This week we’re so lucky to be able to travel to one of the most delightful, most multicultural and, in many interpretive ways, the most “American” of all American states – Hawaii. White this glorious group of islands may not have formerly become the 50th American state until 1959–can you even imagine the American flag with just 49 stars…?–Hawaii has been in America’s sphere of influence, and part of the American consciousness, since the late 1800s. As we learned during our “folk and country” week, all American musical genres began as a mishmash of global sounds. This week we’ll see how Hawaiian music became part of America’s musical landscape long before Hawaii formally filled out the flag.
