Please read all the great information about this CD, but if you just are looking to contact us directly, here's that info first:
Greg and Junko MacDonald
Ph. 808-735-6003 (that's our home in Hawaii)
email: gmacd@aloha.net
For biography, credits and booking information, scroll down to the bottom of this page.
Now, on with this wonderful CD.
The steel drum is a very versatile instrument, but has been restricted mostly to that wonderful Caribbean form called Calypso. I grew up in Southern California (Santa Barbara), listening to Latin music everywhere, but never heard it on steel drums. That became the idea for this CD. However, the 1950's Perez Prado song, Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White, is the tune that shifted this project into gear. The slow tunes are very sentimental, and the fast songs are spicy but not overwhelming. It's perfect if you are practicing Latin dance forms. To help the steel drums make the jump to this type of music, you will here Cecilio Rodriguez (originally from Mexico, but now living in Hawaii) on guitar, our friend and engineer from previous recordings, Pierre Grill, from France, on accordion and grand piano, and on the song Guantanamera, Patrick Bo plays the "tres," a special small guitar from Spain. You will love this CD. In the summer of 2002, parts of this album were featured on Univision, the world's largest Hispanic TV network. Then, much to our surprise, we won Best Latin album/artist at the 2001 Hawaii Music Awards!!
To see and hear all recordings by us, scroll down to "Try This," located on the lower left of your screen, then look for "GALLERIES this is in Greg MacDonald," and click on it.
Bio: We are an instrumental duo. I play parallel lead pans (higher register) and Junko plays double seconds (lower register). You can see our picture on the album Sweet Dreaming, located in this site, see below for directions how to get there. My introduction to pan was at the University of California, Berkeley. Having been a professional trap set drummer, I took a class at Berkeley in 1985, and fell in love with steel drums. For that year I performed with the Berkeley Steel Orchestra, then moved to Hawaii. Junko and I met at a Christmas party in 1994. She liked the sound of the instrument and began coming to band rehearsals, later learning a few tunes and sitting in with us. Her musical background is classical piano, so she had a well trained ear and picked up pan quickly. By 1996 we had formed a duo, and a couple years later got married. She is from Tokyo and is the world's first professional female Japanese pan player. Our cultural and musical differences help to define our sound. We are dedicated to this instrument, which is another story, too long for here.
Credits: We have provided pre concert entertainment for Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Buffet, Julio Iglesias and Kenny Loggins (all while they were in Hawaii.) Our corporate clients include: Sony, ATT, Coke Cola, Dr.Pepper/7up, Coors, Intel, Taco Bell, Motorola, Cisco Systems, and dozens more. Our Latin album, Pan-a-Cabana, was featured in July 2002 on the largest Hispanic TV network in the world, Univision, broadcasting from Miami. In June 1999, we appeared on Home Shopping Network and set a new sales record (to that date).
Contact info: If you are planning an event, we specialize in background music for weddings, dinners, cocktails, grand openings, registrations, etc. If you want a full calypso band, we can provide that also. Phone/fax (808) 735-6003, e-mail gmacd@aloha.net, or write to Greg and Junko MacDonald at PO Box 161083, Honolulu, HI 96816. Please email us to get on our mailing list. If you are planning your event through an agent, destination service, or other such provider, we would be happy to work with them to simplify your efforts.
Coming to Hawaii? Please catch one of our free performances in the heart of Waikiki, at International Market Place, Food Court Stage, Sun and Tue, 7-9pm, under the Banyan Tree! Sometimes visitors get lost in the Market Place, if so, the Food Court Stage is in the back left if you enter from Kalakaua. Or, just ask a vendor. See ya there!
You can purchase this CD now, at this site, by charge card, or toll free by phone if you prefer at 1-800-Buy-My-CD. Or, you can mail order from Greg and Junko directly. Also, we (Greg and Junko) can burn you a custom audio or MP3 CD, where you pick only the songs you want from all our CD's. Please contact us at 808-735-6003 or gmacd@aloha.net for more info. 99 cents per song, 15 song minimum. Price includes shipping.
Reminder: to see and hear all recordings by us, look to the left margin of this page, find "Try This," then look for "GALLERIES this is in Greg MacDonald," and click on it.
This site was updated: 1/11/06
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