Stories
The Power of Aloha: 2011 Na Hoku Workshops
I'm always humbled whenever I engage with the Hawaiian music scene. It's a tight knit family of friends and relatives. People smile, hug, laugh. Everyone is warm and inviting. Everyone respects one another. It's a beautiful thing to be a part of. No egos, no pride, just love and aloha. I was lucky enough to attend some of the 2011 Na Hoku Hanohano Festival Workshops. There were a lot of workshops held over a few days, featuring popular Hawaiian artists and mainland musicians. (Ernie Cruz Jr., Ray Parker Jr., Kimo Kahoano, Patrice Rushen to name just a few.)...
Robert Byrne's "Blame It On The Night"
Covered by the Fabulous Krush but eternalized by its original composer on the AOR album of the same name, "Blame It On The Night" is one of the most laid-back tunes ever. But it wasn't written by a Hawaiian musician, yet it's worth mentioning on this Hawaiian music blog! The late Robert Byrne, a resident of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, wrote an album called "Blame It On the Night" in 1979, packed with ten near-perfect (okay, absolutely perfect) songs that push, pull and tear at the heart. In a word, Byrne's music is superb. His songwriting skills awarded him an induction...
Kalapana "Ellie, My Love"
"Ellie, My Love" by KalapanaAn English language version of "Itoshi no Ellie (いとしのエリー)", the Southern All-Stars (サザンオールスターズ) hit song, originally written in Japanese). From the album, "Kalapana Sings Southern All-Stars." [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDgHCZDe7lg}
Music Magic "One Man Lady" (1981)
Yet another rare Hawaiian LP found online to download, this one's called "One Man Lady" by the local band Music Magic. Their first self-titled release was an attempt at Hawaiian jazz-fusion, but their sophomore album ventures into R&B, soul and disco territory. Both Music Magic albums were reissued on the Japanese label Cool Hawaii. Here's a favorite of mine, the title track "One Man Lady". Head over to the Downloads page for the link. Don't forget to subscribe to Aloha Got Soul, a different kind of Hawaiian music blog!
Rob Mehl "Overboard"
"Overboard" by Rob MehlFrom his Taste and See album, 1980 on Ministry Resources Center . Audio quality is kinda low, why not check out Rob Mehl's album on the Downloads page?