🌺 Hawaiian Concert Guide Show #697 – Contemporary Voices, Classic Spirit & a Touch of Exotica
In this episode of the Hawaiian Concert Guide, we take a graceful journey through modern Hawaiian songwriting, timeless mele, masterful slack key guitar, and even a playful detour into vintage exotica. Show #697 highlights the deep respect today’s artists have for tradition—while confidently adding their own voices to the ongoing Hawaiian musical story.
🎶 Kamalei Kawaa – Mānaiakalani
We open the show with Kamalei Kawaa’s soulful and reverent work from his album Mānaiakalani. The title track sets the tone with poetic Hawaiian language and a sense of spiritual grounding that immediately draws the listener in.
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“Mānaiakalani”
A reflective and uplifting mele that speaks to divine sustenance and guidance, carried by Kamalei’s smooth, confident vocals.
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“Lei Pakalana” (feat. Kamaehu Kawa‘a)
A beautiful collaboration celebrating the fragrant pakalana lei. The song weaves romance, place, and memory together, enhanced by the warm blend of voices and traditional musical sensibility.
🌿 Kahiau Lam Ho – Hoʻomālamalama
From one of Hawaiʻi’s most respected young voices, Kahiau Lam Ho delivers songs rooted in faith, ʻike kupuna (ancestral knowledge), and lyrical elegance.
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“Ka Lehua I Milia”
A gentle, poetic mele centered on the beloved lehua flower—symbolic of love, resilience, and connection to the land.
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“E Mililani O Iehova”
A powerful expression of spiritual devotion, blending Hawaiian language hymnody with Kahiau’s signature clarity and emotional depth.
🎸 Kawika Kahiapo – Kuʻu Manaʻo
Slack key guitar artistry takes center stage with Kawika Kahiapo, whose playing is both technically brilliant and emotionally expressive.
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“Life in These Islands”
A thoughtful instrumental that paints a musical portrait of island life—its rhythms, calm, and complexity—through Kawika’s masterful guitar work.
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“Aloha Kaua”
Translating to “love of war” or “conflicted love,” this piece balances tension and beauty, reflecting Kawika’s ability to tell layered stories without words.
🗺️ The Waitiki 7 – Adventures in Paradise
We then take a playful and unexpected turn into exotica with The Waitiki 7, a band known for reviving and reimagining mid-century tiki lounge sounds.
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“Octopus Menagerie”
Whimsical, cinematic, and fun—this track feels like a soundtrack to a surreal underwater adventure.
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“Mood Indigo”
A lush and moody reinterpretation that blends jazz roots with exotica flair, adding a sophisticated twist to the show’s flow.
🌊 Hoʻokena – Hoʻokena 5
We close the show by returning to the heart of Hawaiian music with Hoʻokena, whose harmonies and musicianship remain timeless.
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“Aloha Mai e Pele”
A respectful and evocative tribute to Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and creation, delivered with sincerity and cultural reverence.
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“Ka Wahine Lewa i ke Kai”
A lively and well-loved mele celebrating the grace and strength of a woman moving through the sea—an uplifting way to conclude the episode.
🎧 Final Thoughts
Show #697 is a wonderful snapshot of Hawaiian music today—deeply rooted, spiritually aware, musically adventurous, and joyfully expressive. From heartfelt mele and virtuosic slack key to a splash of exotica fun, this episode honors the past while celebrating the present.
Mahalo for listening, and as always, keep Hawaiian music playing wherever you are 🌈🎶
