'Ike Pono pleases with acoustic flair
By John Berger POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 02, 2010
'Deep Waters'
'Ike Pono
(Pono Phono)
They open with the unmistakable riff from "El Paso," Marty Robbins' Grammy Award-winning 1959 chart-topper, but most of what follows is Hawaiian as 'Ike Pono -- Michael Lowe (guitars/vocals), Stanton Oshiro (ukulele/vocals) and Bobby Yu (bass/vocals) -- returns with this collection of contemporary island music. The trio's emphasis on acoustic instrumentation gives their work a solid Hawaiian-style foundation. No doubt about it, these guys can jam.
Lowe is the resident composer but Yu contributes two memorable numbers. "Full Circle Rainbow," a hapa-haole song, describes the rare visual effect in spiritual terms as "a miracle of God I had never seen" while on a journey involving a funeral. "Kela Nalo" showcases the rapid picking and strumming of Lowe and Oshiro on a Hawaiian-language tale of annoying flies at a picnic.
The trio pays homage to earlier songwriters with a soothing arrangement of "Shells" and a crisp version of "He Wahine U'i."
A remake of "Ventura Highway" offers no fresh insights, but the trio replaces George Harrison's Hindu devotionals with similar Hawaiian-language Christian phrases within an otherwise unremarkable take on "My Sweet Lord."
`Ike Pono: Reviews
I wanted to thank you for the copy of the new 'Ike Pono CD.
I've listened to it in the car over this Memorial Day weekend, and wanted to give you some feedback as you requested.
Having been involved in a few CD projects over the years, the first thing that struck me was the comfort of your package. By that I mean that the album is very easy and comfortable to read and digest. Extremely logical. Because I write liner notes, I read everything, and I want the writing to flow in a logical order through a package.
Deep Waters did this very well. Color choice is very soothing. Reading is not challenged by competing graphics.
Dave Tucciarone worked his magic. The sound on this "sophomore" release is excellent. Wonderful mix, and well mastered. I found the fly irritating, but that is of course my own issue....LOL.
Another thing I've always paid strong attention to is the pacing of a project. I completely agree with your song order of Deep Waters. Except for Shells and Mo'olele. I may have ended the package with that one. I would have put Mo'olele earlier in the package. But I also understand that Mo'olele has a very strong ending like the climactic end of a gig, so I get it. But that's just me, thinking like a radio show with a soft fade to surf oblivion....
This is an esoteric collection of styles and tastes, and allows for the trio to show their depth, and their influences.
For example, Ventura Highway is a total surprise, as is My Sweet Lord. They are both placed well.
I must note that "Uamakalaukoa" is a hauntily beautiful arrangement. A real sleeper.
Congratulations on a terrific package!
Mahalo plenty,
Harry B.
Harry B. Soria, Jr.
Territorial Airwaves
Visit the Territory of Hawaii at:
www.territorialairwaves.com
Your Source for the History of Hawaiian Music
Wow! You had me hooked at the first song, and I was never disappointed. ‘Ike Pono has a wonderful blend of sweet and tight vocal harmony (with enough original flair to make it your own) and great mastery of your instruments. I always enjoy hearing nice bass riffs when done well. And it was done very well. The uke was outstanding, and your overall sound is awesome. And Mike, you write some really nice music.
I know our DJ’s will enjoy your sound as much as I did and will get your CD on the air. “Deep Waters” is a most appropriate name for this CD. You guys have done an outstanding job, and I hope the industry will recognize you for your talent.
Mahalo for providing our station with your music. I hope this will be one of many productions in time to come. And I hope to catch your group “live” on a future trip to the islands.
Best wishes and blessings to you all.
With aloha,
Auntie Jan King
KAPU Radio 104.7 FM
“Ohana de Watsonville”
Claire's Review:
SHELLS conjures images of a laying on the shores of a picturesque beach . . . waves lapping and the sun shining brightly. Very r-e-l-a-x-i-n-g, soothing sounds that are so lulling. No wonder they stir memories that take you back to your childhood on Kauai. For some reason, I have recently had the urge to pick up a shell to put to my ear to listen to the sounds that still echo from my childhood.
MY SWEET LORD is so nostalgic. This is a great arrangement by the group and brings back the past of songs by The Beatles at that time of musical history.
KELA NALO is such a whimsical number. The nimble fingers flying all over the frets on the Ukulele creates images of the fly buzzing around.
FULL CIRCLE RAINBOW is a great title for images of friendship as symbolized by the colors and shadows of parting in the circle of life. The magical appearance of the prisms of colors appearing in the clouds suggesting God's presence by this story.
UAMAKALAUKOA: Nice harmony and blend of voices by the group.
UA NOHO AU KUPA well done with the the falsetto and harmonizing of voices interspersed with instrumentals. Great arrangement.
VENTURA HIGHWAY: nice contemporary sound and rhythmical beat.
KA HO`OLAUNA : Nice opening sound with the bass.
Good luck to your group once again. It takes hard work to finally produce something like this. Always good to listen to fresh sounds and new songs by Ike Pono. IMUA!
Five out of five stars on all counts and I have already bookmarked your web site. I listened to your CD many times over the weekend and really love it. As a jazz aficionado I am very interested in arrangements and yours on all 12 cuts are superb. I like your arrangements of Ventura Highway and My Sweet Lord as good as or better than the originals. Then there's some pretty mean uke work on Mo'olele that's really out there. Who is that guy, anyway??
Your harmonies work really well and you, Bobby and Michael have really polished your sound to the point to where I don't know where you could take it from there. You work really well together and your choice of tunes for the CD was great. The rhythms are tight and your intonation is solid. Also, the sound mixing is very good and I particularly like He Wahine U'i, Ua Noho Au A Kupa, and E Ho'i Mai.
My words do not do your music justice. I am not a Native Hawaiian, but I really love this music and Ikepono really works for me. I want more and I want it now. I am honored to know someone who plays music like this.