"Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)"
Keola Beamer
(‘Ohe)
With career accomplishments from the early ’70s onward, Keola Beamer needs no hype regarding his importance as a slack-key guitarist, composer, vocalist, recording artist and educator. "Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)," described in the liner notes as "inspired by" a PBS Hawaii television special of the same name, is a beautifully crafted overview of his work in recent years.
It includes a song representing his work with Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai, another drawn from his popular musical partnership with Raiatea Helm, a third that honors the musical legacy of his mother, Aunty Nona Beamer, and a fourth he wrote in her memory.
It’s indicative of Beamer’s commitment to quality as an artist-producer that he and his musical ohana use "live" instruments — including bassoon — where others would resort to computer-synthesized tracks. The various combinations of European, Native American and traditional Hawaiian instruments make each selection interesting.
Take "Pupu Hinuhinu" for example, recorded countless times but made fresh and mesmerizing by the interplay between Beamer’s guitar and Geoffrey Keezer’s piano. Their work together on "Kaulana Na Pua"/"One Hanau" is imaginative as well.
www.kbeamer.com
"’Ele’ele Ka Wai"
"Na Hoa"
Na Hoa
(Na Hoa)
Na Hoa — Ikaika Blackburn (ukulele), Halehaku Seabury-Akaka (guitar) and Keoni Souza (acoustic bass) — makes a welcome debut as recording artists with this long-awaited release. Folks who enjoy the traditional falsetto harmonies of Na Palapalai can expect to enjoy Na Hoa as well.
The guys make an excellent impression with the opener, "Ku‘u Tita," and maintain it throughout. Casey Olson (steel guitar) adds his instrumental magic to several selections. Pianist Iwalan
i Ho‘omanawanui Apo joins the trio on others. Trombonist Pat Hennesey adds a touch of wacky nostalgia to "Carburetor Song," a mainland "novelty song" of the 1940s that was later popularized in Hawaii by Myrtle K. Hilo.
New recording artists and their record labels sometimes overlook the basics. Next time around they should be sure to include the composer credits for the songs they didn’t write even if they decide to omit the Hawaiian lyrics and translations.
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"Ku’u Tita"
