Sunday, December 5, 2010

Music for a Hawaiian holiday season

Thought I'd share with you a few ideas for Christmas music - island style! Bring the spirit of the islands to your home and holiday parties or give as gifts to your friends and family.

Guest artist at last year's Slack Key Festival, two-time GRAMMY® nominated Amy Hānaiali`i gracefully wraps it up in red and green with A Hawaiian Christmas. Featuring songs beautifully arranged by Jeff Peterson, Amy's first Christmas CD takes you back to the simple days in the islands, when holidays were all about family and friends. Invite Amy Hānaiali`i to share her holiday memories with your `ohana (family) this Christmas.


Great stuff on this here Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas CD including Keola Beamer's version of Away in a Manger and Bob Brozman tearing things up with Ledward Kaapana on Jingle Bells. Joanie Komatsu, one of my all-time favorite island entertainers, performs O Holy Night with her sister Ruth playing recorder; as a kid, Ruth was a huge influence on me and is, without a doubt, one of the reasons why I got into music in the first place. Both Keola and Bob will be appearing for the first time at the Festival this January!

And don't forget Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas CD by my good friend Jim "Kimo" West. A warm and soothing collection of Hawaiian slack key guitar arrangements of traditional and contemporary Christmas songs.

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