Na Hoku Hanohano 2011 Winners
Mark Yamanaka and his debut album Lei Pua Kenikeni
Most Promising Artist – Mark Yamanaka, Lei Pua Kenikeni
Female Vocalist of the Year – Napua Makua, “Mohalu” (Pihana)
Male Vocalist of the Year – Mark Yamanaka, Lei Pua Kenikeni
Group of the Year – Kumz, On The Summit
Christmas Album – “Willie Wonderland,” Willie K (Island Soul)
Album of the Year (to artist and producers) – Lei Pua Kenikeni
Song of the Year (composer’s award) – “Kaleoonalani,” Mark Yamanaka, from Lei Pua Kenikeni
Single of the Year – “He Lei Kaulana,” Na Palapalai (Hulu Kupuna)
EP of the Year – “Solo Ukulele: The King of Pop,” Abe Lagrimas Jr. & Friends (Pass Out)
Anthology of the Year (producer’s award) – “The Best of Na Palapalai,” Na Palapalai (Koops 2), Shawn Pimental, producer
Compilation of the Year (producer’s award) – “Kona,” various artists (Ua Mau), Dave Tucciarone, producer
Contemporary Album of the Year – “Forevermore,” Ben Vegas & Maila Gibson (no label)
Hawaiian Album of the Year – “Mohalu,” Napua Makua (Pihana)
Instrumental Album of the Year – “Ukulele Nahenahe,” Herb Ohta Jr. (Lele)
Island Music Album of the Year – “Amy Hanaiali’i and Slack Key Masters of Hawai’i,” Amy Hanaiali’i and Slack Key Masters of Hawai’i (Peterson)
Jazz Album of the Year – “Django Would Go,” Hot Club of Hulaville (Hulaville)
R&B/Hip Hop:”Coconut Wireless” Kepa Kruse (Petroglyph)
Reggae Album – “The Green,” The Green (SheeHandsomeDevil)
Religious Album – “Somewhere Up Ahead – Gospel Hymns of Hawaii, Vol. II,” Ata Damasco (Ululoa)
Rock Album – “Stream Dreams,” Kamuela Kahoano (Green Light Go/Kahoano)
Slack Key Album – “Play With Me Papa,” John Keawe (Homestead)
Graphics – Wailani Artates, for “Mohalu,” Napua Makua (Pihana)
Liner Notes – Puakea Nogelmeier, Kalikolihau Hannahs-Paik and Kellen Paik, for “English Rose,” Kupaoa (Hulu Kupuna)
Favorite Entertainer (by public vote) – Napua Makua
Adjudicated Awards
Haku Mele (composer’s award for first-time recorded Hawaiian-language song or chant) – “‘Ohai ‘Ula,” by Kainani Kahaunaele, from “‘Ohai ‘Ula,” Kainani Kahaunaele (Koops 2)
Hawaiian Language Performance – Kainani Kahaunaele, “‘Ohai ‘Ula” (Koops2)
Engineering – Bryan Sanchez and Dave Tucciarone, for “Hawaiian Girls,” TTYM-Talk To You Music (TTYM)
Photo by F Morris.
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
Hawaiian Music and Anuhea
Anuhea (Rylee Anuheake’alaokalokelani Jenkins) is a Hawaiian contemporary folk rock singer and songwriter. Born and raised on the island of Maui, her name in hawaiian means “a cool breeze of the heavenly rose”. Anuhea blends engaging lyrics with acoustic soul, pop and reggae into a style that has earned her a reputation as Hawaii’s newest rising star.
Anuhea graduated from Kamehameha Schools and then attended film school in Orange County California. After spending a year there she realized it was music she was most passionate about. Returning to the islands she immediately started performing at local coffee shops and restaurants. She put a band together using friends from around the island and began to market herself as a musician, acted as her own manager, booking agent, music producer and distributor, all while working as a cocktail waitress and barista.
Her debut album titled Anuhea
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
Hawaiian Music and Keali’i Reichel
Kealiʻi Reichel is a popular singer, songwriter, choreographer, dancer, chanter, scholar, teacher, and personality of Hawaiʻi. He was born and raised on Maui, and at the age of 24, Kealiʻi was convicted of theft, and was sentenced to community service involving the study of Hawaiian culture. This marked a turning point in his life, as his passion for the language and culture of Hawai‘i led him to become the founding director of Pünana Leo O Maui (Hawaiian language school), and Halau Ke’alaokamaile (hula school).
Kealiʻi produced and released a collection of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian songs and chants entitled Kawaipunahele
His album Keʻalaokamaile won four of the top awards at the 27th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards including Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Hawaiian Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. All told, he has been awarded 19 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
Hawaiian Music and Cyril Pahinui
Cyril Pahinui is one of the most gifted guitarists and singers of Hawaiian music. As a slack key guitarist, his technical virtuosity, rhythmic adaptations, and instrumental harmonics impart the soul of Hawaiian music, and his beautiful, emotive voice renders an intimate picture of Hawaii.
Cyril Pahinui is the son of musical legend Gabby Pahinui. He started playing music from the time he could hold an ukulele, and began learning slack key at age seven by watching and listening to his father. Weekends at the Pahinui home were a continuous jam session, as musicians came by to jam with Gabby. Attendance at the weekend jam sessions mushroomed to a hundred or more musicians jamming from early on Friday morning and continuing straight through to Monday morning.
He played in his father’s group The Gabby Band, and later the Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band. He played with his brother in a band called The Characters, and later joined with two brothers for The Pahinui Bros
In 1988, he recorded Cyril Pahinui
His father told him, “Play whatever you feel, whatever makes you happy, but always respect Hawaiian music and keep it in your heart.”
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
Hawaiian Music and Nathan Aweau
Nathan Aweau was born into a musical family, along with piano, guitar, ukulele, and saxophone lessons, and was born with the natural ability to sing. In college, his passion for the electric bass made him decide that this would be his main instrument and he accompanied professional performers. He was a member the award winning groups Ka’eo and The Ali’i's, has performed on commercials, and done background music for various shows. He has done various high school and college level seminars covering writing, arranging, computer music, and giving students a chance to see what goes into producing and recording songs.
In 2001, Nathan released a CD called E Apo Mai
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
Hawaiian Music and John Cruz
John Cruz grew up on Oahu with musical influences from his grandmother, mother, father, brothers, sisters, numerous aunties, uncles, cousins, neighbors, and friends. He attended school on the East Coast and developed his own style as a singer songwriter in subways, coffeehouses, and bars. Back in Hawaii, his brother was in the popular band, Ka’au Crater Boys, and he invited John to play with them and to play his own songs during their shows.
When he released his first album, Acoustic Soul
Later, John added a Grammy Award for an original song featured on the compilation CD Slack Key Guitar Volume 2. A documentary film on his life, “Made of Music – The Story of John Cruz,” was produced featuring John’s signature candor and wit, as well as a personal story that tugs at the heartstrings, and music that will delight and inspire. Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Kelly Slater, and Jake Shimabukuro add color and insight to this already powerful story.
John has distinguished himself as one of the most talented artists that has ever come from Hawaii and was named the Best Singer Songwriter by Hawaii Magazine. He released his second album, One of These Days
Visit our Kauai Events Calendar for live Hawaiian music on Kauai.
