Customer Reviews

Hui Aloha

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

 

 

I saw this quartet in Somerville, Mass., on Feb. 5 and had a great time. They're humorous, humble and very informative, as well as being very talented and versatile musicians. Two of their songs struck me that night so much that I made a note of them on my program: Monterey Sunrise and Steal Away. It's great to be able to have those two songs permanently now. The brief liner notes pertaining to Monterey Sunrise fall short of the meandering, funny story David Kamakahi told about how they wrote that song during a jam session early New Year's Day 1997 after two concerts the evening before. His father awakened him from his hotel room slumber at 2 AM and they jammed until the sun came up. Then, they caught a flight back to Honolulu, totally exhausted.

My perspective is not that of a knowledgable fan of Hawaiian music. I'm an open-minded music fan who grabbed this on a whim. And it's excellent. It has the mellow and relaxing quality that people tend to enjoy in Hawaiian music, but is never syrupy. The playing and singing are beautiful, and both the traditional and original songs are excellent. I especially like track #10, which is a haunting song about the Vietnam War. You don't need to understand Hawaiian to get the feeling.

Hate to admit it, but I picked this up looking for music for a Hawaiian-themed party. Didn't work for that, but it's absolutely excellent. Nice, mellow, authentic Hawaiian music. The rhythms transcend age...we have two little girls who argue over who gets to listen to Hui Aloha in their room!

After seeing Hawai'i's Next Generation (Keoki Kahumoku, Patrick Lendeza, Herb Ohta Jr, and David Kamakahi, special guest Dennis Kamakahi) play in Berkely in September, I quickly ordered this CD, although it isn't the Next Generation. I ordered it because some of the songs the NG performed that night were on the CD, and I had to have them.

The songs I refer to are Steal Away and Monterey Sunrise. However, there isn't a bad song on the CD, each one is a star all by itself. One of my favorites would have to be Ke Kuau Laiki, a song Dennis wrote and dedicated to some of his friends who died during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam.

I feel the need to correct a couple of errors from another review of this CD.

Martin Pahinui is the son of slack key great Gabby Pahinui. Cyril Pahinui is Martin's brother, also a great musician.

Slack key is NOT steel guitar. These are acoustic guitars, some of them have steel strings, some have nylon strings. But you wouldn't call a standard acoustic guitar with steel strings a "steel guitar". Slack key is a style. A steel guitar is an actual instrument with its own style, and it looks nothing like a normal guitar.

A good mixture of different styles of slack key. My favorite is the first number, "Steal Away", that has a great classicak uke solo by Dennis Kamakahi. Panini Pua Kea is also great, recalling the Sons of Hawaii. Their version of Palolo, though, pales in comparison to the one by the Ka'au Crater Boys.

Three of Hawaii's most respected steel guitarists (Dennis Kamakahi, George Kuo and Martin Pahinui - son of steel guitar God, Cyril Pahinui) come together to make an album of favorite Hawaiian selections, filled with the Aloha spirit. This album includes both pure instrumental and vocal selections, but with the steel guitar as the lead instrument.

This album will appeal to the general listener as well as to afficianados of authentic Hawaiian steel guitar at its best.

I'm listening to "Steal Away" right now on Radio@AOL - could have knocked me over with surprise and pleasure, because we heard Dennis Kamakahi sing this very catchy tune and others in a solo acoustic gig at the Maui Ritz-Carlton on Tuesday, February 8 (one of the "Masters of Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitar" evenings.

It was a great evening, enlivened by hula and a wonderful feeling of "ohana."

I recognized Dennis' voice and the song immediately - think I'll be buying this CD very soon.