Island Mele

By John Berger

"Big Island's Own Hana Hou!"

BanVarious artistsd
J.A.G.S. Entertainment

An amazing diversity of music and talent is showcased in this second compilation from a hui of Big Island radio stations. The music ranges from grass-roots Hawaiian ("Ku'u Home o Kahuku" and "Hilo, Ma Ke Kai") to neo-swing ("Big Fat Stogie") and grinding power rock ("Where Are You Now"). Some of the artists are professionals with prior recording or songwriting credits, such as Walter "Waltah Boy" Tavares, J.J. Ahuna and Shari Hall; others are young hopefuls. There are songs in English, Hawaiian and Japanese. Several have nothing to do with Hawaii; one or two were written elsewhere.

Jay Stevens' musical comedy vignette, "I Thought It Was a Luau," is one of the standouts. Another is "Wicked Wahine," a soulful electro-pop/dance number by Hot Lava 808 which includes Hawaiian language rap. Jennifer A.K. Avelino merits statewide play for "My Destiny," a catchy song despite the generic pseudo-Jamaican toasting in the bridge.

And then there's Shari Hall's "Normal," where she claims that picking your nose in public (and various other social gaffes) is actually a good thing.

Mpeg Audio Clips: Wicked Wahine by Hot Lava 808 Aoi Tsukiyo (Blue Moon Night) by Daisuke "Kai" and Tomoko Ioh My Destiny by Jennifer A.K. Avelino Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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"The Best Of Flyin' Hawaiian,
Volume 3 -- 15 Years of Hits"

Various artists
Flyin' Hawaiian Entertainment

Record producer Lester Gantan got into the local music business in 1987 and made music history with the debut album by Club Rox Rock, Hawaii's first credible local rap group, in 1991. This two-CD retrospective on his label's output since then sets a new standard for anthologies for local, non-Hawaiian-music record labels. Anyone just now discovering Flyin' Hawaiian will find all the pertinent history, along with the music.

Disc One is primarily for fans of light ballads, generic remakes and pseudo-Jamaican music; a vapid remake of "I'd Still Say Yes" epitomizes those dreary genres. On the other hand, imaginative originals by Quintinn Holi and members of 5:05 are here, too. Holi's quirky tunes remain noteworthy, and the local popularity of 5:05's "Pua Nani" prove that local radio listeners will embrace new songs as quickly as lame remakes. An odd but catchy Jawaiian/ska version of "Sherry," featuring B.E.T., is one of the new songs Gantan slips in among the so-called hits.

Disc Two is an interestinG mix of pop, rock and urban-R&B songs that includes some apparently not originally released here. The more historically significant choices are the Club Rox Rock cuts and "Diana," the impassioned requiem for Diane Suzuki that Gantan recorded as a member of 5:05. The most surprising is the hot buzz-saw rock of Mr. Orange Undercover on "Next Week Thursday."

Gantan has generally followed the market and put out mostly local pop and Jawaiian stuff in recent years, but this album reveals his broader horizons. It is also his best chance ever to finally receive a Hoku award for his work both as a producer and a recording artist.

www.flyinhawaiian.com

Mpeg Audio Clips: Sherry by Keone Wilson featuring B.E.T. and Native Blend Cab Driver by Quintinn Holi Diana by 5:05 Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info

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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.