Jamin displays
mastery of reggaeGoldmind: Jamin (Neos Productions)
JAMIN "The Chief Ragga" Wong joined Ho'aikane as the group was dropping their original Big Island slack-key repertoire and becoming a major act on the "Jawaiian" scene. He was a key player when Ho'aikane moved beyond it in 1993 with "Bulletproof," a gritty original fusion of Hawaiian reggae and rap. Unfortunately, the album didn't get the play it deserved; "kanakafarians" preferred faux rasta remakes to original ideas. Several ex-members of Ho'aikane are back on the Big Island rediscovering Hawaiian music.
That history is important in appreciating what Wong has accomplished with his solo debut. Like an American student of European opera, or a Japanese artist here to study Hawaiian, he's persevered, mastered the idiom, and made it his own. There are hints of Yellowman, Shaggy and Maxi Priest, and a song or two reminiscent of the Cutthroats, but Wong raises the standard for local reggae/rap to international levels. His originality is welcome.
Wong covers all the standard topics. He brags of his sexual prowess, addresses basic political issues, expresses pride in being Hawaiian, extols the importance of education and mental agility ("You can't have the gold if you don't have the mind"), and shows a romantic side as well. The arrangements are diverse, the tracks full, the beats solid. Chief Ragga is ready to go international.
The Rising Tide: The Rising Tide (Sea-West Records)
DARRYL Castillo and Kerry Okinishi make a promising debut out of the studios of Rick Asher Keefer. Castillo has two solo albums to his credit. Okinishi has been less visible but his skill on ukulele drives many of the arrangements. Producer Keefer, bassist Carlson Pung, and Donny Morrow ("live acoustic drum kit") join the duo in building the songs.
Both men write. Several songs blend Caribbean rhythms with vocals in the style of Yusef Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) and/or Richard Natto. Others benefit from unpretentious acoustic pop arrangements. Castillo's "You're The One" and "You Never Forget About Me" are both notable. Okinishi's "Mr. Pole Benda" celebrates shoreline fishing with an amalgam of Caribbean rhythms and hints of Loggins & Messina. Castillo's "Liliko'i Lover" is a catchy song that island music radio stations should be playing (Keefer includes a sing-a-long remix of the song as well).
Adding a Hawaiian-language chorus to "Every Breath You Take" makes the duo's revival of the Police' 1983 hit the most interesting remake. They do a nice job with Supertramp's "It's Raining Again," but changing the lyrics adds nothing to "I Just Called To Say I Love You."
See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's past reviews.
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John Berger, who has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings
produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Home Zone
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
