Island Mele

By John Berger

"On The Edge"

New Wave Natives

Rhythm & Roots

There is nothing "new wave" or "edgy" in this compilation of recordings by eight slack-key guitarists, but fans of the music will enjoy it nonetheless. The eight guitarists include some of Hawaii's lesser-known players, as well as veteran recording artists Jeff Peterson and David Kahiapo. Equally important for anyone interested in slack-key, the annotation includes the tuning used for each song.

Among the relative unknowns is Florent Atem; he's recorded guitar rock instrumentals in the past, but hasn't been known for slack-key. Ocean Kauwili is a veteran only now making his first solo recordings.

Producer Milton Lau adds various instruments to most of the guitarists' work. Less would have sufficed for slack-key purists, as the beauty of Peterson's unembellished work proves, but for the most part, Lau's arrangements add a touch of wider, commercial appeal to these recordings.

rhythmandrootsrecords.yahoo.com

Mpeg Audio Clips: Kimo Hula Kalamaula Sacred Ground Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

"Rise Up"

Uprising
Poi Pounder

The rarity of female voices in Jawaiian/"island music" gives this album an edge in jockeying for radio play position amid the horde of local bands playing this kind of music these days. Malia Reynon shares vocal duties with male singer/ukulele player Apela Hokoana on the quintet's debut album. Guitarist Cade Santos wrote four of the eight originals and Reynon's voice breathes some new life to two remakes.

The title song is solid mainstream Jawaiian music with a positive social message. On the love song "Too Much," the emphasis on ukulele creates more of a backyard party feel. "No More Hurry" sets a similar idea to a bouncier beat in celebrating the magic of being in love; it should be Uprising's first hit. "Cast All My Troubles," a Christian-themed acoustic song, is a glimpse of their larger repertoire.

www.mountainapplecompany.com

Mpeg Audio Clips: Rise Up Mr.Jawaiian No More Hurry Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

"The First Time"

Kawika Regidor
Wind Wave

Given the importance of first impressions, it's too bad that Kawika Regidor's debut album opens with an uncredited interpolation of Mary Wells' 1962 Motown hit, "Two Lovers." The arrangements are mostly routine Jawaiian stuff, but Regidor has a pleasant voice and obvious potential romantic appeal.

He also has promise as a writer. Regidor shows a broader musical range and versatility with a beautiful hapa-haole song, "'O Kuileana," that deserves notice outside of usual "island music" circles. The generic Jawaiian remakes of "Shower Me With Your Love" and "I Just Called To Say I Love You" are a waste of space, but "Islands," a tune written by his production team and Norm Thompson, is a better showcase for Regidor.

Write:
Pakelekia Publishing
P.O. Box 4300
Mililani HI 96789

Mpeg Audio Clips: Two Lovers The First Time 'O Kuileana Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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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 Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.