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“Whispering Steel”
Greg Sardinha
Keala
Steel guitar master Greg Sardinha expected his new instrumental full-length album to be out by summer’s end and that the four Christmas bonus tracks would have plenty to time to reach the ears of radio station programmers. Pandemic-related production snarls delayed release until earlier this month — at least it arrived when Christmas songs are still in season.
Sardinha’s instrumental arrangement of the Carpenters’ Christmas hit, “Merry Christmas Darling,” is an outstanding alternative to the definitive original — romantic, relaxing, beautiful music. His revision of “Sleep Walk”is also notable; Sardinha honors the musical intent of Santo & Johnny’s original but doesn’t blindly imitate it.
Sardinha uses studio technology to accompany himself on both songs. Hawaii resident and erhu virtuoso Tsun-Hui Hung adds the sound of the traditional Chinese two-string “fiddle” on five tracks. Hawaiian music veterans Randy Aloya, Darrell Aquino and Gordon Freitas sat in with Sardinha on two of the Christmas songs.
Anyone still shopping for a fan of steel guitar music need look no further.
For more, go to gregsardinha.com.
“Native Lands”
Kulaiwi
Kulaiwi Music
The term “super group” was coined in the 1960s to describe groups formed by musicians who had already achieved success. Hawaii has seen several since the 1960s; three-member group Kulaiwi is the newest addition. Lehua Kalima had her first hit as a member of Na Leo Pilimehana in the mid-1980s when she was still in high school; she also has a successful parallel career as a solo artist. Shawn Kekoa Pimental has three decades of credits as a musician, recording artist and record producer. Kawika Kahiapo’s lengthy credits include hits as a member of the Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning group Kaukahi and as a solo artist. As Kulaiwi, their three lead voices blend smoothly into three-part harmonies. Add their individual talents as musicians and it is a winning formula worthy of Hoku Awards, worthy of a Grammy.
All three also contribute as songwriters. Pimental honors the Queen in English and Hawaiian with “E Lili‘u E” and pays tribute to windward Oahu with a romantic hapa haole song, “Windward Side.” Kahiapo expresses his support for the Mauna Kea protesters with “Eo Ku Kia‘i Mauna,” and Kalima shares her feelings with “Kaunolu” and “Ka Nani A‘o Maunakea.” The trio also does beautifully with contemporary compositions by Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, Kainani Kahaunaele, Puakea Nogelmeier, Anuenue Punua and Devon Kamealoha Forrest.
Kulaiwi goes back into Hawaiian history with “Makee ‘Ailana,” written by James ‘I‘i about the island that used to be where Kapiolani Park is now, and with “Kaulana Na Pua,” Ellen Prendergast’s mele ku‘e (song of protest) written in response to the criminal overthrow of the Hawaiian government in 1893. The trio does justice to both.
For lyrics and additional information, email kulaiwimusic@gmail.com.
“Undercovers”
Storm
Tin Idol Productions
Three-time Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners Storm kept busy during the pandemic expanding their repertoire of metal rock remakes of classic Top 40 hits.
Storm performs here as a trio — Sandy Essman (vocals), Darren Soliven (bass) and Gerard K. Gonsalves (drums) — with a rotating squad of guitarists sitting in with them on various tracks.
Remakes of Cher’s Hot 100 chart-topping hits, “Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves” and “Dark Lady,” work well as metal. “Hawaii ’78,” first released by Storm as a digital single in 2019, delivers an important statement of Hawaiian nationalism in what is traditionally a non-Hawaiian musical genre. Including it here is a welcome convenience for old-school metal fans who prefer physical CDs.
“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” from the 2013 Disney animated fantasy feature film “Frozen,” is a musical surprise that successfully shows the diversity of the group’s music interests.
Storm also takes a fresh approach with “Paper Roses,” originally a hit for Anita Bryant in 1961 but better known today as the first chart hit for Marie Osmond in 1973. In both previous versions the singer sounds like a powerless victim of a heartless man. Essman sings it like a woman who has had enough and is about to get radical.
Visit reverbnation.com/storm808.
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