Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 2, 1 February 2009 — REVIEW [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

REVIEW

By Francine Murray Bruadcast/Media Cuurdinatūr

Kenneth Makuakāne just celebrated the release of his new CD, Tlie White Bathtub, with a party at the Pakele Lounge. Live on the Internet at PakeleLive.com, it was part of the concert series every Thursday at 6 p.m. HST, brought to us by the Ala Moana Hotel, LavaNet and Aloha Video TV. A prodigious talent, Makua-

kāne has produced more than a hundred albums with various renowned artists and won 16 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. As natural as it is for birds to sing, Makuakāne composes. His works of art have been recorded by several loeal greats, the Cazimero Brothers, Amy Hānaiali'i and Loyal Garner to name a few. This new alhum sets the mood appropriately with "These Dreams." Everything really good starts with a dream. Makuakāne said he has dreams that the world will have peaee, and that the world will eome together. "Instead of telling people to eome together we should do it." Live the dream. The second track is the title song "The White Bathtub," inspired by fond memories at his grandmother's house in Ka'ū. The solo alhum is full of memories from his past. "You need to know your past, so you know where you are today," Makuakāne says. "Everyone wants to say our

children are the future, but what about the rest of the sentence? If the children are the future then we are the mākua. We are the present and if we don't nurture the present, what future are they going to be walking into? That's what this white bathtub represents to me. I walked into my kupuna's future, they set the path for me and it's my kuleana, as a makua, to set the path for future generations." As with the circle of life, it's all connected in a never-ending flow. Wow, such deep meaning behind this series of seemingly lighthearted songs with catchy beats like "I Breathe," "I Know," - "I know, I know, I know that I love you," he sings - and "Sandcrabs With Suntans," is all hot fun in the suimner. "My Island Girl" is channing and very

sweet. His touching ballad, "You Move Me" will sweep you away, as will "Thank You," a romantic

narrative of gratitude for someone he's

thinking of. I'm told,

when you record music, you put a little of your heart into it.

Makuakāne referred to it as leaving your heart print. This is quite a print packed with 18 original songs. With the heart of a poet, the lefthanded, upside-down guitar player wrapped it up with "Ma Nāwiliwili" in 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Available online at Mele. eom or DigStation.com. For more infonnation visit Makuakane.com. ^

MELE 'AILANA - ISLAND MUSIC SCENE

The White Bathtub KenneEh Makuakāne

A prolific Kenneth Makuakāne has 6roduced more than albums and won 1 6 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. - Photo: BlaineFergerstrom