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Island Mele
Anthology gathers
hula legacySongs From the Source Vol. II:
Various artists (State Council on Hawaiian Heritage - SCHH-CD7101)THE State Council on Hawaiian Heritage helps perpetuate Hawaiian as a living language and preserve what remains of pre-contact Hawaiian culture. Some of the kumu hula in this anthology present pure chant and percussion. Others use instruments and musical traditions of European origin. One or two add modern synthetic effects.
One of the selections honors Kalakaua. His courageous advocacy of hula and pre-missionary culture in general helped save what remained after 50 years of cultural genocide.
Extensive annotation includes the Hawaiian lyrics, English translations, and cultural information on each selection. Biographies of the kumu hula are all that's missing.
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R.M. Keahi Allen, Executive Director, State Council on Hawaiian Heritage
355 N. King St., Honolulu, HI 96817 - (808) 536-6540
Cybilee (Wyattsville 77703)RECORD producer Wyatt Boy included Waianae singer Cybilee on his 1991 "Na Leo Hou O Hawai'i" cassette anthology. They've renewed their musical relationship with an impressive full-length album. She has solid commercial appeal. He has the ability to creatively blend live instruments and synthetics.
They open with the poppy reggae-lite sound so popular here but then move smoothly across a musical spectrum that includes urban dance beats, acoustic soft rock, mainstream urban pop, and a retro '60s soul sound. All but one of the 16 songs is original. The remake, "Now That We've Found Love," is reworked over with a creative verve other young local pop artists should emulate.
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E-mail: wyattville@aol.com
The Dalai Lama (Sakyadhita - No serial)THIS unusual local album commemorates the Dalai Lama's 1994 visit. The Dalai Lama received the Nobel Prize for his nonviolent campaign to end Chinese communist imperialism in occupied Tibet. The album contains his insights on many topics and is a fine introduction to his teachings and the campaign to liberate Tibet.
Tibetan music, chant by kumu hula John Lake, comments by Abraham Akaka and producer Edgy Lee's liner notes add other facets to this fascinating album.
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Sakyadhita: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~tsomo
International Campaign for Tibet: http://www.peacenet.org/ict/
See Record Reviews for some 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 Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
