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"Ala Iki" Kapono Na’ili’ili (Hot Pink Ink)
Hawaiian and hapa-haole standards presented with crisp acoustic arrangements and sung often as not in beautiful Hawaiian falsetto make this first album by Kapono Na’ili’ili a delightful celebration of modern island music.
Studio guest Rockford Holmes’ work on clarinet adds a touch of old times to Na’ili’ili’s zesty version of "’Uhe’uhene," and steel guitarist Casey Olsen sits in on several others, but acoustic guitar, ukulele and upright bass are the foundation throughout.
Na’ili’ili embraces a broad swath of songs in both languages. "Moanikealaonapuamakahikina (Moani Ke Ala)," written by Lena Machado, one of Hawaii’s great female falsetto singers, is a natural choice for displaying his falsetto voice.
A pair of hapa-haole standards show off his pop side. "Beautiful Kaua’i" is sung beautifully indeed in the traditional hapa-haole style. On "There’s No Place Like Hawai’i," he slips in some jazzy scat singing.
There is also a single earnest original, "A Place Called Home," that will speak to many residents be they here or far away. Yes, Na’ili’ili is a guy with a beautiful voice who plays several instruments, but he is a songwriter as well.
"Leis of Jazz Vol. 2" Alika Lyman Group (DigiTiki Productions)
Expatriate islander Alika Lyman builds on the musical legacy of his great-uncle, vibraphonist Arthur Lyman, with this collection of jazz instrumentals that features Mark Riddle on "vibes."
Fans of what is now known as "lounge music" will certainly enjoy what Lyman and his group are laying down.
Arthur Lyman got his start in the 1950s and remains one of the few Hawaii-resident artists to appear on any of the six major Billboard charts. One of his early albums was titled "Leis of Jazz." Its 1950s-vintage cover art is cleverly reworked for the cover of this "sequel."
Alika Lyman, Riddle and the other members of the group do an excellent job re-creating the blend of jazz and exotica for which the elder Lyman was known.
They set the mood with a suitably swinging arrangement of "Swingtime in Honolulu," a Duke Ellington tune, that showcases Riddle on vibraphone and Alika Lyman on guitar. Bird calls and other jungle noises, an important part of exotica, are heard on tunes titled "Night Orchid" and "Kauai Rose."
Five songs are originals. Composers’ credits are not included for the others but they include Charles E. King ("Kaimana Hila"), Alfred Alohikea ("Pua Lilia"), Jack Owens ("Hukilau") and Jack Pitman ("Aloha Week Hula").
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Kapono Na’ili’ili
Alika Lyman Group