KELI 'IHOLOKAI surfaced last year as a Hawaiian from the mainland who had recorded an album there. The music tracks generally had a solid well-funded sound although synthesized string sections tainted a couple of arrangements and the sax player's favorite riff got old early. As vocalist/arranger, his forte was contemporary cocktail lounge arrangements of Hawaiian classics. Original songs came next; remakes of signature hits by other artists ranked a very distant third. This CD-single was recorded here. It reaffirms his strengths and avoids his weaknesses.
Recording artists don't usually list sidemen prominently on the front cover. Keli'iholokai is an exception. With Keli'i Kaneali'i helping as co-writer and vocalist he has an attention-getting gimmick and a poignant father's day anthem. It's catchy despite the dumbing down effect of the tinny faux string section droning in the background. The lyrics are personal and heartfelt.
"Pua Lilia" proves again he has something to offer with contemporary interpretations of Hawaiian standards. Excuse the cutesy and mildly disrespectful cover art and the disc is a step forward for him.
Island Breeze - The Best of Na Leo: Na Leo Pilimehana, Sony Music, CD
THIS is the album that has launched Na Leo Pilimehana as recording artists in Japan. It has almost all of their Hoku-winning 1993 "come-back" album (including "Friends" ) as well as three highlights from their once-controversial debut album, "Local Boys." It also contains a booklet of information on the group; most of it in Japanese. It may soon be available as a Japanese import; watch for an upgraded rerelease of the "Local Boys" album as well.
Island Radio Hits: Various artists, Pua Records, CD
PRODUCER Kenneth Makua-kane is certainly mercurial. One week he produces "For the Sake of the Children." The next week a second-rate anthology like this. The songs were apparently culled at random from a hodge-podge of local albums. There's no information on the artists or the significance of the songs; no documentation showing that they were ever actually "radio hits" either.
Even more embarrassing is the sloppy work in the composer-publisher credits. Ilona Irvine is listed as composer of "Open Arms" (a No. 2 hit for Journey in 1982). "Another Saturday Night" - credited to "unknown" - was written and recorded by Sam Cooke in 1963. The publisher is Kags Music (BMI). Cooke's heirs will appreciate the royalties due them.
At least there are some memorable songs. Gary Haleamau's inspired revision of "Pohakuloa" is one. Paka Smith's subtly political "Nursery Rhymes" and Leslie "Lezlie" Lagapa's seductive "Hawaiian Cruz" are two more. Ernie Cruz Jr. personalizes Cooke's classic, and Jeff Rasmussen gets a second shot at success with "Kipahulu," originally released on an obscure 1992 album.
Star Williams wasn't happy with the production values of her 1995 cassette. Compare her vocal rendition of "Ei Nei" with the thinness of the tracks and it's easy to see why.
Swing Time in Hawaii: Anita O'Day and Herb Ohta, M&H Hawaii, CD
THIS album looks like it was cobbled together out of one or more unfinished projects so there would be something to sell to recoup the investment. Vocalist O'Day and ukulele master Ohta-san are heard on five tracks each. They're never heard together.
The Ohta-san selections are beautiful; among the musicians who played on the various tracks are some of Hawaii's best jazz men. On one track Ohta-san plays a few chords and then turns things over to Bob Albenese, Bruce Hamada and Jess Gopen for the rest of the seven-and-a-half-minute arrangement; the trio carries on quite well.
A sounds somewhat weathered and somewhat worse for wear. The brief liner notes mention that Ohta-san met her in the 1960s. The mysterious genesis of the album isn't explained.