Found Sounds 16: Joel Katz, steel guitar

One of the pleasures of my retirement job as Social Media Director (as of last month, I have a title) of Kamaaina Loan is listening to Joel Katz play during our webcast of Wailuku First Friday each month.

Katz usually sets up outside Old Wailuku Grill, just a few doors down from where Jason Schwartz and I interview passers-by and tell dog-walks-into-a-bar jokes (www.wailukucam.com, from around 5-7:30 p.m. first Fridays).

But until last night, I hadn't had a chance to walk down and speak to Katz. I bought his album, "Hawaiian Steel Guitar: Hawaiian to Jazz" (www.joelkatzmaui.com).

From the liner notes, I discover why I have always liked steel guitar so much:

I was drawn to the steel guitar by its versatility in articulation, pitch, and tonal color -- second only to the human voice.

I didn't know that.