Hawaiian Love Songs

George Kahumoku

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 9, 2001)
• Original Release Date: January 9, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B000056CAF
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,707 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
On Hawaiian Love Songs, George Kahumoku skillfully manages the delicate balancing act of stretching the sonic boundaries of slack-key guitar technique while keeping the music firmly rooted in tradition. On tracks like "The Queen's Prayer," which features a bass-string glissando inspired by the Chantays' surf-guitar classic "Pipeline," Kahumoku's 12-string guitar playing recalls the intricate picking of a young Leo Kottke. On gentler tracks like "Nu'oli" and "Nakalele" he revels in the gorgeous melodies that Hawaiian musicians seem to produce in endless streams. Kahumoku is joined by vocalist Diana Aki for a duet on the tragic love song "Keiki Mahine." Other guest artists include slide-guitar master Bob Brozman and harmonica player Norton Buffalo, who adds a soulful blues wail to "Lei Pikake." Hawaiian Love Songs is a beautiful blend of contemporary slack-key guitar playing by a musician who respects the past, but doesn't feel compelled to repeat it. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Gotta Love This Stuff, April 27, 2001

By	Charles A. Cooper (Jacksonville, Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a serious listener of Hawaiian slack key for nearly 25 years, and this is some of the best I have ever heard. Slack key music is like blues in that it is based on a rather simple set of musical ideas which allow each performer an infinite space for interpretation and feeling. The happening thing is not so much the notes or chord changes that are played as the honestly and rightness of each musicians approach. At its best slack key can invoke some of the purest musical listening moments available; at its worst it can drift toward a polished sentimentality, which is often quite boring. This album happily achieves the former and not the latter. With every single note Kahumoku demonstrates his sincere love of traditional music, his wonderful guitar artistry and his tremendous musical judgement. His vocals have a raw tonal quality which is perfect for these songs and very authentically Hawaiian. Overall this effort is distinguised by a natural, unadorned quality and a trust of the music itself, which is often lost when Hawaiian muscicians enter the studio. Kudos are due to George Winston for allowing the music to be what it is and avoiding the hoaky production standards that ruin a lot of Hawaiian recorded music.

This is really one of the most exciting thing I have come across since I first heard the Gabby Pahinui Band back in the late seventies. If you have never heard real Hawaiian slack key before this would be a great introduction. If you are already into the genre, this one was made with you in mind!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hawaiian Love Songs, June 27, 2007

By	Kartikeyani (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Just back from a trip to Kauai I obtained this CD with the hope of bringing back some of the peace and relaxation that we experienced there. I thought the intro to the first song was a little different than I was looking for but as I continued listening the song became more and more beautiful. Then the rest of the CD with its gorgeous melodies and simple style made me want to just sit in my papasan chair on my patio and drift off to the islands. This is definitely one of the most beautiful CDs I have ever heard and extremely capable of inducing peace and calmness.