“Christmas Day”
Tarvin Makia
(Meleohana)
Tarvin Makia’s career as a working musician goes back more than four decades to when he was a member of Hau‘ula, a quartet that took its name from the district of Oahu they’d grown up in.
Until this year he has been known for his work backing other artists.
“Christmas Day” and its companion song, “The Ukulele Christmas Song,” are his latest projects as a frontman and solo artist.
Natalie Ai Kamauu joins him on “Christmas Day” in celebrating Christmas as a time for family, prayer and contemplation. Kamauu sounds as sweet as ever. “Christmas Day” could easily become an island Christmas favorite.
Makia has also released a lighthearted second song, “The Ukulele Christmas Song,” that uses the names of various ukulele tunings as reminders of things that make Christmas such a wonderful time of year. Kids who get an ukulele for Christmas will certainly want to strum along.
Both songs are scheduled for release on the full-length Christmas album he is planning for Christmas 2021, but they’re available now at iTunes and Amazon Prime.
Visit tarvinmakia.com.
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Acapella)”
Jonny S, featuring Jelayne Shelton
(DistroKid)
Multitalented singer/dancer/choreographer Jonny S (aka Jonathan Sampaga) partnered with singer and social media influencer Jelayne Shelton to assemble this exquisite a cappella treatment of a contemporary Christmas classic.
It’s a studio project where they sang multiple parts that Jonny then layered to create the sound of a heavenly choir with a hint of contemporary soul. Having a merry Christmas has rarely sounded more beautiful.
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is available on all the basic streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon Music. You can also listen to it on YouTube at 808ne.ws/JonnySMerryChristmas.
Find Jonny S on Instagram: @jonbahjuice77.
“Christmas Aloha”
Michael Chock
(Seawind Productions)
Michael Chock decided to write a local Christmas song. He did, and then wrote another, and then revisited a standard to create a third. He then decided to record a full-length album just for fun using the recording tools in his office. Since it was a “fun” project, he was free to play with the instrumental arrangements, change the order of lines and verses, and experiment with harmonies.
Chock’s two new songs — “Christmas Aloha” and “Merry Christmas From My Hawaii” — are welcome additions to Hawaii’s hapa haole canon. The others show his imagination as an arranger. The liner notes quote Scripture in affirming Christmas as the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Visit michaelchockchristmasaloha.hearnow.com.