“Aloha Espana”

Pepe Romero & Daniel Ho

(Daniel Ho Creations DHC 80133)

Hawaii-born Daniel Ho is widely known as the Grammy Award-winning record producer and recording artist who dominated the Grammy category for Best Hawaiian Music Album during the seven years it existed, but there is more to him than that. In recent years Ho has recorded with Okinawan and indigenous Taiwanese artists to create new types of “world music.” Now with “Aloha Espana,” Ho partners with Pepe Romero and Romero’s son, luthier Pepe Romero Jr., to explore original ideas in applying acoustic guitar and ukulele to classical Hispanic music. The project is also the vehicle for introducing a new line of Romero ukuleles crafted by Pepe Jr.

Romero and Ho are not the first to take the ukulele into the classical canon. Romero’s liner notes mention the late John King as a personal inspiration. Ukulele aficionados recall the pioneering work of Eddie Kamae in the 1940s and 1950s, and the recordings of Ohta-san, Gordon Mark and the late Eddie Bush in the decades that followed. That said, Romero and Ho are perfectly positioned to take the idea of the ukulele as a classical instrument to new audiences. What’s equally important is that they make beautiful music together.

Visit DanielHo.com.

“Kids Birthday Parties”

Andrew Locklair

(Pass Out POR2001)

It isn’t the repetitive use of the F-word that earns stand-up comic Andrew Locklair’s recently released CD a “parental advisory” warning, it’s the subject matter: Explicit descriptions of exceptionally intrusive prostate exams conducted by male health care providers. Lengthy discussion of penis size. References to gay men as “Liberaces,” “butt pirates” and “Obama supporters.” And this is some of the stuff he opens with!

To give credit where it’s due, Locklair’s comments on feminists, aggressive bicycle riders and oblivious pedestrians are of a higher grade — they’re clever and insightful, albeit generally politically incorrect. A monologue about why he does not have a joke about Obamacare ready for the show is so well thought out that it deserves a home on a different CD.

Overall, however, this is one of crudest “comedy” albums to come out of the local comedy scene in at least a decade.

Visit passoutrecords.com.

“No Ka Beauty”

Michael Keale

(Pono Ridge Music PRM515)

Michael Keale’s second album is a beautifully crafted celebration of traditional Hawaiian and hapa haole music. Hawaiian music is well represented with his arrangements of “Ka Ua Loku,” “Beautiful Kahana,” “He Punahele No ‘Oe” and “E Ku‘u Lei.” The hapa haole tradition of blending Hawaiian and haole (non-Hawaiian) is perpetuated in beautiful form by “Pikake” and a medley that links “The Nearness of You” with “Ei Nei.”

Two other selections stand out for other reasons. No one will ever surpass Elvis’ original hit version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” but Keale’s decision to record it is explained in the liner notes. “Aloha Is” was first recorded by Keale’s uncle, the late Moe Keale, in 1986; Moe Keale’s recording won a Hoku Award for song of the year (though the award went to the song’s composers). And, yes, Michael Keale does sound a lot like his famous uncle.

No Hawaiian album is complete unless it contains the Hawaiian lyrics, English translations and related background information. Keale provides all that essential information in 12 pages of annotation.

Visit michaelkeale.com.