Rum purveyor and exotic cocktail expert Martin Cate talks about the exotic soundtrack that plays every night at his world-class Tiki bar in San Francisco, Smuggler’s Cove.



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So, if you haven’t noticed, Tiki is having a major rennaissance all across the US, and it’s due in no small part to Martin Cate’s elevation and dedication to the form. As he likes to put it, “Tiki is a multidisciplinary genre. It’s not just about the cocktails, it’s about creating an atmosphere. All of the elements need to come together seamlessly, and when something is missing or discordant, it takes you out of the experience.”

And central to this experience in any Tiki bar worth its salt is the music. As he writes in his award-winning Smuggler’s Cove book, along with exotica and other lounge music, the Tiki sound incorporates hapa haole, which is traditional Hawaiian music with lyrics sung in English, as well as the sounds of surf music. As Martin will explain in this episode, these sounds were actually countercultural to the greatest generation that made Tiki explode in its first wave of popularity back in the 1960s.

Be sure to visit one of his bars next time you find yourself in San Francisco (Smuggler’s Cove, owner), Portland (Hale Pele, co-owner), San Diego (False Idol, co-owner), or Chicago (Lost Lake, partner).

Martin’s Shift List

Ixtahuele – “Colors of Hawaii”

John Kameaaloha Almeida – “Lei Hinahina”

Les Baxter – “Quiet Village”

Martin Denny – “Quiet Village”

Toots & The Maytals – “Sweet and Dandy”

Harry Belafonte – “Matilda”

João Gilberto – “‘S Wonderful”

The Ventures – “Diamonds”

Sweet Hollywaiians – “Hula Girl”

The Tikiyaki Orchestra – “Theme For Jetsetters”

The Evil Genius Orchestra – “The Imperial March”

Johnny Aloha – “Gangsta’s Paradise”

Glenn Frey – “Smuggler’s Blues”

The Crazed Mugs – “Smuggler’s Cove”