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Island Mele
John Berger
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"Rizzen 4 Life"
Rizzen
(Zaiah)
Reggae, in its purest form, is spiritual music that uplifts the listener with positive messages. Singer/songwriter Rizzen, born Chris Kelly, does that in tandem with Eli Hurwitz, who co-produced the album and provided most of the instrumentation. Give them credit for daring to record and release an entire album of original music, because no Jawaiian remakes are needed to make this project a winner.
Rizzen addresses American politics with "Terrorist" and defines Babylon (the mainstream "downpressor" system) as the true source of terrorism. "Needles and Bottles" warns of the dangers of substance abuse. "I Know" challenges agnostics who claim that Jesus Christ was not the son of Jah (God). Rizzen and Hurwitz maintain solid reggae rhythms throughout but avoid using the same one-size-fits-all riff on every song. A live horn section adds rich organic textures that local reggae and Jawaiian acts often overlook.
Rizzen also shows a romantic side with "Your Little Things," noting that it's sometimes the simple things that keep a relationship alive. A final pair of hidden tracks shows that he and Hurwitz can deliver Jah's message as both acoustic rock and in the somnambulant dub form.
"Now Or Never"
The Girlas
(Kototama Productions)
This new group of six "solo artists and artisans" embraces the popular and proven tradition of soul-baring female singer/songwriters with this beautiful collection of tranquil acoustic originals. Several guests occasionally add instrumental support, but it's the women's sultry voices and smooth harmonies that are the foundation of this charming listening experience.
Each introspective composition seems more exquisite than the other. Whether they're singing of heartbreak, troubled relationships or an enigmatic encounter with angels, the Girlas are an enchanting discovery for fans of smooth pop music.
Kototama Productions, LLC
P.O. Box 2273
Honolulu, HI 96804
"Sayonara Farewell Tokyo"
Club Nisei
(Hana'Ola)
Japanese Americans had good reason to downplay any interest in their native culture during World War II. At the same time, the Japanese government condemned Western culture as "decadent." The cultural climate in both nations changed after U.S. forces occupied Japan in 1945.
American priorities changed from avenging Pearl Harbor to resisting communist aggression, Japanese entertainers embraced American pop music and resumed visiting Hawaii to perform for Japanese-American audiences here, and local musicians of Japanese and Okinawan background began recording the Japanese pop hits of the day for sale in Hawaii. Some of the songs had been popular in Japan during the war, while others reflected the cultural upheaval caused by the American occupation.
One such group, Club Nisei, recorded four albums for 49th State Hawaii Records in the 1950s. "Sayonara Farewell Tokyo" was the first. Some of the selections on the album are, more or less, straight renditions of Japanese pop tunes of the period. Others are cross-cultural curiosities, with "Tokyo Boogie Woogie" and "Japanese Rhumba" to name two.
HanaOla has set a high standard over the years with high-quality restoration of old recordings, combined with the erudite annotation of Harry B. Soria Jr. and Bill Rose. The audio quality here is as good as ever, but unfortunately, neither Soria nor Rose had anything to do with this reissue. The skimpy liner notes don't even have composers' credits, let alone information about the meaning or history of the songs.
Moreover, it appears that these recordings are already available on the label's two previous Club Nisei anthologies, "Club Nisei" and "Club Nisei -- Encore," which have Rose's original annotation.
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. Reach John Berger at
jberger@starbulletin.com.