It was slack key heaven this time around! Another new release from
Dancing Cat (stand up and cheer for a label that's been a long-time
friend of Hawaiian music) and one more from a newcomer to the Hawaiian
music scene. Check out the new recordings below!
Ah, spring! Hawaii music really starts to bud out. Check out the
stellar lineup at the Kona Bankoh Ki Ho'alu (slack key festival) this
month. Don't worry, Maui, O'ahu, and Kauai -- your turns will come!
| Recordings
 Sonny Chillingworth, Endlessly (Dancing Cat Records
08022-38027-2) This is the late Sonny Chillingworth's second CD for
Dancing Cat. I must make a confession up front: I am a *big* Sonny
Chillingworth fan. I love his clean, sweet, totally natural ki ho'alu
style, and I'm nuts about his wildly romatic vocal style. Listening to
Chillingworth fan. I love his clean, sweet, totally natural ki ho'alu
style, and I'm nuts about his wildly romatic vocal style. Listening to
this CD brought tears to my eyes, it was so ... Sonny. Sonny, Gabby
Pahinui, Atta Isaacs, and Leonard Kwan are frequently cited as the most
influential of the slack key masters. Sonny clearly had his pupils who
followed on in his style, but his music, like the man, is unique.
Those of you familiar with Sonny's work are probably already halfway
out the door to Tower or Borders, or clicking on your bookmark/favorite
files to the Hawaiian Music Island or other fine internet music vendor
to pick this one up; those of you who aren't but are ki ho'alu fans,
will find this a rare treat.
Songs include: "Moana Chimes/Pa'ahana" (instrumental), "Ipo Lei Manu"
(vocal), "Slack Key #1," "Slack Key #2," "Hula Blues" (instrumental),
"Hilo Hanakahi" (vocal), and "Liloa's Mele" (instrumental).
 Jim West, Coconut Hat (Westernmost Records WMR 30001-2)
I like slack key (have I mentioned that before? [g]). I wasn't sure
what to predict from this CD, subtitled "Slack Key Instrumentals
Inspired by Maui's Beautiful Hana Coast," yet recorded in California.
I decided to suspend judgment and just play it through. I found it
clean, well-handled, refreshingly bubbly, a touch contemporary, but
well versed in classic ki ho'alu. I thought it would suffer in
comparison to Sonny's, but it doesn't; it's just a more contemporary
chapter in a book of many pages. I recommend it. Songs include:
"Koali" (my favorite -- quite well done), "Isa Lei," "Holoholo Helen
Style," "Paliku," "Kai Moku," and "Ulupalakua Sunset."
See you in mid-April- a hui hou!
--Susan
susanj@lava.net
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keola@nahenahe.net