Aloha mai! This month starts my second year of published twice-monthly "pages" listing the latest in Hawaiian music CDs and concerts worldwide. Just for fun, I thought I'd include some clips from some of my all-time favorite songs.
The regular info on recordings and concerts follows this new section (note: this being the Christmas seasons, there aren't a lot of formal concerts out there -- but my, what a lot of free concerts at malls and bookshops, including appearances by Keali'i Reichel, Kekuhi Kanahele, and Nona Beamer!)
These are a few clips from some of my favorite songs ... you know, the kind that, when you're cruising the parking lot, looking for a space, and the song comes on, you cruise a bit more just so you can hear the song. I've left off the ones that are and have been monster hits and have chosen ones that are commonly heard, such as Mehameha/White Sandy Beach, Pua Hone, or anything by Keali'i Reichel (<g>! No offense, guys -- you're just so popular!) and have selected some that I hope will make you want to haul those CDs out of the closet and geev'um. [Note: audio clips used with permission. Special thanks to Keola, Stephen, and Kimo for helping me set up the sound clips!]
Recordings
The Na Hoku Hanohano deadline closed midnight November 30, and here are the last few CDs to make the deadline!
John Keawe, Christmas Is.... (Homestead Productions HPCD-1004) Those of you familair with John's beautiful brand of ki ho'alu will want this CD. John covers some classic Christmas songs, such as Away in the Manger, Silent Night, the First Noel, and the Little Drummer Boy, and he adds some original songs -- yes, after three instrumental CDs there are vocals on this one! -- that illuminate his own personal vision of what Christmas really is. Read the liner notes.
Peter Pereira, Na Mele Hapa Haole(Peter J. Pereira Productions 70-1) Peter plays and sings old, familiar hapa haole songs, such as Little Grass Shack ("where the humuhumunukunukuapua'a goes swimming by"), Blue Hawai'i, the Cock-Eyed Mayor of Kaunakakai, Hukilau, and the Pidgin English Hula.
Nona Beamer, The Golden Lehua Tree (Starscape Productions SPCD-96112). Hawai'i's revered Nona Beamer tells gentle family tales with exquisite musical settings by her son, the reknowned Keola Beamer. My favorite is "Underneath One Tin Roof," a nonsense song about a very extended animal family. It's available on the web at Keola's website, www.kbeamer.com.
Video:
Keali'i Reichel's first video has hit the stores.
Entitled "Kukahi '96," it features live footage from
Keali'i's big concert last March. Songs include
Kawaipunahele, Lei Hali'a, a Beatles medley, Kananaka, and E
Ho'i Ka Pili.
Concerts
(all concerts are in Honolulu unless
otherwise indicated)
| |
| December 5 (Hilo) | An Island Christmas Celebration, an all acoustic concert featuring
Uncle Willie K., Harold Kama, Jr., and John Cruz. The Crown Room, Hawaii Naniloa Hotel,
one show only, 8 PM.
|
| December 6 & 7 (San Francisco) | The Brothers
Cazimero at Holiday Inn Financial District, 750 Kearny Street. The Friday
concert is at 8 p.m., and the concerts on Saturday are 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Cost:
$25 for show only; $37.50 for show and luau. Info: 415-433-6600 ext 7920.
|
| December 6 | Keali'i Reichel in concert at Tower
Records Ke'eaumoku at 7 p.m. Free!
|
| December 6 | Kekuhi Kanahele in concert at
Borders Ward Center at 9 p.m. Free!
|
| December 7 | Tony Conjugacion in concert at
Borders Waikele at 2 p.m. Free!
|
| December 8 | Dennis Pavao in concert at Borders
Waikele at 1:30 p.m. Free!
|
| December 8 | Dennis Pavao in concert at Borders
Ward Center at 4 p.m. Free!
|
| December 11 & 15 | A Christmas Spectacular with
the Brothers Cazimero! The Brothers sings Christmas melodies with the Honolulu
Symphony at Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall. The Wednesday concert is at 7:30 and
the Sunday concert is at 4 p.m. Tickets are $45, 32, 25, 20, and $15. Call the
Blaisdell Box Office for tickets.
|
| December 12 | Keali'i Reichel in concert at
Borders Ward Center at 7:30 p.m. and Kawika Kahiapo at 9 p.m.
|
| December 13 | Hawaiian music at Ala Moana
Center's Center Stage. John Keawe at 1 p.m., and Ron Ku'ula'au at 2 p.m.
|
| December 13 | Blast from the Past Hawaiian Bash,
featuring Kaleo O Kalani, Ne'emua, Diane and the Boyz, and others. Sea Fortune
Chinese Restaurant, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
|
| December 13 (Lahaina, Maui) | An Island Christmas Celebration, an all acoustic concert featuring
Uncle Willie K., Harold Kama, Jr., and John Cruz. World Cafe, Lahaina.
|
| December 14 | Keali'i Reichel in concert at
Borders Waikele at 11 a.m. Free!
|
| December 14 | Ho'okena in concert at Borders
Waikele at 2 p.m. Free!
|
| December 14 | John Keawe in concert at Borders
Waikele at 4 p.m. Free!
|
| December 14 | The Ho'opi'i Brothers in concert at
Borders Ward Center at 9 p.m. Free!
|
| December 15 | John Keawe in concert at Borders
Ward Center at 2 p.m. Free!
|
| December 18 | Na Leo Pilimehana at Windward Mall,
7 p.m. Free!
|
| December 20 | Kekuhi Kanahele in concert at
Borders Waikele at 8 p.m. Free!
|
| December 20 (Hilo) | Israel Kamakawiwo'ole in concert at Hawai'i Naniloa Hotel, shows
at 7:30 and 9:30. Benefit for Hawai'i Community College Student
Government. Tickets $12.50 in advance, $15 at the door, available at MJS
Music, Ken's House of Pancakes, The Firehouse Restaurant, Blane's
Drive-In, and the Hawai'i Naniloa Hotel.
|
| December 21 | Kawika Kahiapo in concert at Borders Waikele at 4 p.m. Free!
|
| December 22 | Nona Beamer performing from her new
CD (see recording listing above) at Borders Waikele at 2 p.m. Free!
|
Gigs
See the Dakine Online concert schedule at:
http://www.interpac.net/~nahenahe/concert.html
See you in mid-December with my CD of the Year and some exciting looks into the Hawaiian Music world in 1997! A hui hou--
--Susan
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and releases on Susan's Hawaiian Music Page, now at: