Stories

"Unconditional Surrender" by Nohelani Cypriano I love Nohelani Cypriano's voice, a lot of people do. And I love her funkier tracks like "Lihue" or "Communication" by Golden Throat. So I was surprised when I heard this Hawaiian modern soul track on her CD, Back In Love, released in 1991. "Unconditional Surrender" was the very last song on the album, and in my opinion it's one of her best. Check out Nohelani Cypriano's music here, plus a 22-minute mix of outstanding tracks from Hawaii's Diva of Soul.

"Round and Around" by Mike Lundy. This is why I love Hawaiian rare groove music. Mike Lundy's "Round and Around" encircles my head with a laid back tropical groove. Mike blends the perfect balance of jazzy pop and funk. I can't get enough of this track!

"So Sassy" by Mike Lundy To prove my point about Mike Lundy's "The Rhythm of Life" being a masterpiece, here's another gem from the LP. This one's called "So Sassy": Subscribe to Aloha Got Soul on Youtube.

"The Rhythm of Life" by Mike Lundy What more can I say about Mike Lundy and The Rhythm of Life, a "holy grail" of Hawaiian funk music, where every song is a carefully constructed masterpiece written by the guitarist himself. If you don't believe me, check out the title track, featured on the DJ Muro Hawaiian Breaks mix: Mike Lundy's album was reissued on Cool Sound/Cool Hawaii Japan, a record label run by Toshi Nakada. Check out the Aloha Got Soul interview here.