Danny Couch displays
his musical rangeAlmost Paradise: Danny Couch (Danny Couch Recordsl)
WHEN Danny Couch joined the Aliis in 1980 he helped the legendary group reinvent itself as a major local pop act. With Frank Day as their producer the Aliis won two Hoku Awards in 1982. Couch left the band to record his first solo album in 1983. This is his third. It is a fine portrait of the artist as vocalist, composer, arranger and producer.
Ilona Irvine gives a career-best performance as his partner on the title track. The arrangement is a close copy of the original Mike Reno/Ann Wilson hit of 1984. Naturally, it is the song that Hawaii's "island music" directors are playing on the radio.
There are other songs that give a clearer picture of Couch's range and repertoire. "Kaena" and "There'll Be No One (Mahealani)" reaffirm his talent as a balladeer. "These Islands" is a well-written ode to Hawaii that could easily become a theme for the Aloha Festivals or another community program.
Calypso-pop rhythms are another of his long-time interests. A remake of Jimmy Cliff's "Brown Eyes" is his latest creative foray in that genre, while his vision as an arranger creates an enjoyable reworking of "Hakuna Makata."
Journeys: Martin Nievera (PolyEast Records) import
MARTIN Nievera grew up in Hawaii while his father was a member of the Society of Seven in the 1970s. He has since carved out a remarkably successful career as a multi-media entertainer in the Philippines.
An engagement at the Outrigger Main Showroom under the auspices of SOS leader Tony Ruivivar showed great promise 10 years ago, but his managers have never marketed him effectively in the United States outside the Filipino immigrant community since then.
This album, recorded in the Philippines and produced by his longtime collaborator, Louie J. Ocampo, could change that.
There is far less bass in these songs than is the norm in contemporary American Top 40 pop, but Ocampo spices his synthesizer arrangements with a judicious assortment of live instruments -- many local arrangers could take a lesson. The songs are all English-language, and all but three are originals. Introspective ballads predominate.
Nievera combines power and finesse as a singer. He's never sounded better.
Nievera and his album aren't eligible for Hoku Award consideration since the album is a product of the Philippine recording industry and he is no longer a Hawaii resident. However, it is much better than most local pop stuff and should certainly inspire local pop acts to strive for higher levels of creativity and better production values in their own recordings.
See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's past reviews.
See Aloha Worldwide for locals living away.
John Berger, who has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings
produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Home Zone
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
