Aloha mai!I'm often asked where folks outside of Hawaii can buy Hawaiian music. If you can't make it here to hear some of our beautiful Hawaiian music in person, a great source of Hawaiian music on the web can be found at the Hawaiian Music Island, www.mele.com. Auntiy Maria provides fast, friendly reliable service, and in many cases she is able to sell her CDs at far less than other sites on the web, such as amazon.com. I was breezing through amazon.com, pleased to see that they were finally carrying Hawaiian music, but appalled at some of the prices. Kekuhi Kanahele's Hoku-award-winning CD, Kekuhi, was selling at amazon for $22.99. when it's $12 at the Hawaiian Music Island. Keali'i Reichel's Kawaipunahele was $14.39 at amazon, and only $12 at the Hawaiian Music Island. Hapa's Namahana was cheaper at amazon -- by one cent. [g] Some times it pays to shop the little guys, folks ....
Keola Beamer, his wife Moana and mother Nona will appear on KHET's Na Mele on Wednesday, August 18 at 7:30 and replayed on Sunday, August 22 at 10PM.This 'n' that ... Matt Swalinkavitch, the Ki Ho'alu Kid, has grown up and dropped the kid moniker, and is now appearing around Honolulu as "Makana." His CD is still in the works and not out yet. ... Japanese fans of Hawaiian music will be pleased to see a number of Hapa concerts in that country this month ... the New Years' Eve concert lineups (yes, there are at least two big ones!) have been announced (see below) ... the Downtown Honolulu Ho'olaule'a will be held on September 10 and the Waikiki Ho'olaule'a will be held a week later on the 17th. The concert at the Shell put on the day after the Waikiki Ho'olaule'a will not be free (that's a first). All lineups TBA.
That's all for this time around!
Recordings
Various artists, History of Hawaiian Steel Guitar: 1927 to 1950 Acoustic and Electric (Hana Ola Records HOCD-34000) The folks at Cord have produced another gem: a selective history of steel guitar for its first 23 years. What a treat for steel fans to hear such a variety of playing throughout the decades! The liner notes are detailed and packed with info about the history of the guitar, but this is not a museum piece -- there's a lot of sparkle and sweetness in the selections. Artists include David Napihi Burrows, Annie Kerr, Mike Hanapi, Sol Ho'opi'i, Jules Ah Se, and Benny Rogers. Songs include "Maui Chimes," "Kamehameha Waltz," "Kohala March," "Hula Blues," and "Steel Guitar C Jam Boogie."
Robert Kekaula, 'Bout Everyday People (Paradise Records PCD 2070). If you were having a party, you'd want to invite Robert to come sing. His dongs are so cheerful and he always sounds like he's having a rollicking good time. The production is professional for the most part; his daughter Tiare sings in three or so numbers, and is cute and acquits herself well for an 11 year old. The songs are little gentle vignettes about life in Hawaii, although I must admit I miss songs with a little more punch, like the very funny "Local Boy in Vegas" (lyrics by local humor columnist Charles Memminger) from his last CD. But the cock-eyed cheerfulness of songs like "The Whistler" still show you a good time.
That said, one drawback of the CD _is_ its almost relentless cheer; one first hearing many of the songs tend to blend together, and some are downright repetitive. A change of pace and style would provide a better contrast and pace. Only the last song, a moving eulogy simply entitled "Backyard," about the dispossession of the Hawaiian people, provides a real break in pace and style. Still, an enjoyable CD.
--Susan
susanj@lava.net
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