Jake Shimabukuro maintained his composure when Colón won Favorite Entertainer of the Year. Melveen Leed obliquely scolded the Board of Governors for allowing terminally ill entertainers to die before honoring them with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Daniel Ho wore sunglasses at night and begged his peers to give him a job.
It was business as usual
List of winners Story by John Berger
last night at the 24th annual
Na Hoku Hanohano Awards
Star-BulletinThe staging and lighting were beautiful and the televised show moved better than in past years, but it was still longer and slower than it needed to be.
In short, it was pretty much business as usual as the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts announced the winners of the 24th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards at the Sheraton Waikiki last night. The Hawaii Ballroom appeared close to full when the first few awards were presented during the clamor and clatter of dinner shortly past 6, but the crowd was melting away by the time the televised proceedings crawled past 10 p.m. Maybe 40 percent stuck it out to join the winners in singing "Hawai'i Aloha" shortly before 11.
It was a big big night for traditionalists, especially for two of Hawaii's young neo-traditionalist Hawaiian bands. 'Ale'a won four Hokus, including Group of the Year, Most Promising Artists and the prestigious adjudicated Haku Mele award for the best use of the Hawaiian language in a first-time recorded song. Maunalua also did the neo-traditionalists proud, winning Hawaiian Album of the Year."Preserving Hawaiian music and keeping it alive is why we play," Bobby Moderow of Maunalua said in accepting the group's award.
Traditional Hawaiian music also prevailed overall, with wins by previous winners Darlene Ahuna (Single), Ku'uipo Kumukahi (Female Vocalist) and Ledward Ka'apana (Instrumental Album), and a double win by 'Ane Kanahele & Ohana (Religious Album and Best Hawaiian Language Performance) in that group's first year as Hoku finalists.
Hawaii's mainstream-oriented pop artists fared poorly outside the genre categories and sometimes lost even in those categories as the HARA membership generally gave short shrift to any style of music more mainstream than Na Leo Pilimehana.
Jawaiian hit makers Ten Feet beat Colón and Hoku Ho to win in the Contemporary Album category. Ho, the first local pop artist in almost five years to be signed and produced by a major national label (Geffen), and the highly innovative Colón were completely ignored by the HARA members. But Colón bounced back to win Favorite Entertainer in the only category decided by public vote.Colón's ukulele player and energetic spokesman, Jake Shimabukuro, delivered an acceptance speech without tears. Two years ago, when his former group, Pure Heart, won big on Hoku night, he was so tearful he could barely speak. "I know you were waiting to see if I was going to cry, but that was two years ago," he said.
It was a disappointing night for many of Hawaii's younger recording artists, record producers and supporters of island music in general. O-Shen was the most prominent reggae or local rap artist to win last night. Few Jawaiian, pop, rap, techno, ska or club/house artists and producers even made it to the final ballot.
And once again winners in the seven categories evidently defined as insignificant by the HARA Board of Governors received their awards prior to the start of the televised program while the audience was still chowing down and largely oblivious to the winners' comments. Perhaps cutting down on the number of live performances would free up enough time to give everyone their due.
That said, there were several excellent performances last night. Keali'i Reichel and Sean Na'auao celebrated traditional musical perspectives in separate early segments. Henry Kapono shared a fresh "unplugged" interpretation of "Home In The Islands" when he took the stage with Honolulu Symphony Pops maestro Matt Catingub on piano.Colón rocked the house early. Much of Shimabukuro's lively performance wasn't captured on camera for the home audience, but the group -- playing as a quintet with Tony Cruz joining Shimabukuro, Lopaka Colón, Guy Cruz and Andrew McLellan -- added an expansive and colorful burst of energy.
Maunalua played just after Leina'ala Haili received her Lifetime Achievement Award. She joined them on their final number. It was the landmark musical highlight of the evening.
Melveen Leed and Kealoha Kalama re-energized the show near the end of the evening as they shared memories of Myra English. Kalama danced while Leed sang a capella. Leed got a big laugh when she told the crowd, "We want our Lifetime Achievement Awards now!" --an oblique rebuke of the HARA Board of Governors for dithering until the terminally ill English died before finally voting to honor her.
Genoa Keawe spoke movingly of her long-time friend and musical partner, Violet Pahu Liliko'i, who had likewise been in declining health for several years prior to her death this spring.Frank Hewett epitomized traditional Hawaiian graciousness by removing one of his maile lei and presenting it to Lehua Kalima Heine when they met at the podium after his composition, "Kapilina," and Heine's "Saving Forever" were both named winners in a tie for Song of the Year honors.
Moe Keale, back in black and looking healthy as ever, distinguished himself as the lead-off presenter during the televised part of the proceedings. Keale nearly died last March after collapsing in a gym. "Hearing ukulele and harp played together is a tremendous experience," he told the crowd.
Keale later went out of his way to intercept 'Ane Kanahele & Ohana and congratulate them as they were going forward to receive a second Hoku for Na Himeni Ho'omaika'i I Ke Akua.
He also publicly thanked the police officer who had a portable defibrillator in his car and Castle Medical Center for keeping him alive. And in a final reference to his near-death experience, he paid tribute to a lost friend, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, he told the crowd, "Israel says hello."
Here are the winners of the 2001 Hoku Awards: The winners
Group of the Year: 'Ale'a, "Take Me Home" (Poki)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Uluwehi Guerrero, "In My Heart" (Mountain Apple)
Female Vocalist of the Year: Ku'uipo Kumukahi, "E Ku'ulei E Ku'uipo" (Ululani)
Most Promising Artist: 'Ale'a, "Take Me Home" (Poki)
Single of the Year: "Kuahiwi Nani (The Haleakala Hula)," Darlene Ahuna (Hula)
Song of the Year: (tie) "Kapilina," by Frank Kawai Hewett from "Neutralize It," Sean Na'auao (Poi Pounder) and "Saving Forever," by Lehua Kalima from "A Pocketful of Paradise," Na Leo Pilimehana (Na Leo Pilimehana)
Album of the Year: "A Pocketful of Paradise," Na Leo Pilimehana (Na Leo Pilimehana) Na Leo Pilimehana and Kenneth Makuakane, producers
Contemporary Album: "Island Feeling," Ten Feet (Mass Appeal)
Hawaiian Album: "Maunalua," Maunalua (Koa)
Island Contemporary Album: "Take Me Home" 'Ale'a (Poki)
Christmas Album: "Home for the Holidays," Ho'okena (Ho'omau)
Reggae Album of the Year: "Iron Youth," O-Shen (Cinnamon Red)
Rock Album: "Big Island Rock," Joe Battery Band (Joe Battery)
Religious Album: "Na Himeni Ho'omaikai'i I Ke Akua," 'Ane Kanahele & Ohana ('Aha Punana Leo)
Jazz Album: "Sax for Christmas," Michael Paulo (Noteworthy)
Instrumental Album: "Black Sand," Ledward Ka'apana (Dancing Cat)
Anthology of the Year: "Legends of Falsetto," Various Artists (Hana Ola) Harry B. Soria, Jr., producer
Compilation Album: "Aloha Festivals Hawaiian Falsetto Contest Winners," Various Artists (Hula) William Baba Alimoot, Steve Kramer and Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid III, producers
Graphics: Nelson Makua for "Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas," various artists (Dancing Cat)
Engineering: Milan Bertosa and Howard Wolen for "A Pocketful of Paradise," Na Leo Pilimehana (Na Leo Pilimehana)
Liner Notes: Sonny Ching and Nohea Kawahakiu for Ho'oulu I Ka Na'auao, Sonny Ching (Four Strings)
Special awards
Entertainer of the Year (people's choice award): Colón, 'The Groove Machine" (Four Strings)Haku Mele: "Mapu Mau ke Ala," Julian Ako of 'Ala'e, from "Take Me Home" (Poki)
Hawaiian Language Performance: 'Ane Kanahele & Ohana, "Na Ilimeni Ho'omaika'i I Ke Akua" ('Aha Punana Leo)
Lifetime Achievement: Violet Pahu Lilikoi, Leina'ala Haile and Myra English
Ki Ho'alu (slack key) winner: Peter Moon
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