Customer Reviews

Rabbit Island Music Festival (Mlps)

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Celebrated as one of the great modernizers of Hawaiian music, slide master Gabby Pahinui stretched the "traditional" sound of the Hawaiian slack key style out into a more relaxed, expansive sound, luxuriant and laid-back, as well as the perfect showcase for his dazzling guitar work. The title of this album is kind of an in-joke; Rabbit Island is a protected wildlife sanctuary, so the "festival" heard on this disc is actually a set of 'ewa'ewa (Hawaiian terns), recorded on the rocky island (the human music was actually recorded in the Sounds Of Hawaii studios, in Honolulu...) This is a lovely album, sort of a bridge between the older island styles that Pahinui grew up on and and the modern sound that he pioneered. Joining him here are the extended Pahinui clan (many of whom have gone onto lengthy careers of their own), and guitarist Sonny Chillingsworth, who is also still a powerful force in island music. Really sweet stuff; definitely worth picking up!

Just looking at the cover sends chills down my spine. Back when every Hawaiian album seemed to become an instant classic, Gabby Pahinui asked his family and friends (Atta Issacs and Sonny Chillingworth) to record and jam on some Hawaiian music. They do this for almost an hour. The record cover comes to life in the intro and outro, as you hear the guys perform live in front of an audience of birds on Rabbit Island.

One of the wonderful things about recorded music --- it preserves history and keeps the musician forever alive. This is how I feel about Gabby Pahinui's musicianship. He is a true master. An original.