Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 9, 1 September 2008 — Making musical magic [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Making musical magic

Award honors 30 years of music making for Brothers Caz

By ī. Ilihia Giansan Publications Editar

It started with two brothers, an upright bass, and a 12string guitar. Three deeades and 38 albums later, The Brothers Cazimero are synonymous with Hawaiian musie. And after winning more than a dozen Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards over the years, Robert and Roland Cazimero were honored earlier this year with the most prestigious award given by the Hawai'i Aeademy of Reeording Arts: the Lifetime Aehievement Award. The seeds that grew into a long, illustrious musie eareer were planted early in the Cazimero boys. "We always sang from when we were born," Robert said. "The doetor slapped us and we sang." "Mom tried to help us in the language, but we didn't listen when we were younger beeause we thought it was stupid. We would always sing in Hawaiian, but it's just that now, beeause I understand it a little bit better, I

like it a lot," Robert said. The first three albums that the Brothers reeorded were with The Sunday Mānoa. "There were several Sunday Mānoa before we got together, others in the band. We

were the last eombination. It was a eombination of fate and destiny, Peter (Moon), Roland and I," Robert explained. And after those three albums, they knew

that the time had eome to explore different avenues. "The Sunday Mānoa made great musie, at the height of what they're ealling the Hawaiian Renaissanee, and it was time for us to move on. We just grew out of the situation." Thus was born The Brothers Cazimero. Over their threedeeade eareer, the duo has won more awards than the brothers have room for. But the magie isn't limited to the studio. The Brothers Cazimero have played for audi-

enees at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Hollywood Bowl, the World Expo in Brisbane, Australia, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and at annual performanees in San Franeiseo, Los Angeles and Seattle. And let's not forget 30 years of May Day eoneerts at the Waikīkī Shell. In Mareh, The Brothers Cazimero reeeived Lifetime Aehievement Awards from the Hawai'i Aeademy of Reeording

Arts. When learning that they would be given the award, Robert was thankful. "Thank God we're not dead!" he said. "You've got to be old to win these awards. Got to be old or got to be dead. And we're in one eategory so far." "It was interesting to hear our aeeomplishments. We don't sit down and go over all the stuff we've done and how well we've done," Robert said. After spending the last three deeades making award-winning

musie, the brothers have a new perspeetive on awards. "After a while, it's not for the award. ... It's just to put out something good. If we reeeive anything, a Hōkū or Grannny or something, great. But if we don't, it's okay. It was always the musie," Roland said. In faet, the award reeognizing a lifetime of aehievement is in a speeial plaee in Roland's home. "My wife put the Lifetime Aehievement Award up on the ieebox. Every time I open the ieebox, there it is! So what are the brothers proudest of? "I think for me the biggest aeeomplishment is that we didn't let our people down, espeeially the ones that passed the torehes on to us," Robert said. "We've always worked hard to make sure that we honor them and that we honor our people in a way they ean be proud of." Although Hawaiian musie is on the rise in popularity, Robert has a

eautious outlook toward the future. "I think that Hawaiian musie, like Hawaiian eulture and Hawaiian people, I think are eonstantly in jeopardy. I don't think it's ever going to be safe for us," he said. "Beeause the kūpuna from when we were first starting off were afraid for the musie, I think it behooves us to be afraid for it too, even as we see hope before our eyes." "When we were younger, we were eonstantly being put down

beeause the kūpuna thought that we were just bebopping it a little bit too mueh. However, there were those kūpuna who were willing to share and stiek out their neeks to tell us to keep going and would be there to help us when we needed it. Aunty Vieki Rodrigues, Maiki Aiu Lake, Aunty 'Io Boise-Rodrigues, Nina (Kealiiwahamana), Kahauanu Lake, Gabby Pahinui, people who today are eonsidered legends. Aunty Genoa, would say to us, "You boys keep going, you're doing really good." At the end of the day, though, it's all about the musie. "Reeording more albums is eause for inspiration, eontinuation and hard work. Musie is what we do and what we love. One never loses exeitement doing what he or she loves," Robert said. Roland sums it up: "I love singing with my brother, playing musie with my brother. It's magie." □

I love singing with my brother, playing music with my brother. It's magic.

— Roland Cazimero

MELE 'AILANA - ISLAND MUSIC SCENE

Roland and Robert Cazimero, and award-winning collaboration for 30 years. - Photo: Courtesy ofMountain Apple Company