Johnny Noble
Encyclopedia
John Avery Noble better known as Johnny Noble, was an American
musician
, composer
and arranger
. He was one of the key figures behind the development of the hapa haole style of music in Honolulu, and played a leading role in introducing Hawaiian music to the United States.
on September 17, 1892. He was exposed to music from an early age, listening to band concerts on Sunday afternoons in Kapiolani Park
, and traditional singing in local churches. He attended Kaiulani School, and in his spare time sold newspapers on the streets of Honolulu and entertained passers-by by whistling popular tunes. His high school education was at Saint Louis School
, where he learned to play drums, piano and guitar. He graduated from school in 1911 and went to work at the Mutual Telephone Company in Honolulu, where he continued working long after he became a successful musician.
who was musical director at many Honolulu hotels. Noble worked part-time as a drummer at several theaters before meeting Sonny Cunha, a well known Honolulu musician. Cunha was born in 1879, also in Honolulu, and developed the hapa haole (half-Hawaiian) sound in 1900 by mixing traditional Hawaiian music and American ragtime
. In 1918 Noble became a member of Cunha's band playing drums and xylophone, and soon was well acquainted with the hapa haole. Cunha was Noble's mentor and, among other things, taught Noble composition. Noble adopted Cunha's music to blend jazz and blues with Hawaiian music to produce a new style of hapa haole. While conservatives complained that this new music "degrad[ed] and commercializ[ed]" traditional Hawaiian music, it was very popular with audiences in Honolulu.
Noble went on to become an arranger and a band leader. In 1920 he led Honolulu's Moana Hotel
orchestra, introducing his new music to the band's repertoire. He later ended up supervising most of Honolulu's hotels and country club entertainment. In 1924 Noble was chosen as Hawaii's delegate at a Music Trade Convention in San Francisco, where he took the opportunity to look for new ideas to incorporate in his music. Over the next few years Noble and his band publicized Hawaiian music by means of recordings, radio broadcasts, performances on cruise ships and tours of mainland America. Nobel played a leading role in introducing and popularizing Hawaiian music in the United States.
Noble composed a number of hapa haole tunes, including "My Little Grass Shack
", "King Kamehameha" and "Hula Blues". He also popularized the traditional "Hawaiian War Chant
" song. Noble published hundreds of traditional Hawaiian songs in their original form, and reworked many to "Western scale and contemporary instrumentation". He made over a 100 recordings, which included 110 songs for Brunswick Records
.
Noble died at the age of 51 in Honolulu on January 13, 1944, and is buried in Oahu Cemetery
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
. He was one of the key figures behind the development of the hapa haole style of music in Honolulu, and played a leading role in introducing Hawaiian music to the United States.
Early life
Johnny Noble was born in Honolulu, HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on September 17, 1892. He was exposed to music from an early age, listening to band concerts on Sunday afternoons in Kapiolani Park
Kapiolani Park
Kapiolani Regional Park is the largest and oldest public park in Hawaii, located in Honolulu, Hawaii on the east end of Waikīkī just beyond Kuhio Beach Park and the Waikiki residential neighborhood...
, and traditional singing in local churches. He attended Kaiulani School, and in his spare time sold newspapers on the streets of Honolulu and entertained passers-by by whistling popular tunes. His high school education was at Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
, where he learned to play drums, piano and guitar. He graduated from school in 1911 and went to work at the Mutual Telephone Company in Honolulu, where he continued working long after he became a successful musician.
Career
In 1917, Noble was hired by Ernest Ka'aiErnest Ka'ai
Ernest Kaai was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was considered by many to have been the foremost ukulele authority of his time, cited by some as being "Hawaii's Greatest Ukulele Player". Kaai was said to have been the first musician to play a complete melody with chords.-Career:A musical director at...
who was musical director at many Honolulu hotels. Noble worked part-time as a drummer at several theaters before meeting Sonny Cunha, a well known Honolulu musician. Cunha was born in 1879, also in Honolulu, and developed the hapa haole (half-Hawaiian) sound in 1900 by mixing traditional Hawaiian music and American ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
. In 1918 Noble became a member of Cunha's band playing drums and xylophone, and soon was well acquainted with the hapa haole. Cunha was Noble's mentor and, among other things, taught Noble composition. Noble adopted Cunha's music to blend jazz and blues with Hawaiian music to produce a new style of hapa haole. While conservatives complained that this new music "degrad[ed] and commercializ[ed]" traditional Hawaiian music, it was very popular with audiences in Honolulu.
Noble went on to become an arranger and a band leader. In 1920 he led Honolulu's Moana Hotel
Moana Hotel
The Moana Hotel, also known as the First Lady of Waikīkī, is a famous historic hotel on the island of Oahu, located at 2365 Kalākaua Avenue in Honolulu, Hawaii. Built in the late 19th century as the first hotel in Waikiki, the Moana opened its doors to guests in 1901, becoming the first large hotel...
orchestra, introducing his new music to the band's repertoire. He later ended up supervising most of Honolulu's hotels and country club entertainment. In 1924 Noble was chosen as Hawaii's delegate at a Music Trade Convention in San Francisco, where he took the opportunity to look for new ideas to incorporate in his music. Over the next few years Noble and his band publicized Hawaiian music by means of recordings, radio broadcasts, performances on cruise ships and tours of mainland America. Nobel played a leading role in introducing and popularizing Hawaiian music in the United States.
Noble composed a number of hapa haole tunes, including "My Little Grass Shack
My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii
My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii was a popular song written for the July 4th canoe races in Kona in 1933. Tommy Harrison gave the song to Johnny Noble to publish, who revised the music to give it a new melody without changing Bill Cogswell's words. Once published, the song became a major...
", "King Kamehameha" and "Hula Blues". He also popularized the traditional "Hawaiian War Chant
Hawaiian War Chant
"Hawaiian War Chant" was an American popular song whose original melody and lyrics were written in the 1860s by Prince Leleiohoku. The original title of the song was Kaua I Ka Huahua`i or "We Two in the Spray." It was not written as a chant, and the Hawaiian lyrics describe a clandestine meeting...
" song. Noble published hundreds of traditional Hawaiian songs in their original form, and reworked many to "Western scale and contemporary instrumentation". He made over a 100 recordings, which included 110 songs for Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
.
Legacy and death
In 1935 Nobel was inducted into the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the first Hawaiian composer to receive this honor. To mark the 25th anniversary of his musical career, Honolulu officially declared April 23, 1938 "Johnny Noble Day".Noble died at the age of 51 in Honolulu on January 13, 1944, and is buried in Oahu Cemetery
Oahu Cemetery
The Oahu Cemetery is the resting place of many notable early residents of the Honolulu area. They range from missionaries and politicians to sports pioneers and philosophers. Over time it was expanded to become an area known as the Nuuanu Cemetery....
.