Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 6, 1 June 1999 — POUND 4 POUND [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POUND 4 POUND

MORE MOLOKA'I talent beams brightly with the debut release of the self-titled "Pound 4 Pound," the quintet of John Pele, Shane Dudoit (producer), Jack Stone, Dani Reyes and Allin Dudoit. From reggae to Hawaiian, these boys show their aloha for music, 'ohana and their island home. "Aloha Ka 'imi" is a touching memoiial to the late Ka'imi Mamuad, a former group member, destribed as "a man of the Lord." Eddy Grant's "I Don 't Wanna Dance" is the danceable start-up for the project that includes originals by Allin and Shane Dudoit, whose inoa 'ohana (family name) is about as Moloka'i as it gets. Familiar Hawaiian oldies " Pelekāne ," recalling World War I, and "Manu 'Ō 'ō," alluding to lovers with forest bird

and lehua blossom metaphors, give the contemporary project a solid Hawaiian foundation. Guest artists include Nathan Aweau whose musical genius is wide-spread, Raymond Hiro, Henry Makua, Wendell Ching, Marvick Esquibil and 'Ānela Kahiamoe. Pound 4 Pound is the "100 percent Moloka'i grown" project of Big D Productions. ■

■John Pele, Dani Reyes, Jack Stone, Allin Dudoit and Shane Dudoit