'Encore' opens vault of memories

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

It was bound to happen, considering the reaction to the original compilation of nostalgic Asian (mostly Japanese) music and the vault of memories waiting to be rediscovered. This "Encore!" outing triggers more reflection, encourages more remembrances and, yes, is likely to generate more sales.

Americans of Japanese ancestry who celebrated their culture in post-war Hawai'i have been tapped again in a 20-tune compilation that brings back more tunes from the 1940s and '50s — one-time staples at tea house gatherings and for turntable listening at home.

This is your mom and dad's — or obaachan and ojiichan's — party, since the material is at least two generations removed from the current crop of CD buyers.

Obviously, there is a sense of cherished devotion among the pioneering artists who recorded these tunes, many with outside influences and inspirations. "Bungawan Solo," an instrumental, for instance, is an Indonesian song rendered in orchestral posture that remains a classic today.

"Tonko Bushi," not to be confused with "Tanko Bushi," is considered a teahouse speciality. The latter is bon dance fare.

Haruye Minami is the vocalist on "Samisen Madorosu (Samisen Sailor),"a tune about a homesick sailor, originally written for Japan's incomparable Hibari Misora (or, as she was known here and everywhere else, Misora Hibari, with surname first). It's every bit as good as the original.

There's a waltz ("Hana Kotoba No Uta," an instrumental), a fetching boogie woogie item ("Hyotan Boogie," by Aiko Bingo), a resourceful medley of tunes entitled "Nagasaki" (with such diverse tunes as "Un Bel Di" and "Sakura"), even a "cover" ("Yu-hi Wa Akai Ho," which you'll recognize as "Red Sails in the Sunset").

Tracks such as "Ringo Hana Wa Saita Kedo" ("Although the Apple Blossoms Have Bloomed") typify this genre's love songs.

Historic photos and valuable liner notations provide insights and jogs the memories for those who experienced this music in its original glow. Like the earlier volume, "Encore!" is a tidy journey down memory lane and an enlightenment for future generations curious about a glorious past.

Known artists such as Moe Keale ("Kaulaili," "Ka Ua Ma'ema'e"), Kaeo ("From My Heart"), Butch Helemano ("Operator," "Lovers Moon"), George Naope ("Kanani A 'O Kau"), Sam Kapu ("Graduation Day") will be the lure to launch this compilation.

But country singer Warren Johnson ("Stay with You"), jazz stylist Star Williams ("Banks"), contemporary Hawaiian act Da Nuuanu Brothers ("Lani Girl") and Saga ("Cheryl Moana Marie") hold their own.

Too bad liner notes, establishing the identities of each act, are lacking.

This is a tidy introduction to Big Island talents, culled from efforts by four radio stations (K-Hawaii, KISS, KIPA, KAPA) with different airplay formats so the music represents a cross-section of emerging music-makers, who perform Jawaiian (Ho'oko St. Band's "Irie in Your Soul"), Hawaiiana (Lehia's "Makali'i" and Ku'ulei Ame Na Hoalani Dambley's "'O Kalopa I Ka Ia 'I"), contemporary Hawaiian (Ponchoman Kuanoni's "Do You Remember"), contemporary pop ballad stylings (Ginger Bertelmann and Melissa Lim's "Always in My Dream") and wistful remembrances (Jim Major's "Eddie Would Go").

Again, thumbnail sketches of each artists would have made this package more appealing.