Island Mele
Acoustic Soul is an odd name for a pop group that records with a full synthetic orchestra, but Robb Shibayama (lead vocals) and Mikel Okouchi (ukulele) make the most of the reinforcement provided by producers Jason Lent (who did the vocal arrangements) and élan (who filled in the additional instruments). Shibayama and Okouchi contributed nine original songs. "Careless Whisper" is presented as an instrumental featuring Okouchi and puts the Wham! hit in fresh perspective. "Chapter One"
Acoustic Soul
(Afterthought Entertainment)The style of the originals suggests that Shibayama and Okouchi are local popsters at heart in the tradition of acts like Breezin', Kevin I., Mililani and the pop-lite sound Jon Yamasato contributed to Pure Heart (Lent and élan are the writers responsible for "When You Hold Me," the slick faux-Jamaican tune that formally opens the album).
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When You Hold Me
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www.acousticsoulmusic.com
John Keawe has been a premiere representative of the Big Island ki ho'alu tradition since the 1980s. His eighth solo album reaffirms his stature. It is also a memorial to his older brother, Steven, who inspired his interest in slack key. "Aloha Kaikua'ana"
John Keawe
(Homestead Productions)Keawe interprets six Hawaiian standards ("Hi'ilawe" and "Hawai'i Aloha" are two) and introduces several new tunes inspired by life on the Big Island. Although this is a solo project, Keawe uses studio technology to create performances in which several guitars are heard. The resulting blending of several tunings -- all played in the same key -- adds depth and texture.
Keawe closes with two songs he introduced on his 1989 "Island Touch" cassette and reminds us that he sings too.
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www.kohala.net/keawe
Bill Campbell heard ki ho'alu while visiting in 1996, borrowed a guitar and worked out the basics with the help of a friend's Dancing Cat CDs before finding a teacher. His solo album is thus an inspiration to all who study slack key. It is also soothing instrumental mood music in its own right. "Kauai on My Mind"
Bill Campbell
(Bill Campbell Music)Campbell keeps to back-porch style -- a single six-string guitar played in clean "taro patch" tuning. He includes enough standards for slack-key mavens to appraise his approach, but the originals and non-Hawaiian songs are interesting as well. Hearing pop and Broadway hits reworked in pure acoustic arrangements places the melodies and the ki ho'alu tradition alike in a fresh context.
Information on Campbell, his selections and his approach to slack key completes this musical calling card.
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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.
