‘Ulise demonstrates
Tongan pride
Sail Away: 'Ulise (UJ Records)
THE first song on 'Ulise's second album reintroduces him as a proud Tongan acolyte of Big Mountain, Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube. Several others have similar rhythms but Tongan lyrics. He sings them all with a naturalness that our "kanakafarians" should emulate. He's serving notice that Tongans can write reggae-beat music in their own language!
'Ulise and Hutchi Boy-E share credit as producers, engineers and studio band. Boy-E did the drum programming; 'Ulise played almost all the other instruments. They get a good solid sound.
The annotation explains "Tama Tonga" honors King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and speaks of Tongan pride at being the only Polynesian monarchy to have survived centuries of foreign colonialism. Synopses of the other Tongan-language songs aren't provided.
Steel Reflections: Bobby Ingano (Flying Solo Music)
STEEL guitarist Bobby Ingano debuts as a headliner with this collection of 15 Hawaiian or hapa-haole standards. Steven Hall and Mahi Pekelo add acoustic guitar and bass on some; multitalented BB Shawn plays acoustic guitar, bass and 'ukulele on others. Students of the instrument will appreciate his technique. Casual listeners will enjoy the romantic ambience.
"Sleep Walk" makes this a 16-song album. The Santo & Johnny classic was included for personal reasons. The liner notes reveal it as the song that piqued Ingano's interest in the instrument.
Pai'ea: Pai'ea (Tropical Jam Productions) CD-single
Barrett Awai, Stewart Kawakami and Dean Wilhelm introduce themselves with a two-song calling card that strikes a quiet note of Hawaiian pride and cultural nationalism. The lead song, "Show Me Hokule'a," is an original by Kawakami and Kanalu Young that honors the accomplishments of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the far-ranging Hokule'a. An unidentified spokesman closes the song by explaining the cultural and political importance of the voyages.
The acoustic trio and their studio musicians honor a different type of tradition with a close copy of Country Comfort's original recording of "The Rainy Day Song." It too is nicely done.
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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.