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Island Mele John Berger |
Few albums have had greater impact on the history of the ukulele than this 1957 project by Lyle Ritz. It's been out of print for years, and used vinyl copies have sold for $50 or more on eBay. This perfect CD reissue costs much less than that and includes the original liner notes. "How About Uke?"
Lyle Ritz
VerveRitz had taught himself to play the ukulele back in 1950 while he was working as a musical instrument salesman, and so impressed Verve Records exec Barney Kessel that he was offered a record deal. The mainland still considered the ukulele a novelty instrument when Ritz accepted Kessel's offer several years later, but "How About Uke?" -- an assortment of jazz standards and originals -- put U.S. jazz fans on notice that the ukulele was a legitimate instrument.
Several local ukulele virtuosos name Ritz as the guy whose recordings made them aware of the instrument's capabilities, and his pioneering work heard here has aged well.
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7 Simple Pieces follows last year's CD-single release with this full-length of proselytizing Christian music. Vocalist Stacy L. Kepa and guitarist Jonathan K. Calpito are the septet's writers and share credit for 10 original testaments of their religious faith. Several sound like they would be a fine fit for local Christian radio airplay. "7 Simple Pieces"
7 Simple Pieces
PilotKepa and Calpito write earnestly of the joy of prayer, the process of donning "the armor of God," the danger of taking salvation for granted, and their belief that "J-E-S-U-S" is the answer to all things. Kepa's voice is a definite asset to the presentation of their religious message.
As with last year's project, the album includes a spoken word interlude in which bandleader Clarence "Boy" Vierra Jr. invites the listener to accept Jesus Christ by joining him in repeating the words of a simple prayer.
www7simplepieces.com
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Tino Ibach's follow-up to his 2002 CD-single is a collaboration with producer/arranger Alwyn Erub. The results are a mixed bag of local pop, Jawaiian, pseudo-Jamaican impersonations, oldies arranged with a strong retro feel, and a hint of the old local show band the Fabulous Krush. Some of the rap breaks are reminiscent of LL Cool J circa 1990, and Erub's synth horn arrangements on "Live It Up" suggest what the Memphis Horns were blowing for the Stax/Volt label in the late '60s. "Tino & the Rhythm Klub"
Tino & the Rhythm Klub
Bluewater"Sweetly," Ibach's most noteworthy song from 2002, still stands out. Another Ibach original, "Whenever You Love," shows his strength as a balladeer and lyricist.
"Rock the Boat," a pointless recycling project in 2002, remains so in 2004, complete with the cryptic reference to Danny Ocean. Other remakes here are apparently audience favorites at club gigs, reason enough to put them on an album that seems intended primarily as a nightclub souvenir.
wwwpacifichawaiian.com
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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. Contact John Berger at jberger@starbulletin.com.
