Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 3, 1 April 2002 — Na ʻŌiwi's is a living legacy of music and composition [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Na ʻŌiwi's is a living legacy of music and composition

By Manu Boyd Jon Yamasato, abright, young recording artist formerly of Pure Heart, was just trying to help, "We were on Maui playing when I ran into David Kamakahi who was performmg at the same gig with his dad, Their bass player didn't show, so I offered my services if they ever needed me," he explained, Meanwhile, back on O'ahu, Sunday afternoon jam sessions at Shipley's in Mānoa were bringing together the likes of Mike Ka'awa, Oeean Ka'owili and the Kamakahis in what some described as old-style, backyard parties, Yamasato joined in from time to time, ,And so, Nā 'Ōiwi - a somewhat unorthodox mix, based on generational differences, evolved, With seasoned musician Mike Ka'awa and unparalleled composer Dennis Kamakahi joining the younger set of Yamasato of mega-Pure Heart fame and David Kamakahi described as an 'ukulele virtuoso who learned from "unele" Eddie Kamae, they've got a good thing going.

"īn 'The Sequel ,' we had a ehanee to go back to our roots, This follow-up project was really easy because we've performed together a lot since the first CD, and wanted to do songs that our audi-

ences really liked," said Yamasato, whose performance of Kamakahi's "Pretty Brown Eyes" on their debut CD was a huge hit based on airplay and sales, "I didn't know Dennis when Pure Heart recorded his 'Kōke'e,' but we really liked the song, īt was his idea to rerecord it on ' The Sequel ,' On the day of the recording, he said, 'you're doing it,' and I

did, "Dennis is my favorite Hawaiian composer, Sam Li'a was his," he said, of the Waipi'o valley legendary composer, Sam Li'a Kalainaina Jr, Kamakahi pays homage to Li'a in " Hāmākua " recalling the story of Li'a's marriage at age 30

to Sara, then only 16, They rode on horseback from Hāmākua to Waimea where Li'a's good friend and classmate from Lāhainaluna was district judge, Despite gossip described as icy rain

and chattering birds, Li'a makes his plea that he not be forgotten and that Sara's response would ultimately be, "I do," And she, referred to in thesong as "Ku'upualeihinahina," did, uKa Beauty o Hālawa ," written and performed by Yamasato, is an old-style mele pana inspired during a grant-funded trip to east Moloka'i with Dennis in a song writing apprenticeship program, īn mueh the same way that Kamakahi does,

Yamasato perpetuates some less-known plaee nam.es such as Honoulimalo'o and Keōpukaloa - the job of a haku mele, See NĀ 'Ōiwi on page 14

Mfi f 'Am ana