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“Maui Cowboy/ Ulupalakua,” Mondokane (Coconut Gold)
Maui resident singer/songwriter Mondokane pays tribute to two paniolo — his friend Wendell Wong and the great Ikua Purdy — with this fast-paced, hard-rocking description of a day in the life of a working cowboy. Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner John Cruz joins him on vocals; Jay Molina (bass guitar), Jerry Kovarsky (keyboard), Willy Wainwright (violin), Jeff Hornbeck (electric guitar) and Josh Greenbaum (drums) are the band.
As a historical footnote, Purdy (1873-1945) made rodeo history when he won the top steer-roping prize at the Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo., in 1908; another paniolo came in second and a third placed sixth.
Contact Mondokane at Mondokanemusic@gmail.com.
“Light Me Up,” Kapena (KDE)
“It’s been/Too dark/Since you/Been gone. My heart/No power/I need/Your touch.” Kelly “Kelly Boy” De Lima speaks for all lovers who are separated by circumstance with the lyrics of his group’s new download-only single. De Lima’s voice is instantly recognizable and he gives an excellent performance. The song’s standard Afro Caribbean rhythms make “Light Me Up” perfect for Hawaii’s self-styled island music radio stations. “Light Me Up” is certain to continue the string of hits that began when the original group — De Lima, Tivaini “Tiva” Tatofi and Teimomi “Timo” Tatofi — released its first album, “Satisfaction Guaranteed,” in 1986.
Thirty-four years later the group is De Lima, his son, Kapena De Lima, and his daughters, Kalena and Lilo. This is one of their best singles yet. Kapena De Lima gets well-deserved time on lead vocals; Kalena and Lilo contribute backing harmonies.
The quartet is a complete unit as is, but a guest vocalist, Trishnalei, joins them to add a faux- Jamaican accent to the project.
Visit kapena.com.
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