I enjoyed looking at the list again. I think there is probably a whole musical era on 78 rpm records that haven't been comprehensively re-issued and therefore don't have the same universal impact on the musical genre as the modern record album does, but are still historically important to Hawaiian music. I'm curious if there are any albums from the last five years that deserve to be in this group of albums. Jesse
I'm curious if there are any albums from the last five years that deserve to be in this group of albums. Jesse
I'm inclined to say "no" with one notable exception: "`ikena" by Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere. Listen carefully to this album and you will discover that it did for Hawaiian music what "Guava Jam" and "Kawaipunahele" before it did -- advanced the art form (and the tradition) by lightyears instead of baby steps. This is in part due to Dr. Stillman's unique approach to poetry (there has really been nothing like it before) and Daniel's approach to melody and harmony.
I think that "He nani" is better than "`ikena" much the same way that I think that "Sunday Manoa 3" is better than "Guava Jam." But if I had to choose one album to go in the 50 best, it would have to be the one that started it all.
Join me for the history of Hawaiian music and its musicians at Ho`olohe Hou at www.hoolohehou.org.
I see that there are no albums devoted to chant on the list. How about adding something by Mark Keali`i Ho`omalu such as "Call it What You Like". Ooops, it's been six years since it was released.
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and haunts me sleeping and waking." Mark Twain
I'm inclined to say "no" with one notable exception: "`ikena" by Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere. Listen carefully to this album and you will discover that it did for Hawaiian music what "Guava Jam" and "Kawaipunahele" before it did -- advanced the art form (and the tradition) by lightyears instead of baby steps. This is in part due to Dr. Stillman's unique approach to poetry (there has really been nothing like it before) and Daniel's approach to melody and harmony.
I think that "He nani" is better than "`ikena" much the same way that I think that "Sunday Manoa 3" is better than "Guava Jam." But if I had to choose one album to go in the 50 best, it would have to be the one that started it all.
You may want to check out the new songbook Daniel Ho is just issuing - all the songs he and Amy composed for those two albums, along with background details on their composition and insight into why they did these albums. Oh, plus of course, the music for all the songs (so the rest of us can learn 'em). http://www.danielho.com/html/naikena.html
Honolulu Magazine Greatest 50 Albums revisited
Posted - 12/09/2009 : 08:19:43 AM
