Gilliom's Grammy-nominated "Generation Hawai'i" CD was the big winner at the 30th annual awards ceremony honoring excellence in local music. Its quartet of awards included the top prizes of album of the year and Hawaiian album of the year.

It was the second time Gilliom had swept the categories, having won both trophies in 1998 for her "Hawaiian Tradition" album.

"I truly have to pay respect to all of my fellow entertainers who tour with their keiki," said Gilliom, accepting her Hawaiian album of the year award while clutching her daughter Madeline. "That's what 'Generation Hawai'i' was about."

Gilliom's "Generation Hawai'i" disc also earned her a Hoku for female vocalist of the year — her fourth — and won engineering awards for Ron Pendragon and Michael Ruff. The CD had been nominated for a Grammy this year in the best Hawaiian music album category.

Vocal trio Na Palapalai tied Gilliom this year for most Na Hoku nominations, with eight for its "Ka Pua Hae Hawai'i" disc. But the group found itself surprisingly shut out in all categories.

There were only two other multiple award winners.

Vocal group Kaukahi won three awards for "Life In These Islands": group of the year, song of the year for songwriter/member Kawika Kahiapo's title track, and a graphics award for Dalen Kahiapo and Todd Schlosser.

Keali'i Reichel's holiday album "Maluhia," nominated seven times, lost to the Brothers Cazimero's "Caz Christmas" in the Christmas album of the year category. But in a category determined by public voting, Reichel was chosen as favorite entertainer of the year for the disc. It was his fourth win in the category.

"Maluhia" also earned Reichel, Puakea Nogelmeier and Fred Krauss a Hoku for its liner notes.

Other top awards

Nathan Aweau's "The Hawai'i Classic Series Vol. II - Hula" gave the solo artist and Hapa vocalist a male vocalist of the year award, for a second consecutive year. Aweau won last year for "The Hawai'i Classic Series Vol. I - Vintage."

"Barefoot Natives" won the Hoku for contemporary Hawaiian album of the year. The self-titled debut disc by Willie K and Eric Gilliom had five nominations.

"I finally won one!" screamed Gilliom, accepting the award for the duo, and scanning the crowd for his multi-award-winning sister. "Amy, you can have your Na Hoku's back now!"

Henry Kapono's Grammy-nominated disc "The Wild Hawaiian," with three Na Hoku noms, yielded one trophy for rock album of the year.

Paula Fuga earned her first Hoku as most promising artist for her debut album "Lilikoi."

'Ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro's "Gently Weeps" scored instrumental album of the year honors for the musician. It was Shimabukuro's fourth Hoku in the category.

Trophies in Na Hoku's two newest categories went to Afatia's "5:45," for R&B/hip-hop album of the year, and the Makaha Sons' "Makaha Sons Live at Hawai'i Theatre," for music video DVD of the year.

Awards in the bulk of Na Hoku's 24 categories were voted on by the more than 600 member of the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts from recordings released in 2006.

Lifetime achievement awards were given to Gabe Baltazar, Rene Paulo, Society of Seven, the Surfers and the late Loyal Garner.

Reception scene

The afternoon sun beat hard through the skydeck windows of Na Hoku's new Hawai'i Convention Center home, leaving the many folks with suits and long dresses fanning themselves with whatever they had. A larger reception area than usual on the center's rooftop garden terrace sometimes made it difficult to find friends, family ... and singing partners.

Nathan Aweau, for example, was seen searching for Hapa mate Barry Flanagan.

Asked if he was angling for a repeat in the male vocalist of the year category, Aweau laughed hard.

"It's just exciting to be nominated again (and) to get this far. It's my third time nominated. It's all good."

He would eventually find Flanagan and finish the evening a third-time winner in the category.

Formal lava lava was a fashion choice adopted by a handful of male Hoku attendees. One of the coolest looking? Honolulu Symphony Pops conductor Matt Catingub in sandals, suit jacket and a dressy lava lava — all black — his hair pulled back in his signature ponytail.

"It's a Samoan formal lava lava," he said, asked about the ensemble. His Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai'i nominated for contemporary album of the year for "My Romance," Catingub said he was awarded the lava lava and title of "la'a uli" on a recent trip to Samoa. He then laughed, "I wish I knew what the title means."

Nominated for her first ever album of the year award, 'ukulele whiz Brittni Paiva admitted she was still surprised by the recognition.

"It was a huge shock that I didn't really expect," said the 18-year-old multi-instrumentalist, whose "Brittni" disc also earned her a third instrumental album of the year nom. "It's a huge honor to be nominated for the category."

The album of the year award's eventual winner Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom arrived near the end of the cocktail reception, freshly rested from a trip to Japan. Dressed from head-to-toe in a stylish black combo — jacket, pants, corset top and heels — the only thing Gilliom was without was the many strands of lei worn by other top nominees.

"They've got them inside there for me," she said, gesturing toward the ballroom and smiling. "If I put it all on outside here, they melt."

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

* * *

Album of the year: "Generation Hawai'i," Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom (Hanaiali'i); Michael Ruff and Hanaiali'i Records, producers

Hawaiian album of the year: "Generation Hawai'i," Amy

Hanaiali'i Gilliom

Song of the year (a composer's award): "Life in These Islands" by Kawika Kahiapo from "Life in These Islands," Kaukahi (OneHawaii)

Female vocalist: Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, "Generation Hawai'i"

Male vocalist: Nathan Aweau, "The Hawai'i Classic Series Vol. II — Hula" (B.P. Music Arts)

Group: Kaukahi, "Life In These Islands" (OneHawaii)

Most promising artist: Paula Fuga, "Lilikoi" (Pakipika)

Favorite entertainer: Keali'i Reichel, "Maluhia" (Punahele)

Hawaiian language performance: "Kamakolu," Na Kama (Makani)

Haku mele (a composer's award): "Ni'ihau" by Pekelo Cosma and Ileialoha Beniamina from "Hana By the Sea," Pekelo (Pekelo)

Contemporary album: "Pali Presents a Tribute," Pali (Discos Tropical)

Contemporary Hawaiian album: "Barefoot Natives," Barefoot Natives (Barefoot Natives)

Compilation album: "Hokule'a: The Legacy," various artists (Bishop Museum Press); Kenneth Makuakane, Alden Levi, Randie Kamuela Fong, Hiro Mihara and Lehua Heine, producers

Anthology of the year (a producer's award): "Eddie Kamae & Friends," Eddie Kamae & Friends (Hawai'i Sons); Eddie and Myrna Kamae, producers

Music video DVD: "Makaha Sons Live at the Hawai'i

Theatre," Makaha Sons (Makaha Sons)

Rock album: "The Wild Hawaiian," Henry Kapono (Eclectic)

R&B/hip-hop album: "5:45," Afatia (Tihati)

Reggae album: "Mystical Fish," Brother Noland (Mountain Apple)

Instrumental album: "Gently Weeps," Jake Shimabukuro (Hitchhike)

Christmas album: "Caz Christmas," Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple)

Religious album: "Keonemele O Kaumakapili," Kaumakapili Church Choir (Kahuapili Publishing Committee)

Graphics (best achievement in album cover design): Dalen Kahiapo and Todd Schlosser for "Life in These Islands, Kaukahi (OneHawaii)

Liner notes (best achievement in album annotation): Puakea Nogelmeier, Fred Krauss and Keali'i Reichel for "Maluhia," Keali'i Reichel (Punahele)