Michael Barretto - The Island Blues Band

“The word I would use is ‘theraputic’... kind of like a Hawaiian Jimmy Buffet...” - Mr.Producer.com
M ic h ae l Ba r re t t o
“You are the best!...” - Flynn Kobe, Barcelona, Spain
“a Potpourri of Pacific Pleasure...” - Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“...What a breath of fresh air ... great music ... look forward to receiving it” Gary Blackburn - Lancashire, UK
int ro
I n t r o d u c i n g s o n g w r i t e r & p e r f o r me r M i c h ae l Ba r re t t o
Michael has played in over a dozen countries including Germany, and Australia,
and although he is based in Hawaii, he does not play “touristy” ballads or
“Hawaiian” reggae music.
With a smokey voice, and rich guitar work, Michael Barretto mixes fine blues
with a streak of island sunshine. He’s is a pioneer of a hybrid genre that
crosses urban and island music and is simply called Island Blues. The results
are hearty crowd-pleasing sets filled with smooth rhythms, swampy backbeats,
and thoughtful lyrics.
Besides solo tours, Michael performs with his band “Urban Veneer”. While in
Europe he is frequently accompanied by “The Brian Kramer Band”, and in
Australia he’s often accompanied by “The Bullock Island Band”. Michael is a
member of Grammy winner Taj Mahal’s “The Hula Blues Band” that’s been
touring every year since 1995.
If you wish to further explore working with this refreshing performer, please
contact his agent:
Kevin Rogers
Mardi Gras Entertainment
PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
phone: (808) 337-9234 email: [email protected]
We’ll be happy to discuss rates and scheduling.
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“...Some of your music reminds me of Jim Croche... but more country...” Jerry T. - Hawaii, USA
bio
Michael Barretto was born in 1954 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He got his first guitar
(a Kalamazoo) at the age of six from his father, an island country musician.
The range of music he found growing up in Hawaii included Blues, Country,
Rock, Hawaiian, Calypso, and Salsa. These influences worked to form
Michael’s unique style. His first “gig” at 6 sparked a love for performing that
still burns deep.
Michael has played professionally since 1972. In 1980 Michael met
bluesman Taj Mahal. “The Hula Blues Band” was formed soon after and
Michael has played with Taj ever since. “Hula Blues” has recorded twice;
“Sacred Island” released in 1998, and “Hanapepe Dream” released in March
2001.
Michael plays guitar, banjo, ukulele, and bass. He has played on the
same stage as Jesse Colin Young, Corey Harris, Henry Butler, Brian Kramer,
Smokin’ Joe Kubek and of course Taj Mahal.
FreeBorn Records released Michael’s CD Sometimes I Go in 2000 and in
2001 Michael released Live at Wangaratta. The music is getting airplay on an
increasing number of radio stations worldwide (over 100) including Germany,
Japan, Canada, Australia and the US.
email: [email protected]
cell: 1(808) 639-2467
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
Mich ae l Ba r re t t o
mail: PO Box 383 Hanapepe HI 96716
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“...What great musical style, emotion and that fantastic voice you have!...” Ben Brenner - Philadelphia, PA
gigs
h i g h l i g h t s o f re c e n t v e n u e & m e d i a
r a d i o i n t e r v i e ws
KDNN FM-98.5 FM Honolulu, HI - Island Rhythms - Kale Imua
KKCR FM-92.1 Kauai, HI - The Mardi Gras Show
WHUS FM-91.7 Hartford, CT - World Music show
KSRF FM-95.9 FM Kauai, HI
3RRR Radio Melbourne, VIC, AU - with Brian Wise
ABC Coast FM Brisbane, QLD, AU
ABC Statewide - NSW, AU - Australia News
PBS FM-106.7 St Kilda VIC, AU - National interview
PBS Nationwide - Victoria, AU - Live music broadcast
3RPP FM-98.7 Mornington VIC, AU
t e l e v i s i o n a pp e a r a n c e s
The Russell the Rooster Show, Hawaii, USA
ABC Statewide - NSW, AU
m a g a z i n e f e a t u re s
Rhythms Magazine, Victoria, AU 2001, 2003
Tourist Magazine, Victoria, AU (cover)
re c e n t g i g s p l aye d
2004 Jazzpub Stampen - Stockholm, SE
2004 Folklore Centrum (Izzy Young) - Stockholm, SE
2003 The Hothouse - Chicago, IL
2003 The Bamboo Room - West Palm Beach, FL
2003 TAC Wangaratta Festival of Jazz - VIC, AU (Headliner)
2003 The Yak Speakeasy - Melbourne, VIC, AU
2003 Newcastle University - Newcastle, NSW, AU
2003 Wickham Park Hotel - NSW, AU
2003 Gold Coast Arts Center - Surfers‘ Paradise, QLD, AU
2003 KPAC - Kauai, HI (with Terrance Simien)
2002 Mele Blues Festival - Kauai, HI (with Jesse Colin Young )
2002 The Frankston International Guitar Festival - VIC, AU
2002 SummerFest - Schloss Sandizell, Bavaria, DE (Headliner)
2002 TantoLunden Jazz Festival - Stockholm, Sweden (Headliner)
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“... Love all dem tunes, and ‘Man Without Land’ is a classic! ...” Puanani Rogers - Hawaii, USA
t une s
a t y p ic a l p l ay lis t c o u ld i nc lu d e
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s o ng
Hard Luck with Women
Sometimes I Go
Blue Light Boogie
Lazy Day
Why’d You Have to be So Mean
Guitar Playin’ Fool
Grown Up Women
They Got Their Way
Mailbox Blues
Urban Veneer
Stay
Another Excuse
Streets
I Just Push A Broom
Jody Tried
She Just Wants to Dance
She Ain’t With Me Tonight
But You Know That
Steal Back the Time
Comin’ Home To You
I Wanna See You Again
Hanapepe Rain
If I Had A Castle
Man Without Land
They Need A Friend
A Little Too Fast
Stagger Lee
A Million Times
Lovin’ in my Baby’s Eyes
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
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M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“I think your album is great. I have described it to people as Hawaiian-Springsteen” Larry LaSota - Hollywood, CA
pre ss
a p o t p o u r r i o f p a c i f i c p l e a s u re
as printed in the Melbourne Herald Sun Sept 16, 2001
When Michael Barretto performed at the East
Coast Blues And Roots Festival a couple of
years back he thought he had died and gone
to heaven.
During his performance as part of Taj Mahal‘s
Hula Blues Band, he made a spiritual
connection with the laid-back Byron Bay
location and crowd.“Everyone was wearing
shorts and flip-flops, or as you call them,
thongs, I felt right at home,” he says.
His home is Hawaii and he says it was like
Australia was “the big island in the chain”.
Same dress, same easy attitude and great
music everywhere. He vowed to get back
here as soon as possible. Besides, he says
with a giggle, “we had Captain Cook too – in
fact we ate him”.
Leaving out the possible difference in culinary
habits, the popularity of island music in our
area is a long-standing tradition stretching
from Torres Strait Islanders, across to
Broome and as far south as the Tasmanian
indigenous people on Cape Barren Island.
It makes sense that the Pacific is a shared
experience into which we can tap. Despite
our vast inland, we are a coastal people.
Barretto’s return, to perform at the TAC
Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, is as a journeyman songster with an Hawaiian influence. His
music cuts across genres from blues to
country.
His solo album, Sometimes I Go, is a modest
homegrown affair that displays his effectively
simple songs, warm vocals and casual interplay at home with friends. There are few
overt Hawaiian references – just an overall
impression of something being created more
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
for pleasure than profit, from where the
pressures of the music industry come a distant
second to real life.“We have a word kolohe – it
means mischievous and that‘s an element I
like to bring to my songs,” Barretto says.
“There is innuendo there, playful or perhaps
sexual, that hopefully gives them deeper
meaning.”
Barretto says in his youth – he was born in
1954 – playing the local music was frowned on
and discouraged. What local music was available was debased, watered down and
performed in the major hotels to tourists.
“There was a small sub-culture listening to the
real thing, for instance Gabby Pahinui the,
great ‘slack-key’ guitarist was a friend of my
daddy, who also played, and they took it out
there to the people,” he says.
His own musical epiphany came after hearing
a Taj Mahal album soon after acquiring his first
guitar gaining new insight into the power of
song and sensing one day that he would play
with the blues-rock legend. They finally met in
1980. The eight-piece Hula Blues Band has
been touring twice a year for almost a decade,
with Barretto as an integral member.
Of his own musical career, he is pragmatic and
says it would be impossible to maintain a
career doing just original material from his
birthplace. In the past two years he has visited
several European countries and through sheer
willpower and persistence, has made his
dream of returning to Australia a reality.
His singularity of purpose is in contrast to the
open charm and modesty of the man himself.
I‘m not going to hurt anybody with what I do,”
he says disarmingly. “If I can find some people
to join me, that’s cool”.
KeithGlass
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“...Man, you sound like Redbone...” Dave B. - San Francisco, CA
plo t
M i c h a e l B a r re t t o s o l o s t a g e p l o t
guitar amp
amp mic
AC
DI
guitar
vocal mic
monitor
email:[email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
stagefront
monitor
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752
“...Refreshing, excellent. New style. I love it ...” Louise - Canada
email
re c e n t i n c o m i n g o f f t h e i n t e r n e t
“... Amazing...”
Marie-Ann - USA
“...you are a poet...”
Newt and Deb B. - Michigan, USA
“...I couldn’t stop dancing...”
Debra K. - Hawaii, USA
“...really nice tracks by michael barretto...especially the ‘streets’ song...”
Sherill - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
“Just wanted to let you know that I received your CD... The music just set our bodies to dancing...
Happy dancing is what it looked like to me... .Take care and thanks for the island tunes...”
Shelly Gerber- Rolla - Missouri, USA
“...I’ll be ‘comin home to you’ says it all from the heart and soul...it is my favorite and Michael’s
voice is pure deep soul...the kind that makes a woman feel loved from every corner of the earth!
Thanks for the warmth of your soul on SOMETIMES I GO”
Brenda Peters - Hawaii, USA
“...Your music was just what the doctor ordered today! It‘s minus 10 degress celcius up here in
Canada ... Listening to ‘Any Island Breeze’, I couldn’t help but imagine sitting on the beach down
in Hawaii...Keep up the great work eh! Thanks for sharing your tunes with us ...”
Brett Service - Ontario, Canada
“... it‘s great the blends of styles ...you have put down touch on many artists... you have a unique
style of your own I will be giving it plenty of air play ...”
John Burrows 3RPP FM - Victoria, Australia
“...Based in Hawaii, Michael Barretto has assembled a fine group of musicians to help him carry
out his blues and jazz inspired visions. Melodic and uplifting, these songs should be enjoyed
whilst sitting back in the sun with a cocktail in your hand...”
MP3.com.au - Australia
“Another man of remarkable insight, Brother Barretto sings to us a song (I Just Push A Broom)
profoundly subtle in it’s complexly simple message: Happiness exists in your life anywhere and
anytime you say it does. Regardless of the illusion of what you have or ‘own’ - exists the reality of
Who You Are - and in that is neither good nor bad, only Truth. Amen.”
Prophets of Rock and Roll (MP3.com) - United States
email: [email protected]
tel: 1(808) 337-9234
M a rd i G r a s En t e r t a i nme n t
Kevin Rogers: PO Box 714, Kekaha, HI 96752