Styles clash in
political satireO 'Oe Ke Kanaka: K.K. Ka'umanua (Hula)
KENT Bowman and Don McDiarmid Jr. created K.K. Ka'umanua in the early 1960s in satirical tribute to the Hawaiian-style politicians of the 1930s. Billy Sage recorded his brilliant comedy album, "Honk If You Love George," in 1982 and transmuted Vaughn Meader's 1962 masterpiece, "The First Family," into the adventures of Gov. George Ariyoshi.
This album places two generations of local comedians in awkward proximity. Bowman/ Ka'umanua is a master of malapropism and the pidgin of an earlier era. Sage is an accomplished impressionist and an irrepressible wit. This effort sounds as if they each wrote half the material separately and had McDiarmid stitch it together.
Sage is subtle and sharp as ever. Bowman's reworking of Abbott & Costello's "Who's On First" will inspire local comics for years to come. Mayor Jeremy Harris gives the best performance of several celebrity guests when he proclaims Ka'umanua "a living mammal."
An awkward updating is the name of Ka'umanua's Big Island nemesis: Saddam Gouveia. The album ends with an improbable shootout between them.
On The Beach: Loco Spice (Tropical Jam Productions)
LOCO Spice is nothing if not versatile. One original finds the trio posing as Rastafarians, another as Christians, a third, "So Soon (Willie's song)," is a touching requiem for a friend.
"Would You Be My Lady" is basic local pop lite.
The originals give Loco Spice an edge on other groups with a similar sound, but this album runs out at midpoint. "Sharing The Night Together" has already been Jawaiianized too often. "Crazy Love" was made just last year by Justin Young.
In Pursuit Of the Human Soul: Gary Stuart (ILS Music Entertainment)
COMPOSER/PIANIST Gary Stuart teamed up with Pierre Grill to create this album of original inspirational mood music. Stuart's compositions deftly contrast the textures of live and electronic instruments in varying combinations. This variety makes the album interesting.
Stuart's liner notes add his view of each song.
See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's 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 Home Zone
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
