Stories
Lil Albert "Who Do The Voodoo?"
"Who Do The Voodoo?" by Lil Albert The music of Little Albert Maligmat, an original member of the Hawaiian soul-funk-showband Society of Seven, is at first playful and engaging. BBC Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson digs the band's version of "Summertime", not only for its ridiculously funky flavor, but for Little Albert's blistering scatting skills. His debut album, Movin' In, delights listeners with a truly Lil Albert experience: honest Hawaiian soul music energized with fun and lovable tracks that instantly sound like some of the genre's greatest classics. Read more about Lil Albert's Movin' In LP.
Harry's Music Store Closing, Reopening
Harry's Music Store has given the greatest gift to Hawaii that any business ever could: the gift of music. The now closed and soon re-opening shop offers instruments, sheet music, vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, song books, and some of the island's most knowledgeable and influential musicians and tastemakers.
Aura "Magic Lover"
"Magic Lover" by Aura Recognize this one? You might, since it's one of the first tracks on the DJ Muro Hawaiian Breaks mix. Whatever beat the band kicks off, Hawaiian funk group Aura struts its prowess in cutting instant dance floor classics. "Magic Lover" is no exception. I love this track because it showcases what each member of Aura has to offer, from the dirty bass lines to the brassiest horn section in Hawaii. What keeps me fascinated by Aura is local music scene columnist John Berger, who wrote in 2003: "The name change to Aura took place in 1984...
Aura "Let Go It's Over"
"Let Go It's Over" by Aura I don't think there's a Hawaiian funk album as heavy as Aura's—blazing horns, duo female vocalists, the heaviest dance cuts to ever come out of Hawaii. But a funk/soul group is only as good as their love ballads. I mean, if a band like Aura can take listeners to new heights with songs like "Let Me Say Dis About Dat", then you can bet they've got just as much talent when the tempo slows down. Here's proof:
Aura "Let Me Say Dis About Dat"
"Let Me Say Dis About Dat" by Aura If this doesn't move you, I don't know what will! Aura's got something to say, without saying anything at all—"Let Me Say Dis About Dat" is strictly instrumental, and it'll have you getting down to one of the funkiest Hawaiian rare groove tracks you'll ever hear.