Santana drops in on Maui show; mayor gets symphony gig

STAR WATCH: Actor Pierce Brosnan, aka James Bond, and his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, were a bit surprised to be greeted by a familiar face when they checked into the Halekulani hotel for some rest and recuperation. Janis Clapoff, new Halekulani g.m., is from Santa Barbara, Calif., where she was managing director of the iconic San Ysidro Ranch and g.m. of the Simpson House Inn, where many celebrities stayed. Brosnan thrilled the Halekulani staff, as well as guests dining at La Mer, with his gift of a watercolor of the Diamond Head landscape he painted from his suite. ...

That was singer Carlos Santana who brought about 10 people with him to experience the " 'Ulalena" production earlier this month on Maui. He made a quiet, quick exit to avoid a hubbub. ...

Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who has his own brand of soul and inspiration, opens up the Bill Medley Honolulu Symphony pops concerts Sept. 2 and 3 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. ...

Comedian Mel Cabang has far-reaching impact. Or so fellow stand-up Paul Ogata discovered during an NBC showcase in San Francisco. A Bay Area comic, Gregory Jones, told Ogata he was inspired to go into comedy when he was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in the late 1970s and early '80s. But he couldn't remember the fella's name, explaining to Ogata that he was a "heavy, bolo-head guy." When Ogata said, "Mel Cabang?" Jones' face lit up. "Yeah! Yeah! That's the guy. Tell him I said thanks." ...

Hawai'i filmmaker Albert Pyun will receive the Golden Unicorn Award at the Estepona Film Festival in Andalucia, Sept. 5-10. His "Inflection" film will be shown — a project shot at night in one single take and in real time. Pyun's films include "Mean Guns" and "The Sword and the Sorcerer." ...

datebook: A Summer Concert in the Park, from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Pflueger Honda, adjacent to the Gateway Park on Ala Moana, will feature "Hawai'i Stars" 2004 grand champion Siona Fruean, who will fly in from Kona to perform his newly recorded tunes "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Destiny." The show, presented by Pflueger and "Hawai'i Stars," will also feature Hawai'i Stars All Stars, a group of finalists from the 2003-04 season. There will be free Redondo hot dogs (while they last), inflatables for the keiki, and sign-ups for the next Great Aloha Run. "Hawai'i Stars" co-hosts Carole Kai and Kimo Kahoano will be there, of course. ...

Sherry Shaoling (formerly Sherry Chock Wong), who headlines The O Lounge's Wednesday Jazz Night with Noly Paa, will perform with pianist Barbara Chong Gossard in "From Baroque to Broadway and Beyond," 4 p.m. Sunday at Waiokeola Church. The free recital will include classics by Handel, Schubert, Hahn and Puccini, Hawaiian songs by Charles E. King, and Broadway favorites by Yeston, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Lloyd Webber. ...

Keola Beamer and R. Carlos Nakai, whose collaborative CD "Our Beloved Land" showcases Beamer's slack-key artistry and Nakai's flute specialty, will launch a tri-Island tour in October, performing at 8 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Performing Arts Center at Kaua'i Community College, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, and at 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at Kahilu Theatre at Kamuela, on the Big Island. Tickets are $35 ($30 in advance) for the first two dates, $30, $35 and $40 for the Big Island date. ...

Comedian Shawn Felipe will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 2 and 3 at the Yellow Brick Studio — in kind of an off-off-Broadway booking. Stan Egi is the opening act. The venue, at 625 Keawe St., normally is home to The Actors' Group. For reservations, call 722-6941. ...

Kelly "Boy" DeLima, the focal point of Kapena and a founding father of contemporary Island music, will showcase his 'ukulele mastery with daughter Kalena and son Kapena in weekly shows at the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Moana Surfrider hotels next month. The family act will be at the Royal's Mai Tai Bar from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 6, 11, 13, 18, 20 and 27, and at the Moana's Veranda from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 12 and 26. ...

AROUND TOWN: You can send a get-well note or card to Don Ho at P.O. Box 90039, Honolulu, HI 96835; he's recovering at home from heart-related problems. ...

ArtafterDark, tomorrow evening at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, will take on a salsa theme, with Kellie Harris and her Compadres crew serving a menu that includes Cubano quesadillas, Fidel's cocktel de camarones (a shrimp cocktail in a wine glass) and plantation-style pulled-pork tacos with grilled pineapple salsa. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.