Skip to content


NahenaheNet Hawaiian Music Podcast #55 06/29/07

Show notes: The final Nahenahe.net podcast! Music from: Raiatea Helm, Tony C., Kāmau and Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole. 19:52, Size: 18.2 Mg.

Show Links:

  • Direct Link to the Show: [ Link ]
  • Send your thoughts, comments and questions: [ Email ]
  • Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards [ Link ]
  • 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award Winners [ Link ]
  • Raiatea Helm “Hawaiian Blossom”: [ Link ] [ MySpace ]
  • Tony C. “Nā Hula Punahele”: [ Link ]
  • Kāmau. “Kāmau”: [ Link ]
  • Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole “Wonderful World”: [ Link ]

See the right hand column for a rough translation

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano, Podcasts.


Paula Fuga at Art After Dark Tonight

Art After Dark will be held from 6 to 9 tonight at the Honolulu Academy of Arts with performances by Paula Fuga and the Girlas, Roza & Capski of Laundromat United.

Posted in Misc..


Hawaii entertainers' summer sounds turn up the heat

Wayne Harada lists a plethora of island music offerings this summer, including The Starbucks Wildest Show in Town, at dusk Wednesdays at the Honolulu Zoo lawn, Ke Kani O Ke Kai, on selected Tuesdays at the Waikiki Aquarium’s beachfront lawn, Nā Mele No Nā Pua, a late-afternoon series on the last Saturday of each month on the Grand Lanai of the Embassy Suites hotel in the new Waikīkī Beach Walk.

Posted in Misc..


Nā Hōkū Performances Online

I just found out that K5 has video clips of the performances from Nā Hōkū Hanohano 2007 online, so if you missed it or want to relive some great performances, check it out.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


Caz, Jake, Mākaha Sons On Great Lawn

The Bishop Museum’s Moonlight Mele series featuring Hawai‘i performers kicks off tonight on the Great Lawn with the Brothers Cazimero. People should bring their own blankets and low-back chairs — but no coolers or alcohol. Gates open at 6 p.m. (5:30 p.m. for museum members). Future perfomers include Jake Shimabukuro and The Mākaha Sons. See this Advertiser feature for dates and details.

Posted in Misc..


Where Were You?

I was taking a shower at our old home on Laulā Rd. in Waiākea Uka when my wife opened the door and told me that she heard about Israel’s passing on the radio. It’s hard to believe that it was ten years ago.

The Mountain Apple Company honors his legacy with the release of Wonderful World, which matches Iz’ unforgettable voice with sweet orchestral arrangements. I felt the tears welling again, particularly with the closing track, “A Hawaiian Like Me.” There certainly will never be another Iz. I’ll be featuring a cut from it in my final podcast, which should be ready this weekend.

Posted in New Release.


Pākele Lounge Concert Series

Mahalo to the ever-vigilant Auntie Maria for forwarding the full schedule for the Pākele Lounge Concert Series:

  • Jun. 27 – Justin, Nā Kama, Holunape
  • Jul. 2 – Walter Keale, Mike Ka‘awa (CD release party for “Kanikapila” and “Kahikina”)
  • Jul. 11- Kenneth Makuakāne, Ku‘uipo Kumukahi, Pilioha
  • Jul. 18 – Ledward Ka‘apana – (full concert; recording live)
  • Jul. 25 – 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Showcase Show (artists tba)
  • Jul. 31 – SPECIAL – PALI “Tribute” CD Release Party, Randy Lorenzo, Kalapana, Charles Recaido

Posted in Misc..


Bay Area Backroads

Bay Area Backroads has a program featuring the ‘Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz, which also shows a short piece of Steven Espaniola playing.

Posted in Misc..


Pakele Lounge Concert Lineup – July 11

Kenneth Makuakāne, Ku‘uipo Kumukahi and Pilioha will be performing Wednesday, July 11th as part of the new concert series at Ala Moana Hotel’s Pakele Lounge that will be streamed via the Internet. The performance starts at 5:30 p.m. An upcoming concert will showcase the winners and nominees of the 2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. Future concerts will be held on Wednesdays with performers to be announced in the coming week. Seating will be limited.

Posted in Misc..


In Full Bloom

Raiatea Helm is a music industry veteran, though she is not quite 23 years old. Her latest CD, Hawaiian Blossom, shows that she is indeed blossoming. The Advertiser’s Derek Paiva provides a retrospect of her short but so far brilliant career, reviews Hawaiian Blossom, and chats with her regarding her current and future plans. I just received a copy of the CD and it is sweet. I’ll do a full review later, but Derek does a track-by-track review here.

Posted in Misc..


10 Years Gone

Ten years after his death on June 26, 1997, Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole remains a powerful influence on modern Hawaiian music and culture, both at home and abroad. The Honolulu Advertiser staff, friends and family remember the man who has become legend since his passing 10 years ago.

Posted in Misc..


Special Iz Section And Free CD in Sunday's Advertiser

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Hawai’i music legend Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, the Honolulu Advertiser will have a special section tomorrow featuring print and Web features plus a special gift CD. Interviews and special features will be in the 48-page commemorative section inside tomorrow’s Advertiser as well as a CD single, “Wonderful World,” from the new album of the same name. A special Iz Web site will feature exclusive videos and interactive features. You can also hear the entire new Iz album, “Wonderful World,” tomorrow and Monday only.

Posted in Misc..


New HARA Website

We (the HARA board and I) were pleasantly surprised to see the new HARA website go live the day of the awards show. Stacey Leong-Mills did the new site, and while some of the features are not yet turned on it looks great. It was a pleasure for me to help the board with the original website for the past 8 years or so, but I am glad they decided to “go pro” and hire Stacey to fully develop it.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


10 Things I Was Thinking On The Flight Home

  1. I was thrilled for Kāwika Kahiapo, who won the Bankoh Slack Key Award, and also scored some major love with his group Kaukahi. Kāwika released one of my favorite Hawaiian albums of all time about 10 years ago (Alana) and it didn’t get a single nomination. He has been the consummate sideman for many years, known by all in the industry and many fewer outside of it. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
  2. I congratulate the board and all of the volunteers who made it the most memorable awards night, at least for me. I think they did an outstanding job of honoring the recently deceased Don Ho, as well as other legends who have left us and who are still with us. They did so while providing ample time for the next generation to shine along side them.
  3. Lehua Kalima-Heine needs to put out a solo CD. Yesterday. What a voice and what a wonderful person.
  4. Kalapana needs to put out a CD with new material. Yesterday. They are too damn talented in every facet of music to be relegated to the status of nostalgia band.
  5. If you ever need to figure out where to eat late in Honolulu, ask a working musician. As my wife and I were waiting with Kenneth and Tasha Makuakāne in the parking garage at the convention center, it was fun listening to the musicians rattle off a list of all the restaurants that were either open or closed at that time. Wendell Ching seemed to be the most knowledgeable.
  6. There was a mini-uproar in the local recording community regarding the entry of Katchafire, a New Zealand band, in the reggae category. Crisis averted when Brother Noland won. Katchafire’s entry was within the rules, but my thoughts to the people who objected – if you are HARA members, communicate with the board. If you are not a member, either join up or shut up.
  7. Surprises – Keali‘i not taking Christmas Album and Nā Palapalai getting shut out.
  8. Feeling sad that I won’t be at next year’s show.
  9. It was great to run into former HARA office manager Bonnie Ryder at the show. Wishing her the best with everything she does.
  10. It was truly and honor to have my name appear next to Kenneth Makuakāne’s in two categories, particularly two adjudicated categories like Haku Mele and Engineering, and a pleasure to share a table with Kenneth and his wife, my family and Lehua Kalima-Heine. I wouldn’t trade family and friends like that for every Hōkū that has ever been awarded.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


Nā Hōkū Hanohano Roundup

I just got back to Hilo after a whirlwind day and night in Honolulu. The Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards were the best yet, in my estimation. Congratulations to the board and everyone else who made it possible. Here are the reports by Derek Paiva and John Berger. Congratulations to all!

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


The Record Industry's Decline

[ From RollingStone.com ] “Record sales are tanking, and there’s no hope in sight: How it all went wrong…

Here is one of the recording industry’s proposed solutions. As if terrestrial radio wasn’t in enough trouble as it is.

Posted in Recording Industry vs. The World.


New Releases

I sub DJ’d on Alana I Kai Hikina this past Sunday, and saw two new releases sitting by the computer. The first was “Calling Out” by Mighty J. It is mostly island contemporary, but has one Hawaiian language song on it, “Ke Ala A Ka Jeep.” I played it, and got a call from a listener about 20 seconds into the song asking who it was singing and what the name of the song was. That doesn’t happen very often. It was nicely done, a contemporary beat backing some very nice vocals and production work. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to hear the rest of the CD.

The second was “Hawaiiana” by island girl Tia Carrere, a former Brown Bags to Stardom contestant and now well-known actress. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to listen to that, either (was fighting technical issues all night), but John Berger seems to think highly of it.

Posted in New Release.


Join Us!

The Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards celebrate their 30 anniversary tomorrow as the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts presents the 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. It is not too late to purchase tickets – they are $125, including dinner. Call 593-9424.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


Happy Anniversary Territorial Airwaves

Believe it or not, the very 1st regularly scheduled Territorial Airwaves show was heard on 1420 AM KCCN, Station Aloha, in Honolulu, O’ahu, on June 13, 1979. Congratulations to my buddy Harry B. Soria, Jr. for broadcasting continuously for 28 consecutive years. Territorial Airwaves can be heard on AM 940, “All Traditional Hawaiian All The Time”, Hawaiian105.com, AM940Hawaii.com, and the Hawaiian Airlines inflight channel.

Posted in Misc..


Dave Tucciarone: The Hawai‘i Music Recording Workshop

The Hawai‘i Music Recording Workshop is a six week program featuring a series of weekly three hour classes. These classes range from beginner through advanced and explain concepts of recording as they relate to engineering, producing, arranging, mixing, composing, and sequencing. In each workshop, Dave introduces you to different aspects of the recording process, and shares his unique perspective on recording music gained from 20+ years professional experience. Contact Dave for details.

Posted in Misc..


Nā Hōkū Hanohano Poll Closed

I decided to close the Nā Hōkū Hanohano poll. The winners are:

  • Album of the Year: Nā Palapalai – Ka Pua Hae Hawai‘i
  • Hawaiian Album of the Year: Nā Palapalai – Ka Pua Hae Hawai‘i
  • Male Vocalist of the Year: Keali‘i Reichel – Maluhia
  • Female Vocalist of the Year: Amy Hānaiali‘i Gilliom – Generation Hawai‘i
  • Group of the Year: Nā Palapalai – Ka Pua Hae Hawai‘i

Congratulations to the winners and all entries. It should be a great show on Wednesday night.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


Live Streaming Broadcast of Hawai‘i’s Best Entertainers

Starting June 19, live entertainment will only be a click away as Ala Moana Hotel launches a new concert series at Ala Moana Hotel’s Pakele Lounge that will be streamed via the Internet. The concert series runs weekly from June 19 through July 31 and each show will feature several of Hawaii’s top musicians performing a 30-40 minute set for an exciting two-hour live show. Anyone in the world with a computer and high speed connection can watch the shows, which will be broadcast over the web at www.AlohaVideo.tv. Through this exciting partnership with AlohaVideo.TV and LavaNet, Inc., Ala Moana Hotel is committed to spreading the aloha spirit with Hawaiian music and talent to the local market and the World Wide Web.

To launch the series, the June 19 show will feature 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award Nominees Pekelo from the island of Maui; Pali; and multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners Randy Lorenzo and ‘the’ Aunty Genoa Keawe. The show starts at 5:30 p.m. An upcoming concert will showcase the winners of the 2007 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. Future concerts will be held on Wednesdays with performers to be announced in the coming week. Seating will be limited. The concert series will be hosted on the following websites:

Posted in Misc..


The Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest Seminar

The Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest Seminar takes place from 10 a.m. to noon in the Puna Room of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel tomorrow (Saturday, June 16). Falsetto contest lead judge Tony Conjugacion will conduct the seminar. Reserve a seat for the seminar by calling Coranne at (808) 589-1771. Applications can be obtained by calling the Aloha Festivals office at 589-1771 or by going to www.alohafestivals.com.

Posted in Misc..


Nā Hōkū Pio ‘Ole Online

At the request of the HARA Board of Governors, I’ve posted the audio file for “Nā Hōkū Pio ‘Ole” on the HARA welcome page. The original plan was to have it played going into and coming back from commercial breaks at the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards this year, but it looks like it may not be used in that way because of how tight the schedule is.

Please keep in mind that this was originally intended to be a demo, and re-recorded if it won, however, there was not enough time to do so. My deepest mahalo nui to the incredibly talented Kainani Kahaunaele for recording the vocals. She was amazing, and came up with the harmony part in the second verse and chorus on the spot. Hopefully she (or someone) will record and include it in a future release.

You can still buy tickets for the awards, check the HARA site for the order form or phone number to call your ticket order in.

Posted in Na Hoku Hanohano.


Perform at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival

Eric Clapton and string maker Ernie Ball are offering a once in a lifetime opportunity for guitarists and bands to showcase their music live alongside some of today’s greatest musicians. One lucky band will win an all expenses paid trip to Chicago, IL for the Crossroads festival on July 28, 2007. Post an MP3 and let the world decide if you are worthy. Visit this website for details.

Posted in Misc..