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POSTED: Tuesday, May 05, 2009

A distributor's flub could be the key to victory in several categories when the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts announces the winners of the 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards taking place June 9 at the Sheraton Waikiki. Ballots were sent out to the academy's voting members last week.

“;'Ikena,”; the album by Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho, which won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music album in February and Contemporary Hawaiian album at the Hawaii Music Awards in March, is one of four albums on Ho's record label that were barred from the ballot when the label's distributor missed the filing deadline. The decision by HARA's Board of Governors to strictly enforce the deadlines this year also eliminated the 2009 Grammy Award-finalist compilation “;The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar,”; Ho's Hawaii Music Award-winning solo album, “;Sunny Spaces,”; and kumu hula Kawaikapuokalani Hewett's impeccably Hawaiian album, “;Honehone i ka Poli.”;

This year's other three Grammy Award finalists all made the cut as Hoku Award finalists, although three other albums have more nominations.

The Brothers Cazimero and their album “;Destiny”; are this year's pace-setters with nominations in six categories, including album, Group of the Year and Hawaiian album. Pali's five nominations for “;... With Love”; include album, Group of the Year and Island Music album (HARA defines “;island music”; as music “;of or about Hawai'i”; and not as a euphemism for Jawaiian or Jamaican-style music). Howard Ai's five nominations for “;Kaleihulumamo”; include Male Vocalist and Song of the Year, for “;Waiaka,”; which he co-wrote with his wife, Olana Ai.

Teresa Bright, Holunape and Grammy Award finalist Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom (recording as Amy Hanaiali'i) have four nominations each.

Grammy Award-finalists Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa have three nominations, including Group of the Year. “;Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Masters Series Vol. 2,”; the Grammy finalist compilation produced by Chris and Milton Lau, is a finalist in the Compilation album category.

Winners of awards for Hawaiian language recording and Haku Mele, for use of the Hawaiian language in composing a first-time recorded song, will be selected by panels of language specialists and announced during the awards show.

Here are the nominees:

Anthology album

Award to Hawaii resident producer(s)

» ”;50 Greatest Songs of Hawai'i,”; by various artists (Mountain Apple); Honolulu magazine, producer

» “;Best of Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest Winners,”; by various artists (Hula); Donald P. McDiarmid Jr. and Donald P. “;Flip”; McDiarmid III, producers

» ”;Kamalei: Keali'i Reichel Collection—Two,”; by Keali'i Reichel (Punahele); Keali'i Reichel, Fred Krauss and Jim Linkner, producers

» ”;Keys of Love,”; by Kapena (KDE Records); KDE Records, producer

» ”;Unforgettable,”; by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau (Poki); Tim Mathre, Kata Maduli and Lea Uehara, producers

Christmas album

» ”;Aloha Kalikimaka: A Hawaiian Christmas,”; Maui Jam (Maui Jam)

» ”;Christmas Aloha,”; various artists (Mountain Apple)

» ”;E Ola Ke Ali'i: The Na Kama Christmas Collection, Vol. 1,”; Na Kama (Makani)

» ”;Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas,”; Jim “;Kimo”; West (Westernmost)

» ”;Kohala Christmas,”; Kohala (Palm)

» “;Winds and Colors of Christmas,”; Ilima Rivera (Mahina Mele)

Compilation album

Award to Hawaii resident producer(s)

» ”;Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Master Series Vol. II,”; various artists (Rhythm & Roots); Chris Lau and Milton Lau, producers

» ”;Hawaiian Style 5,”; various artists (Neos); Patti St. John, producer

» “;Live at 'Iolani School Fair, Vol. 1,”; various artists (No Hum Yet); Fred B. Li, producer

» ”;Love, Love, Love,”; various artists (OneHawaii); Alika “;Boy”; Kalauli, Sherry Kalauli and Shawn Pimental, producers

» ”;Pink CD,”; various artists (Island Soul); Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation, producer

Music video DVD

» “;Guava Jelly,”; Camille Velasco (Up Above)

» ”;Kamehameha Schools 2008 Song Contest,”; Kamehameha Schools (Mountain Apple)

» “;Like Ocean, Like Lace,”; Cheryl Bartlett (Akimbo)

Contemporary album

» “;Acoustic Beauty,”; Tahiti Rey (Rey of Light)

» ”;Another Rainbow,”; Jeff Rasmussen (Fat Katz)

» ”; 'Aumakua,”; Amy Hanaiali'i (Ua)

» ”;Everyday,”; Ten Feet (Ohana)

» “;Full Circle,”; Titus Kinimaka (no label)

» ”;Time,”; Dave Tucciarone (Dave Tucciarone)

Hawaiian album

» ”;Ahea? 'Ano!”; Holunape (Roy Sakuma)

» “;Destiny,”; Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple)

» ”;Kaumakaiwa,”; Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole (Mountain Apple)

» ”;Pili O Ke Ao,”; Kupaoa (Kupaoa)

» ”;Yesterday and Today,”; Eddie Kamae & the Sons of Hawaii (Hawaii Sons)

Hip Hop/R&B album

» ”;Alive and Well,”; King Kekai (Ekahi)

» ”;Connie,”; Connie Cruz (OneHawaii)

» ”;Hawai'i and Beyond,”; Ryan Hiraoka (Rubbah Slippah)

» ”;Planet Earth,”; Nigel Kauanui (no label)

» ”;Reborn,”; A Touch of Gold (Golden Boy)

Instrumental album

» ”;Contemporary Ukulele Instrumentals,”; Kalei Gamiao (Kalei G)

» ”;From the Heart,”; Noly Paa (Pali Winds)

» ”;Haleakala,”; Jeff Peterson and Riley Lee (Peterson)

» ”;Kohala Live,”; Kohala (Palm)

» ”;Spotlight,”; Ohta-san (Roy Sakuma)

Island Music album

» ”; 'Aina,”; Peter Apo (Mamo)

» ”;Dear Mama,”; Darren Benitez (Fat Katz)

» ”;Force of Nature,”; Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa (Jus Press)

» ”;The White Bathtub,”; Kenneth Makuakane (Makuakane)

» ”;... With Aloha,”; Pali (PK)

Jazz album

» ”;Aloha Monday,”; Aaron Kaleao Agsalda (Esperanza)

» ”;Hawaiian Jazz,”; Stephen Jones and Bryan Kessler (Wire and Wood)

» ”;Live at the Dragon Upstairs,”; Ginai and Pierre (RVR)

» ”;Tropic Rhapsody,”; Teresa Bright (Teresa Bright)

» ”;The Very Thought of You,”; Shea Argel (Argel)

Reggae album

» ”;The Bond That Binds,”; Kawao (Jus-us Kawao)

» ”;Free Again,”; Kontiki (Kontiki)

» “;It's About Time,”; Dani Girl (Island Soul)

» ”;Nothing to Hide,”; Rebel Soljahs (no label)

» “;We're Coming,”; Pohaku (Pohaku)

Religious album

» ”;All for One,”; Del Beazley (Mountain Apple)

» ”;Heaven in Your Heart,”; Debra Lynn (Rainbow Rose Press)

» ”;My Generation,”; SRM Worship (no label)

» ”;Psalms for Healing,”; Wesley Taira (no label)

» “;Send Love,”; Anita Hall (Duck House)

» ”;Tiffa,”; Tiffa Garza (OneHawaii)

Rock album

» ”;Admit One,”; Pimpbot (Pass Out)

» “;Imua,”; Imua Garza (OneHawaii)

» ”;Light You Up,”; Kristopher David gray (no label)

» ”;Many Classics, Kalapana Plays Their Best,”; Kalapana (OTB)

» ”;A Sense of Urgency,”; Upstanding Youth (no label)

Slack-Key album

» ”;Hanalei Tradition,”; Doug and Sandy McMaster (Aloha Plenty)

» ”;Hawaii Island ... Is My Home,”; John Keawe (Homestead)

» ”;Kaowahi,”; Ben P. Kaili Jr. (no label)

» ”;Paradise on the Ocean,”; Doug Fitch (Doug Fitch)

» ”;Somewhere,”; Danny Carvalho (Lava Rock)

Female vocalist

» Diana Aki, “;Kalihi”; (Songbird)

» Teresa Bright, “;Tropic Rhapsody (Teresa Bright)

» Amy Hanaiali'i, “;'Aumakua”; (Ua)

» Natalie Ai Kamauu, “;'I”; (no label)

» Ku'uipo Kumukahi, “;Let's Hula With Ku'uipo”; (Ward)

Male vocalist

» Howard K. Ai, “;Kaleihulumamo”; (Ginger Doggie)

» Del Beazley, “;All for One”; (Mountain Apple)

» Darren Benitez, “;Dear Mama”; (Fat Katz)

» Bill Kaiwa, ”;Na Halia”; (Kaiwa)

» Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole, “;Kaumakaiwa”; (Mountain Apple)

» Aaron J. Sala, “;Napo'ona Mahina: The Illusion of Reality”; (Hula)

Group

» Brothers Cazimero, “;Destiny”; (Mountain Apple)

» Holunape, “;Ahea? 'Ano!”; (Roy Sakuma)

» Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa, “;Force of Nature”; (Jus Press)

» Eddie Kamae & the Sons of Hawaii, “;Yesterday and Today”; (Hawaii Sons)

» Pali, ”;... With Love”; (PK)

Most promising artist(s)

» Anita Hall, “;Send Love”; (Duck House)

» Hapa, Folk “;Good Fun”; (no label)

» Kupaoa, ”;Pili O Ke Ao”; (Kupaoa)

» Manoa Voices, “;Manoa Voices”; (Hula)

» Dave Tucciarone, “;Time”; (Dave Tucciarone)

Album of the year

Local resident artist and producer(s)

» ”;Ahea? 'Ano!”; Holunape (Roy Sakuma); Holunape, producers

» ”; 'Aumakua,”; Amy Hanaiali'i (Ua); Matt Catingub, producer

» ”;Destiny,”; Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple); Jon de Mello, producer

» ”;Kaumakaiwa,”; Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole (Mountain Apple); Shawn Pimental and Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole, producers

» ”; ... With Aloha,”; Pali (PK); D.J. Pratt and Pali T.W. Ka'aihue, producers

Song of the Year

Composer's award

» ”;Dear Mama,”; Darren Benitez, from “;Dear Mama,”; Darren Benitez (Fat Katz)

» ”;Island Days,”; Pali T.W. Ka'aihue, from “;... With Aloha,”; Pali (PK)

» ”;Ka 'Imi Loa,”; Snowbird Bento and Roland Cazimero, from “;Destiny,”; Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple)

» ”;Maka Ua,”; Myrna and Eddie Kamae, from “;Yesterday and Today,”; Eddie Kamae & the Sons of Hawaii (Hawaii Sons)

» “;Waiaka,”; Olana and Howard K. Ai, from “;Kaleihulumamo,”; Howard K. Ai (Ginger Doggie)

Favorite entertainer

» Howard K. Ai, “;Kaleihulumamo”; (Ginger Doggie)

» Darren Benitez, “;Dear Mama”; (Fat Katz)

» Teresa Bright, “;Tropic Rhapsody”; (Teresa Bright)

» Brothers Cazimero, “;Destiny”; (Mountain Apple)

» Amy Hanaiali'i, “;'Aumakua”; (Ua)

» Holunape, “;Ahea? 'Ano!”; (Roy Sakuma)

» Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa, “;Force of Nature”; (Jus Press)

» Natalie Ai Kamauu, “; 'I”; (no label)

» Ku'uipo Kumukahi, “;Let's Hula With Ku'uipo”; (Ward)

» Pali, “;... With Aloha”; (PK)

Graphics

» Linda Ching and Toni Drake for “;From the Heart,”; Noly Paa (Pali Winds)

» Debbie Chock and Lori Nuha for “;Napo'ona Mahina: the Illusion of Reality,”; Aaron J. Sala (Hula)

» Alfredo Garma for “;Kaleihulumamo,”; Howard K. Ai (Ginger Doggie)

» Stacy Leong Design for “; 'Aina,”; Peter Apo (Mamo)

» Brian Onaga for “;Unforgettable,”; Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau (Poki)

Engineering

» Milan Bertosa, D.J. Pratt and Gaylord Holomalia for “;Many Classics, Kalapana Plays Their Best,”; Kalapana (OTB)

» Kit Ebersbach for “;Tropical Rhapsody,”; Teresa Bright (Teresa Bright)

» Fred Li and Eric Kop for “;Bob Tribal,”; Bop Tribal (Pass Out)

» Shawn Livingston Moseley for “;Alter Native,”; Millicent Cummings (Jai Ma)

» Shawn Livingston Moseley for “;White Bathtub,”; Kenneth Makuakane (Makuakane)

Liner notes

» Olana Ai for “;Kaleihulumamo,”; Howard K. Ai (Ginger Doggie)

» Robert Cazimero and Roland Cazimero for “;Destiny,”; Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple)

» Gerald Kahula Hirata for “;Aloha 'Anianiau,”; Leilani Rivera Bond (Leilani)

» Kahauanu Lake for “;E Hula Mai Kakou,”; Na Leo (OneHawaii)

» Puakea Nogelmeier, Fred Krauss and Keali'i Reichel for “;Kamalei: Keali'i Reichel Collection—Two,”; Keali'i Reichel (Punahele)