid Osuna

4 May 2018

Dr. Pacheco

Music 310

Concert Report #3

On April 19th, 2018, I was able to perform a concert with the California State University

Northridge Wind Ensemble at the Waiawa Correctional Facility on the island of Oahu, HI. The

concert was part of a tour series in Oahu. For the inmates, we performed Americana music and

marches. In return, the inmates gratefully made us dinner from the animals and vegetables they

were growing in the facility, and a few inmates in a band performed for us while we ate- almost

resembling a luau.

The band was made up of a drum set, electric guitars, electric bass, a few singers, with

one singing lead, and they played a mix of American folk and country music, as well as some

Hawaiian music. The Hawaiian music used many elements and harmonies that sounded much

like rock music, like an electric guitar, and pop/rock chord progressions, but there were other

elements that were distinctly Hawaiian, or at least, Hawaiian sounding. The most obvious of

these Hawaiian elements was the language. The Hawaiian language uses only a few

consonants in contrast with the English language. The singer often sang in falsetto. The

portamento and the “slack-key” guitar, and vocals is something I have read that appears in

“Jawaiian” music, Jamaican-influenced Hawaiian music. Being a huge center of culture, Hawaii

takes influences from several different places in the world, with the traditional pacific island

inhabitants, East Asian visitors and communities which sprouted, and the American influence

which took place in the mid 20th century.

 The food included white rice, with seasoned pork, macaroni salad, and

vegetables. They served us coconut cake for dessert. Having experienced luaus before, this

environment was very similar. Groups of us were sitting, enjoying the music and food. I’m very

happy I got to perform for these inmates, but even happier that they were gracious enough to

receive the gift of music that they performed for us in return. In all of my career as a musician, I

have never played a concert with such an emotional impact as this, and I hope to perform for

more incarcerated people in the future.

Below are some photos- unfortunately, we were not allowed to photograph the inmates,

so here is an image of me eating the food, as well as a photo of some of the food made by the

prisoners.