🌺 Hawaiian Concert Guide Show #697 – Contemporary Voices, Classic Spirit & a Touch of Exotica

In this episode of the Hawaiian Concert Guide, we take a graceful journey through modern Hawaiian songwriting, timeless mele, masterful slack key guitar, and even a playful detour into vintage exotica. Show #697 highlights the deep respect today’s artists have for tradition—while confidently adding their own voices to the ongoing Hawaiian musical story.

🎶 Kamalei Kawaa – Mānaiakalani

We open the show with Kamalei Kawaa’s soulful and reverent work from his album Mānaiakalani. The title track sets the tone with poetic Hawaiian language and a sense of spiritual grounding that immediately draws the listener in.

• “Mānaiakalani” A reflective and uplifting mele that speaks to divine sustenance and guidance, carried by Kamalei’s smooth, confident vocals.

• “Lei Pakalana” (feat. Kamaehu Kawa‘a) A beautiful collaboration celebrating the fragrant pakalana lei. The song weaves romance, place, and memory together, enhanced by the warm blend of voices and traditional musical sensibility.

🌿 Kahiau Lam Ho – Hoʻomālamalama

From one of Hawaiʻi’s most respected young voices, Kahiau Lam Ho delivers songs rooted in faith, ʻike kupuna (ancestral knowledge), and lyrical elegance.

• “Ka Lehua I Milia” A gentle, poetic mele centered on the beloved lehua flower—symbolic of love, resilience, and connection to the land.

• “E Mililani O Iehova” A powerful expression of spiritual devotion, blending Hawaiian language hymnody with Kahiau’s signature clarity and emotional depth.

🎸 Kawika Kahiapo – Kuʻu Manaʻo

Slack key guitar artistry takes center stage with Kawika Kahiapo, whose playing is both technically brilliant and emotionally expressive.

• “Life in These Islands” A thoughtful instrumental that paints a musical portrait of island life—its rhythms, calm, and complexity—through Kawika’s masterful guitar work.

• “Aloha Kaua” Translating to “love of war” or “conflicted love,” this piece balances tension and beauty, reflecting Kawika’s ability to tell layered stories without words.

🗺️ The Waitiki 7 – Adventures in Paradise

We then take a playful and unexpected turn into exotica with The Waitiki 7, a band known for reviving and reimagining mid-century tiki lounge sounds.

• “Octopus Menagerie” Whimsical, cinematic, and fun—this track feels like a soundtrack to a surreal underwater adventure.

• “Mood Indigo” A lush and moody reinterpretation that blends jazz roots with exotica flair, adding a sophisticated twist to the show’s flow.

🌊 Hoʻokena – Hoʻokena 5

We close the show by returning to the heart of Hawaiian music with Hoʻokena, whose harmonies and musicianship remain timeless.

• “Aloha Mai e Pele” A respectful and evocative tribute to Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and creation, delivered with sincerity and cultural reverence.

• “Ka Wahine Lewa i ke Kai” A lively and well-loved mele celebrating the grace and strength of a woman moving through the sea—an uplifting way to conclude the episode.

🎧 Final Thoughts

Show #697 is a wonderful snapshot of Hawaiian music today—deeply rooted, spiritually aware, musically adventurous, and joyfully expressive. From heartfelt mele and virtuosic slack key to a splash of exotica fun, this episode honors the past while celebrating the present.

Mahalo for listening, and as always, keep Hawaiian music playing wherever you are 🌈🎶