Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 4, 1 April 2005 — No shortage of good Hawaiian music releases [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

No shortage of good Hawaiian music releases

Four albums are among plentiful recent releases By Manu Boyd On the heels of Grammy excitement with this year's first-time inclusion of a Hawaiian category, and with our own Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards on the horizon, scores of new recordings have been produced in Hawai'i over the past several months, representing a broad range of tastes. Here is a sampling of four recent CD releases that all include brand-new compositions in 'ōlelo Hawai'i, contemporary island fare, as well as old favorites. Owana Salazar: Hula Jazz In a word, Owana Ka'ōhelelani Salazar's vocal performances seem "effortless." Her clear soprano easily nails every note with jazz flair and attention to puana 'ōlelo, Hawaiian enuneiahon. And to further accentuate her already gorgeous vocals, Salazar assembled a "who's who" of fine jazz musicians including pianist Kit Ebersbach, bassist Steve Jones, Noel Okimoto on drums and vibes, and a quartet of

steel guitarists that, together with Salazar, includes Alan Akaka, Casey 01sen and Greg Sardinha. Every cut on Hula Jazz is well-

produced. A stand-out is Charles E. King's Lei Lokelani, a tribute to the Maui rose that also hails "the bay s of Pi'ilani" and Haleakalā, ancient home to many of Salazar's kūpuna ali'i. Moaniani is a new mele for Waipi'o, Hawai'i, penned by Punahele Andrade, and the title cut, Hula Jazz, is fun, a little kolohe, and reflective of its talented composer/performer. Kimo Alama Keaulana and Lei Hulu: Hula Lives 01d-style kani ka pila and a well-chosen mix of old and new mele (mostly old) are featured on Kimo Alama Keaulana's CD that presents "Hawaiian music as it was meant to be heard." Lei Hulu is Keaulana's band that includes Unele Joe Keaulana, longtime bassist and vocalist, who very recently passed away. Aloha nō to the 'ohana and to Lei Hulu. Pahukoa Morse, Lanihuli Lee, Kilakila Ozawa and Dougie Keaulana round out the

group. What stands out on this CD is not just the song selection but the eomposers whose , mele are fea- ' tured: Johnny

K. Almeida, Mary Kawena Pūku'i, Maddy Lam, Lena Machado, Bill Ali'iloa Lineoln and Andy Cummings. Keaulana's own eomposition, Kinoiki Kekaulike, pays tribute to Abigail Kawānanakoa "and all of the good works that she has quietly but

generously performed." 'A'a i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale! Kawaikapuokalani Hewett: Ula Kau Undoubtedly one of the most prolific composers of our time, Kumu Hula Lrank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett presents many of his own mele previously recorded by others. Ulu Kau, alluding to inspiration, presents Ka Pilina that Sean Na'auao also recorded years ago in award-winning fonn; Poli'ahu, recalling the snow goddess of Mauna Kea and her unrequited relationship with the Kaua'i prince 'Aiwohikūpua, originally recorded by Hewett's cousin, Teresa Naniali'i Bright; and Hōpoe, the haunting, bittersweet love song recounting the demise of Hi'iaka's intimate eompanion, first perfonned by Loyal Garner and her nieee, Pi'ilaniwahine Smith, at the frrst World Invitational Hula Lestival. New mele by Hewett including Sakura, whieh hepenned for his mo'opuna who is part Japanese. Hewett cleverly weaves 'ōlelo

Hawai'i with Nihongo

(Japanese language) in typical, catchy Kawaikapu style. Pō Puna i ke 'AIa o ka Maile

weaves all of the different fonns of maile found in f Hawai'i'sforests into a beautiful mele lei, also for his mo'opuna. Hewett's fascination

with divine figures in our lore have brought to life for new generations the mo'olelo that onee delighted our kupuna. Pali: In Harrnony In Harmony, a product of the six-member, Maui-based band, is one of last year's best recordings, in that it presents new mele well and breathes new life into classics using rich hannony and solid musical anangements. Aunty Genoa Keawe joins the boys in Pauoa Liko ka Lehua. Jay Kauka and his son perfonn his own composition, Haleakalā, originally recorded by The Caz in the mid-1980s. Island Days gets a lot of radio play and has a really niee feel. Lē'ahi and Jungle Rain are presented in old-school hannony, the perfonnances are fresh and palatable for the younger set not necessarily familiar with the likes of Buddy Lo and the Invitations. Pali members are Pali Ka'aihue, Shepherd Kawakami, Dwayne Keomaka, John Tanner, Rory Lono and Mark Kawakami.

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Mfi f 'Aii ana