Trax Kaiholu Enos, Henry “Hanalē” Kaʻanapu, Albert Rowland, Jr., and Nathaniel Mahealani Stillman, collectively known as “Kaiholu,” released their eagerly-anticipated debut album Swaying Sea on November 25, 2013. With the exception of one song (“Ku'uipo/Moonlight Swim,” performed by guest vocalist Mailani), the album is sung completely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language) and features guest artists who comprise a who’s who of Hawaiian music. It contains a blend of familiar songs by composers such as Dennis Kamakahi (“Wahine ʻIlikea”), Johnny Almeida (“Panini Pua Kea”), and Edith Kanaka'ole (“Ka ʻUluwehi O Ke Kai”) as well as two originals by group member Nate Stillman (“Keaiwa,” with additional lyrics by multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole - who also performs on the song – and “Nani Wai'anae,” which took first place at the 2006 Ho'ike'ike 'O Wai'anae song composition competition). In addition, Nā Hōkū winner Kellen Paik composed “Kai Holu” as a gift to the group, and he and his wife Lihau Hannahs Paik (who together make up the award-winning group Kūpaoa) gifted them with their original song, “ʻO Kilauea.”

As the 2009 winners of the prestigious Ka Himeni Ana competition - which features traditional Hawaiian music groups performing in vocal harmony and supported by unamplified acoustic instruments - Kaiholu aptly demonstrates with this release both the reason for their win and their ever-growing popularity with fans. Their vibrant sound and rich harmonies are reminiscent of the Sons of Hawai’i, and their creative and often unique arrangements establish them as a force to be reckoned with.

Multiple Grammy® Award winner Dr. Amy Kuʻuleialoha Stillman writes: “Kaiholu – a blending of voices and instruments ... of harmonies that sway from minor to major ... of nimble voicings in sparkling new arrangements ... of grooves that drift from ear to ear, from place to place, from island to island ... bringing old classics and newly minted gems to listeners ... inviting you to sit for awhile and take it all in . . .”
 
Swaying Sea was produced and arranged by Henry Kaʻanapu. Guest artists include: Louis “Moon” Kauakahi, Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole, Mailani Makainai, Casey Olsen, Jeff Peterson, Silvina Samuel, and Tracey Terada.

Digital copies of Swaying Sea are available now at iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and many other locations. The CD is available at Me Ke Aloha.

The debut album by Kamaka Kukona is one of my favorites of the year!  Here's a bit of info, a few song clips, and the link to purchase on my e-store site: 

Kamaka Kukona ~ Hanu ‘A’ala

Singer, composer, musician, and award-winning kumu hula Kamaka Kukona takes you on a beautiful journey with a combination of new and old mele (songs): six original compositions, two mele hula kahiko (ancient), two mele oli (chants) and a whole lot of love. Although this is his debut album, you may have heard some of his compositions on other albums, including “Hā ‘ena I Ka ‘Ehukai” (performed by ‘ALE ‘A) and “Lei Liko Ka Lehua” (performed by Darlene Ahuna).

Guest artists include Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing and Dave Tucciarone (who both also co-produced), Casey Olsen, Kapono Naʻiliʻili, and Denny Hemingson.

Track List:

1. Hole Waimea / Waika
   
2. Eō Hāna
   
3. You Look So Good In Love / Aloha No Wau I Ko Maka
   
4. The Bullet Train Song (Liko Pua Hau)
   
5. No Uka Ke Aloha
   
6. Honomuni
   
7. Hanu `A`ala (Ka Hanu Lehua O Manoa)
   
8. Here For Today
   
9. Pua Nani A`o Hawai`i
   
10. `O Mai `O `Emalani
    
11. Hanohano `O Maui Nui A Kama
    

Just in time for holiday giving, singer-songwriter Tini Grey, former member of the popular Polynesian R&B group Reign, has released his third solo album. Inspired by memories of Christmases past and the classic Christmas songs of his youth, including Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song," Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," and Anne Murray's "Silver Bells,” Grey collaborated with family and friends to record some of his favorite holiday tunes.

The collection of songs includes the up-tempo “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; the classic “Mele Kalikimaka” featuring his dad, the legendary Jerome Grey; and the bluesy/jazzy “Blue Christmas,” featuring his wife, former Miss America Angela Baraquio Grey. His four children, Isaiah (age 9), Micah (age 7), Jonah (age 2) and Keilah (who turned 1 year old on 12/12/13) sing back up on “Jingle Bells” and lead vocals on “Happy Birthday Jesus.”

Grey grew up in Hawaiʻi, where he and fellow Reign members (Kale Chang, Loa Faimealelei, Afatia Thompson, and Kuhio Yim) released one album (Reign). Following his move to California in 2006, Grey and his wife formed Isle Entertainment, a full service Polynesian Entertainment Company. Grey also continued his music career performing regularly at a variety of venues, including the Disneyland Hotel and Downtown Disney. He released a solo EP (Better Place) in 2011. His first full-length solo album (Shades of Grey), a collection of 12 original songs, was released to critical acclaim in 2012.

Thoughts of Christmas was produced by Grey with co-producers Marc Solomon and Shawn Ishimoto, and features the multi-talented Ishimoto (a close friend and Hawaiʻi favorite  who is also now living in Southern California) on bass, electric guitar, drums, and background vocals.  

Matt Clores plays keyboards; Brian Mantz (Bobby Womack) is on trumpet; and Vince Hizon is on saxophone. In addition to lead and background vocals, Grey plays rhythm guitar and percussion.

Thoughts of Christmas is currently available in digital format on iTunes and Tiniʻs website. The CD is available at Me Ke Aloha.


Below are clips from two tracks:

Hawaiʻi musicians! If you want your album, EP, single, or DVD to be considered for the 2014 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards (a.k.a. Hawaiʻi’s Grammy® Awards), make sure you release by December 31, 2013! 

You need not be a Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) member to submit your recording for Nā Hōkū consideration, but your release must be available for purchase in at least one established brick-and-mortar store or online service (like iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, etc.) by that date. Only recordings released between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 are eligible for the 2014 awards.

Please note that the Nā Hōkū Awards are not limited to the Hawaiian music genre. There are categories for rock, R&B, jazz, and many more!

Nomination paperwork is due by January 31, 2014. Record labels and record distributors often submit the paperwork on behalf of their artists – if you’re working with a label or distributor, please check with them to make sure they are submitting on your behalf. However, if you are not working with a label and are self-distributing your recording, you or your representative must submit the nomination paperwork yourself. 

[Note: If your label or distributor is submitting on your behalf, be sure to check with them to make sure the entries they select for submission for Song of the Year, Haku Mele, or the Engineering Award are the tracks you want submitted in those categories.]

The 2014 nomination form and guidelines are available now on the HARA website (see the links on the right side of the page). You may submit online or download, print, and mail. You must submit 3 copies of your recording. (If your recording is a digital-only release, copy the tracks onto blank CDs and submit.) For entries in the Haku Mele and Hawaiian Language Performance categories, you must submit 10 additional copies of the recording (13 total), plus 10 copies of the lyrics and translations.  

[Note: when submitting nominations on behalf of my clients, I download and print the form and guidelines, fill out the form by hand, and then use that information to submit online. It’s easier to have all of the info at hand before you begin the online submission, plus you have a record of it. Be sure to read through the Guidelines before you begin!]

Although it’s not mandatory, you may wish to take advantage of HARA’s mail-out service to send CDs, postcards/letters/fliers, or e-mail to voting members in order to familiarize them with your recording. This is especially helpful for those artists whose name(s) or recording might not be as well known to the voting members as other, more established artists.

Of the three options, mailing CDs is the most expensive. You must provide HARA with enough mail-ready copies of the CD to send to each voting member – approximately 425 as of now, but that number could increase to approximately 650 by the end of December, if all voting members whose memberships are up for renewal submit their renewal fees. You must enclose each CD in an envelope with a return address and the proper amount of postage affixed. HARA will print and affix mailing labels to send to all voting members, and mail the CDs out. There is a $200 fee for this service, in addition to the cost of the CDs, envelopes, return address labels, and postage.

The same procedure holds true for postcards, letters, and fliers. They must be mail-ready and have postage and return addresses affixed. The fee for this service is $150.

The e-mail blast option is becoming more popular. You email a PDF file (not larger than 500kb) to HARA, and they forward it by e-mail to all voting members. The fee for this is $175.00, and the HARA office tells me that 93% of the voting members click on the links contained in e-mail blasts.

As a cost-saving measure, consider putting links in your e-mail PDF file (or in your letter, flyer, or postcard), that will allow voting members to go to the website of your choosing and click on a password-protected link to listen to or download your album free of charge. (As a voting member, I will not vote for a recording I’ve never heard. However, I do listen to every recording that is mailed or e-mailed, especially if I don’t have it already.)

Here is a link to detailed information about HARA’s mail-out service.

Best of luck to all those who are entering the competition for the 2014 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards!