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Island Mele
Friday, March 24, 2000
Fresh Pacific sounds
in ‘Iron Youth’Iron Youth:
By O-shen (Cinnamon Red CRR0019)O-SHEN is a Caucasian who was raised among the "pidjin-speaking" Melanesians of New Guinea and now has the potential to introduce a fresh cross-cultural sound to local reggae/ Jawaiian music. He and producer/arranger Carlos Villalobos generally stay within the basic reggae and Jawaiian styles so loved by the music directors of Hawaii's "island music" radio stations but add New Guinea "pidjin" rap to the mix. The result is a fine collection of original songs. Several should be hits here; "Honolulu" and "Pacifican Herbsman" are two of the most promising.
A third hot track, "Island Warriors," salutes people O-shen met in prison. He shows his romantic side in "Girl" as he asks the woman he loves to let their love grow.
It isn't clear if O-shen is Rastafari but he is certainly has spiritual perspectives. "Wat'cha Gonna Do" warns the perpetrator of a foul crime that "to everything u do in life u gonna have to answer" in this life or the next.
Management and booking: 808-395-9997
Mpeg Audio Clips:
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By Brian "Papa B" Wittman (National Multimedia Services NMS21357)MAUI resident Brian Wittman plays a bamboo instrument called the xaphoon that sounds like a small saxophone. Xaphoon and steel drum add tropical ambience as he explores an assortment of Top 40, Hawaiian, Latin and jazz standards.
Wittman's imaginative take on "Hawaiian War Chant" is one of the Hawaiian standards that add vocals to his one-man project.
All in all this is a pleasant and relaxing soundtrack for romantic or introspective moments.
Mpeg Audio Clips:
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By Ka'anapali Beach Hotel employees (no label / no serial)Ka'anapali Beach Hotel employees pool their talents on this fund-raiser project for the Employees' Council. "Sun and Sand" reworks a hapa-haole standard as a number promoting the hotel. The others are nicely crafted choral arrangements of Hawaiian and hapa-haole standards.
Arranger Sam Ako smoothly blends acoustic and synthetic instruments behind the singers. Informative liner notes complete this attractive souvenir.
http://www.kaanapalibeachhotel.com
Mpeg Audio Clips:
Quicktime | MPEG-3 info
See Record Reviews for some 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 Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
