 This week on Pakele Live! with Tony Solis we are pleased to host the award-winning trio Na Palapalai!
Na Palapalai was formed in 1995 by Kehau Tamure and Kuana Torres Kahele in their hometown of Hilo, Hawai’i. Raised around traditional Hawaiian music, they polished their skills playing local shows and backyard pa’inas. After briefly teaming with Wailau Ryder and Akoni Malacas in a group named “Akoni and Da Palapalai Patch,” Kuana and Kehau, along with new member Keao Costa, re-formed Na Palapalai.
The trio, with Keao on bass, Kehau on ‘ukulele, and Kuana on guitar, brought a raw energy and enthusiasm to traditional Hawaiian music. Of the six Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominations they received for their 2003 debut album “Makani ‘Olu’olu,” they won five. Two more albums followed: 2005’s “Ke’ala Beauty,” nominated for five Na Hoku Awards (of which they took home two), and 2006’s “Ka Pua Hae Hawai’i,” nominated for seven Na Hoku Awards. All three albums were nominated in the categories of Haku Mele and Hawaiian Language Performance, among others. Nominees in these two categories are subject to very high standards, and unlike all but the most technical categories (such as engineering, etc.), these categories are not voted on by the general voting membership of the Academy – they are voted on by specialists in the field. Thus, a nomination in the coveted Haku Mele and Hawaiian Language Performance categories is a distinct honor, and Na Palapalai’s debut release won in both categories! In addition to the 18 Hoku nominations and seven wins, all three of the group’s albums have become veritable soundtracks for hula halaus worldwide. Valued for their original compositions and three-part falsetto harmonies, the band has made a significant contribution to the legacy that is Hawaiian music.
2009 has brought the evolution of Na Palapalai full circle. The band, once again comprised of Kehau and Kuana, continues to deliver powerhouse performances worldwide and remains a trendsetter in leo ki’eki’e, the Hawaiian falsetto sound. Na Palapalai’s long-anticipated 4th release is due out later this year.
Join host Tony Solis for Pakele Live! this Thursday, July 23, from 6-8 p.m. HST in the Pakele Lounge at the Ala Moana Hotel (410 Atkinson Dr., Honolulu). It’s free, all ages are welcome, and free parking is available next door at Ala Moana Shopping Center. Drinks are available for purchase (kala mai - the hotel is no longer serving food).
You may also watch live online at: http://www.pakelelive.com/
Those in Japan can watch at: http://www.j-wave.co.jp/
You may email the show at pakele @ lava.net
(Photo provided by Na Palapalai)
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Na Palapalai at Pakele Live, 7/23, 6-8 pm - free!
Posted - 07/20/2009 : 6:33:27 PM
