Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 8, 1 August 2001 — Manaʻo worth waiting for in TMC's re-appearance [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Manaʻo worth waiting for in TMC's re-appearance

By Manu Boyd In their long-awaited recording, "Spread a Little Aloha," Danny Kennedy, Salaam Tillman and John Baricuatro Jr., original group members, are joined by Weldon Kekauoha and Kaulana Pakele, The Mana'o Company. The ensemble debuted in 1989, creating such hits as "Just Beyond the Ridge," "96 Degrees in the Shade " and "Drop Baby, Drop." Styling with beveled logo and Loeal Motion duds, TMC has refined their sound, enhanced with the help of some of Hawai'i's best including Fiji, Keali'i Reichel, H-Dawg (Harold Kama Jr), B.E.T., Damon Williams, Ho'onu'a and Three Plus. Reichel's chant-style refrain on the title cut, "Aloha," helps to make it a stand out. "E lei i ka lei o ke aloha, he makana ia" (Wear the adornment of aloha, it is a gift). Damon Willimas and Three Plus join in on "Rock Me" with far-beyond-Hawai'i appeal. "All Day Music" is smooth - perfect for the seasoned,

more mellow crowd, long a part of TMC's fan base. "The Mana'o Company has gone through sev-

eral changes," said Weldon Kekauoha, a Hōkū winner for his earlier solo debut, " Hawaiian Man." "There's a whole new i generation out there not famil- h iar with The Mana'o Company, / so this project has something / -

for everyone. "I joined the group in '92 after they had already record- j ed. 'Nā Kāne Pono' was the l original group that included

Danny and John, both from Kaiser High School," explained Kekauoha, the Kalani High grad who turns 34 this month. "We all met through mutual friends. Now, we have our own families, and are of a different mind set. Music is a hobby rather than constant club gigs." Pakele, from Hilo, is a member of 'Ehukai, who intro-

duced the instant hit, "Moloka'i Slide" to the airwaves.

Kekauoha, a flight attendant with Hawaiian Airlines, attributes their success to group

leader Danny Kennedy. "He has a lot of charisma, and is the gel that brings people together. I admire him 'or that." Kennedy's son, J.P., and nephews

| Caleb and Mieah Keolanui, a.k.a. ! "TMC: the next generation," sing and play 'ukulele in " Driving Me Crazy ." The TMC horn section brings additional musical support from Steve Ware, Pat

Hennessee and Larry Cook. Kennedy produced the project along

with Dave Tucciarone and TMC, with Dan Pa Productions and A Guava Ding Thing (Robert Kekaula) as executive producers. "A.L.O.H.A. - spread a little aloha around the world." ■

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