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Topic: Vickie I'i CD - "Na Mele Ohana" |
Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 2:13 am |
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Just came back from my local Tower Records and found this jewel of a CD which was just released. This 1962 re-issue features Vicki I'i and her family; Boyce, John, Lahela, Lani, and Nina.
Lani's husband, Joe Custino in doing the steel guitar work on this album and does an excellent job. If you like the old style Hawaiian music, this is a must have. I suppose mele.com should have this available by now?
Here's the list of songs:
1. Haliilua
2. Hilo One
3. Pua O Kamakahala
4. Drinking Medley:
Kamau Kiaha
E Inu E
Inu I Ka Wai
5. He Inoa No Kaiulani
6. Kalamaula
7. Fair Hawaii
8. Pau Malihini
9. Ku'u Pua Lehua
10. Radio Hula
11. Ku'u Pua Mikinolia
12. Latitu |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 4:02 am
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This is one of my desert island discs.
Joe's steel work is a little shaky (I've heard much more precise playing by him)... but the group is backed by the "holy trinity" of Benny Kalama, Sonny Kamahele, and Jimmy Kaopuiki.
The best thing to me about this album though is the singing. Nobody can sing this style today. Auntie Vickie's voice gives me goosebumps. |
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 4:17 am
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Great find Derrick! Thanks for giving us a heads up. I also like Aunty Vickie's voice.
Hey Jeff -
Joe Custino was also playing on this recording you posted awhile back:
"Lei Aloha, Lei Makamae"
Being that Sonny and Cy are a couple of my all time favorites, do you happen to know the source of more great tunes like this one? I've been listening to it over and over for the past couple of months! Feel free to email me with any info, too.
Mahalo!  |
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 9:56 am
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Thank you Derrick! You have no idea how I rely on postings like this to expand my knowledge of Hawaiian music. It's what has made this forum invaluable to me.
While there is mention of Joe Custino . . .
You provided the list of musicians some time back for some recordings that Basil put up, among which were steel duets between Joe Custino and Jules Ah See. I burned a copy and have been going to school on those lately, one by one, and learning a lot. Just thought I'd ask in case anyone knows: who is playing lead, and who is backing up and adding harmomy parts--or do they switch back and forth? It would help me get a handle on better recognizing their respective styles when I hear them. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 11:40 am
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Hi Bud I first heard the Vicki Ti singers on an Alfred Apaka album, and the song I liked best was Kalua, great back-up work.
BILL |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 1:56 pm
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VERY GOOD POST DERRICK.
THIS FAMILY IS SO RICH WITH TALENT. THIS IS A MUST ALBUM, AND NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN REISSUED I AM ON MY WAY TO THE SHOP.
I BELIEVE THAT LANI CUSTINO IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE CLASSIC HULA DANCERS IN HAWAII. SHE DANCED IN A LONG FLOWING MUU MUU AT THE OLD HALEKULANI FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE IT WAS TORN DOWN.
DUETS BY BENNY KALAMA AND SONNY KAMAHELE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONAL. I HAVE HEARD THEM MANY TIMES IN YEARS PAST AT LIVE PERFORMANCES AT THE HALEKULANI. I ALWAYS LOVED BENNY'S FALSETTO BECAUSE IT WAS SO MELLOW AND NOT SHRILL.
ALOHA,
DON |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2005 4:58 pm
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Hi Scott,
The album with Jules and Joe is called "Hawaii Instrumentally Yours" and was made for people who needed Hawaiian background music for their personal home videos and slideshows.
Jules and Joe trade off on the solos, but it is Jules doing all of the violin swells with the volume knob. He does this too on some songs on Alfred Apaka's "Hawaii's Golden Voice" CD by Cord International. |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 27 Jul 2005 6:22 am
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| On the duet album, Jules is the one with the more "scooped out" tone. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Jul 2005 8:26 am
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Jeff,
For the musically illiterate, what is "scooped out" tone?
Aloha,
Don |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 27 Jul 2005 1:05 pm
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| Don, I thought that the "scooped tone" was what Hal Smith's frypan sounds like. At least that's how I heard it described. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 27 Jul 2005 1:21 pm
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| A 'scooped out' tone is usually a tone where the mids are cut and/or the highs and bass are boosted. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Jul 2005 10:53 pm
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Thanks for the education Brad.
Aloha,
Don |
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Warren Slavin
From:
Southampton, PA, 18966. USA
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Posted 31 Jul 2005 4:53 pm
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Derrick,
Yes, the "Na Mele Ohana" Album is great for traditional Hawaiian songs -- one of my favorites. Also, the Album "Auntie Vickie Sings" Na Mele Pumahele (favorite songs)is a comparable album of the Vickie Ii'i family with Joe Custino, Benny Kalama, Sol Kamahele and James Kaopuiki.
There are two other albums that have the traditional Hawaiian Music that we all like and that is "Kani Ka Pila" Vols I and II with Gabby Pahanui and David "Feet" Rogers on Steel.
Warren
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