'Aumakua Records: Press

With a name like S and S, someone might be thinking "oh, saimin", but in this case it represents guitarist Stephen Inglis and pianist Shawn Livingson Moseley. As a duo, S and S combine ki ho'alu (slack key guitar) and classical music to create a unique blend that benefits each side of the coin through their musicianship, creating an album that is both unique and a statement in itself. Na Po Makole - The Night Rainbows ('Aumakua) is as mysterious and beautiful as the night rainbows of Hawai'i are. I had a friend who had talked about going to the beach at about 3 or 4 in the morning, and her boyfriend had never seen one, didn't quite believe these rainbows existed. As if by magic, there they were. The music is very much like that, and in this case it brings together two elements that one might not regularly hear together on a regular basis, but when it is, the end result is quite remarkable.

I became aware of Inglis' music last year through his great album, Mahina O Wai'alae, and I became an instant fan, wanting to know what he would be doing next. Na Po Makole is an interesting album for while those who love slack key guitar will love this, there is the added element of the piano that takes things a few steps further. In other words, it's not just a casual "guitar and piano" duo album, there is a sense of tradition on the Hawaiian side of things, but what appealed to me is how they appear to be thinking outside of the box. "Kalaupapa Kalico" is the sound of Hawaiian guitar played over a bit of jazz, while "Loihi" is a bit of folk mixed in with hints of classical and new age. I know, the thought of those elements together might bring back ugly Jay Larrin nightmares, but this is actually quite nice. Even though the songs are in a new setting, it still feels like backyard music, but backyard music for a modern world that struggles hard to keep to the traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. Inglis' guitar work is a standout, but I was also impressed by Moseley's playing, especially in the title track (which I initially thought was "Pupuhinuhinu" until the song shifted and I was forced to look at the CD cover). There's also a brief moment in this song where Inglis' plays a chord structure that sounds very close to Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" (it happens at the 4:51 mark), not sure if that's what it's supposed to be, but perhaps it was a freebird making its way to see the night rainbow.

Musician Cindy Combs makes an appearance on the album but sitting in on two tracks, and one where she is left alone with 'ukulele.. The other two tracks have her on the instrument she has become known for, the slack key guitar, and anyone who has ever heard her albums or seen her live will know how true she is to her playing and the style that is her own, very much in the style of Keola Beamer where each strum and hand movement is deliberate and effective towards the inevitable sound. Hearing her play along with Inglis and Moseley expands the palette a bit, and there are moments, as in "Po Lani", when Moseley takes the lead by playing the melody, only for Combs and Inglis to speak as only guitarists generally do.

What I really liked about this album is the improvisation involved. Some early Hawaiian music were based on the same set of chords, but to my ears they not only go in and out of the melody, but they are playing with more of an emphasis on the lyric, so if something sounds somber or more uplifting, they seem to steer the song along a particular route. They also do this by taking some of the material to durations longer than five minutes, such as "Ka Ua O Ke Kau Anu" (5:53), "Paliku" (9:00), "Lo'ihi" (6:39), and "Po Lani" (9:00). The pace too is deliberate, but let the music, the melody and (if you know it) the lyric move you and the length of these songs will not (and should not) matter.

It's also nice to hear musicians who are in the same room at the same time, and captured so well by Moseley, who also recorded, engineered, and mastered this project at his studio, Witchdoctor Recording. The recording itself is not just a bunch of microphones capturing something and leaving it alone, there was some thought put into this and the end result is quite nice. I would not mind hearing this remastered for vinyl, as it has the kind of intricacies that would give all audiophiles chicken skin. However, the CD will do just fine for now.

One may be lead to ask "so what's the mystery?" Even if you know your Hawaiian music inside and out and will not hesitate to sing or pull out an instrument when someone yells out KANIKAPILA!, there's still something more to offer in a style of music that continues to thrill and excite anyone who dares to get lost in its beauty and simplicity. Na Po Makole - The Night Rainbow are for listeners who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and be ope to the possibility of something new, only to discover that the new method is just another interpretation of the old, and thus extending the life of culture and tradition in an honorable manner.

John Book - The run-off groove