By John Berger "K'nova" • "Hapa Haole Hit Parade"
By John Berger 'Wahi Mahalo' » Kamakakehau Fernandez was first noticed outside his home island of Maui when he represented King Kekaulike High School in Ty Okumura's statewide Star Quest talent contest in 2002. • 'Gold' by Gnarwhal.
By John Berger "The I-Project" » Audible Lab Rats' breakthrough album comes with a notable back story: Most of the music comes from free iPhone apps. • "A 20 Year Collection of The Mana‘o Company"
By John Berger "Love Game" • "Kingdom Come"/"Do Ya"
By John Berger George Kainapau is rightly remembered as one of the greatest Hawaiian falsetto singers of the 20th century. Not only did Kainapau have an unusually broad falsetto range, he sang Hawaiian-style falsetto and traditional American-style falsetto with equal power and clarity.
By John Berger Jack Johnson's six Kokua Fest concerts have done a lot of good for Hawaii with the net proceeds funding Johnson's Kokua Hawaii Foundation programs. The biggest "problem" has been that the concerts sell out so quickly.
By John Berger The old adage “Take your time, do it right” applies to almost all creative endeavors. This long-awaited debut album was originally scheduled for release last month, but the project’s co-producers — band members Cyril Pahinui and Greg Sardinha — wanted more time to complete and edit the 18-page liner-notes booklet that documents the recordings. The current projected release date for the hard-copy CD is the end of this month. The results are well worth the extra time spent.
By John Berger Singer-songwriter Brad Kawakami follows the year-end release of his debut CD single, "I Found My Love in Waikiki," with this full-length album of Hawaiian, hapa-haole and mainstream "easy listening" music.
By John Berger Reviews of "It Always Comes Back Around" by Saving Cadence and "For Love" by Anuhea
By John Berger "Alternative HI" » Co-producers Shawn Livingston Moseley and Brandon Apeles cast a wide net in assembling this alt-rock compilation album. It includes business-savvy pros such as Kevin Jones, the Hollow Spheres and Saving Cadence, and a larger number of acts.
By John Berger "Pacific Rendezvous" » Songwriter Lance Jyo is one of the many Hawaii artists whose career has flourished in other markets. This two-disc album, released by a Tokyo-based record label for international sale, is a compendium of almost two decades of his work here and elsewhere. • Plus "Departure" by Hiroshima
By John Berger Baba B. came out of West Oahu and broke out big in 1997 with his debut album, "Big Boy in Love." The semiautobiographical title song was an instant hit. So was his heartfelt tribute to Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole. • Plus: "Promises & Expectations" by EMKE
By John Berger "Ecstacy" by Virgin Mary • "Heaven" by Rob Yamanoha • "Hawaiian Style Love Songs" by Various artists
By John Berger An award-worthy Kenneth K. Martinez Burgmaier documentary film and an additional 18 minutes of instructional videos make Brittni Paiva's recently released DVD an attractive introduction to her work and a must-buy package for fans.
By John Berger A television special recycled for public sale on DVD, "RAP: Hawaii's Comic Genius" is a welcome retrospective on the life and work of one of Hawaii's great comedians, Rap Reiplinger.
By John Berger Conceived in Dubai, brought to fruition in Hawaii, Borrison Ivy is the creation of Australian-born songwriter-guitarist Richard Barber.
By John Berger ''A' » Natalie Ai Kamauu won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for female vocalist with both of her previous solo albums -- "'E" in 2006 and "'I" in 2009. "'A" would easily make a three-peat for her. • 'Over Hawai'i' by Various Artists
By John Berger The names change as one generation is replaced by another, but the emotions remain the same. Bats in the Belfree speak for romantics of all generations with the alt-rock originals on the group's debut extended-play effort.
By John Berger Kawena Mechler, known around town as a booking agent and show producer, is now a recording artist. Four original songs present her as a local pop singer, and as a songwriter with national potential.
By John Berger Pairing songs by John Lennon ("Imagine") and Gaylord Holomalia ("Lover of Mine"), or linking the frank sexuality of "Ahi Wela" to the romanticism of "Ribbon in the Sky," requires imagination.
By John Berger Japanese pianist Chiyo Flynn's third Hawaii album is a group project that relies on friends such as Herb Ohta Jr., who joins her on "Requiem -- Bach Prelude No. 1," turning it into a beautiful duet for piano and ukulele.
By John Berger The Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts responded to complaints about R&B and hip-hop being lumped together in a single Na Hoku Hanohano Awards category by giving those distinct music genres separate categories. It's now up to the music artists to show there is enough happening in Hawaii to sustain them.
By John Berger "It's Christmas Time Again" » Local music scene veteran Freelance checks in with an original composition that speaks for those whose special someone is somewhere else this Christmas. • "The Descendants: Music from the Motion Picture" • "Journey of Light … The Early Years"
By John Berger Network television series have been providing exposure for Hawaiian music and island entertainers ever since ABC/Warner Bros. Television launched "Hawaiian Eye" in 1959.
By John Berger "A Christmas Tango (With Santa)" by Starr Kalahiki • "Hawaii 5/4" by David Yamasaki
By John Berger Lehua Kalima's solo album is a clean break with Na Leo Pilimehana. No, Kalima has not, repeat, not, left the group, nor has Na Leo disbanded. But the presentation here is not Kalima doing what she does with Na Leo.
By John Berger "Waimaka Helelei" » Dennis Kamakahi and Steven Inglis honor the victims of a dark chapter in Hawaii's history with this collection of songs that relate one way or another to the Kalaupapa peninsula of Molokai, where Hansen's disease patients were sent in exile. • "E Ho‘i Mai" by Waipuna
By John Berger Long anticipated but worth the wait, the Throwdowns live up to expectations as the group -- finally! -- follows "Don't Slow Down," its debut extended-play release of two years ago, with the band's first full-length album.
By John Berger Three months after the band's self-titled debut album won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best reggae album in May, The Green released "Love & Affection: The EP," a five-song, digital-download package, as the first step of a well-executed promotional campaign leading up to last week's release of a second full-length album, "Ways & Means."
By John Berger Raiatea Helm has had a remarkable career since the release of her debut album, "Faraway Heaven," in 2002. She's received several Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, been a Hawaiian music album finalist twice at the Grammys, and enjoys international popularity as a concert performer and recording act.
By John Berger The Green came out of the box big and strong with the release of its self-titled debut album in 2010. The quartet not only hit it big commercially but also won the 2011 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best reggae album from the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts • and "Ho‘ala Iapana" by Various artists
By John Berger The guitar riffs on "Prophetic Blues" and the vocal and instrumental arrangements on "Hear the Truth" are particularly close to that vintage Steely Dan sound. [...] • DJ Rayne celebrated his 34th birthday, First Friday and the reopening of SOHO Mixed Media Bar with the release of this deejay mix CD in July. [...]
By John Berger Pianist Les Peetz describes himself as "offbeat," and in Peetz's case that's a good thing. He pops up around town from time to time, playing one-nighters with small groups of like-minded musicians, and from time to time releases the results of those eclectic events as limited-edition, self-distributed CDs.
By John Berger At the age of 103, Bill Tapia sets a record one way or another with almost everything he does. Veteran researchers know the risks of stating things in absolutes but it is safe to say that Tapia is the oldest well-known professional entertainer still performing and also the oldest well-known professional ukulele player.
By John Berger "Got This Music" by Natural Vibrations » With 15 years of popular success, five hit albums and three Na Hoku Hanohano Awards for best reggae album to their credit, Natural Vibrations owns an important spot in the local music scene. • "Liana Mason" by Liana Mason • "Pu‘ukani: ‘Sweet Music' of Hawai‘i" by Various artists
By John Berger "Anything & Everything" by Kit Dylan Arrieta • Male or female, straight or gay, whatever race or ethnicity you identify with, the tumultuous experiences of love and heartbreak seem to be universal. • and "Eddie" by Otis Schaper
By John Berger "Ukulele Jazz" by Benny Chong » If Benny Chong had retired from music and gotten a day job when Don Ho & The Aliis broke up in 1969 he would still deserve a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts.
By John Berger "Live a Little … Hawaiian Style" Vol. 1 and Vol. 2: As traditional record stores fade from the American music marketplace, resourceful record labels and distributors are finding new places to sell traditional hard-copy records. Each disc offers a select but broad look at modern Hawaiian music.
By John Berger "Days of Yesterday" by Hiromi Kanda — Kanda and conductor-arranger Matt Catingub return with a second album of romantic American pop standards recorded with a full orchestra. • "Haleiwa Blues" by Ron Artis Family Band
By John Berger "Nandemo Dekiru/You Can Do It, If You Try" by Alvin Okami & Friends • "Remembrance/Live At The Triple Door" by the Honolulu Jazz Quartet • "In The Moment" by Sarah Maisel