Island Mele

Friday, August 3, 2001

By John Berger

"Roots Music III"

Various artists
Quiet Storm (QS1012)

Compilation albums containing the work of local artists and national or international stars have been hugely successful here in recent years. This one is top of the line, and it is producer John Iervolino's choice of the local work that makes it such a promising package.

Among the highlights are Sly Dog's "Summer of Love," Shilo Pa's "Sweet Reggae," Crazy Fingers' "Haleakala," and the brooding dub-style "Sovereignty" by Ras Daniel I. The popular Jawaiian/urban rap sound is represented by the all-star trio of Fiji, O-Shen and Pati on "Island Girls," while "old skool" Jawaiian is heard in Bruddah Waltah's "Hawaiian Lands" and Butch Helemano's "Wave Rider."

The impression overall is that Jawaiian and local reggae is outgrowing the lame imitation-Jamaican thing and refining a reggae-beat sound that is distinctly Hawaii in ambience.

Mpeg Audio Clips: Summer of Love Island Girls Sovereignty Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

www.quietstormrecords.com

---

"Poetry Without a Net"

Various artists
Pennybacker Creative (RP2020)

This is the work of four local artists who combine music and the spoken word in ways rarely explored by island recording artists. Guitarist Shoji Ledward provides minimalist instrumental support as poets Lopaka Kapanui, David Parrish and Robert Pennybacker share artistic perspectives on life, death, drug-induced domestic violence and the local bar scene.

The poets' images are not simple, but neither are they pretentiously opaque. Among the more striking is Parrish's description of a woman who swallows beer "like a python." Kapanui's "A Pagan Tattooed Savage" addresses the complicated issue of modern Hawaiian identity from the perspective of a malo-wearing, Shakespeare-reading, native Hawaiian Buddhist.

Expect all these vignettes to hold up well under the scrutiny that comes with repeat play.

Mpeg Audio Clips: A Pagan Tattooed Savage The Scene The Shadows of Buildings Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

rrp@hawaii.rr.com

---

"How Deep Is The Ocean?"

Bruce Hamada & Jim Howard
Bruce Hamada & Jim Howard (BHJH2182)

Bruce Hamada and Jim Howard make their debut album as a duo a perfect one. It's a celebration of classic American pop standards presented with a definite jazz slant.

Hamada, who plays acoustic bass, is also the duo's vocalist. He doesn't sing on every song, however, and the arrangements have ample space for Howard to work his magic on piano and for Hamada to work his magic on bass. Howard switches to electric piano for a few numbers; that works well, too.

"Take the 'A' Train" is especially noteworthy. It opens with Hamada singing it as a dreamy ballad while Howard plays electric piano. Come the midpoint, and the duo morphs it into a more conventional up-tempo instrumental arrangement. All too few good jazz albums come out of Hawaii; count this as one of the best in recent years.

Mpeg Audio Clips: They Can't Take That Away From Me Take the 'A' Train I've Got the World on a String Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

brucehamada@hawaii.rr.com

---

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.