“O‘ahu”
Jeff Peterson
(Peterson Productions)

Good ideas are worth emulating. Kuana Torres Kahele is four albums into his ambitious commitment to record an album of new Hawaiian music for each of the major islands. Now, with the release of “O‘ahu,” guitarist Jeff Peterson is on the way to creating a similar series of themed albums for aficionados of instrumental music. The first one, “Maui on My Mind,” was released in 2009 and is a collection of songs about the island of his birth. “O‘ahu” applies the theme concept to the island that has been his place of residence for much of his life.

“E Ku‘u Home o Kahalu‘u” jumps out as one of the instantly recognizable melodies. Peterson does a fine job with his arrangement of it. Three other island classics — “Waikiki Hula,” “Waimanalo Blues” and “Ku‘u Pua i Paoakalani” — are also nicely done.

Along with the standards are 10 original tunes, so Peterson is contributing to island music as a composer as well as a recording artist.

The CD cover art includes the magic words — “Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar” — that often help sell Hawaiian CDs on the mainland. However, Peterson is not only a fine slack-key player, but formally trained in Western guitar styles as well. “O‘ahu” is a beautiful showcase of his diverse talents as guitarist and composer.

Visit jeffpetersonguitar.com.

“Brother for the People”
Taz Vegas
(RSM)

Taz Vegas’ two decades in local music have been both eventful and eclectic. His debut as a noteworthy recording artist was as a member of Typical Hawaiians with Bruce Zulueta and Thomson Enos in the late 1990s. The trio’s album, “In a Positive Vibrations,” won a Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best reggae album in 2000. Four years later Vegas partnered with Les Harris to form Kalaeloa; the duo’s musical horizons extended past the predominately Jawaiian repertoire of Typical Hawaiians to include rock, jazz, Afro-Caribbean reggae and classic hapa-haole music.

Vegas has been active playing and recording music ever since. With “Brother for the People,” co-written with indefatigable writer-producer-music promoter Bobby Pileggi, Vegas is making a bid for the national pop charts.

The lyrics decry the timeless problems of racism and violence and mention some of the men who have advocated peace and understanding. The arrangement combines elements of classic soul and R&B in ways that make it easy to sing along with. It’s “feel good” music in a very good way.

Vegas’ voice soars high and smooth as he delivers the message that “Love was created equal. Power to the people.”

Visit alohamusicgroup.com.