Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 11, 1 November 2002 — Keawe Lopesʻ CD celebrates language, music and hula [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Keawe Lopesʻ CD celebrates language, music and hula

By Sterling Kini Wong Editors note: Sterling Wong is a student intern in OHA's Public īnformation Office, and attends UH Mānoa, majoring in journalism and Hawaiian studies. Aweleome addition to today's loeal music scene is "i7e Aloha No ..." with mostly original contemporary Hawaiian language songs. Keawe Lopes Jr.3 29, wanted to create an album with fresh Hawaiian songs with traditional Hawaiian flair, that people could dance to. "If listening to my CD makes you want to get up, vamp and start dancing3 then I've done my job3" said Lopes3 who teaches Hawaiian at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. "He Aloha No ..." meaning "in honor of . features songs that pay homage to different peo-

ple and places important in Lopes' life. Every song (but one) is original3 by Lopes and/or his

wife, Tracie. " Aloha Wai'anae ," the

opening oli (chant), leads into " Aloha Nānākuli ," composed J for the area where Lopes i was raised. The oli recalls I such beaches as Pōka'i, !m Mauna Lahilahi and Kahe Point his family frequent- gK

ed when he was a child. One day, while walking along the ridge at Pālehua, between " Makakilo and Nānāku

Lopes gazed out at his home and recalled fond childhood memories, resulting in " Aloha Nānākuli ." Lopes became attached to Mānoa Valley while

majoring in Hawaiian language at U.H., and wrote a song and oli about the wonderful people he met there. In " Welina Mānoa ," Lopes hails the _ Tuahine rain, the Kahaukani breeze and

, Luahine, an inland cliff. " Mahaloe 1 Mānoa " fondly salutes Kimo Alama Keaulana's house, Halelani, where Lopes spent many memorable days with his kumu hula. " Nani Pauoā" recalls 'Auwaiolimu

■P stream, and preserves the memoiy of Er Uluhaimalama, Lili'uokalani's royal W garden, onee filled with significant P native plants. " The only non-original song on the 1 CD, the Kaua'i classic "/Vani Lāwa' i,"

was composed by Bi 11 Ali'iloa Lineoln, Lopes' relative, a favorite musician of See Lopes on page 14

Mele 'Ailana

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LOPESfrom page 9 his. Lopes' passion for traditional Hawaiian music and language is reflectedin his style more typical of earlier generations. "If you listen to the old songs3 the music3 the language, the meanings, they are all flawless," he explained. "When you listen to guys like Lineoln, you just know they understood what they were singing about." Lopes enjoys working with acoustic instruments, keeping tothe Hawaiian ensemble of the upright bass, guitar and 'ukulele. Two years in the making, "He Aloha No ..." has its beginnings at eamp in Hlālaekahana, where DavidKa'io, the album's producer, heard Lopes sing. According to

Lopes, his first recording session with Ka'io was a nightmare because he was so intimidated by the studio. To get comfortable in the studio, he had to visualize himself singing at a party. Lopes' church band provided a firm foundation for his musical talents, although he admits he wasn't mueh of a singar at first. It was at churchthat he learned to play guitar, 'ukulele, electric bass andpiano by mimicking his cousin, Willy Ann Pilialoha. "f/Iy family gets teary-eyed when they thihk of where I started as a musician to now actually hai'' ing my own CD," he said. "I can't wait to begin working on my second album," he said, whieh will feature traditional fa\'orites of his. ■