White Light



White Light is a funk, disco, rock band that was a stage-group that formed on Oahu in Hawaii and the school of Roosevelt really pumped out a lot of rock bands in the day. All the stuff they were doing was all natural for the enjoyment of the music and growing up on the islands there was this feeling that was mutual about the music and that would have them starting a band back in Highschool. 

The group was formed in 1971 where they would play and were part of the Roosevelt Stage Band and Concert Band and were a pretty tight band where they would start having people asking who's that and it was the start of getting recognized by the music they played. All the time they would be playing and that music was funky music and rock with some of those being: Tower of Power, Cold Blood, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Chicago, and Earth, Wind and Fire.

The group played together to explore all sorts of genres to search for their sound and start the gears going for being in that sort of music mood and feel the music. This would be when the group would be playing at other high schools and dances and this would be one after another all lined up and this kept on going and going. There of course there was time to just chill after rehearsals, there would be the times when the group would talk story and there was a particular evening where the group wanted to figure out a name for the band, so the group started thinking. Gazing up at the stars the guys had their creative juices going on and their thoughts just kept on thinking words and the songs and the notes. Guitarist George Mosier was working on some new licks from the song Stairway to Heaven and the group decided to check the lyrics to see if they could get some ideas from it and garner some inspiration from the way the song was made or even just from the sound of it. They came to the bridge of the song, Arex Ikehara spotted the line “who shines White Light on ones that show” and that was it. The group knew when they saw it that the name that they would decide on would have to be “White Light”.

Don Tsuha (trumpet), Sherman Kang (sax), and Clarence Lau (trombone) filled the brass section with Gerald Tomosawa doubling on trumpet and drums. Layne Maeoka was the primary drummer who played everything else. With Arex on bass, Daniel Kurose and George on guitar, Larry Isobe on keyboards and Howard Nakata on vocals, this band was sure to erupt.

The Magic Mushroom in the Gold Bond building.

Tiki Broiler (Spencecliff), they were the headliner and “The Dimensions” would be there too.

Joy Waikoloa - vocals

Don Tsuha - trumpet

Sherman Kang - saxophone

Clarence Lau - trombone

Gerald Tomosawa - trumpet and drums

Layne Maeoka - drums

Arex Ikehara - bass guitar

Daniel Kurose - guitar

George Mosier - guitar

Larry Isobe - keyboards

Howard Nakata - vocals

Tommy Kamisato - trumpet

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