Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 9, 1 September 1999 — a contemporary native expression [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

a contemporary native expression

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KEOLA AKANA'S ' H A S O U L '

By Manu Boyd IN A well-attended reception at Aloha Tower's Pier Bar, a lei-decked Keola Akana thanked his friends and family for their support. Relieved of the stress that producing an alhum ean bring on, the 29-year-old performer brimmed with excitement over his soulful solo release. "Hawaiian SouF ' represents a kind of

crossroad in Keola Akana's musical career that has been nurtured over years by strong family influences. Formerly with "Cool Reign ," Akana already had a Christmas hit, " December Tears" that tumed on many an ear to his smooth vocal style. "GiveMe YourLove Tonight," an earlier eomposition, was another milestone in his development. But for a young loeal guy branching out as a solo artist, the "little fish, big oeean" syndrome is a stark reality. "It's difficult for debuting artists to get a lot of air play these days because the

industry is inundated with new product, but I've been fortunate with the support of KINE whieh promotes Hawaiian contemporary music," Akana said. "It's so easy to record now with upgraded technology, that artists with virtually no public experienee are heard on the radio before they're ever heard live." Early musical training as a member of the Honolulu Boy Choir proved invaluable to Akana's development. "I learned a lot belonging to the boy choir, especially about pitch" he explains. "Jeff Rassmussen and Sean Na'auao were older members in the choir, and were really strong singers. I used to work extra hard to memorize my music in case the director

called on me." Akana's roots are in 0'ahu's Pauoa Valley where the Akaka and Akana famihes established close ties with Kawaiaha'o Church. His grand-uncle, the late Kahu Abraham Akaka, lead that congregation with a blend of Christian and Hawaiian values for decades. "Our family is very spiritual, and has always been close to the church," said Akana, now a member of Kealaokamālamalama Church in

Pūowaina. Keola's greatgranduncle was Rev. Akaiko Akana, former pastor of Kawaiaha'o and a profound philosopher, whose writings on "race consciousness" in his " Ught Upon the Misf' have had deep impact. "He was a great writer, and was really ahead of his time," remarked Akana. "He expounded on the revival of the Hawaiian social and spiritual consciousness more than 70 years ago." With a bachelor's degree in Hawaiian studies under his belt, Akana composes with renewed purpose. "I was really changed by

what I learned at the Center for Hawaiian Studies. My fiiends and I would talk a lot about issues facing our people. The plebescite / Hawaiian vote was so confusing, that it got me thinking and writing. When I wrote ' Native ldentity' the CD's first track, I was really expressing my own identity as a Hawaiian." Akana co-composed "Aia i ka Poli o Pauoa" with UH language instructor Laiana Wong, and dedicated it to his grandmother, the late Annie Lilelileonālani Akaka Akana, who was a major influence on his life. "When my family moved away from Pauoa, I stayed with my grandma," he recalls. "She was a great piano player and songwriter, and

would scribble lyrics that eame to mind, no matter where she was. Later, she would teach me the harmony, usually the soprano part, so she could develop the melody." You could define Akana's style as a blend of soul, R«feB and Hawaiian contemporary. He counts The Brothers Cazimero, Kalapana, Baby Face and Stevie Wonder as strong influences. His song writing ability is apdy displayed throughout the CD, except for the Hall and

Oates' cover tune "Sarah Smile," whieh he easily per- J

forms as " 'Ānela Smile," for his sister. "Don'tLetGo t ofTomorrow," J

inspired by a poignant monologue by Israel Kamakawiwo ' ole ( at the Hōkū

Awards, carries a message of Hawaiian solidarity and urges ii.y aiiu vuguo

good choices in life. Is it possible

for a songwriter to hav( a favorite among the dozen offerings? It's

hard to say, but Akana seems to favor "The Empress /

and the Butterfly" that he Ā

describes as "mystic, new-age and dark." "Caught between the misty light of Venus and Neptune, thmugh the haze of scattered clouds darkened purple, gray and blue, she dances in the night like the passing ofa breeze. He takes his song to flight, that whispers gentle thmugh the trees, two lovers that wander the night, the empress and the butterfly. There's a sudden rush in his heart that he tries hard to eonlain, like a well that's filling upfmm the pounding ofthe rain. She gazes

thmugh his soul like waterflowing over k sand, he serenades with music only she ean understand. Two lovers that

,wander the night, the empress and i the buttetfly." I In a "perfect world," the full-time f social services worker / part-time • ♦ 1 J <4 _ I

nusician would "go back to school and study music, work more in the lo'i kalo (taro patch) to connect with my heritage and eat BuW lots of fish laulau fiom

Young's Market. But most of all, I'd say 1 mahalo nui to the many people

who have helped me ^ growoverthe

years. I am humbled by l your generI oussupI port." ■

"It's difficult for debuting artists to get a lot of air play these days because the industry is inundated with new product, but I've been fortunate with the support of KINE" — Keola Akana

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