"The Legend of Grey Wolf"
Dennis Kamakahi
(no label)
The life and times of Dennis Kamakahi (1953-2014) are covered in thorough detail by filmmaker George Kahumoku Jr. in this beautifully produced double-disc release. As with the previous titles in the series — one on Richard Ho‘opi‘i, the other on Kahumoku himself — there is a full-length biographical movie on DVD and a separate soundtrack CD of the songs in the film.
Kamakahi was already known in his lifetime as one of the greatest Hawaiian musicians and songwriters of his generation. Performance footage from Kahumoku’s immense Slack Key Show archives show Kamakahi performing some of his best-known compositions, "Wahine Ilikea," "Pua Hone" and "Koke‘e" among them. In several clips Kamakahi talks about the people and the places that inspired him to write. This type of information is always important when it comes to Hawaiian music — and always best when it comes from the source.
Kahumoku appears several times as the narrator. Many others also share their memories. Kamakahi’s son, David, a Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning recording artist in his own right, talks at length about their relationship and his father’s legacy. Jeff Kamakahi recalls his experiences growing up as Dennis’ younger brother. Aaron Mahi and Kalena Silva reminisce about their days with Kamakahi as students at Kamehameha School. Stephen Inglis tells how his musical partnership with Kamakahi came to be and how it led to the recording of Kamakahi’s final studio album.
Eddie Kamae — Kamakahi’s friend and mentor for the last 40 years of his life — shares an insider’s assessment on his work as a member of the Sons of Hawai‘i. The origin of the name "Grey Wolf" is revealed as well.
Genealogical information shows how Dennis Kamakahi was influenced by his father, Kenneth, a member of the Royal Hawaiian Band, and by his grandfather David Naoo Kamakahi, who spoke Hawaiian and encouraged his grandson’s interest in the Hawaiian language and traditional Hawaiian music.
The musical performances are beautiful. The archival photos are fascinating. "The Legend of Grey Wolf" reminds Hawaii what it lost with Kamakahi’s death a year ago. For more information go to www.kahumoku.com.
"Virtuose de la Guitare Hawaiienne"
Gino Bordin
(Grass Skirt Music)
The Legislature recently designated the ukulele as the official "modern" musical instrument of Hawaii, but people familiar with the history of Hawaiian music know that for much of the 20th century the steel guitar was so closely associated with the islands that it was known as the "Hawaiian guitar."
Hawaii-born Frank Ferera (1885-1951) was one of the first steel guitarists to work outside Hawaii and was the most prolific local recording artist of his era. Ferera toured extensively and made hundreds of recordings.
Countless musicians in other parts of the world were inspired by the recordings of Ferera and other Hawaiian steel guitarists. One of them, Gino Bordin, is remembered as one of the greatest Parisian steel guitarists of the 20th century. This collection of 25 songs Bordin recorded for several labels during the 1930s and 1940s is an excellent introduction to his work. Bordin considered the "guitare Hawaiienne" an instrument suitable for all types of music — waltzes, tangos and romantic ballads as well as Hawaiian and hapa-haole melodies. That variety is displayed beautifully with these recordings.
Liner notes by the late Cyril LeFebvre, the foremost authority on the history of Hawaiian music in France, completes this perfect introduction to Bordin’s work.
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