Island Mele

By John Berger

Friday, June 4, 1999

Stylish covers and
originals from Ka‘u

Ku'u I'ini
By: Ka'u
Label: Ninole

FEW local artists show much imagination redoing national hits. Ka'u is a rare exception. Greg "Kele" Foxx, Leslie "Leka" Gravela and Demetrius "Big D" Oliveira overhaul All-4-One's great 1995 sex song, "(She's Got) Skillz," with an arrangement that sets the salacious themes of the original hit in a memorable blend of island harmonies and local rhythms. Studio guest Rick Asher Keefer does some of his best work in recent years judiciously adding synthetic rhythm effects to the mix.

Several Foxx originals prove Ka'u is more than a cover band. Foxx's reggae-beat anthem, "Tearing Down The System," merits play on Hawaii's island music radio stations. Synth drum sounds don't help a routine local remake of Brooks & Dunn's 1992 hit, "Neon Moon," but Ka'u does well with traditional Hawaiian songs.

Hawaiian Girl
By: Palolo
Lable: Roy Sakuma Productions

PALOLO maintains its crisp contemporary Hawaiian style on its third album. The virtuosity of Troy Fernandez on ukulele is complemented by guitarist Chino Montero. Both men sing; founding member Nathan Nahinu is among the guests on various tracks.

Palolo successfully interprets island standards ranging from "Love Song of Kalua" to Dennis Kamakahi's catchy marijuana song, "Sweet Weuweu." Clean harmonies make "Makalapua" another highlight.

The commercial, radio friendly title song is a Montero original. "Little Star" is the more successful of two pop chart remakes.

Harmony
By: Daniel Ho
Lable: Aire Music

Daniel Ho and Wyland continue a prolific symbiotic relationship with the first of three instrumental albums. Each will have eight Ho originals and two island standards. "Kanaka Wai Wai" and "Hawaii Pono'i" are the standards here.

Ho's acoustic piano is the main instrument; Dean Taba (bass) and David Ho (keyboards) join in creating this tranquil listening experience (Part of the proceeds fund Wyland programs to inspire preservation of ocean life).

See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's past reviews.

See Aloha Worldwide for locals living away.

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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.