Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 5, 1 May 2001 — Kawai Cockett's latest a musical tour ofthe islands [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kawai Cockett's latest a musical tour ofthe islands

By Manu Boyd Grab your 'ukulele and plumeria lei — make ready for a whirlwind tour of the islands like only Kawai Cockett ean lead. With trademark strum and hearty voice, Cockett has created another winner that will be counted with the hula classics of Aunty Genoa, Vicky Rodrigues and Pauline Kekahuna. " Hula. ' Hula! Hulal" (How's that for a title?) opens with mele inoa or name song for a beloved one by one of Hawai'i's prolific, traditional eomposers, Mālia Craver. Then, off to Kaua'i to visit Nāwiliwili, Niumalu and Nōhili in the Garden Isle standard, " Kaulana Kaua 'i." Cockett opens "Nā Moku Kaulana" with an oli triggering thoughts of his long affiliation with Aloha Festivals as court chanter. His voice is robust, and his Hawaiian, flawless. Charles Lindsey's "Nā Limahana" praises talented and hard-working Hawaiians, not unlike the per-

former. The song was first recorded by Unele Tony Lindsey (OHA volunteer extraordinare) - with a tricky melody reserved for adept musicians. "The Cowboy Hula," complete

with "Hu'i ē!" as ka'i and ho'i (entrance and exit songs) is cus-tom-tailored for hula and has , become a keikikāne standard in J kamali'i competitions. Whee I hah! "Hili Hamale " is loaded fi

with kaona (hidden meaning). The unknown composer speaks of wielding a hammer, a measured water hose, and the J nose of the horse, completely i out of breath. What's up with 1 that? 'Auē ka le'ale'a o ® kūpuna mā!

Another favorite is "Nani Wale." You'll find yourself in swaying kaholo by the repeat of the £

first verse. And "Lae Lae" made popular by Bina Mossman whose mother, Susan Titcomb, eomposed it, is a poetic gem. With a happy refrain of "lae lā lae lae" after eaeh line, the message offered is one of love, admiration and approval.

Smiles are not usually audible. But when you pop "Hula!

fj Hula! Hula\" into your disk J player, you will surely witI ness the ear-to-ear mino'aka I of Kawai Cockett, past recip-

H ient of the Nā Hōkū ■ Hanohano male vocalist of the ■ year, a distinction he is onee ] again up for. [ The project was produced by the father-son D. McDiarmid team for Hula (Hula, Hula) Records.

Ho'omakaukau ... Hula! ■

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Mfif 'Aii ana