Dennis Kamakahi CD Review

We had an unseasonable summer day in the Bay Area today! Weeee. Sunshine. Warm. I had to review a Hawaiian record for the paper (just a capsule review, nothing giant- you will have to wait for the Mariza interview for a good meaty music article). Life can be awfully pleasant if you are not careful:

Rev. Dennis Kamakahi
Pua’Ena – Glow Brightly
Dancing Cat Records
**** (four stars)

When cattle were introduced to Hawaii it was essential to bring in trained cattlemen to maintain the herds, so Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish vaqueros came to work the burgeoning cattle industry. They brought their guitars with them and altered the sound of Hawaiian music forever. To fit Polynesian music to the guitar, it was necessary to retune the instruments and the slack key style of guitar was born. One of the masters of Slack Key Guitar is Rev. Dennis Kamakahi. His guitar playing and singing exemplifies the style, with his rich voice and solid accompaniment. Kamakahi creates a wonderfully relaxed sound that is perfect listening for a warm evening. His music is enchanting and soothing without preciousness or the slightest affectation. Pua’Ena is full of honest and straightforward music that instantly evokes the tropical sounds of Hawaii.