Once again, a compilation recording that features a number of different slack-key guitar artists has won the Grammy in the Hawaiian music category.
Up against some very tough competition -- Ledward Ka`apana, Henry Kapono Ka`aihue, Amy Hanaiali`i Gilliom, and another slack-key guitar compilation that included some of the best ever -- Legends OF HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR won the Grammy in the Hawaiian music category. It was the third year that Hawaiian music has been considered in the NARAS annual Grammy Awards, and it was the third consecutive win for a slack-key guitar compilation.
THE WINNER OF THE 3RD HAWAIIAN GRAMMY
Once again, Led Ka`apana was on a winning compilation that aced out his solo recording. Other slack-key guitarists on the winning CD are George Kahumoku Jr., Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, Martin Pahinui, Keoki Kahumoku, Daniel Ho, Ozzie Kotani. Guests on the winning CD are falsettist and `ukulele artist Richard Ho`opi`i, steel guitarist Bobby Ingano, and Da `Ukulele Boyz.
Some of the names read like a "who's who" of great Island musical families. This recording was from live concerts performed on Maui, under the guiding hand of George Kahumoku. Our congratulations to all.
This seems a good time to look at anthologies and compilation recordings.
An anthology recording features cuts from previous recordings by a single artist or group, and are often called a "best of" or some title that tells buyers that they are purchasing some of the very best recordings by the artist.
A compilation recording includes three or more different artists, and often times as many as a dozen artists or more with only one cut from each.
It's not a new concept, and not unique to Hawaiian music. In almost any genre, you can find good collections and "best of" recordings. Examples are plentiful.
It would be difficult to single out the best of the many good anthologies and compilations for a column such as this, so we preface the following by saying that we are not predicting winners or suggesting that one is better than another. Most are in the category of "best of" and most are pretty terrific.
Here are some releases that we feel deserve mention.
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Don McDiarmid Jr. presents ... HULA RECORDS HITS! (Hula Records CDHS-627)18 cuts featuring such great recording artists as Peter Moon, Kawai Cockett, Charles K. L. Davis, Genoa Keawe, The Kahauanu Lake Trio, Myra English and Edith Kanaka`ole, and more. Hula Records, Go to Hula Records.
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Mea Makamae, Hawaiian Treasures (Poki Records SPCD 9077) with such wonderful artists as Israel Kamakawiwo`ole, Teresa Bright, Frank Hewett, Cyril Pahinui, Dennis Pavao, Makaha Sons, `Ale`a, and more. Tropical Music Hawaii.
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Eddie Kamae & Friends (Hawai`i Sons HSCD 8542) 13 cuts featuring The Sons of Hawai`i, with solos by Eddie, Dennis Kamakahi, Sonny Chillingworth, Moe Keale, Diana Aki. Mountain Apple Company
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Hawaiian Classics (Pumehana Records PSCD 4936) 16 cuts featuring as many artists including Kealoha Kalama, Peter Ahia, Nalani Olds, Kihei Brown, Kaimana, Cyrus Green and more. Tropical Music Hawaii.
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Pick A Hit Hawai`i (The Mountain Apple Company MACD 2029). It has 16 hit songs performed by such notables as Jack deMello, Don Ho, Gabby Pahinui, Israel Kamakawiwo`ole, Brother Noland, Keali`i Reichel, Cecilio & Kapono, Robi Kahakalau and more. Mountain Apple Company
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Memories of Hawai`i, Vol. I (Lehua Records CD-300) 13 songs by Buddy Fo, Melveen Leed, Marlene Sai, George Paoa, The Invitations, and more. Surfside Hawaii
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Aloha Joe presents Aloha From Paradise (AJP 002) A dozen songs from such well-known artists as Danny Couch, Ale`a, The Makaha Sons, Hapa, Brittni Paiva. AlohaJoe.com
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Aloha From Hawai`i, Da Best of MDL (MDL Records, MDL 6436) has 15 songs and includes George Naope, Sam Kapu, Butch Helemano, Kaeo, Da Nu`uanu Brothers and more.
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Territorial Airwaves (Hana Ola Records/Cord International HOCD 56000). Among the artists are Lena Machado, Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs, Randy Oness' Select Hawaiian Serenaders, Linda Dela Cruz, The Kalima Brothers, Hui `Ohana, Myrtle Hilo, The Surfers, Alfred Apaka. CordInternational.com
Those are but a few and all are so good that we could put any one of those CDs on and let it play without interruption to the delight of our radio audience.
Michael Cord of Cord International secured the rights to many fine out-of-print recordings from some of the great artists who have already left us, and has released some absolutely wonderful compilations. In Cord's catalog are some two dozen CDs in the "collections" group that rank among the best collections of old Hawaiian music anywhere. Go to Hawaiian Music and Hawaiian Music catalog on line.
Yes, we've produced compilations and anthologies too. In fact, back in the 80s, we produced two LPs that won Anthology of the Year award in the Hoku Awards competition. One, "The Best of Bill Murata, THE PRODUCER," was a tribute to the great producer, our mentor in the recording business, and included one cut from each of 25 of the many albums he had produced. Twenty-five artists, each represented by one song, chosen from 25 different albums released by Tropical Music.
An award-winning compilation anthology from Tropical Music.
On our radio program, we've said many times that these are usually so good that we could put on one disc and just let it play, sharing great music from one artist after another for our radio audience.
We produced another winning anthology LP for Tropical Music, with cuts from albums recorded by "Mama Tina" Ka`apana, matriarch of the family that includes such famous family members as Ledward and his twin brother, Nedward. We also produced anthology CDs for the Ho`opi`i Brothers, The Peter Dillingham Band/Peter Dillingham & Friends, and others. Tropical Music Hawaii
A Peter Dillingham Band Anthology
The Lim Family's "Launa`ole" is a popular compilation we produced for Tropical Music. Tropical Music Hawaii. Another was "The Best of Christmas 1987," which we produced for The Honolulu Advertiser to raise money for the newspaper's annual Christmas Fund, which is long since out of print. It included cuts "donated" by labels and artists, including some of the biggest names in the local music industry. It too is one of those albums that you can just put on and play without interruption and have a most entertaining and diverse seasonal program.
Yes, we believe in anthologies.
