Customer Reviews

Guava Soul

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Bla Pahinui sings I get tears in my eyes and can visualize the beach at Waimanalo. He is the essence of Hawai'i. I feel so fortunate to have run into his music and Guava Soul is a great sampling of some good Hawaiian songs done by a master. Bravo, Bla and I look forward to the next one. From a New Yorker longing to be in Hawaii on a winter day!

Did I hear the same album as this reviewer above? Guess not...Great band and a great singer plus great songs add up to another great Bla album. Nope, he's not Gabby and this ain't 40 years ago. This is contemporary Hawaiian music at it's best. Bla drips soul and is an incredibly expressive and moving singer. This is Hawaiian music in 2002. Don't be a dimwit. Buy it and enjoy it.

Bla has the most unique and soulful voice...it fits the mele he has chosen perfectly. The unique sound of his guitar just adds to the experience. Bla is not his father. If you want Gabby music, buy Gabby music. If you want to hear where that legacy has led...then please listen to Bla's music. His version of Island Style makes me wish I was back on O`ahu, feeling the tradewinds blowing. You won't ever get tired of Bla's music, because he plays what he likes, and he plays it with all his heart. He does not have to fit into a mold. He is his own man.

I've owned the CD for nearly four years and have listened to it many, many times. I started out liking one of Bla Pahinui's other recordings (Mana) better, partly because I'd read a very negative review of this one and I have to admit it colored my perception. Now this one, Guava Soul, is not only my favorite of Bla's CD's but probably my favorite album of all the music I own. The instrumental work is very pleasing to listen to, especially Bla's guitar, and his voice and styling are just perfect. The arrangements are wonderful. And the arrangement of tracks on the CD is wonderful: It starts strong and just keeps getting better, from the lively opening track, "Island Style," to the absolutely beautiful final love song, "Ei Nei."

Please ignore the horribly negative review on this site. This man has a distinctive voice and style, and if someone doesn't like it, I guess that person...just doesn't like it! People have different expectations, different definitions of "soul." To describe a voice is a pretty subjective thing. I'd describe Bla's voice as versatile, flexible, expressive, moving, sometimes raucous, sometimes sweet and, well, soulful. Having a wide tonal range. Definitely unusual. He is not Don Ho, if that's your standard of a Hawaiian singer. And he is not his father, although once in a while there's a note or two of real family resemblance. He is, in my estimation anyway, a great singer of many moods, who goes his own way and is absolutely fine to listen to. And this CD, very different from both of his other recent ones, is a gem.

Was greatly looking forward to this release. Great and long overdue concept: Mixing Hawaiian music with some soul. This CD miserably fails on both counts. Bla certainly missed out on his fathers talent and he's got about as much soul as Dick Clark. I threw this thing in the garbage. So bad I wouldn't even give it away.