This compilation, reflecting his many styles and textures, comes on the heels of his previous Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement collection, "A Lifetime of Hawaiian Music," and establishes Haugen as one of Hawai'i's most prolific sons who has maintained a musical love affair with the Islands.

Not surprisingly, half the 24 tunes are of Hawaiian vintage, from the easygoing " 'O Ka Wehi 'O Kawehi" to the adoptive "Ka'u Mea Aloha," with lyrics set to the 18th-century melody "Aura Lee" (which you might recall as "Love Me Tender," the Elvis Presley hit). He writes and sings about familiar people ("Carmen's Song"), places ("O'ahu," with collaborator Carole Miguel) and things ("Protea," with English lyrics).

On the other end of the spectrum, "We Still Care" has surges of patriotism; "It's Christmas (All Over the World)" remains unique for its inclusion of the holiday greetings in native tongues from around the globe; and "The Love that Counts" captures a contagious country twang.

His may not be the best voice ever, but you can't discount the honesty and enthusiasm Haugen shares from his heart. Nice touch, too, with the three cover shots of Haugen as a youth, in his middle years and as a senior citizen.

Hiraoka shines on three cuts, including a techno-reggae item titled "Live Everyday," with its simple but logical advice of living each day like your last; he also wrote most of the tunes performed by seven other artists. Damon Williams, who already has a disc career going, turns in a soulful "Moment in Time"; newbies such as Preston De Luz ("I'm Thinking About You") and Maelan Abran ("Your Love") provide gusts of appealing spirit. Jesse Ho'opai's "Irie Stylin' " should connect with reggae and Jawaiian buffs.

Because a magic show mandates visuals, this assembly of enticing and occasionally compelling tunes (some orchestral, some with chorus) is only half the battle in bottling his charisma. But it's a start; composers Al Thomas and Kit Ebersbach have created a rich score that reflects the pulse, the anticipation, the excitement of an evening with Hirokawa. "Head Mover," for example, captures the heartbeat of the feat at hand — a beheading illusion.

"Helicopter" suggests a whirlybird with the pulse of, say, a "Hawaii Five-0" theme; "Firefly" throbs with aerial motion; "Water Levitation" suggests drama in mid-air; "Snow" is less about cold and more about the magician getting out of a locked box. Along the way, the popular refrain of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" is the only unoriginal melody in the show, though "Shadow Box" has echoes of familiarity.

The 14 tracks are entertaining enough, rich with tunes that help build drama and create mood. "Magic of Polynesia" is not alone in offering fans an original cast album; nearly all of the Cirque du Soleil productions do a similar CD turn.

With the release of this audio soundtrack, could a companion DVD — with some of Hirokawa's Island-spin wizardry — be far behind?