ALMOST every track lives up to its billing on this ambitious 16-song sampler of modern Hawaiian music. Mountain Apple Co. principal Jon de Mello went outside his own catalog in compiling this showcase of musical diversity. Intended in part to wean mainland and international music markets away from outdated stereotypes, "Pick A Hit Hawaii" is an excellent "greatest hits" package for island residents - and a perfect introduction for malihini.
Start with three musical landmarks in contemporary island music: The Peter Moon Band's 1979 seductive mega-hit, "Island Love," Henry Kapono's seminal Hawaiian reggae masterpiece, "Stand in the Light," and Brother Noland's brilliant comment on cultural alienation, "Coconut Girl."
The diversity ranges from Gabby Pahinui's 1972 recording of "Hi'ilawe" to Jack de Mello's orchestral visions of "Ku'uipo I Ka He'e Pue One" (with Nina Keali'iwahamana) and "Aloha 'Oe" (with the London Philharmonic Orchestra). Classics from the 1970s by Sunday Manoa and Keola & Kapono Beamer are balanced by almost current material by Keali'i Reichel ("Wanting Memories") and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole ("Hawai'i '78"). No collection of contemporary island music would be complete without the Brothers Cazimero; "Kawika" is a fine calling card. And, two styles of island comedy are reflected with Rap Reiplinger's "Room Service" and the Robi Kahakalau & Bu La'ia duet, "Pi'i Mai Ka Nalu."
Song lyrics and translations for the Hawaiian language songs are the only thing producer de Mello didn't provide, but the disc's 20-page booklet provides plenty of information on the individual artists and the significance of each selection.
Fenua - Pacific Techno Beat By Fenua (Hula Records International)
WHILE many of Hawaii's musicians are still working very hard at being imitation Jamaicans, musicians elsewhere in the Pacific are exploring original ideas. One of those innovators is French-Tahitian composer-musician Guy Laurens, who combines Tahitian chants and percussion instruments, string instruments (guitar, ukulele), and post-modern syntho-tech rhythms.
Tahitian creation chants provide the thematic inspiration for Laurens' driving compositions. A wide range of sythesizer melodies and rhythms bridge the gap between World Beat and Techno. These tracks should already be getting major play in Honolulu's progressive dance clubs.
Mana'olana By John Keawe (Homestead Productions)
JOHN Keawe's third album is another instrumental gem. The Hoku Award-winning Big Island slack-key guitarist shares a mixed bag of originals and island standards. Not only is he an expressive and accomplished musician, but Keawe and co-producer Hope Keawe (his wife) resisted the temptation to add recording studio synthetics.
Not that this music is simple in form or structure. Some arrangements are double tracked. Others weave together snippets of melodies that range as far afield as "Sesame Street."
"Hawaiian Lullaby/Somewhere Over the Rainbow" blends two songs that refer to rainbows. "Amazing Grace/The Queen's Prayer" unites two inspirational visions of Christian faith and hope, while an arrangement of "The Rose" displays Keawe's skill and imagination as an interpreter.
Keawe's label does not buttress his artistry with the extensive documentation of George Winston's "Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Series" or acknowledge composers and publishers of songs he didn't write. Still, Ke-awe's liner notes share his feelings about slack-key, the things that inspire him as a composer, and the significance of the title (mana'olana means "hope"). The album is a beautiful portrait.