Island Sounds
Keawehawai'i releases batch of tunes on 7 CDs

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

Karen Keawehawai'i does mostly hula tunes on the recently released CDs.

That means you can play one every day of the week and get a jump on Christmas, too, now that her 1984 holiday sampler has joined the CD generation. Or you can stock up your six-disc player in the car and tool around the island accompanied by Keawehawai'i's serenades. Or simply have a backyard jam, with Keawehawai'i providing the marathon entertainment.

Indeed, there's a lot of Hawaiian music to inspect, including a collection of hula favorites previously available only in Japan for those dance-dizzy fans.

These CDs are available only at Harry's Music in Kaimuki, at least for now.

Short notes on the seven releases:

"Do the Hula! Ka Leo Lani O Karen" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records, KR-50017-2: Considering the intent of this collection — aiming for the Japanese hula crowd — the songs are Hawaiian and hapa-haole classics favored by beginning and even advanced dancers. Keawehawai'i's incomparable "My Yellow Ginger Lei" (her father's composition) is a treasure, but you can't ignore "Green Rose Hula," "Kaimana Hila" and "Show Me How to Do the Hula." The vocal work is unmistakably Keawehawai'i, with an occasional yodel effect punctuating the tunes.

"Best of Karen, Volume 1" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records KR-50014-2: "Ginger Lei" shows up here, too, in another version, along with some her classics performed in showrooms and lounges over the years: "E Ku'u Baby Hot Cha Cha," "E Mama E," "Royal Hawaiian Hotel," "Pauoa Hula" and "Ku'u Pua I Paoakalani."

"Have a Merry Karen Christmas" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records, KR-50018-2: This holiday collection is unabashedly sentimental. "Baby's First Christmas," "Sing Ting a Ling a Ling," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S" and "Happy Birthday To You, Our Lord" are richly nostalgic. There's also a measure of Hawaiiana on "Mele Kalikimaka Kakou."

"Songs of Old Hawaii, Hula Style, Volume 1" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records, KR-50019-2: Despite a soulful and bluesy "A Lover's Prayer," which opens this set, there's a bundle of hula hits. Best bets: "A Maile Lei for Your Hair/Lovely Maile Lei," "Behold La'ie," "Blue Hawai'i" and "Blue Hawaiian Moonlight." Plus the rarely-recorded "Aloha 'Oe."

"Songs of Old Hawaii, Hula Style, Volume 2" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records, KR-50020-2: Some playful, fun tunes ("Hula Lolo," "Hasegawa General Store," "Hawaiian Vamp") make this one a cutie. But some more traditional fare ("I'll Remember You," "Here in This Enchanted Place," "I'll Weave a Lei of Stars for You") demonstrates Keawehawai'i's commitment to hula material.

"Songs of Old Hawaii, Hula Style, Volume 3" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records KR-50021-2: Hollywood visions of Hawai'i abound here: "Lovely Hula Hands," "Love Song of Kalua," "Keep Your Eyes on the Hands," "Little Brown Gal" syncopate with nostalgic rhythms. And there's more reflection and remembrances via "My Hawaiian Souvenirs," "Now Is the Hour" and "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawai'i." And if you've always wanted a rendering of "May Day Is Lei Day in Hawai'i," it's here. Plus still another hana hou for "My Yellow Ginger Lei."

"Songs of Old Hawaii, Hula Style, Volume 4" by Karen Keawehawai'i, Kaleolani Records KR-50022-2: Old hula favorites such as "Singing Bamboo," "Sweet Leilani," "The Hawaiian War Chant," and "Sophisticated Hula" evoke images of swishing ti leaf skirts and hands telling hapa-haole tales. A handful of comic tunes radiate with Keawehawai'i's charms: "Pidgin English Hula" (often called "Whassa Matter You Last Night"), "The Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai," "Puka Puka Pants," "Princess Pupule" and "When You're Down in Honolulu You'll Want to 'Ami 'Ami 'Oni 'Oni Too."

"Lovely Hula Hands" by Karen Keawehawai'i. A 30-second audio sample is available in mp3 and RealAudio formats.

"Kaimana Hila" by Karen Keawehawai'i. A 30-second audio sample is available in mp3 and RealAudio formats.

"Sing Ting A Ling A Jingle" by Karen Keawehawai'i. A 30-second audio sample is available in mp3 and RealAudio formats.

Wayne Harada writes Island Sounds every Saturday.