Phase VII

Phase 7 was the top Disco Band of the 1970’s.

The Birth of Phase VII

1975, the group “Breaking Point” had decided to disband, so, while one door closed another would open with thoughts already under way for another group. Van de Guzman and Hemingway Jasmin would go on to form Phase VII. The two would go out and start planning for how they wanted the band to sound, plans on setting out to complete the lineup, and see how they could create the ultimate “dream” band.  

Band Room Refuge


Clark Silva (12) and Jim Ng (14) would ask the music teacher Roy Shoji Yanagida (1938-2022) if they could hang out in the band room and they were both trumpet players at that time. This was at central intermediate school honolulu (Ke'elikōlani Middle School) where the kids were pretty rough and people were picking fights all the time, so the band room was a sort of refuge. 

The Deltones “Direct from Waikiki”

1971-1974, Willy Martin, Clark Silva, and Billy Hallam were part of the group “The Deltones” pre-Phase VII.

The Hawaiian Hut Spencecliff Stage

Hawaiian Hut (Spencecliff) was one of the premiere entertainment venues and getting there was no easy task as many bands would want to get on that stage. 

Phase VII landed their first gig as the “house band” at Spencecliff’s Hawaiian Hut.  They then became the house band at La Boom Boom’s (formerly Duke’s) in the International Market Place.  

“I remember saying to myself the first time I saw Phase VII at the Hawaiian Hut was "Wow!  I guess this is what an All-Star band sounds like!"  Three dynamic lead singers up front, plus the rest of the guys could sing lead as well and everyone was playing an instrument exceptionally well!  There was so much talent on stage it was almost unbelievable! Being a rookie band in Waikiki we were in awe!“ -Greenwood, Robin Kimura

The Waikiki Circuit

Infinity Disco was one of the places that Phase VII would be playing at and bring their own Phase VII fans with them. The Infinity Disco was known to cater to the "big time" mainland acts such as the Burgundy Express and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

The band would be back on the road from sun to snow to Fairbanks, Alaska.

Jazz Cellar, they moved on to the Jazz Cellar then traveled throughout the west coast starting in Spokane, Wa and ending in Canada.

Sting

Le Boom Boom

The Beachboy Hotel Recordings

1980, 

Windjammer Cruises



1985, Windjammer “A perfect evening in paradise” was the slogan as it would say that the night would be unforgettable and in the tropics. Windjammer cruises (2.5 sailing hours) were on “The Rella Mae” which could hold 1000 passengers on a dinner cruise ship and it would be ready to set sail with that many people during the Sunset Cruise at 5:15pm. It used to leave from pier 7 Aloha Tower and there would be two cruises a night where it would head off Waikiki Beach and near Diamond Head. There was a great sound set up from Michael Holland, there were bartenders on each level, and there were the Windjammer special drinks, or just an iced tea as that would be requested from some of the employees working in the evenings. Preparing for a nightly show with a band and dancers and other performers would be really hard as they tried to make the small show room into a Vegas like performance as the ship swayed.

In the dark of the night there were two mirror disco balls shining from what little light was around with blue gradients lighting the walls, until the colors would all turn to a hue of pinks and oranges like the sunset. Out would come the Tahitian dancers who would show that they have just left a port of paradise and the horns would come out the beautiful horns that introduce the act of the night. The lights go down to black and start to see silouettes of a hula dancer with Phase VII playing to show a mixture of local sounds and a show with a performance that was just as mesmerizing as the songs. 

They served the dinners on plates that have dividers for each food.

Phase VII and the Japan Fan Club

Reiko Ibano and Atsuko Ninomiya formed a Phase 7 fan club for fans of the Hawaii Local Band. The Fan club was able to meet the band and they treated them really nice and when they released their record the fan club promoted them in Japan and wrote a letter to play their songs at radio stations in Hawaii like KIKI radio. For people in Japan who wanted the release of their album to be released in Japan this was a big deal. Atsuko would publish the Band’s fan club newsletter and send them out from Japan. 

Ted Compehos (drummer), Les Fernandez, Hemi Jasmin (keyboardist), Eddie Ramirez (trumpet), Eric D. Kutzen, Van de Guzman, Sandy Pascual, Neal Dela Calzada 1986-1989, Gil Cabaccang (saxophone, vocals), 

Larrry Layman Jackson played with Phase VII for a bit and knew Neal Dela Calzada and Clark Silva to get in the group. He would also be playing in the music group “Together”.

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