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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 11:34 a.m., Monday, February 19, 2007

Matt Catingub's 'Romance in Hawaii' airs tomorrow

BY WAYNE HARADA
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

"Romance in Hawaii," airing tomorrow at 9 p.m. on KGMB, is a Valentine to the Islands — its people and its music. So what if it's a week late? The program serves as a prelude to the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii's March 1-11 "Return to Romance" music festival, in various venues in the community, and features a few love songs from the orchestra's recent CD collating 16 tunes deemed to be among the Top 100 romantic songs ever performed by some of his all-star cast.

Hosted by Catingub and featuring selected luminaries such as Jimmy Borges, Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and others in performance, the show dwells on simple, funny and real love stories of some fabled local twosomes, including Buffalo and Momi Keaulana, Jack and Cha Thompson, Jimmy and Vicki Borges, Kim Gennaula and Guy Hagi, Karen Keawehawai'i and Jackie Farias and Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and John Austin. They share how-they-met tales, how-he-asked-for-her-hand vignettes and some unexpected reflections.

Love, indeed, is a many splendored thing.

Catingub reveals that Honolulu is where he fell in love with his wife, Vicki. He puts their love story in melody, when he sings "Honolulu (I Fell in Love With)," punctuating the ditty with the notion that Hawai'i is "the perfect place to fall in love."

Borges, who met his Vicki way back when he was crooning at Trappers (now long gone), provides the musical fabric that is especially endearing and enduring. It's no wonder he gets the most swoon time, offering "It Had to Be You" and "My Foolish Heart," sprinkling in tenderness to spare.

Borges also shares a T-shirt that played a huge role in erasing tension at one point in his relationship with Vicki, segueing into "It Had to Be You."

Gilliom displays her non-Hawaiian styling on evocative readings of "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" and "I Remember You," with home video of her unforgettable Hawai'i Theatre moment, when Austin got up on stage, presented her with a ring, to ultimately propose before a sellout house of admirers. The audience had to shout, "What's your answer?"

The vocals complement the off-the-cuff quips from the couples.

Keawehawai'i's tale about her mom offering her $10 on her first date with Farias (to help pay for a meal) is legendary; Gennaula's and Hagi's first date was the wedding of restaurateur D.K. Kodama, when she caught the bridal bouquet, putting immense pressure on her now-husband; the Thompsons' recollection of their long, into-the-wee-hour walk in Waikiki ended with his touching her hand ... and an "I'm sorry" apology; and not surprisingly, the surfing Keaulanas met on the beach.

Raiatea Helm doesn't sing here, but reveals what she looks for in a man: laughter, love and "he has to cook."

'Ukulele whiz Jake Shimabukuro is aboard, plucking out "Here, There, Everywhere" with slow deliberation, sans the frenetic flashiness that characterized his earlier style. He and Jordan Segundo also share thoughts on how to attract the opposite sex.

The program was produced by the creative team (led by Phil Arnone) that earlier brought "Honolulu: 100 Years in the Making," "IV: The Man Behind the Music" and "Duke Kahanamoku: Hawai'i's Soul" to the tube. This one is feel-good, cuddle-up fluff that touches the heart — and leaves the kind of reverie you get when you nibble a beloved truffle.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8067.