Customer Reviews

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: IZ - The Man Behind The Music

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My only reservations with this disk are technical related to the sound being slightly off and some of the video being too reflective at some points. This may simply be a problem with the transfer from what is a TV production. I have e-mailed Mountain Apple and look forward to their response.

This having been said, this biographical program on Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole is an outstanding tribute to the unique Hawaiian. Family and friends tell of him from school until the time of his death. This is a history of a man and a music career.

This disk has bonus materials including the complete video of Over the Rainbow, two other numbers, and stories not included on the original TV program.

This is a very moving disk and the viewer walks away with a greater love and appreciation for a man who is just begining to be known on the mainland.

I cannot recommend this disk highly enough.

Mahalo Bro' Iz.

This is an album to played with an open mind as it will grow on you more every time you hear this giant of a man sing. It's more than music, the late Brudda Iz is infectious. Tracks 5-13 are the meat of the CD 11 is nice... and you should track down his other album "Facing Future" with "Over the Rainbow/Beautiful World" on them and try not to be addicted.

Bill, a fan

We found this DVD when we were visiting in Hawaii this month. We loved his music since we were first introduced to it three years after his death. Seeing the DVD rounded out the picture I have in my mind. It shows IZ as a person, portrayed by those who continue to love him. I enjoyed "meeting" his wife, his daughter, his "adopted" mom, and the friend who "gave" him "Hawaiian Suppa Man." I am glad we found the DVD. The only disappointment was some quality of the recording itself.

If you are looking for music this is not the DVD to buy.
There is very, very little music. A good DVD to learn about
IZ and all his friends.

I am a most ardent fan of Iz, I own every CD and the other DVDs- he is my favorite musician, EVER. I did not like this DVD. I did not get any sense of the beauty and true Aloha spirit that I have found in his music- it seemed kind of amaturish, and like they had to include every thing any one said just to stretch it out. I wish someone would make a really good biography for him- there was something about him that went way beyond the music and into the heart for a lot of us, and you just could not see that in this attempt. I won't even watch it a second time.

When you listen to any of the LATE and GREAT Israel Kamakwiwo'Ole's cds..you will hear one the most beauitful voices god ever put on this earth. But when you look at this man ,this giant man with this amazing angel like voice you will be blown away. god gave this late singer the voice of angel. a voice that must have been blessed and touched by god...the songs , music and lyrics will leave you speechless and breathless ..his voice and the way he delivers the songs with that teardrop in his vocal chord...will send chills up and down your spine..any of this mans cds is excellent and it is a must of anyone who wants to get a cd that reflects the spirit of islands this man was the spirit of hawaii. even thou IZ passed away some time ago his voice his music his legend still lives is the islands thru his voice and music.his voice alone will leave you with a tear in your eyes...

IF YOU LOVE IZ KAMAKAWIWO'OLE MUSIC. YOU WILL LOVE HIS DVD.
JUST SITTING AND WATCHING THE DVD, YOU WILL THINK YOU WERE THERE, IN THE AUDIENCE LISTENING TO HIS BEAUTIFUL VOICE. THE STORY ABOUT HIS LIFE AND MUSIC, IT IS A MUST BUY DVD. BARB FROM CHICAGO.

This DVD was very enjoyable to watch. It covered all areas of IZ's life, the love of his Hawaii, and interviews from close friends and family. From the smiling giggles to his spiritual love of Hawaii this DVD shows the real musician and family man. When I heard IZ say, "We live in both worlds." His memory of Hawaii, and his music will carry on for a very long time. My husband and I lived in Hawaii, our son was born there, and we really loved it. After watching this DVD I wanted to fly over and stay at Bellows Beach!!

The first note of Iz's singing took my breath away. I listen to this tape over and over while commuting. I arrive at my destination relaxed in spite of the traffic.

While the quality of the production and the video aren't great, and you shouldn't get this if you simply want to hear more IZ music, after watching this I know so much more about who IZ was, and what he meant to Hawaii. You'll learn from his closest friends and his family, and about his life from childhood through to the end. This filled in a lot of blanks for me, and it helps frame and add enjoyment when I'm listening to his music. It's so unfortunate there is actually very little video or even audio content about IZ. He was really just getting into his own when he died, in my opinion.

The insights I gained from this video have help me to understand what IZ was trying to say to the world, in a way that helps me in my own life. He had a strong message, which often comes out in his music. Hearing what he was about and what he was trying to be and say from those closest to him adds to that. He seemed grounded in a way few of us are, and yet, I believe he was still searching at the same time. Here is a man who in the end received very little formal education. He was educated by those around him, by interacting with people when he explored his music, and by his exposure to the many people that were drawn to him. We can only guess what it was like to simply spend time with IZ, most of that time he spent is not documented in any way. Here you'll learn for instance when he went to school, he spent most of his time playing under a tree in the school yard, likely surrounded by many others drawn to his voice and over time to his presence as he developed it.

From this material, I came away with the impression that more than most people, IZ did what he wanted when he wanted to. He explored what he wanted to. He played and sang what he wanted to. In a way, he was an ultimate free spirit. And yet, his choices that led to his physical limitations were more confining that I can imagine. Because of that, he was largely confined to his homeland of Hawaii. We can only imagine how this unique combination of elements led to the person we knew as IZ, and more what he might have been like had he continued to live.

If you want at least a glimpse into who he was and who he was becoming, this is the best material I know of to explore. It's not a long video, but it's what we have. Enjoy it for what it is, and you'll come away closer to IZ.