HOME WHAT'S NEW? ABOUT GEORGE ABOUT SLACK KEY CALENDAR RECORDINGS BOOKS WORKSHOPS REVIEWS MAILING LIST EMAIL George... LINKS
PRESSKIT...
| Kani Wai: Sound of Water | |||
| Recorded on Kealia Farms Record Company & Daniel Ho Creations | |||
 |
|||
 |
George Kahumoku,
Jr. celebrates the release of the new album Kani Wai - the sound of
Water.
See John Berger Review below
(Star Bulletin -Aug 14,
2009) |
||
|
|
|||
This duet album of Hawaiian music contains three instrumentals and ten vocals sung by Grammy® Award-winning Hawaiian Slack Key Master, George Kahumoku, Jr., playing 12-string guitar, combined with the exotic World Music rhythms of Bob Brozman playing slack key tunings on acoustic lap steel guitar. Four songs also feature the African sounds of Peter Burtt on 26-string kora and two other songs with Gordon Burt on violin.
Single MP3 Sample of multiple tracks (1:49)
|
1. |
Waikapu |
vocal |
4:40 |
||
|
2. |
Waikiki Hula |
vocal |
5:46 |
||
|
3. |
Ho'oipoipo O Wai'anapanapa |
instrumental |
3:20 |
||
|
4. |
Kaua'i Beauty |
vocal |
6:08 |
||
|
5. |
Wai'alae |
vocal |
4:08 |
||
|
6. |
Meleana E |
instrumental |
4:29 |
||
|
7. |
Waiulu |
vocal |
7:49 |
||
|
8. |
Lei 'Ohu |
vocal |
4:56 |
||
|
9. |
Ka Wailele 'O 'Akaka ('Akaka Falls) |
vocal |
7:23 |
||
|
10. |
He Punahele No 'Oe |
vocal |
4:06 |
||
|
11. |
Hilo Hanakahi |
vocal |
6:22 |
||
|
12. |
Different Mosquito |
instrumental |
5:38 |
||
|
13. |
Na Ali'i (The Chiefs) |
vocal |
3:36 |
Liner Notes:
When George and
Bob get together, it’s usually to share music, food, and to relax in the
pool or nearby ocean. When they play together, their music flows
naturally like water from the mountains to the sea, sometimes placid,
other times turbulent. Their music is indeed Kani Wai, like the sound of
water. This collaboration is a celebration of their rare time together
as both artists live whirlwind lives performing, teaching, traveling,
and tending chickens when at home between tours. The idea for this duet
album came about while touring the mainland for two years while George
was based in Santa Cruz, California. Being in California made it
possible to spend extra time at the Different Fur Recording Studio when
Bob was home from his international touring schedule. Though their
musical styles as soloists differ, magic happens when they play
together. George ramps up for Bob, and Bob never plays so sweetly as
when he plays with George.
George Kahumoku, Jr., a natural pioneer who experiments with new music
and combinations, continues to honor his native Hawaiian roots and
traditions. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and of Oakland’s California
College of Arts and Crafts, he is famous for his musical compositions,
artistic creations and educational contributions. Currently teaching at
Lahainaluna High School, he also hosts an annual Slack Key Guitar and
'Ukulele Workshop on Maui. An artist and producer of the compilation
album that won the 50th Annual Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music
Album, he hosts the Wednesday night Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar
Concert Series on Maui (www.slackkey.com) and tours when time permits.
Bob Brozman is a prolific recording artist, producer, author, and
ethnomusicologist. His work with musicians from around the world has
marked him as both a virtuoso slide guitarist and as a pioneer in
finding a common thread among global musical cultures. Bob’s love for
Hawaiian music stretches back four decades. Over the years, he has
sought out and collected rare 78-rpm Hawaiian records from 1900-1935 and
has produced numerous reissue compilations, helping to make new
generations aware of this nearly lost era of music. His first recording
collaboration was with the legendary Tau Moe family in Hawai'i; this
work led the way to a host of other Hawaiian and global ethnic projects.
Guest kora artist, Peter Joseph Burtt, a drummer and student of African
drum and folklore, has released two albums, TRAVELOGUE and SUNKEN
FOREST. Upcoming releases include MOONBLIND and HAND TO MOUTH. A student
of Ghanaian master drummer, Kwaku Daddy, he spent three years in Africa
living and performing with traditional musicians in Zimbabwe, Ghana and
Gambia. He continues to compose and perform in California playing the
26-string kora and mbira, or thumb piano.
Guest violinist, Gordon Burt, a music educator in the Colorado public
school system, holds recording credits with musical notaries such as
John Denver, John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) and Baxter Black and
with the PBS series, "Spirit of Colorado." He continues to tour with
regional favorites such as Chuck Pyle, John McEuen, Dakota Blonde and
his original music group, "Windy Peak." Albums released include HEADIN'
WEST, UPSIDASIUM! and WINDY PEAK.
INSTRUMENTS PLAYED ON THIS
ALBUM
George: Taylor 12-string guitar and Rainsong 12-string guitar
Bob: Bear Creek Weissenborn 7-string acoustic, Hawaiian guitar, Bear
Creek short scale Kona Hawaiian guitar, and baritone National tricone
guitar
Peter: P. Burtt 26-string custom kora
Gordon: J. Lantzy violin based on Joshua Bell's Stradivarius
DEDICATION
This album is dedicated to George Winston and Dancing Cat
Records who gave us the opportunity to make these recordings in the
very special, easy going, and creative setting at Different Fur.
Producer George Winston and engineer Howard Johnston, with their
relaxed humor, George's discerning ear for untuned strings, and HoJo's
gentle, professional manner always seemed to get the best out of us.
Also, by coincidence, both of us met our wives, Nancy and Haley, at
Dancing Cat - so an extra thanks to George Winston for that! We would
also like to extend a special thank you to Kiope Raymond.
Honolulu STAR BULLETIN
ISLAND MELE
For Friday, August 14, 2009
By John Berger (jberger@starbulletin.com)
'Kani Wai'
George Kahumoku Jr. and Bob Brozman
(Daniel Ho Creations)
Two pairs of talented artists share credit for this beautifully crafted
album. Singer-slack key master George Kahumoku Jr., is a two-time Grammy
Award-winning record producer and a two-time Na Hoku Hanohano
Award-winning recording artist. Brozman, a guitarist and
ethnomusicologist with international credentials, is also a Hoku winner.
Brozman and Kahumoku mesh perfectly here -- Kahumoku on
vocals and 12-string slack-key guitar, Brozman on an acoustic steel
guitar.
Although rarely heard in Hawaii these days, the acoustic steel guitar is
closer to the original version of the instrument; most of the songs here
were written before the steel guitar "went electric," so these
arrangements are probably closer to the sound that the composers
envisioned.
The duo's instrumental work on "Ka Wailele 'o 'Akaka ('Akaka Falls)" is
a beautiful showcase for the two guitarists before and between the
verses. Liner notes provide the lyrics, English translations,
song-by-song listings of the guitar tunings used by Kahumoku and Brozman,
and background information on each song. The liner notes also reveal the
contribution made by a second pair of artists in making these
performances available.
George Winston produced these sessions for his Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar
Masters series in 2001, but the album
was released on Daniel Ho's label -- a commendable behind-the-scenes
collaboration between two important supporters of slack key.
Rambles.NET
For Friday, December 19, 2009
By
Jaime
O'Brien
Kani Wai: Sound of Water
(Kealia Farm, 2009)
The opening strains bring it all back, the first time I heard
traditional Hawaiian music: the sliding warmth of Bob Brozman's
Weissenborn slide guitar, the enveloping 12-string slack key and calm
vocals of George Kahumoku Jr.
The album opens with "Waikapu," a song about the winds on Maui, but
neither musician is content to be predictable. After playing a gentle
round, they switch for the last 90 seconds to a bouncing, almost jolly
interpretation of the song. There are many routes to explore while
respecting the tradition and culture of the music they play; they
constantly search for new expressions and avenues of playing.
Kahumoku has performed with blues harmonica players, Mexican harpists
and Celtic musicians, among others; Brozman's list of credits with music
from all continents is endless. Yet this pairing seems to bring out the
best in each other, as shown on their earlier collaborations -- they've
recorded together on many occasions since Kahumoku began his association
with Dancing Cat Records in the 1990s -- but this is their first duo
album. One is left wondering why it's taken so long!
For the 10 songs and three tunes they've selected, they've delved deeply
into the Hawaiian repertoire. There are Islands standards, such as "Meleana
E," "Lei Ohu" and "Na Ali'i," along with others that may be less
familiar to mainlanders. They even revisit and refresh Kahumoku's "Mauna
Kea Mosquito" (written with his brother and now substantially developed
into "Another Mosquito").
Every track is performed with not just tightness and understanding, but
also warmth and inventiveness. Leads are shared and never crowded out as
they give each other space to develop themes and ideas. They respond so
well to one another.
Naturally for them, they have spiced up the sound. They feature a couple
of guests, and what interesting, appropriate guests they are: violinist
Gordon Burt and kora player Peter Burtt. Burt is a tremendously
sensitive accompanist, providing an easy, almost steel-guitar sounding
complementary harmony. Burtt comes more to the fore, adding the almost
harp-or-hammered-dulcimer sound of his African instrument, matching
Brozman's Hawaiian-style slide guitars and Kahumoku's slack-key guitar.
The liner notes provide detailed information on the 13 pieces, along
with instrumentation and tunings used. Kahumoku and Brozman have
captured the essence of this music with their interpretations.