FIJI’s guitar greats of yesteryear will stand beside some of those making a name for themselves currently to vie for the first ever Tom Mawi Guitar Award at the Fiji Performing Rights Association Music Awards this month.
The Guitar Award is a new category meant to credit Fiji’s guitarists for their contributions to the music industry and the list of nominees is a who’s who of the best Fijians on the six-stringed instrument.
FPRA president Seru Serevi said they wanted to honour some of the greatest musicians Fiji had ever produced and nine names were nominated for consideration.
“And with this award this is the only category where anybody can apply, whereas our other categories are only for members.
“So this is for any guitarist, whether you work in clubs or hotels or overseas but have contributed locally. And people can apply on behalf of their loved ones who have passed on.”
The first name on the list is George Knight who many will remember for his 1976 hit single Time Will Heal the Pain that locals voted No.1 ahead of other potential artistes.
Serevi remembered Knight as a sleek and dynamic guitarist who started his career in Suva with a band called The Falcons that were formed with his brothers — keyboardist Joel and bassist Billy.
“They were a very popular band in Suva at the time, performing at the Old Town Hall and the St John Hall and other halls around Suva and the West.
“He later moved on and became a guitarist at the Golden Dragon nightclub in Suva, which at the time was a benchmark for every musician.
“He was very popular in Suva in those days before he moved on to Sydney where he played around the club circuits in Sydney City and ended up forming the band Kabani and they had hit songs, like Mai Tauri Au.”
Manu Railoa is also one of the artistes nominated for the Guitar award, getting blooded on the club circuit of Fiji before moving on to become a session musician and also a sound engineer with the Procera Music Shop.
“His trademark was recording the release of Voqa ni Delai Dokidoki, he was the engineer and the sound behind Voqa ni Delai Dokidoki and apart from guitar playing he was also a sound engineer and keyboard player,” Serevi said.
Fijian music royalty — the late Sakiusa Bulicokocoko — is also a nominee and Serevi credits him as one of the finest musicians to have ever emerged out of Fiji.
“From my experience I’ve never worked with a musician like him. He had that aura about him.
“You know you could walk into a hall and play for two hours and nobody would get up they would just stare at you but once Sakiusa jumped in, everybody would get up and just enjoy his music.
“He was just an extraordinary musician and we were lucky to have him and I don’t think there will ever be another entertainer like him.
“We played together along the coast from Naviti to the Reef Hotel which is now the Outrigger and he played with Tui Ravai in a band called the “Freelancers”
“He moved on to Hawaii, then worked with George “Fiji” Veikoso and with a Tongan band called Kapena.
“And apart from guitar he played drums and was a very good drummer, with very itchy fingers and one of his most notable recordings was on Big Mountain’s hit, Kalapana Way.”
Makare vocalist and guitarist Simi Rova is one of the younger guitarists who features on the list and Serevi says he is one of the more exciting guitarists coming out of Fiji.
“We keep unveiling new talents and ideas from within Fiji and I think Simi fits the bill and he also is now recording from his own home studio as well.”
Bua native, the late Tavite Nawaqasema who worked with bands like the Crippled Serenaders as well Jese Mucunabitu is another familiar name on the list.
Serevi said Nawaqasema started off his career playing with acoustic bands before moving on to play at hotels in the West and at Southern Cross in Suva.
Maxie Columbus who was part of Maxie’s Mules, the champion of the first Battle of the Bands in 1972, is another nominee for the award.
“Maxie says he owes his guitar playing to a grog shop that was in Toorak called Popo’s,” Serevi shared.
“He said he used to go and sit there and listen to the group singing there — the Voqa kei Turaki. Maxie is also regarded as one of the fiercest rock guitarists to have emerged from our shores. and now calls the US home.”
The late Vili Tuilaucala, who played lead guitar for one of the best groups to ever come out of Fiji — the Freelancers — is also nominated.
“Vili started with a band called Five Cents and was brought up in Marks Lane.
“He played in the Suva club circuit and hooked up with Tui Ravai to form one of the best groups to ever come out of Fiji called “Freelancers” with Vili on guitar, Tui Ravai on keyboard, Paul Steven on drums Vili Waqa on bass and Sakiusa Bulicokocoko was on second guitar.
“They played in the top hotels and nightclubs, toured around the Pacific and Australia and Vili was also a session musician playing with a lot of artistes like Lela Seruvakula and Mela Dimuri.”
Serevi said Waisea Vatuwaqa, who used to be called the Guitar God, was a nominee who despite difficulties with his eyesight, excelled in music and guitar playing.
“I think that it is very important to note that he is the first person ever to program music locally, I think that should be remembered.
“Even with his eyesight I remember days when he would read out the manual and he would adjust the machine with his eyes closed.
Alibari Osea Tamanikau rounds off the list of nominees, and Serevi explained that he started off his music career with a band called Erections managed by the late Tony Stevens
Serevi said the judges for the award included head judge Inoke “Knox” Kalounisiga, Tom Mawi, Inside Out’s Apakuki Nalawa and Nemani Vanua.
