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“Jonah Jaxon EP”
Jonah Jaxon
(Kahala)
Jonah Jaxon is the current street name used by the artist known at various times as Big MOX, bigMOXilla, Moxilla, FatMoxy Bombay and Jonah Moananu. He steps forward here with a four-song EP preview of the album he’s planning to release this summer. The musical arrangements combine commercial Afro- Caribbean rhythms and African American urban vocalizing. The lyrics celebrate the wondrous joy of being in love.
“Rent’s a day late/But I don’t mind, no/ ’Cause you just text me/And now my mood is right,” Jaxon croons to his beloved on one song. On a second he reminds her that “You’re more than enough (for me), and you know that I love you.” On a third he tells her that he wants to “change your last name.” Valentine’s Day is long past for this year, but the sentiments he shares are relevant 24/7 and for this year’s 366.
Jaxon uses “You Are My Sunshine,” first recorded by the country music duo Pine Ridge Boys in 1939, as the lyric bridge for a song he titles “Your Light.” The song should be titled “Your Light/You Are My Sunshine” but the concept works and the message rings true.
Jaxon’s use of a Rastafari reference in one song could be a reminder that romantic love is a fundamental element of many religions.
Visit music.apple.com/us/artist/jonah-jaxon/1463317157
“Corona Corona“
Frank De Lima
(Pocholinga Productions)
Musical parodies pegged to current events often have a short shelf-life. Frank De Lima’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which he recorded and released as a download-only single earlier this month, unfortunately won’t be one of them. De Lima’s veteran production team contributed to the project as usual — David Kauahikaua was his studio orchestra and lyricist Patrick Downes helped with the editing. Music historians will notice that De Lima uses the melody of the blues tune “Corrine, Corrina,” by a songwriter now unknown and first recorded by African American blues artist Bo Carter in 1928, as the platform for his insightful lyrics.
De Lima calls for caution (“Share facts not fear… stay calm don’t panic…just take precautions”), scolds hoarders (“What about the toilet paper, what about the bottled water?… it’s not one hurricane… this is not the zombie apocalypse”) and shares a shopping list of common sense ways to avoid the virus. Governor Ige should be using De Lima’s “Corona Corona” as a public service announcement!
“Corona Corona” is available for free as a download at frankdelima.com, but a payment of any amount supports his nonprofit Frank De Lima Student Enrichment Program, so help a pocho out and at least pay the traditional 99-cent download rate.
Visit frankdelima.com
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