‘Ha‘a’
Na Palapalai
(KTK)
a Palapalai’s roots go back well before 2002, but that was the year the group broke out as the hot "new" act in neo-traditionalist Hawaiian music.
When it happened the group was a trio — Kuana Torres Kahele, Kehau Tamure and Keao Costa. Its debut album, "Makani ‘Olu‘olu," won a pace-setting five Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in 2003 including the group, Hawaiian album and album trophies. Its second, "Ke‘ala Beauty," won in the group and Hawaiian album categories in 2005.
The beautiful traditionalist sound of the group, with its emphasis on Hawaiian lyrics and falsetto harmonies, was maintained through several personnel changes. Costa left, and Kahele and Tamure carried on as a duo; then Ioane Burns joined them and Na Palapalai was a trio once again.
This perfectly produced album — the sixth Na Palapalai project if you include a 2010 "best of" anthology — introduces the group as a male duo. Torres plays guitar and ipu, and Burns plays bass; both men sing.
With Kahele also contributing as arranger and co-producer, the overall impression is of continuity despite the changes. The duo sets the bar high with its opener, "Ka Manu," and demonstrates its command of traditional hapa-haole material with "Haunani Mine."
"Ka Pua ‘Ano Lani," one of the six compositions Kahele contributes to the project, stands out as a delicate and tranquil love song. With another original, "Kaua I Ka Holo," he imaginatively reworks a theme of Clarence Kinney’s classic "Holoholo Ka‘a" to describe a journey on the Big Island that involves several types of transportation. The big difference is that the travelers in Kahele’s song are going to a church camp rather than a secluded romantic interlude.
"Nani Mokihana" and "Lei Mokihana" are the work of other composers but fit together nicely as a medley with a Kauai island theme.
Co-producers Kahele and Dave Tucciarone complete this beautiful Hawaiian album with a 14-page booklet that provides the Hawaiian lyrics, English translations, background information on the songs and a brief history of the group.
"Ha‘a" is due in stores June 26.
www.napalapalai.com
"Ka Manu"
