Mana'o Company shines with 5 Na Hoku awards

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

The Mana'o Company, a five-member music ensemble which reunited last year after 10 years on the sidelines, swept last night's Na Hoku Hanohano Awards at the Sheraton Waikiki's Hawaii Ballroom.

The group's "Spread a Little Aloha" CD captured five trophies, including album of the year, single and song of the year, contemporary album of the year, and engineering. However, it failed to snare the group-of-the-year lei, which went to The Lim Family.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Alone in IZ World" CD, which contains his lingering "Over the Rainbow" hit, earned him a posthumous award for Hawaiian Album of the Year.

Four acts each won two awards: Ernie Cruz Jr. (male vocalist, Island contemporary album), Sean Na'auao (haku mele, reggae album) 'Aha Punana Leo (Hawaiian language, religious album) and Keahiwai (most promising artist, entertainer of the year, the latter by public ballot).

Last night's hoopla marked the 25th anniversary of the event, sponsored by the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts.

The complete list of Na Hoku winners

• Male Vocalist of the Year — Ernie Cruz Jr., "Portraits" (Pi'inalu Music)

• Female Vocalist of the Year — Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, "Pu'uhonua" (Hanaiali'i)

• Group of the Year —The Lim Family, "Na Mele No Na Hanauna" (Kohala)

• Religious Album of the Year — "Na Leo O Ke Kula Ni'ihau O Kehaka," 'Aha Punana Leo, ('Aha Punana Leo)

• Rock Album of the Year — "Living in a Movie," Gail Swanson (Rock Fever)

• Contemporary Album of the Year —"Spread a Little Aloha," The Mana'o Company (Dan-Pa/A Guava Ding Thing)

• Reggae Album of the Year — "Progression," Sean Na'auao (Poi Pounder)

• Jazz Album of the Year — "Harlem Nocturne," Azure McCall (Ala Moana)

• Christmas Album of the Year — "Christmas Gift 2," Na Leo Pilimehana (NLP Music)

• Most Promising Artist of the Year — Keahiwai, "Local Girls" (Island Groove)

• Compilation Album of the Year — "Aloha Festivals Hawaiian Falsetto Contest Winners, Vol. 2," various artists (Hula) William Baba Alimoot, Steve Kramer, Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid III, Frank Shaner and Randy Sugata, producers

• Anthology of the Year — "Na Pua O Hawai'i," Makaha Sons & Friends (Poki), Kata Maduli, producer

• Instrumental Album of the Year — "Pana Aloha Hawaiian Heartbeat," Kapono Beamer (Kapono Beamer)

• Island Contemporary Album of the Year — "Portraits," Ernie Cruz, Jr. (Pi'inalu Music)

• Hawaiian Album of the Year — "Alone in IZ World," Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Big Boy)

• Single of the Year — "Aloha," The Mana'o Company (Dan-Pa/A Guava Ding Thing)

• Song of the Year — "Aloha" by Danny Kennedy, from "Spread a Little Aloha," The Mana'o Company (Dan-Pa/A Guava Ding Thing)

• Album of the Year — "Spread a Little Aloha," The Mana'o Company (Dan-Pa/A Guava Ding Thing), Danny Kennedy, Dave Tucciarone and TMC, producers

• Hawaiian Language Performance — 'Aha Punana Leo, "'Ina'i 'Elua" ('Aha Punana Leo)

• Haku Mele — "Aloha Ku'u Home A I Ke 'Alohi," by Frank Kawai Hewett, from "Holomua," Sean Na'auao (Poi Pounder)

• Graphics — Bill Ernst, for "E Ho'i Na Wai," Cody Pueo Pata (Ululoa)

• Engineering — Dave Tucciarone, for "Spread a Little Aloha," The Mana'o Company (Dan Pa/A Guava Ding Thing)

• Liner Notes — Lea A. Uehara, for "Kalapawai Ku'u One Hanau" Chinky Mahoe (Poki)

• Favorite Entertainer of the Year — Keahiwai, "Local Girls" (Island Groove)

• Ki Ho'alu Award — George Kuo

• Lifetime Achievement Awards — Krash Kealoha, Nora Keahi Santos, Haunani Kahalewai, Noelani Mahoe and Tom Moffatt.

Wayne Harada is a voting member of the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts.