7th Annual Hawai'i Music Awards

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

'Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro was voted Entertainer of the Year. The musician's "Crosscurrent" album won two awards. Advertiser library photo • May 2003

Shimabukuro's "Crosscurrent" CD won Album of the Year and Instrumental Hawaiian Album of the Year honors. The musician also won the Entertainer of the Year award. Other multiple award winners were Zacc Kekona, Maila Gibson, Daniel Ho and Noel Okimoto, with two awards each.

Award recipients were chosen in more than 40 categories. Voting was open to the general public on the foundation's Web site last month.

Winners will receive their awards at an April 4 ceremony at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Tropics Showroom. Tickets for the 6 p.m. ceremony — priced at $40 for nominees and $60 for general admission — are available by calling the Music Foundation of Hawai'i at 951-6699.

The ceremony is a benefit for the Music Foundation of Hawai'i's music scholarship programs. The foundation is a non-profit supporting school-based music education.

Award winners:

• Album of the Year: "Crosscurrent" — Jake Shimabukuro
• Song of the Year: "Sitting In My Room" — Zacc Kekona
• Single Record of the Year: "I Want My Island Girl" — Darrell Labrado
• Entertainer of the Year: Jake Shimabukuro
• Female Vocalist of the Year: Maila Gibson
• Male Vocalist of the Year: Keali'i Reichel
• Group of the Year: Kawaihae
• New Artist of the Year: Zacc Kekona
• Studio Musician of the Year: Noel Okimoto and Daniel Ho (tie)
• Internet Radio Artist of the Year: Danny Couch
• Engineer of the Year: Bob St. John
• Producer of the Year: Dr. Trey
• Hawaiian Contemporary Album of the Year: "30 Years Of Friends: Lifetime Party" — Cecilio & Kapono
• Island Contemporary Album of the Year: "In This Enchanted Place" — Manny K. Fernandez
• Instrumental Hawaiian Album of the Year: "Crosscurrent" — Jake Shimabukuro
• Slack-Key Album of the Year: "Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar: The Complete Collection" — Daniel Ho
• Traditional Hawaiian Album of the Year: "Na'u 'Oe" — Kainani Kahaunaele
• Pop Album of the Year: "More" — Maila Gibson
• R&B Album of the Year: "Urban Warriors: Set Us Free" — Simplisity
• Rock Album of the Year: "SUGahDADDY e'hawaiianrockband" — SUGahDADDY
• Adult Contemporary Album of the Year: "Dreams Do Come True" — Janine Alondres
• Hip-Hop Album of the Year: "React For Him" — Kutmaster Spaz
• Country Album of the Year: "Outside The Circle" — Mark Coleman
• Rap Album of the Year: "Implosion" — OriginAL; "The Project" — Big Break (tie)
• Punk/Ska Album of the Year: "Kam Highway Catharsis" — Upstanding Youth
• Reggae Album of the Year: "Stand Tall" — Kontiki
• Anthology Album of the Year: "To You, Sweetheart, Aloha" — Nina Kealiiwahamana
• Blues Album of the Year: "Deaf Dog Blues" — Chance & The Blue Daddies
• Jazz Album of the Year: "'Ohana" — Noel Okimoto
• Latin Album of the Year: "Rumores de Hawai'i" — International Pasteles
• Children's Music Album of the Year: "A Pocket Of Tunes" — Dr. Mac
• Comedy Album of the Year: "Silver Anniversary: Da Complete Collection" — Frank DeLima
• Compilation Album of the Year: "A Place Called Hawaii 2" — Various Artists
• Folk Album of the Year: "But It Was On Sale" — Can't Sing Records
• Inspirational Album of the Year: "The Bride To The Bridegroom" — Carolyn Vargas
• New Age Album of the Year: "Cool Breeze" — Kohala
• Patriotic Album of the Year: "Patriotic Slack Key" — Friends of Aloha
• Seasonal Album of the Year: "A Real Steel Christmas" — Greg & Junko MacDonald
• Polynesian Album of the Year: "Tabu" — Polynesia
• Soundtrack of the Year: "Ki Ho'alu" — Keola Beamer
• World Music Album of the Year: "Honor Bound" — Hawaii Shochiku Orchestra
• Loyal Garner Award: InterFM Corporation and Honolulu Festivals
• Event of the Year: Hawaii International Jazz Festival (Abe Weinstein, organizer)
• Music Education Honors: Natasha Taketa, Tiffany Mendoza (Hilo High School); Bango Gancinia, Gary Washburn, Ala Ablao, Cecily Ballio (Honoka'a High School); Gerado Rodriguez, Morris Anderson, Lyndsey Correia (Leilehua High School); Emily Hodges, Justin Furuta, Wil Tafolo (Punahou High School)
• Music Educator of the Year: George Poliahu (Kailua Intermediate)

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.