# [ 2007 ] Favorite Hawaiian music



## gstepic (Oct 17, 2007)

I think I am getting more than a little obsessed about our future trip to Hawaii! To get me even more pumped up than I am I started looking for some nice Hawaiian music to listen to. Now some may hate this type of music, calling it lounge music or whatever, but this old guy loves the music I am about to recommend. 

When I ordered my last two Revealed books I needed to order something else to get free shipping from Amazon, so I ordered another book on Kauai that included a sampler CD by a guy named Kaeli'i Reichel. There were 5 beautiful songs on it so I looked him up on Napster and downloaded all his albums. So now my office knows how obsessed I am about this trip as they are now hearing a steady flow of Hawaiian type music (it is Hawaiian to me). Another group that I like is called ALEA. 

Any other suggestions are welcome as far as music, but these are my recommendations, and I hope you don't mind me sharing it. This is the type of music I imagine when sitting at a restaurant with my wife enjoying wonderful scenery (or ambiance) while having a drink.

Only 17 more unproductive days to our trip! - Gary


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 17, 2007)

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (aka, "Bruddah Iz").

"Facing Future" is probably his most popular CD and is a good place to start.  

This ain't lounge music; this is serious music by a fine artist.  I think I get chills every time I listen to _Hawai'i 78_.


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## gstepic (Oct 17, 2007)

*I think he is the guy that ...*

Sings the "Wonderful World" song on for the movie 50 first dates. I have the song downloaded (purchased) but have not bought the album yet. I think he did not have anything I could download with my subscription service with Napster, which is why I have not heard more of his songs. 

Gary


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## "Roger" (Oct 17, 2007)

My favorites ....

Iz (can't type as well as Steve so I will leave it at that)
Kaeli'i Reichel (although I liked his first album the best)
Doug and Sandy McMaster (a prejudice here -- they offer inexpensive concerts every week on Kauai just to promote music using the slack key guitar -- wonderful people)
Hapa


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## Courts (Oct 17, 2007)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (aka, "Bruddah Iz").
> 
> "Facing Future" is probably his most popular CD and is a good place to start.
> 
> This ain't lounge music; this is serious music by a fine artist.  I think I get chills every time I listen to _Hawai'i 78_.


You stole my thunder, this guy is great. I agree about "Hawai'i 78". 

He sings it in such a way you actually feel transported back in time. Some have described it as "haunting", but his music is also joyful and tells of some Hawaiian history and folk lore.

A tour guide told us his funeral was similar to a head of state, he was so highly regarded and liked.



.


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## abbekit (Oct 17, 2007)

We've collected about 30 Hawaiian CDs over the years of our travels.  Some of my favorites:

Any of the Pahinui family (dad Gabby was the best plus son Cyril is great).

Teresa Bright-LOVE her voice

Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom

Dennis Pavao

Sonny Chillingsworth

Agreed that Iz was absolutely incredible.  So sad he died so young.

Check out the artists on  http://www.mele.com/ 
they have a great selection and you can listen to much of their music so you can decide on which genre of Hawaiian music you like best.  Try out some of the traditional old artists (Benny Kalama, Alfred Apaka), listen to some slack key, some falsetto, etc. and see what direction you want to go.


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## tfalk (Oct 18, 2007)

A good sampler is the 1996 Portrait of Hawaii's Music CD from Carnegy Hall (we were there!)

Also highly recommend volume 1 of the Best of the Brothers Cazimero...  The final song
(Come Become) has always been my favorite...

Anything by Iz and/or the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau.  My 2 favorites are Live at the Shell and Ho'oluana.
One of these days, I'd love to find the history behind "Ke Ala" from No Cristo...  I believe it was
written by Skippy so I doubt I will ever find out.

I also get most of my CD's/DVD's from Auntie Maria at mele.com


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## gstepic (Oct 18, 2007)

*I appreciate these suggestions*

I have discovered I really like this genre (hope this is spelled correctly and is the word I am looking for type of music).

And since phimemer below is at it - GO INDIANS!!

Gary


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## philemer (Oct 18, 2007)

Also Makaha Sons & Friends.


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## Jim Bryan (Oct 18, 2007)

Agree with everyone so far plus any Slack Key would do it for me.


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## bigeyes1 (Oct 18, 2007)

My absolute favorite Hawaiian song is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by IZ.  This song has so much passion and emotion it.  It really gets me. 

Here is the late "Bruddah Iz" and this beautiful song at YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL-uL2M3xvM


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## tfalk (Oct 18, 2007)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> I think I get chills every time I listen to _Hawai'i 78_.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cAbHGZ6F8M


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## BocaBum99 (Oct 18, 2007)

Jake Shimabukuro is my favorite.  He is Hawaiian and he plays the Ukulele.  But, he plays every style of music from pop, to latin, to flamenco, to classical. If you see him live, you will not believe your ears.  HIS rendition of "somewhere over the rainbow" tops all the rest.

Here is his website:  Jake Shimabukuro's website

Here's a video of him playing:  http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/videos.php?file=2


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## Jestjoan (Oct 18, 2007)

Thanks for the mele.com site. DH is enjoying it right now.


GO INDIANS, too. I wish my Dad were alive to see his favorite baseball team doing so well. Dad was a Cleveland sports fanatic......


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## Kona Lovers (Oct 19, 2007)

For a Christian contemporary/surfer band sound, much like Switchfoot, I'd recommend a group from Oahu called "Olivia-the band".  Also, some of us here like to watch certain movies before we go to Hawaii, such as South Pacific, Surf's up, and others either set in Hawaii, like the Elvis movies, or an island theme in general.

Happy listening (and maybe viewing), 

Marty


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## gstepic (Oct 20, 2007)

*My wife already thinks I am obsessed about our trip*

And she is probably right! Once she has adjusted to all the music I have been playing the movies will be next! LOL!

Has the group made any recordings, we would most likely enjoy listening to them?

Gary


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## Kona Lovers (Oct 20, 2007)

Olivia is available on iTunes, they've released a self-titled album and have come out with an EP.

Hope that helps,

Marty


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## Courts (Oct 20, 2007)

Our last day on Maui, I bought a number of DVD's about Maui which I watched when we returned. After watching, I wished I had them "before" visiting. They gave me ideas for our next visit.

.


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## philemer (Oct 20, 2007)

We also love Darlene Ahuna.


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 21, 2007)

Got to put in a plug for Loyal Garner--Hawaii's Lady of Love.  Like an Hawaiian Kate Smith if you go back that far.

Teresa bright--A Gallery is also great.

The CD you can get at Wai'oli Hui'ia Church in Hanalei has some incredible singing too.


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## Jim Bryan (Oct 22, 2007)

http://www.palmrecords.com/


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## philemer (Oct 22, 2007)

Kapono Beamer's *Great Grandmother-Great Grandson* is an awesome instrumental album. Slack key guitar grows on ya.


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## JanB (Nov 1, 2007)

If you want old traditional Hawaiian falsetto music, check out Auntie Genoa Keawe's music.  She is now 89 and plays on Thursday evenings with her cousin (80), son and nephew (plays slack key) at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resortl/Spa.  She has been a Hawaiian music icon for nearly 50 years and is in the Hawaiian music hall of fame.  We were fortunate to hear her this past week and at 89, she still has a lovely voice. 
www.hawaiimusicmuseum.org/honorees/2001/genoa_keawe.html


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## billymach4 (Dec 18, 2013)

*oldie but goodie*

Just wanted to bump this thread for selfish reasons. Found some good info on Hawaiian Music and I need an easy way to tag it for future reference!

Also wanted to share this goodie video I found on the tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht9O9xLpefg

Also want to add this tube video. This is currently playing on HA (Hawaiian Airlines).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFazZYyIQ4


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## BJRSanDiego (Dec 18, 2013)

I enjoy listening to Pandora (internet) radio.  You can select the Artist or the genre to listen to.  So I sometimes select my stored Hawaiian music genre.  Iz comes up regularly.

Pandora is free if you don't mind being limited to 30 hrs per month (per user ID) and get a commercial once every 10 or 20 minutes.


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