Aloha mai!
The new Hawaiian CDs are starting to roll into town! I only had the
opportunity to check out two this time, but I hope to present
more next time. There are a lot of good concerts coming too, but I
need to also let you know that one that I was looking forward to has
been cancelled --
the Keali'i Reichel New Year's Eve concert on Waikiki Beach. It
turned out that it could not be done for free admission, and so has
been cancelled. There still are other great
Hawaiian music events in that time period -- just none of 'em free.
I had a prior (pending for one year!) commitment last October 15, so
I had to miss Kekuhi's fabulous concert at the Hawai'i Theatre, My
friend Malia gave me
a song-by-song description, and it sounded wonderful, including the
part where they recreated that
authentic backyard Pana'ewa environment by pulling open all curtains
back to the concrete back wall of the theatre,
bringing out the cooler and the lawn chairs, and duplicating an
authentic Kanahele sun-up to
sun-up party. I am soooo sorry I missed that concert! If she's
playing in your neighborhood, go, go, go!
On to the recordings!
Recordings
Ray Kane and Yuki Alani Yamauchi, Maui No Blues (Respect
Record RES-30) It's good to here Ray back and in
robust voice! This is a typical Ray Kane release, full of old
favorites and one original (the title track). The nahenahe
ki ho'alu (slack key) style, fast, smooth, and graceful, complemeted
nicely by Yamauchi's
'ukulele playing and some steel guitar assistance. All songs except
the last are vocals, including two Kane/Yamauchi duets on "'Opae E"
and
"Mauna Loa," and duets with wife Elodia on several numbers, including
"Pu'uanahulu." Ray's fans will enjoy this one. Songs include "Koni
Au i Ka Wai," "Nani Ko'olau," "No Ke Ano Ahiahi,"
and "Ho'oipoipo Hula." My only quibble with it
is that it's touted on the cover as being a blue CD, and it ain't --
it's not even close except for the last number, the "Nanakuli Blues"
instrumental.
Yuki Alani Yakauchi, 'Ukulele Hawaiian Style (Respect Record
RES-32). No, this isn't a typo -- Yuki Alani Yamauchi has two new
CDs out, one with
Ray Kane (above), and this solo CD. Yamauchi is a Japanese native
with a fascination for Hawaiian music, and he does well by his
adopted musical homeland.
He has a delicate, precise, almost meditative 'ukulele technique --
don't look for any Troy Fernandes-type
heroics on the strings. Yet this style, while typical of the
restrained Japanese sensibility in art,
complements this music admirably. Most of the songs are medleys,
interesting blendings of songs such as "Star and Stripes Forever/Hilo
March/Kohala March,"
"Pua Mae'ole/When You Wish Upon a Star," and "Noho Paipai/Sussie Ana
E/ Hilo Hanakahi." There's a nice jazzy touch
on some numbers, but I like the quiet pieces, such as the meditative
"Charmarrita" (most folks know it as Sonny Chillingwoth's
"Malasadas") the best. A good CD to own.
See you in early November - a hui hou!
--Susan
susanj@lava.net
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