Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1990 — Kahale Music is NHRLF success story [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kahale Music is NHRLF success story

By Deborah L. Ward In the fast-moving business of Hawaiian contemporary music, Kahale Music, owned and operated by John Kahale Chang, is poised to heeome a leading producer and promoter for Hawaiian entertainers. With a loan from OHA's Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund, Chang was able to launeh his Kahale Music record label in October 1989. His solid experience in the business of music, particularly in studio engineering and working with musicians and singers, gave him the needed edge to generate an amazing 12 albums in a year. Chang is the first entrepreneur recipient of a NHRLF loan to completely pay off -his loan within the unheard of time of 11 months. Since Kahale Music launched its music label producing albums only a year ago, it is showing strong potential, says president John Chang. Its latest album featuring the group Hoaikane is still number one and two on loeal music charts after two months. In rapid succession, Kahale Music has brought out cassette and compact disc (CD) albums featuring: Nalu (a new album is due out this month), Ledward Kaapana and Ikona ("Still Fressin"), Sugar Sugar, a new group from Hilo; Na Wai Ho'olu'u o Ke Anuenue (four Kamehameha Schools female graduates who recently took third plaee in the Brown BagstoStardomcompetition); Na Pili Mai, a group from Moloka'i; and Na Hokupa, who recently played at Sea Life Park. Kahale Music has also brought out Tony Conjugacion's "Koni Piha," and albums by Pueo, featuring Maui's Kawika Gaspero, and the latest from Mattaio. All albums are available at music stores throughout Hawai'i. Chang sees his strength in being able to see trends, recognize and promote new talent, and to know how to move quickly to seize market niches in Hawaiian music. As president of Kahale Music, his goal is to develop his label to become a recognized, positive image in the state. Yet he is also thinking beyond the state as well. Three of his albums were picked up by a major Japanese record company for exclusive sale in Japan where there is a good market for Hawaiian steel guitar, traditional and contemporary music. This opens the door to promoting those groups in Japan, he said. He hopes to branch out soon to the West Coast

and other mainland markets where Hawaiians live. Chang also arranges loeal engagements for the groups and individuals he represents, and has developed a line of promotional T-shirts. Kahale Music was founded in 1988 as a music production company by Chang, a Kamehameha Schools 1969 graduate, and his wife, Dd (pronounced "dee dee"), the former Cynthia Gee of Pacifica, Calif.Their goal was to develop the careers of young artists. While he plays left-handed guitar for his own enjoyment. Chang's cntree into the music business began in 1978, when as a journeyman carpenter on disability leave for a work injury, he saw a poster at the University of Hawai'i and decided to look into work as a recording engineer. He hung around at loeal recording studios and got his first ehanee for training with entertainer A1 Harrington's studio. From engineer he was promoted to head engineer, and later managed the

studio. In the commercial recording studio he engineered records and did TV and radio commercials. Several years later Chang opened his recording studio, with support and equipment from A1 Harrington. He has won five engineering awards from the Na Hoku Hanohano recognition awards ceremony and still engineers albums occasionally. While acknowledging that the music business in Hawaii ean be a "feast or famine" proposition, Chang is upbeat about the widespread appeal eontemporary Hawaiian music ean have. And why not, since today it is a blending of anything from traditional Hawaiian music with pop instruments and a new beat, to reggae, country and jazz. In true Hawaiian style Kahale Music also gets Chang's family into the act. As vice-president, wife Dd handles coordination and communication with recording artists and accounting and inventory. Their children pitch in to package theirtrademark wraparound labels for cassette and CD albums.

John Chang (center) of Kahale Music shares new music cassettes with NHRLF loan officer Ken Sato (left) and manager Chester Cabral.