Island Mele
Guitarist Chris Carillo has been most visible in recent years in Baba B's band. With this album, he steps forward as a multitalented artist in his own right. Carillo wrote most of the songs and does reasonably well with the remakes. Baba B sings on two promising pop songs, but Carillo proves a competent vocalist elsewhere. "CCP"
Chris Carillo Project
On the RealsHis originals are mostly accounts of love won and lost -- of being too shy to talk to a woman until she'd chosen someone else, and of not communicating with a girlfriend until it was too late. His other songs, thankfully, have happy endings.
Given Carillo's long association with Baba B, it's no surprise that reggae rhythms predominate, but his use of guitar rather than ukulele sets his work apart from most of the formula Jawaiian being perpetrated these days. And when he shifts into a pop mode, his arrangements evoke the sounds of Hall & Oates and the early Fabulous Krush. In short, Chris Carillo has some interesting ideas.
Call: (808) 398-8566
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To Our Music
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Fans of Pure Heart's first album will love Heart and Soul, made up of Sam Pablo, James Lacquiao, and Garrett and Gary Sevellino. Lacquiao is clearly a talented disciple of Jake Shimabukuro's and gives this hot young group a similarly exciting zip; H&S is a string band, but guest percussionists add a Lopaka Colón-type ambience. Credit producer Bob St. John with astutely eschewing synth tracks and letting the group's clean acoustic sound speak for itself. "A Lot of Love"
Heart and Soul
Neos ProductionsYou can also credit the guys for their eight originals; most are written in an earnest stream-of-consciousness style that ignores rhythm and meter in the effort to simply communicate with that one special girl. The occasional awkwardness of the earnest lyrics will certainly win the hearts of the band's teen fan base.
A remake of "Can't Help Falling in Love," however, is the one throwaway, but tailor-made for Hawaii's island music-formated radio stations.
Write: Neos Productions, P.O. Box 4300, Mililani, HI 96789
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The existence of Na Palapalai hasn't exactly been a secret in recent years, but the trio of Keao Costa, Kehau Tamura and Kuana Torres hasn't been particularly in the public eye, either. Their debut album will change that in a big way and expose their beautiful traditionalist Hawaiian music to the world. I say it's about time! "Makani 'Olu'olu"
Na Palapalai Koops
2 EntertainmentTraditionalists will love the trio's falsetto harmonies and clean acoustic arrangements. Aaron Sala (piano) and Casey Olsen (steel guitar) embellish several selections in fine style, but beyond that, this is pure Na Palapalai.
Most of the songs are Hawaiian-language standards done in the trio's sweet and zesty backyard style. Four others are originals that will likely become standards in years to come. Informative annotation by Hoku Award-winning Puakea Nogelmeier completes this excellent debut album.
www.koops2.com
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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. Contact John Berger at jberger@starbulletin.com.
