Waitiki

Our Mission WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL LLC is a Boston-based collective that promotes the revitalization of mid-century ‘tiki’ pop culture and the preservation/resurgence of exotica music. Our artists are the highest-quality professionals—including our award-winning, and critically-acclaimed flagship ensemble, The WAITIKI 7. Through its support for live exotica music, master mixologists of tiki cocktails, tiki artwork, and other tiki collectibles, WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL is helping to define 21st century tiki. Company History Started on a whim in 2003 by Randy Wong and Abe Lagrimas Jr., WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL’s focus has always been on live exotica music, and its initial musical incarnations have garnered praise and critical acclaim throughout the world. In 2005, the quartet headlined the Hawai’i International Jazz Festival, performing a musical farewell to the late Martin Denny, father of the Exotica genre. Later that same year, the group made its debut at The Hukilau Festival in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where they performed at the legendary Mai-Kai Restaurant and alongside Robert Drasnin (composer/bandleader of the hit album Voodoo!). In 2006, the group became known in Mexico when its side project, the 20-piece WAITIKI “Orchestrotica” performed original big band arrangements inspired by Juan Garcia Esquivel at Mexico City’s Festival de Mexico, an annual international event that celebrates Mexican culture and the arts. Two groups organized by WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL have won Hawaii Music Awards. The original WAITIKI quartet won Hawaii Music Awards for its albums, “Charred Mammal Flesh: Exotic Music for BBQ”, and “Rendezvous in Okonkuluku” (respectively). The group’s first win (in 2007) was a dual honor, in that the category (Exotica Album of the Year) was created for WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL, in recognition of its efforts for bringing exotic tiki music back to popularity. WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL’s CEO and Music Director Randy Wong also received a nomination in the 2007 Ontario Independent Music Awards (Canada) for “Best USA Song” for his exotica composition “Cave of Uldo”. In addition to its exotic music, WAITIKI INTERNATIONAL is also known for its original drink menu; a collection of ‘mid-century-esque’ Polynesian cocktails crafted especially for the band by some of the world’s best known mixologists: including the Okonkulukooler by Jeff “Beach Bum” Berry, the Maharaja’s Revenge by Brother Cleve (of Combustible Edison), and the Wai Niu by Kern Mattei (GM of the Mai Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, FL).