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Island Mele
Friday, September 8, 2000
Old, new blend
in ‘Dream’Dream Hawaii:
By Moke Boy (Bluewater)MOSES Kamealoha III performs as "Moke Boy" and is first and foremost a fine traditional Hawaiian falsetto singer. It's no surprise than that the most memorable songs on his second album are traditional in style even though all are originals. Falsetto fans will applaud his blending of technique and emotion in "Pua Ei Nei," "Dream Hawaii" and "Grandpa And God."
Moke Boy is also a contemporary Hawaiian and ventures into a Caribbean-style sound with aid from producer/ arrangers Alwyn Erub and Kenneth Makuakane. The calypso-lite stylings are similar to those Erub and Makuakane have used elsewhere but those songs too reflect Moke Boy's original perspectives on life in Hawaii.
Call (808) 252-2546 (Pager)
Mpeg Audio Clips:
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By Pai'ea (Kinonui ProductionsPAI'EA'S 1999 debut single was a glorious celebration of traditionalist Hawaiian music. The acoustic trio --Barrett Awai, Stewart Kawakami and Dean Wilhelm -- prove equally impressive with this excellent album. The basic sound is crisp and clean. Several guests embellish the work of the trio without diluting it. Even the synth tracks are assets.
Kawakami is the resident composer. He juxtaposes Hawaiian and Tahitian arrangements effectively on "Poerava" and explores English-language acoustic pop elsewhere. Pai'ea does justice to several Hawaiian classics as well.
The extensive annotation includes Hawaiian lyrics and background information. The printing is a size above microscopic but well worth reading.
http://www.paiea.net
Mpeg Audio Clips:
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by various (The Mountain Apple Company)THE arrival of Starbucks in Hawaii perturbed those who fretted the brand had lost its appeal as an omiyagi gift but delighted isle coffee fans. Starbucks returns the aloha with a blend of local music sold only at Starbucks locations here.
The flavors are an eclectic cross-section of the Mountain Apple catalog plus Don Ho's solo version of "I'll Remember You." Some selections are contemporary. Others are 20 or 30 years old. No information on the artists or significance of the songs is provided. Maybe the info will be added in a second brewing.
http://www.mountainapplecompany.com
Mpeg Audio Clips:
Moe Keale
Martin Pahinui
The Brothers Cazimero
Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info
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.
