“POMAI DUETS”
Pomai (Ho‘olohe Hou)
Born on Oahu, raised in part on the Big Island, and a graduate of Kamehameha with almost 40 years experience as a professional entertainer, Pomaika‘i Brown recorded each of these 15 island standards with a different singing partner. Veteran pianist Dan Del Negro provides masterful instrumental support for Brown and his guests — some of whom need no introduction, while others benefit from the artist bios that Bill Wynne wrote for the liner notes.
The presentation brings to mind one of those old-time Hawaiian piano bars where talented singers were welcome to sit in. The guests include Gary Haleamau, who shares his beautiful Hawaiian falsetto on “I Kona.” Kaipo Asing sits in on a zesty arrangement of “Behave Hula Girl,” Marlene Sai joins Brown on “Haole Hula,” and Danny Kaleikini adds his vocal magic to “Aloha ‘Oe.”
And there’s more: Gary Aiko and Sam Kapu Jr., make welcome returns to the recording studio as Brown’s partners on “Lovely Hula Girl” and “Maka Hilahila” respectively.
Composers’ credits and additional information is available on his website.
Visit pomai.com.
“PLAY”
Pacific Harp Project (Megan Bledsoe Ward)
Harpist Megan Bledsoe Ward brings her Hoku Award-winning ensemble (Instrumental Album, 2015) back with another imaginative project.
Pacific Harp Project is now officially a quintet, as Todd Yukumoto (soprano sax) has joined Ward, Jon Hawes (bass), Noel Okimoto (vibraphone/steel tongue drum/percussion) and Allan Ward (drums).
Kenny Endo (taiko and Japanese flute), Jamie Jordan (vocals) and Allen Won (soprano sax) sit in as guests.
The most ambitious creation in the collection is Ward’s reworking of “Scintillation,” a composition by French harpist Carlos Salzedo, into “Sketches of Scintillation,” a suite of five movements that puts the spotlight on each of the five core instruments.
Vocalist Jordan gets the spotlight on “La Lettre,” with Ward and Okimoto positioned as the most prominent musicians. Ward explains in the liner notes that the French lyrics are written as a letter from a lonely gardener to his absent lover.
Endo plays fue (Japanese flute) opposite Ward’s harp on a composition titled “Sunflower (Himawari)” that he contributed to the project; Ward’s arrangement of Endo’s tune also utilizes his talents as a taiko master.
The group closes with “Broken Handel,” Ward’s take on a 1736-vintage composition by George Frideric Handel that she describes as “the alter ego of Handel’s original.” It is a delightful conclusion to a marvelous second album by Pacific Harp Project.
“Play” will be officially released on Friday, Feb. 15.
Visit pacificharpproject.com.
