Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1990 — Hoʻokena releases CD album [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hoʻokena releases CD album

Ho'okena, one of Hawaii's most recent recording groups will release their popular "Thirst Quencher" recording in CD this month. "Thirst Quencher" has been on KCCN's top-ten list since its premier in July.

"What makes 'Thirst Quencher' unique is we've committed ourselves to performing only Hawaiian music," says Manu Boyd, group leader. "We enjoy all kinds of music, but . . . many people, and many Hawaiians, are identifying first with music from other cultures ranging from Jamaican to blackAmerican . . . We feel that if we strive to better our performance of Hawaiian music by understanding our own native language and applying interesting interpretive arrangements, then maybe more people, especially in our generation, will eome to appreciate and identify first with Hawaii's own music."

Ho'okena's five members include William Aarona, Manu Boyd, Horace Dudoit III, Gregson "Bozo" Hanohano and Glen Smith. Nani Dudoit, lead dancer with Leina'ala Kalama Heine's Na Pualei O Likolehua, is the featured solo dancer.

Ho okena has been performing regularly since their album release and performed for President Bush during his Island visit. This month Ho'okena will be performing Saturday evenings at the Sheraton Moana Hotel's Banyan Court from 6-9 p.m. Plans are now being developed for the group's second recording project whieh will include a mix of a new Hawaiian songs as well as some well-loved classics. "Our focus on this one will again be the beauty of Hawaiian poetry, our language, our music and all the good things Hawai'i has for us all to love and enjoy," Boyd said.

Ho'okena (left to right): Manu Boyd, Horace Dudoit, Gregson "Bozo" Hanohano, Glen Smith, William Aarona.