Jerry Hey, Ken Wild, Bud Nuanez, Kim Hutchcroft,
Bob Wilson, Larry Williams, Pauline Wilson
 Manager Blue Johnson
reminisces:
(photo: At the Hilo Lagoon
Hotel, Seawind Hawaii Tour 1978)
"I heard Seawind for the
first time in Honolulu (1974), at Waikiki's Aquarium Lounge under their
old name, "Ox". I was totally amazed at the band and I wondered
why the club wasn't packed with people!? My first thought was, they should
be playing in places where more people could appreciate them. Having just
moved to the islands from Los Angeles after playing in a jazz-funk-R&B
club band for 5 years, I knew how difficult the club life could be. New
in town, I was slightly miffed that there was so little music scene there
in Honolulu. Everyone I had seen in Waikiki so far, was playing "Tiny
Bubbles"! The word on the street about "Ox" was good, however,
and I knew they wre going places the minute I walked into the lounge and
heard them burnin' on Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon," which was
one of my band's favorite tunes! That night I met Pauline, whose "island
girl" charisma I always felt was the group's centerpiece.
Besides coming across as genuine
individuals, I got the sense that unlike a lot of bands, "Ox"
was one big, happy family. They lived together in the same house, devoting
12 hours a day to either rehearsals or gigs. They were devoted and were
going places fast. I followed them for over 2 years, from club to club throughtout
Honolulu and became a friend and one of their biggest fans. The band always
played extraordinary music, yet there were many nights when I was the only
customer in the whole club! All of Hawaii called "Ox" their best
band but there was no longer any sense of urgency to see them perform. They
had completely over-exposed themselves (which is really easy to do in a
small place like Honolulu.)
Things quickly exploded once
Bob Wirtz heard them and informed his client, drummer Harvey Mason about
Hawaii's best kept secret! Mason brought the 7 piece unit to L.A., where
he helped set them up on Monday nights at the fusion hotspot, the Baked
Potato in North Hollywood. A name change was in order, and Seawind seemed
to capture what Pauline described as "the freedom of the winds from
the islands". Seawind was so "hot" that Mason found it easy
to secure a recording deal for them with CTI Records and with him and Bob
Wirtz as the group's producers. I too, moved back to L.A. and soon began
working as their tour manager. After the first two albums were released
in 1976 and '77, the band toured extensively.
Everyone in the band was so
multi-talented that their biggest challenge was keeping focused on Seawind,
while seemingly every major artist and producer in the industry wanted to
hire them out individually, as sidemen on Gold & Platinum projects of
their own. The band maintained an unprecedented level of popularity, culminating
with the Tommy Lipuma produced album entitled "Light the Light"
(1979) and the George Duke produced album also entitled "Seawind"
(1980). Everyone became successful session musicians. Bob Wilson and then-wife
Pauline also released a wonderful contemporary Christian album on Word Records
in 1981 and Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft and Larry Williams (The Seawind Horns)
became legends in their own time, writing, arranging and producing charts
for every Pop and R&B artist and producer under the sun!
Seawind's untimely breakup
in 1982 was heartbreaking for everyone, but I had always looked at Seawind
as a band that was way ahead of its time. It's now been over 22 years since
the group last performed together and lots of blood, sweat and tears have
trickled under the bridge. We have all aged, but have also matured, and
we have "followed our own roads" in those 20 years. Today, those
roads have remarkably led us all back together again in this website! And
even more remarkable, is the fact that the band members are now finishing
up their brand new CD and will perform together once again! I have always
considered what happened to Seawind as unfinished business, and perhaps
time has finally caught up to this band that was always so far ahead of
itself? Just the mere thought of Seawind recording and performing again,
is really exciting to me! "Can you imagine? ....imagine?" .......Seawind
in 2007?
2009 UPDATE:
We did it! The new "Reunion"
CD is finally finished & available!
Seawind Grammy Award Nomination 1977
Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist.
The Devil is a Liar earned Seawind this nomination and it also became one of the group's
many signature songs!
......
Seawind at the Nation's Capitol.
With Hawaii Congressman, Daniel Akaka,
May 16th, 1977.
In a letter to Seawind dated
March 4th, 1979, Congressman Akaka wrote:
Dear Seawind:
May I extend my aloha and heartiest
congratulations on the occasion of your concert at the Neal Blaisdell Center
Arena. I know that you will have a tremendous performance. I am so very
proud of your achievements and success in the entertainment field. The ladder
to success is a difficult one to climb, but it is made easier through hard
work, perserverance and the dedication of each member of the group. The
Seawind ohana possesses the determination and "aloha spirit" that
will enable it to transcend all obstacles and, thereby, reach the ultimate
pinnacle of success.
Let the Neal Blaisdell Arena
be filled with the special sounds of Seawind and the happy voices and applause
of those who have come to bask in the glory of your songs. I wish you every
success in all your future endeavors. My very special and sincerest aloha
to each one of you.
Aloha pumehana,
Daniel K. Akaka - Member of
Congress
 ....... .......
...........Billboard ad 1979 .........................Record
World ad 1977............................Hawaii Tour '79
 ......................
...........The Seawind Management vehicle!.......................................................... Hawaii Tour
1981
. ........ ........
...........Second Japan Tour 1981.................Cover of Billboard Magazine 1980................Hawaii Tour
1978
 .................. .................
...........With Bill Cosby 1977....................Bob Wilson, tall on drums!...............With George
Benson 1977
 .......... ...........
.......Hawaii's After Dark Magazine
...........On tour with George 1979.............Contemporary Christian Mag.
 ....................
................Seawind "Remember" poster 1995..............................................Seawind T-shirt design 1977
 .................../...
................"Hair
cut"....Hawaiian style, 1978........................................When Seawind was "Ox" 1975
 .............. .............
........Seawind in Manila, 1981..............................Seawind in Japanese......... ........With Taj
Mahal 1977
 .............. ....
......First Japan Tour 1978.......................................................Diamondhead house party, Hawaii Tour '78.........
Seawind signs with A&M - Horizon Records,
March 1979 | 