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Music Style - Contemporary Hawaiian Music / Ukulele
I am often asked to recommend CD's that feature the ukulele. I always recommend
picking up any or every CD by the Ka'au Crater Boys. There are many ukulele masters
in Hawaii, but no one jams on the uke like Troy Fernandez. I consider Troy Fernandez
the 'Eddie Van Halen' of the ukulele. When you hear some of his smokin' uke jams, you'll
know what I am talking about. Ernie Cruz, Jr. compliments Troy with his excellent
guitar work and vocals. What makes a group great is when they create a very distinctive and
unique sound. This is the case with the Ka'au Crater Boys. The minute you hear one of their
songs, you instantly know who it is.
'On Fire' from 1994 is the CD that really turned me on to the Ka'au Crater Boys. The cover of
the CD says it all. Troy jams so fast on the uke that you'd think his fingers were on fire.
Its hard to pick out my favorite Ka'au Crater Boys CD, but I guess this one would have to be
it. One of the biggest hits on the CD is Opihi Man, which is a catchy surfer tune with
amusing lyrics. This song won the Hoku award for Song of the Year in 1995. North Shore is another excellent surfing song about the legendary
home of the big surf on Oahu. I love the long ukulele solo in this song that is backed by a strong bass
giving it an excellent beat. One of the best songs on On Fire is Carly Rose, which is a
touching mele about a little Hawaiian Girl. It features lyrics in both English and Hawaiian and
offers a wonderful vocals by Troy and Ernie.
I really appreciate the version of Jimmy Buffet's Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
that is included on the CD. The Boys give this song a Tropical Hawaiian style. I am a Jimmy
Buffet fan, but I have to admit that I actually like the Ka'au Crater Boy's version of this song
better than the original version by Jimmy Buffet. I have heard many people yelling out for this
song to be played at their concerts.
One thing that I really appreciate about the Ka'au Crater Boys is the range of music that they
explore. Who else could combine contemporary music, reggae, country, and top 40 on one album
and make me beg for more? Sioux City Sue and Goodbye I'm Leaving are solid
country performances and are mixed in with the Reggae tune I Like to Play the Reggae.
Their style is so unique that they seem to handle all music types with ease.
Of course I can't leave out the title cut On Fire. This is a wonderful instrumental
featuring Troy on the Ukulele. Pick up this CD or any CD by the Ka'au Crater Boys. You'll
be glad you did.
The CD contains the following:
This is a 4 coconut CD, an excellent addition to your Hawaiian Music collection.
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5 Coconuts - These CD's are must have CD's that every Hawaiian Music fan should have in their collection. They are classics that you will play over and over for years. The quality of the music is excellent. |
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4 Coconuts - These CD's are highly recommended. Although they are not necessarily classics, most Hawaiian Music Fans will really enjoy them. |
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3 Coconuts - These are CD's that some people will love, but others will not care for as much. Overall, though, they contain good quality music and are a nice addition to your collection. |
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2 Coconuts - These are good CD's, but won't appeal to everyone. |
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1 Coconut - These CD's would only appeal to a small percentage of people... like the artist's auntie ;-) |
Because a large percentage of our e-mail are requests for CD recommendations, our reviews will typically focus on CD's ranked 4 and 5 coconuts, with a few 3 coconut CD's sprinkled in.