Horns and drums spice up Kahulanui’s arrangements

"Hula Ku‘i"
Kahulanui
(Palm)

Start with the basic modern Hawaiian string instruments — guitar, ukulele and bass — add steel guitar, a drum set and a horn section, and the result is Kahulanui. The group is officially a quartet — Lolena Naipo Jr., Patrick Eskildsen, Robert Duke Tatom and Tim Taylor — whose members provide the guitar, bass, ukulele, drums and vocals, but their "special guests" are essential to the arrangements that set Kahulanui’s debut album apart from every other local release of the past year. The larger ensemble evokes memories of the classic Hawaiian swing music of the 1920s and ’30s with zesty arrangements of island classics.

"Noho Paipai"/"Ta Ha Ua La" is particularly impressive in showcasing the horn section and the interaction between the horns and the vocalists. "Hula Ku‘i" and "Nani Waimea"/"Nani Wai‘ale‘ale" stand out as well.

"Ku‘u Home I Waimanalo," written by Naipo in honor of his home district, fits in perfectly with the old-time compositions.

The group closes the album with an old-time hapa-haole number, "Not Pau," that will certainly express the sentiments of many traditionalists when they discover the music of Kahulanui.

"Ku`u Home I Waimanalo"