Aloha No Na Kupuna / Love for the Elders

Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters (Series), George Kuo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 21, 1996)
• Original Release Date: May 21, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B0000030LZ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,339 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Waikiki Medley: Royal Hawaiian Hotel/Le'ahi/Kaimana Hila

2. Manu Kapalulu

3. KHBC

4. Medley: Wai'alae/Koni au I Ka Wai

5. He Inoa No Ka'iulani

6. Old Paniolo

7. Aia I Ka Maui

8. Golf Swing

9. Honesakala

10. Medley: Wai O Ke Aniani/'Ahulili

11. Aloha Chant

12. Lullaby Chimes

13. Mauna Loa Blues [Live]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC KI HO'ALU GUITAR MUSIC, August 22, 2000

By 

Shlomo Pestcoe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aloha No Na Kupuna / Love for the Elders (Audio CD)

With all the interest these days in the acoustic guitar ("Hey, Ma, look at me... I'm 'unplugged!'"), it's surprising that Hawaiian ki ho'alu (slack key) style is not better known. This has to be one the most beautiful, satisfying forms of finger-style guitar music. The term "slack key" refers to the various open tunings used in this style. Originally, these tunings were cherished family secrets, handed down from one generation to the next, like choice recipes and heirlooms.

What distinguishes ki ho'alu from the pretentious, "ethereal" New Age stuff of the 1980s and New Age's offspring, New Acoustic music, is that slack key is a robust, living folk tradition with deep roots. Just think of the taste of factory-baked, plastic-wrapped white bread compared to that of fresh, brick-oven-baked, whole grain bread-- no contest. The Hawaiians themselves like to describe slack key as "sweet, sweet music," best listened to in the evening.

It's a testament to the power of this music that George Winston--whose Windham Hill label practically defined the New Age sound-- has come to be one of ki ho'alu's biggest supporters. His Dancing Cat Records has been in the forefront of the effort to document the masters of this great tradition and to disseminate this wonderful music to a broader, global audience.

ALHOA NO NA KUPUNA - "LOVE FOR THE ELDERS" is another winner from Dancing Cat Records' "Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Series." This album highlights the solo work of one of the younger masters, George Kuo. Back in the early 1970s, George learned from such legendary kupuna (elders) as Gabby Pahinui, Ray Kane, Aunt Alice Namakelua and Sonny Chillingworth, to name but a few. He favors the "old-style;" as George puts it, "My feeling is in the playing from the 1940s. I like to play a nice relaxed, easy style. Not too much fancy stuff, keep it within the melody. It's more delivering a message than playing runs." And that he does ... incredibly well. Each cut on this all-instrumental album is tasty and perfectly executed. The gorgeous music is supported by fine liner notes by Jay W. Junker and George Winston, with the different slack key tunings given for each piece (guitarists, definitely try this at home).

Mahalo nui to George Kuo for the truly splendid music and George Winston for yet another great production in this important series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another beautiful slack key album..., November 14, 2002

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aloha No Na Kupuna / Love for the Elders (Audio CD)

I was not familiar with George Kuo until I came into possession of this fine release, but if you like Hawaiian guitar music, you cannot go wrong adding this disc to your shelves. It may be "easy listening" but it is not unskilled or indifferent or anonymous or bland. Read Mr. Pestcoe's knowledgeable review posted here for the details. While I like Keola Beamer's "Tales from the Dream Guitar" just a tiny bit better, owning both CD's is preferable to owning neither. Many of Mr. Kuo's choices here are gently swinging...his music will relax you, but won't put you to sleep. As the other review says, slack-key tuning makes acoustic guitar instrumentals more interesting, sounding just different enough to perk up the ears. This is a fine presentation of one of Hawaii's most distinctive gifts to music lovers.