Vol. 12, Issue 145 - Friday, May 25, 2007

Island Mele CD Review

by John Berger

Mahoa ia Hawai`i

Maui Jam
(MJR001)

Slack key guitarist Al Nip and bassist Jon Toda are the core members of this Valley Isle-based ensemble. With the addition of Fulton Tashombe on piano, Geronimo Valdriz on steel guitar, and Fea-B-Lei Alcomidras joining Nip and Toda on vocals, and Maui Jam expands into a quintet that plays Hawaiian standards in that nahenahe (sweet, melodious) style.

The opening bars of "Ka Makani Ka'ili Aloha" suffice to establish Nip's ki ho'alu credentials, while the discrete presence of Valdriz's steel guitar provides reassurance that the members of Maui Jam are traditionalists through and through.

Valdriz is featured more prominently on "Hi'ilawe," but his solo maintains the nahenahe feel of the arrangement. He's also an asset on "Nani No 'O Koali," and adds to the dreamy ambiance of "Hula o Makee." All in all, there's enough steel guitar here to make the album of interest to aficionados of that particular instrument.

While Tashombe is heard less often, he, too, makes welcome contributions to several beautiful arrangements. His piano defines the beautiful melodic line of "E Ku'u Morning Dew," and provides similarly welcome melodic embellishments to a soothing and romantic arrangement of "Wahine 'Ilikea."

The beauty of his piano can also be heard on "Iesu Me Ke Kanaka Waiwai" and "Ua Mau," and Tashombe joins the others on "Hawai'i Aloha," as Maui Jam closes this soft and sweet album on a gentle yet patriotic note.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Island Sounds CD Review

by Wayne Harada

Mahoa ia Hawai`i

by Maui Jam; MJ Records

Genre: Traditional Hawaiian, kïhö`alu.

Distinguishing notes: Maui Jam is a duo featuring Al Nip (slack-key guitar, `ukulele, vocals) and Jon Toda (bass guitar, vocals), augmented by singer Fea-B-Lei Alcomindras, pianist Fulton Tashombe and Geronimo Valdriz on Rickenbacker frying-pan steel guitar. Maui visitors and residents probably know Maui Jam for its appearances at a range of Valley Isle resorts. Its style is old-school, with an easy-going, laid-back demeanor, with a repertoire that touches the heart and tugs at the memory: "Ka `Uluwehi O Ke Kai," "Wahine `Ilikea," "Hi`ilawe," "Hula O Makee," "Ka Makani Ka`ili Aloha," "Ka Wai Lehua `A`ala Ka Honua" and "Maori Brown Eyes." Tender and sweetly nostalgic renderings; caring and seductive instrumentation. "Hawai`i Aloha" will inspire you to stand tall and proud, instrumental verses sandwiching a poignant vocal. Available at Mele.com and Borders on Maui.

Our take: Maui Jam is a contender; its backyard jam sound deserves O'ahu exposure to expand the Jam's reach and appeal.

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