“Aloha Radio Hawaii”
Various artists
Rhymoi Music
The popularity of Hawaiian and classic hapa-haole music outside Hawaii is seen in this impressively packaged project by Chinese record producer Yunchuan Ye for his Beijing-based record label. With “Aloha Radio Hawaii,” he adds an album of Hawaiian and hapa-haole music — and a hapa-haole arrangement of “Sentimental Journey” — to the label’s catalog and traditional and modern Chinese music.
The production credits reveal that Ye went to Los Angeles to record it, and with Ken Emerson (steel guitar/ukulele) and Jim “Kimo” West (guitar/ukulele) as two of the studio musicians, the project has two solid links to Hawaii. James Cruce (percussion), David P. Jackson (bass), Nick Mancini (vibraphone), Dean Parks (guitar/ukulele/steel guitar/clarinet/saxophone) and Aubrey Richmond (violin) complete Ye’s studio ensemble. Steel guitar and vibraphone are heard most prominently.
Ye maximizes the music’s appeal to Chinese audiences by presenting most of the songs as instrumentals and emphasizing the well-known melodies. However, he adds variety by having vocalist Tavita Te‘o sing multi-track vocal harmonies on “Aloha ‘Oe,” “Sweet Lei Mokihana,” “Song of the Islands (Na Lei O Hawaii)” and “Nani Waimea.”
The final touch to Ye’s introduction to “the golden age of Hawaiian song” is a hefty booklet of liner notes in Chinese and English.
Visit enmusicworld.com.
“ ‘Ukulele Life”
Herb Ohta Jr.
Lele Music Productions
Ukulele virtuoso Herb Ohta Jr. celebrates his 30th anniversary as a professional musician with this beautifully packaged two-disc retrospective of recordings old and new. Each disc holds 12 songs. Ohta’s precision and technical skill make each song worthy of attentive listening.
On Disc One, Ohta shares songs originally recorded between 2000 and 2016. Seven are originals, five are some of his favorites by other composers, including “White Sandy Beach,” “Paniolo Country” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
Disc Two includes arrangements of two island classics — “Kanaka Waiwai” and “Love Song of Kalua” — that spotlight his imagination as an arranger. Other selections have family ties. Ohta wrote “Eternal Love” for his wife, Chihiro. “Selena” was written by Dennis Kamakahi as a first-birthday present for Ohta’s daughter.
Ohta expands the listener’s experience with liner notes that mention the people and experiences that have inspired him as a composer, and reveal why each of the songs by other writers is important to him.
Visit herbohtajr.com.
“Renaissance – Volume 1”
Sandy Essman
Tin Idol Productions
Sandy Essman is a three-time Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner as a member of Storm (best metal album, 2018, 2019, 2020); she also records as a solo artist backed by members of the Tin Idol ohana. “Renaissance – Volume 1” is something different for Essman and the label as she steps far away from metal and visits some of the island favorites of the 1970s. They were known at the time as “contemporary local music” to distinguish them from Hawaiian and hapa-haole music on one hand and from all the music that was coming in from the mainland on the other. Few of them have been attempted by anyone of note since the definitive versions were hits on local radio almost 50 years ago.
Essman challenges the unforgettable performances of Nohelani Cypriano and Pauline Wilson. She gets authentic 1970s-style instrumental support from producer Gerard K. Gonsalves and the studio musicians.
Since composers’ credits aren’t included; we’ll fill in some history: “Livin’ Without You” was written by Dennis Graue and Nohelani Cypriano, and first recorded by Cypriano. “(For You) I’d Chase A Rainbow” was written by Malani Bilyeu and first recorded by Kalapana. “Hawaiian Soul” was written by Jon & Randy and first recorded by them as a requiem for Hawaiian patriot/martyr George Helm.
Visit reverbnation.com/ sandystormessman.
“King of Anarchy”
Abysmia
Tin Idol Productions
Costumes and characters go back a long way in rock music. “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins in the mid-1950s started his shows by being carried out onstage in a coffin. Kiss were hitmakers for more than a decade before they allowed photos when they weren’t in full costume. The four members of Abysmia observe that tradition here. They are shown in full-body costumes and identify themselves as Kriss Khaos (drum destroyer), King Obsidian (vicious vocals), Rexx Havokk (bombastic bass) and Marty Mayhem (grinding guitar); Raijin Thundercloud sits in for a couple guitar solos.
Obsidian vocalizes in a style that fluctuates between a growl, a snarl and a roar. Sometimes it is possible to understand what he’s saying, sometimes not, but the musicians give him a raging foundation throughout.
Visit reverbnation.com/abysmia.
