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"Only You"

Braddah Smitty
Self-release

Braddah Smitty's longtime affiliation with Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii is reason enough for traditionalists to take note of this solo project. Add the instrumental support Smitty gets from Elmer "Sonny" Lim Jr., in reinforcing the links to Hawaiian folk traditions, and this inexpensively produced album is certain to please listeners who speak fluent Hawaiian and know the stories behind the standards Smitty sings with such feeling.

No composers' credits are provided, but the annotation reveals that two selections are originals. "You Are the One for Me" was written for his wife, and "Ku'u Lahi Kai" was inspired by his efforts to drench a bird with ocean spray -- or so it's explained in the liner notes!

Smitty's years spent playing in local barrooms are represented on "Only You" and "On a Little Street in Singapore," while journeyman renditions of "Maile Lauli'ili'i" and "Hi'ilawe" demonstrate his command of Hawaiian standards.

Mpeg Audio Clips: "Maile Lauli'ili'i" "Only You" "Ku'u Lihi Kai" Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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"Hawaiian Songs For Children"

Nina, Lani, Lahela and the Maile Serenaders
Hula

This classic reissue from the Hula Records archives will be of interest to anyone who appreciates traditional Hawaiian music. Casual buyers unfamiliar with the original 1965 vinyl album should note that the cover art shows the composers of the songs, Mary Kawena Pukui and Alice Namakelua, and not the artists performing them. That's not necessarily bad since Nina, Lani and Lahela Rodrigues were a stellar vocal trio, and the Maile Serenaders included Benny Kalama and Sonny Kamahele. The album closes, however, with a solo chant by Namakelua, and that's a bonus.

Pukui and Namakelua were native speakers who learned English as a second language. Some of these songs were written to help children learn Hawaiian, while others were composed for Hawaiian song competitions. The knowledge these two wonderful women put into these songs is shared here in the beautiful booklet that completes this perfect album for Hawaiian music lovers, regardless of their age.

www.hula-records.com

Mpeg Audio Clips: "Kama'a Hou" "Moa" "Pi-A-Pa" Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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"Make Your Move"

One Groove
Common Ground

It's no secret that Jawaiian bands are popping up on the mainland like coqui frogs wherever expatriate island folk congregate. This tight septet records for a California-based record label, but when it comes to formulaic island music, they match the "kanakafarians" cliché for cliché. The vocalists' ability to mimic the basic Jamaican accent is second to none. And with seven additional studio musicians as reinforcement, One Groove's got all the familiar riffs and rhythms down pat as well.

Give them credit though for a take on "Big Ship" that shows some freshness. With "Diving in the Day," they venture a tiny step outside the generic pseudo-Rasta affectations with a salute to local fishermen that contains a bit of kaona (hidden meaning) as well.

"Rise Up" opens with an untranslated chant by kumu hula Patrick Makuakane and continues with an admirable message about the importance of Hawaiian culture. But the irony of delivering part of it in a faux-Jamaican accent evidently escapes them!

www.onegroove.net

Mpeg Audio Clips: "Heartache" "Diving In The Day" "One Groove" Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info