aloha got soul
Archive for 2010
I just fell in love…
…and it was inevitable. Ever since I heard that 30-second clip of Lui Williams’ “Oh, Oh (Think I’m Falling in Love)”, I had a sense that the rest of the song would be just as enjoyable (and, at 3 minutes 45 seconds, much more gratifying). It’s possible that Lui dubbed his own vocals for the … Continue reading
The Lei-Over @ thirtyninehotel, Jan. 16 2011
The Do-Over is coming to Honolulu in 2011! What’s that? Hosted by Aloe Blacc & friends, the infamous LA-bred Do-Over parties feature world-class DJs throwing down seriously good tunes. To name a few appearances: Kon & Amir, J. Rocc, Osunlade, Prince Paul, Flying Lotus…and many more. Quantic, aka William Holland, even did a cumbia mash-up … Continue reading
The Meaning of Soul: MJ, Dilla & Kanoa of Gomega
What is soul? It’s hard to pinpoint, even when so many artists past and present have given Soul an everlasting place in music. “Soul can mean anything, depending on who you’re talking to“. True. But can a single song be so soulful that it demands further interpretation from artists across the music spectrum? I believe … Continue reading
“I’ll Remember You” x 2
Kuiokalani Lee was by no means a jazz or funk musician, but his music poured directly from the soul. A singer/songwriter whose compositions helped launch the career of Don Ho, as well as bridge the gap between traditional Hawaiian and pop music, Lee gave us what are his only recorded performances on The Extraordinary Kui … Continue reading
Aura “Yesterday’s Love”
Since my interview with Toshi, whose label Cool Sound reissued an album by Aura, I’ve been meaning to post my own videos of Aura’s music… but why wait if someone else has one up? Here’s an outstanding track about love lost, called “Yesterday’s Love”. It gives me chills to listen to! Her voice is so … Continue reading
It’s Cool Sound!
(I’ve come to think that my blogging is like a jet plane. I started off with new posts every 3-5 days, taking flight into the world of Hawaiian music. Now the plane’s cruising with the clouds, flying at a steady pace. In other words, I’m now focusing on quality over quantity, an idea I picked … Continue reading
“Tender Leaf has arrived”
(This post has been updated since its original version first appeared) Today marks an important moment in Aloha Got Soul’s existence, as well as the history of Hawaiian music (in my opinion, at least). I’ve been lucky enough to interview—let alone track down—Murray Compoc Spencer, the lead singer from Tender Leaf. Tender Leaf was a … Continue reading
Phase VII & Dolly Parton
With two gigs nightly, 7 days a week aboard the Rella Mae cruise ship, Phase VII must have met many people during their tenure. So I was happy to find this photo in my inbox the other day, courtesy of saxophonist Edd English (far right): Edd gave me a bit of background on Dolly Parton’s … Continue reading
“Summer” by Audy Kimura
Audy (Audwin) Kimura’s “Summer” is simply beautiful, despite its aural complexity. Even with the strings, keys, percussion and guitars floating around, the song remains melodic and unpretentious from start to finish. I especially love when the electric piano or the guitar riffs at just the right moment, jumping out at you. It adds to the … Continue reading
About page updated
Hey everybody, you can find out how/why Aloha Got Soul got its start by visiting the new About section. Plus, I update the Downloads page from time to time. Honolulu City Lights is up there now.
