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‘Hilo for the Holidays’
Kuana Torres Kahele
(Kuana Torres Kahele)
Kuana Torres Kahele — a multiple Na Hoku Hanohano award-winner as a member of Na Palapalai and also as a solo artist — achieves another artistic triumph with this recently released album of Christmas music.
The title song, one of several originals, expresses Kahele’s love for his hometown and some of the reasons he enjoys being there for Christmas. Zesty and upbeat, it will certainly be adopted by halau hula and become an island Christmas standard for years to come.
Given the high quality of Kahele’s solo album it’s no surprise that this one, too, is full of beautiful music. Want standards? His renditions of "Silver Bells" and "The First Noel" are exquisite. Prefer traditional Hawaiian music? Check out the medley, "‘Ekolu Mea Nui/Halelu," that showcases Kahele’s falsetto voice and reminds us that Christianity has deep roots in Hawaii.
Tradition is also represented with "Here Comes Santa in a Red Canoe" adding a secular hapa-haole tune to the collection.
It was common practice in the 19th century for lyricists to set their poetry to the melody of a popular song. Kahele does that here but — unlike some of the old-time lyricists — always acknowledges the composers and lyricists whose work he’s building on. He replaces mainland locales with island places in his arrangement of "Home for the Holidays" and adds Hawaiian lyrics to "The Chipmunk Song" to create "Christmas Don’t Be Late (Mele O Na Kiulela)."
Kahele takes the process a step further by putting completely new and different Hawaiian lyrics to the melody of Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah." Kahele’s creation, "Haleluia," is about celebrating Jesus’ birth rather than the issues Cohen explored with his lyrics, but it fits the theme of his album quite nicely (Cohen will certainly appreciate the royalties).
A beautifully illustrated booklet completes this perfect island Christmas album by providing the lyrics, English translations for most of the Hawaiian songs, and background information.
www.napalapalaimusic.com
"Hilo for the Holidays"
