Spotlight ON! Hideki Hattori

November 15, 2021 • Addison Ching • Entertainment

This month we shine the Spotlight ON! Hideki Hattori.

Hideki Hattori is an accomplished Hawaiian steel guitar player who comes from a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. He and his musician group first appeared at the 2018 Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows (now the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection) Open Stage, showing his skill as a steel guitar player.

In the late 1970s, he became familiar with and was impressed by the music of Gabby Pahinui and Atta Isaacs on Ry Cooder's album, "Chicken Skin Music." His interest in Hawaiian music expanded when he began listening to albums by the Gabby (Pahinui) Band. "They are my first experience in Da Kine music," says Hideki.

He took up the slack key and Hawaiian steel guitars in the 1990s. He first started with a Weissenborn acoustic steel guitar, playing in early-age Hawaiian style. He now plays primarily in the C6 tuning. His favorite Hawaiian steel guitar players are Gabby Pahinui and David "Feet" Rogers.

"I have fortunately learned from two Na Hoku award winning guitarists, Yuki 'Alani' Yamaguchi in Japan and Bobby Ingano in Hawai‘i," says Hideki.

In addition to the Hawai‘i music festivals, Hideki has also played many festivals in Japan, mostly around the Kanagawa area. He plays with various musicians in the area, and his music embraces the Hawaiian, Western Swing, and Rock genres. He is currently studying self-recording at home and plans to release a CD in the near future.

Hideki comments, "I appreciate to Alan Akaka, Addison Ching and other staff of HIMELE for your passion and contribution to the preserving and promoting Hawaiian steel guitar and Hawaiian music."

This video is of a performance by Hideki doing "Twilight in Hawai‘i". This video was also featured in a recent Hawaiian Steel Guitar Open Stage Showcase.

The video can also be seen on YouTube.

This feature is a snapshot of the complete tribute that is posted on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase website. See the complete tribute here.