“NO ‘ANE‘I.”

Kalani Pe‘a (Kalani Pe‘a Music)

Kalani Pe‘a made history early in 2017 when he became the first Hawaii-resident recording artist to win a Grammy Award since Hawaiian music was absorbed by the catch-all Regional Roots Music category. Several months later he became the first Hawaii-resident recording artist ever to win a Grammy and a Hoku Award for the same project. Two year later Pe‘a is back with an award-worthy second album that is every bit as good as the first.

The most innovative song is a mele ku‘e (song of resistance) titled “Pa‘a Mau” that combines part of Pe‘a’s comments at the 2017 Grammy Awards, additional Hawaiian lyrics and the melody of Sam Cooke’s politically charged 1960 hit “Chain Gang.” Pe‘a and his co-producer Allan B. Cool provide the English translation so that the majority audience not fluent in Hawaiian will also get the message to strive with persistence, encourage others and most of all “pa‘a mau” (stand firm).

Pe‘a shares his love of pop chart oldies with a bilingual remake of the Carpenters’ 1971 hit, “Superstar.” Original songs celebrate family members, favorite places, a cherished alii and challenging encounters with “repugnant” cockroaches and a centipede. A beautiful arrangement of “‘Akaka Falls” shows Pe‘a’s skill at personalizing a classic.

Pe‘a’s liner notes explain the lessons he learned in dealing with “repugnant creatures.” The kaona (hidden meanings) in another song is suggested by the artwork.

Visit kalanipeamusic.com.

“AT HOME IN MY HAWAII”

Michael Chock (Seawind Productions)

Michael Chock owns a place in local pop music history as a member of Greenwood, the youngest and last of Hawaii’s great Top 40 club bands of the 1970s. In recent years he’s also earned recognition as a solo recording artist who does it all — all the vocal parts, instruments, computer programming, arrangements, production, mixing and engineering. Chock’s previous solo project, “Aloha, From My Hawaii,” was a collection of some of his favorite Hawaiian and hapa haole songs; it was a finalist at the 2018 Hoku Awards. This is an equally eclectic assortment of Hawaiian and hapa haole classics.

A dreamy exotica-style reworking of “Home in the Islands” is an impressive example of Chock’s ability to successfully rearrange a standard. His equally imaginative make-over of “On the Beach at Waikiki” is another.

Chock takes “A Maile Lei For Your Hair,” traditionally a straight-forward romantic hapa haole song, and gives it hints of romantic 1950s prom pop. He also creates a cross-cultural thematic medley blending two songs about fruit— “Day-O” and “Sweet Lady of Waiahole.” Two pages of liner notes add interesting background information.

Visit facebook.com/michael.chock.77.