LIHU‘E — As the story goes for many musicians, it all started with a muse. And for Linda Tani, that muse was her mother. “My mom played in this band on Kaua‘i called The Black and White Band,” Tani said.
LIHU‘E — As the story goes for many musicians, it all started with a muse. And for Linda Tani, that muse was her mother.
“My mom played in this band on Kaua‘i called The Black and White Band,” Tani said. “It was a Filipino band. They had mandolin players and she played the ‘ukulele and guitar. She was only girl in the band.”
Tani, founder of the band “Kaua‘i Limited Edition,” said from the time she could remember, she looked up to her musical mother, Crispina Laranio, who taught her and her sister a thing or two.
“I told my mom I wanted to be like her,” Tani said. “So she taught us to sew, play ‘ukulele and guitar.”
Tani plays music professionally now with her sister, Diana “Dee Dee” Mancia in the band, which has been together 10 years, along with bass player Conrad Giminez, lead guitar Peter Brun, drummer Bernard Wong and part-timers Jonah Cummings and Dan Spriggs.
“Our band has been together for a long time,” Tani said, noting that it started with Brun’s wife, Joann. “Joann (Brun) doesn’t sing with us anymore,” Tani said. “So we added my sister and the bass player.”
Tani said she gathered her band members from O‘ahu and the Big Island, as well as Kaua‘i, where she found original band member Joann Brun playing music at Koloa Missionary Church.
Early memories for Tani include passing the time with music, whether on family camping trips with instruments in tow, or just while at home.
“We lived below Kapa’a school and down in the valley there wasn’t any TV reception,” Tani said. “We’d just sing and have fun.”
Tani’s father also played a key role in her love for music, and is a key part of one of her most prominent music-related memories.
“I remember I had asked my dad to buy my first guitar for me,” Tani said. “It was my birthday, and I ran all the way home from school. I asked him, ‘Dad, did you get it? Did you get me my guitar? And he said ‘no,’ but then he laughed and pulled it out of the closet.”
And that wasn’t the last time her father bought her an instrument as a gift.
“My last guitar that my dad gave me money for was an electric jazz guitar,” she said. “One thing I love about my parents: they loved to sing and always were supportive of us playing music.”
It made sense, therefore, that Tani and her sister played music at her father’s recent funeral. A platoon sergeant veteran, Tani’s father died in March. The funeral was particularly touching because of the servicemen from O‘ahu who paid homage to him, something for which Tani was particularly proud.
Though Tani’s parents have since passed away, family is still a key element to her musical experience. “I call my husband ‘my roadie,’” she said.
Giving kudos to her sister, Tani said her sister is a “more seasoned singer,” noting that she is more of a musician.
“We actually do great harmonizing together,” she said. “There’s something about sisters — you can sing together and just know. We enjoy playing music. It’s our life forever.”
With family still a part of her music, another, simple element keeps her going, Tani said — keeping it light.
“We try and keep it fun,” she said.
“I enjoy it. I make a mistake and we laugh and just have fun.
“That’s the main thing: we enjoy it, and as long as you enjoy playing music, it’s good.”
For those interested in seeing Kaua‘i Limited Edition play, Tani said there is no consistent gig schedule, but said the band is available for parties and private functions.
“Right now we don’t have any steady place,” she said. “Sometimes we do charities.”
Those lucky enough to catch the band will experience a rather diverse repertoire of music: everything from the country standards like Patsy Cline songs to contemporary jazz, Hawaiian, and some “oldies-but-goodies.”
Tani said she the three favorite songs of that repertoire include some Latin-inspired songs, including Santana’s “Europa,” the samba-esque “Besame mucho,” and Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba.”
“A-minor is my favorite chord, so I like a lot of those Latin songs,” Tani said.
Other favorites include “Unchained Melody”, and Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” as well as swing standards like “Pennies from Heaven.”
Close to her heart, however, are songs from the old days, such as “I’m in the Mood for Love,” as it reminds her of her mother, she said.
“That’s why I love the ‘old stuff’” she said.
e-mail: lltani_06@yahoo.com
Or call Linda Tani: (808) 639-7507
