Hawaiian Concert Guide

Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show 701
Hoʻi Ke Aloha – A Return to Love
Aloha mai kākou, and welcome to another beautiful journey through the sounds of Hawaiʻi. In this episode of the Hawaiian Concert Guide, we share a thoughtfully curated set of mele that flows from intimate contemporary recordings to treasured traditional expressions, with a playful stop in our Exotica segment along the way.
Featured in this show are performances by Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter, Gregory Juan, Kamalei Kawaa, Les Waikikings, and Hoʻokena. Together, these artists bring forward themes of aloha, hula, cherished places, treasured lei, beloved flowers, and the enduring beauty of Hawaiian poetry and song.
Episode Overview
We begin with two selections from Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter’s Hoʻi Ke Aloha - EP, setting a warm and inviting tone for the episode. Her recordings offer a graceful balance of modern polish and deep Hawaiian feeling, drawing the listener into songs that feel both personal and rooted in place.
From there, Gregory Juan’s album Kauluwehi carries us further into the heart of Hawaiian composition, with mele that suggest affection, honor, and poetic imagery. Kamalei Kawaa follows with songs from Mānaiakalani, including material inspired by native flora and enduring love.
Our Exotica segment offers a change in color and texture with Les Waikikings and their lighthearted, lounge-inflected hapa haole stylings. To close the show, Hoʻokena reminds us why their harmonies and emotional depth remain so beloved in Hawaiian music.
Playlist
Pālolo – Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter
Album: Hoʻi Ke Aloha - EP
Duration: 3:17
Ipo Hula – Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter
Album: Hoʻi Ke Aloha - EP
Duration: 3:09
He Mele no Ka Pāoʻo – Gregory Juan
Album: Kauluwehi
Duration: 2:42
He Lei no Hiʻilei – Gregory Juan
Album: Kauluwehi
Duration: 3:21
Pua ʻĀhihi – Kamalei Kawaa
Album: Mānaiakalani
Duration: 4:06
Forevermore – Kamalei Kawaa
Album: Mānaiakalani
Duration: 3:13
Exotica Segment Intro – pik00
Category: Promo
Duration: 4:10
Pagan love song – Les Waikikings
Album: Hapa haole with a twist
Duration: 2:46
Aloha means I love you – Les Waikikings
Album: Hapa haole with a twist
Duration: 2:08
Nou e Keali`i – Ho'okena
Album: Ho'okena 5
Duration: 3:30
Pua 'A'ali'i – Ho'okena
Album: Ho'okena 5
Duration: 3:38
Track Notes
Pālolo – Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter
This opening selection gently establishes the mood for the program. With a title that invokes Pālolo, the song feels grounded in a sense of place and memory. The performance carries a warm, personal quality, inviting the listener into the episode with tenderness and quiet strength.
Ipo Hula – Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter
A title like “Ipo Hula” evokes affection, beauty, and movement. This track continues the soft, graceful opening set and feels naturally connected to the language of dance and love. It is a fitting companion piece to “Pālolo,” extending the emotional intimacy of the first portion of the show.
He Mele no Ka Pāoʻo – Gregory Juan
Gregory Juan brings a more traditional compositional sensibility, and this mele carries the weight of tribute and poetic intention. Songs beginning with “He Mele no…” often feel dedicated, purposeful, and rooted in the Hawaiian practice of honoring people, places, or cherished subjects through song.
He Lei no Hiʻilei – Gregory Juan
The imagery of the lei is central in Hawaiian poetic expression, symbolizing love, honor, remembrance, and adornment. This song suggests something lovingly woven together and offered with care, continuing the episode’s recurring themes of affection and connection.
Pua ʻĀhihi – Kamalei Kawaa
With “pua” in the title, this mele turns our attention toward the floral world so often celebrated in Hawaiian song. Native plants and blossoms carry rich symbolic meaning, and this track adds a sense of natural beauty and delicacy to the program. Kamalei Kawaa’s performance helps bridge traditional themes with a contemporary recording sensibility.
Forevermore – Kamalei Kawaa
This selection broadens the emotional palette of the episode with a title that speaks directly to lasting love and devotion. Following “Pua ʻĀhihi,” it serves as a modern reflection on enduring affection while remaining at home in the overall flow of the show.
Exotica Segment Intro – pik00
Our Exotica segment intro signals a shift in atmosphere, opening the door to a more playful and stylized musical space. It gives the show a fun mid-episode change of pace while still keeping the island mood alive.
Pagan love song – Les Waikikings
Les Waikikings bring a retro lounge flavor to the episode with this exotica-inflected hapa haole performance. The sound recalls an earlier era of island-themed popular music, where romance and escapist imagery were part of the appeal. It offers a contrasting texture to the more deeply rooted Hawaiian selections elsewhere in the show.
Aloha means I love you – Les Waikikings
This charming and direct title captures the accessible, sentimental appeal of the hapa haole tradition. Placed after “Pagan love song,” it keeps the Exotica segment light and nostalgic before the program returns to more emotionally grounded Hawaiian harmonies.
Nou e Keali`i – Ho'okena
Hoʻokena’s unmistakable vocal blend brings immediate depth and resonance. This track feels reverent and heartfelt, and the group’s delivery reminds listeners why they remain one of the most respected names in contemporary Hawaiian music. Their harmonies add emotional gravity as the episode moves toward its conclusion.
Pua 'A'ali'i – Ho'okena
Closing with a flower song is especially fitting for this episode. The ʻaʻaliʻi is often associated with resilience and steadfastness, making this an especially meaningful ending. Hoʻokena sends us out with beauty, strength, and a deep sense of Hawaiian identity.
Featured Artists
Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter
Gregory Juan
Kamalei Kawaa
Les Waikikings
Hoʻokena
Closing
Mahalo for joining us for Hawaiian Concert Guide Show 701. This episode is a musical lei woven from songs of love, flowers, hula, memory, and enduring aloha. From the contemporary voices of Christy Leinaʻala Lassiter, Gregory Juan, and Kamalei Kawaa, to the nostalgic charm of Les Waikikings, and the rich harmonies of Hoʻokena, this show celebrates the many colors of Hawaiian music.
E mālama pono, a hui hou, and thank you for supporting the music and artists of Hawaiʻi.

Aloha, and welcome to a truly historic moment! Today we celebrate Show 700 of the Hawaiian Concert Guide.
Reaching 700 episodes is often referred to as a "Golden Milestone" in broadcasting. It signifies excellence, resilience, and a legacy that has stood the test of time. To honor this occasion, we’ve assembled a playlist that spans the spectrum of the Hawaiian sound—from sacred ancestral chants to the whimsical "Hapa Haole" revival.
The Legacy of the Land: Gregory Juan
We open our 700th celebration with Gregory Juan, an artist whose work from the album Kauluwehi serves as a bridge between past and present.
'O Waimea e Hōʻala: This powerful opening track was written by Gregory’s grandfather, the late cultural advocate Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr. It is a tribute to the sacred ahupua‘a of Waimea, Maui, serving as an "awakening" song that reminds us of our ancestral ties to the land.

Pua Melie: A beloved classic by Aunty Edith Kanaka‘ole. While the melie (plumeria) is beautiful to the eye, the song’s deeper kauna (hidden meaning) honors the harmony of voices in the Keaukaha community.

Modern Vibrations: Kamalei Kawaa
Next, we feature the soulful, award-winning sounds of Kamalei Kawaa from his album Mānaiakalani.
Hānaulā (feat. Kainani Kahaunaele): A masterful collaboration celebrating the mountainous beauty of West Maui. The interplay between Kamalei and the legendary Kainani Kahaunaele is a highlight of contemporary Hawaiian vocal arrangement.

Ku'u Aloha: A tender track that showcases Kamalei’s signature falsetto. It is a song of pure affection, bridging the love between people and the ‘āina.

The Spirit of Slack Key: Kawika Kahiapo
It wouldn't be Show 700 without the rhythmic grace of Kawika Kahiapo.
Pule: Featuring an oration by Kumu Hula Chinky Mahoe, this track is a profound moment of prayer and gratitude. It is the perfect spiritual "center" for our milestone episode.

In Living Color: This track features the "3D" collaboration (Del Beazley, David Kahiapo, and Dwight Kanae), offering a bright, jazz-influenced celebration of the vibrant life in the islands today.

Special Feature: The French Exotica Revival
A major highlight of this episode is our exclusive interview with the French Exotica band, Les Waikikings. We had a fantastic time chatting with them about their passion for the "Hapa Haole" sound and how a group from France became masters of this vintage island genre.
Their perspective on the global influence of Hawaiian music is fascinating, and their dedication to the "twist" on traditional styles is truly inspiring.
Te manu pukarua: A high-energy Polynesian classic reimagined with shimmering steel guitars and lush percussion.

Native Love: A haunting, atmospheric piece that captures the dreamlike, escapist spirit of the 1950s "Golden Age" of Exotica.

The Foundation: Ho'okena
We close our 700th show with the unmistakable harmonies of Ho'okena, whose work from the album Ho'okena 5 remains a pillar of the genre.
From a Dancer: A stunning Hawaiian-style cover of the Jackson Browne classic. Ho'okena turns this folk-rock masterpiece into a beautiful island tribute to the cycle of life.

Windward Side: A nostalgic "love letter" to the Windward coast of O‘ahu. It captures the trade winds and the mist on the Koolau mountains, ending our 700th episode on a note of pure, graceful Aloha.

Mahalo for being part of the first 700 shows. Here’s to the next 700!

Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show 699
Theme: He Mele Inoa
Opening Set – Gregory Juan (Album: Kauluwehi)
He Mele Inoa no Kauluwehi (1:49)
Artist: Gregory Juan
Album: Kauluwehi
Language: Hawaiian
We open Show 699 with a traditional mele inoa — a name chant honoring Kauluwehi. In Hawaiian culture, a mele inoa is more than a song; it is a formal proclamation of identity, lineage, and character. These chants carry mana (spiritual power) and often highlight the beauty, traits, and ancestral ties of the person being honored.
Listen for:
Traditional chant phrasing
Sparse, respectful instrumentation
Emphasis on pronunciation and cadence
Honokahua Nani E (4:02)
Artist: Gregory Juan
Album: Kauluwehi
Language: Hawaiian
This song honors Honokahua, an area in West Maui known for its cultural and archaeological significance. The word nani means “beautiful,” and the song reflects deep admiration for the land.
Themes:
Love of place (mele ʻāina)
Natural imagery
Cultural remembrance
Kamalei Kawaʻa – Album: Mānaiakalani
Hālaulani (3:31)
Artist: Kamalei Kawaʻa
Album: Mānaiakalani
Language: Hawaiian
A graceful contemporary Hawaiian composition. The title suggests heavenly or chiefly associations (lani meaning heaven or royalty). Kamalei blends traditional phrasing with modern melodic structure.
Clean acoustic arrangement
Strong falsetto phrasing
Contemporary Hawaiian production style
Kālepa (3:22)
Artist: Kamalei Kawaʻa
Album: Mānaiakalani
Language: Hawaiian
“Kālepa” references a name — possibly a person or a poetic symbol. In many Hawaiian compositions, personal names stand in for cherished relationships or deeper metaphors.
Storytelling lyric structure
Light, flowing rhythm
Clear enunciation of Hawaiian text
Kawika Kahiapo – Album: Kuʻu Manaʻo
Ka Makani Kaʻili Aloha (5:50)
Artist: Kawika Kahiapo
Album: Kuʻu Manaʻo
Language: Hawaiian
Translated as “The Wind That Snatches Away Love,” this song uses classic Hawaiian metaphor, where wind represents emotional change, separation, or longing.
Rich acoustic guitar
Emotional vocal phrasing
Poetic metaphor rooted in natural forces
Kaulana Makapuʻu (4:43)
Artist: Kawika Kahiapo
Album: Kuʻu Manaʻo
Language: Hawaiian
Makapuʻu on Oʻahu’s eastern shoreline is known for its lighthouse and powerful ocean views. This mele celebrates place with vivid imagery — cliffs, winds, and sea spray.
Pride of place
Coastal imagery
Deep knowledge of ʻāina
Les Waikīkings – Album: Hapa Haole with a Twist
Papio (2:13)
Artist: Les Waikīkings
Album: Hapa Haole with a Twist
Genre: Exotica
A playful instrumental shift. “Papio” refers to a young jackfish common in Hawaiian waters. This track blends vintage steel guitar textures and surf-era island rhythm.
The Hukilau (1:57)
Artist: Les Waikīkings
Album: Hapa Haole with a Twist
Genre: Exotica
A classic hapa haole standard celebrating the communal fishing tradition of the hukilau. The hukilau emphasizes cooperation — everyone pulling the net together.
Ho‘okena – Album: Ho‘okena 5
Hawaiian Soul (4:32)
Artist: Ho‘okena
Album: Ho‘okena 5
Language: Hawaiian
Written by Jon Osorio, this powerful anthem honors George Helm, a key figure in the Hawaiian cultural renaissance and the movement to protect Kahoʻolawe.
Sovereignty
Cultural revival
Protection of land
Heha Waipiʻo (3:49)
Artist: Ho‘okena
Album: Ho‘okena 5
Language: Hawaiian
A closing tribute to Waipiʻo Valley on Hawaiʻi Island — a place of dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and deep historical significance. “Heha” conveys awe and admiration.
Tight multi-part harmony
Traditional lyrical cadence
Deep connection to ʻāina
Show 699 Flow Summary
Traditional name chant and mele ʻāina
Contemporary Hawaiian songwriting
Emotional metaphor and wind imagery
Retro hapa haole exotica interlude
Cultural anthem and powerful harmonies
A beautiful arc — from honoring a name, to honoring land, to honoring culture itself.

🌺🎧 Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show #698
Illumination, Identity & Island Imagination
This week’s episode is built around a powerful theme: light, place, memory, and musical identity. From spiritually grounded Hawaiian mele to contemporary songwriting, slack key reflections, and a splash of mid-century exotica, Show #698 travels wide — and then brings us beautifully home.
🌿 Opening with Light – Kahiau Lam Ho
We begin with the luminous voice of Kahiau Lam Ho, whose album Hoʻomālamalama (“to illuminate”) frames the emotional tone of this episode.
✨ “Hoʻomālamalama” (feat. Stephen Inglis) A glowing collaboration with master guitarist Stephen Inglis. The arrangement is spacious and reverent, allowing Kahiau’s voice to rise with clarity and purpose. This song sets the spiritual and reflective tone of the show.
✨ “The One They Call Hawai‘i” A thoughtful meditation on identity — not the tourist postcard version, but the deeper Hawaiʻi shaped by culture, ʻāina, and lived experience. It’s contemporary in sound, yet firmly rooted in tradition.
🌺 Island Warmth – Kamalei Kawaa
From introspection we shift into melodic warmth with Kamalei Kawaa.
🌸 “Maui Girl (Special Version)” Light, breezy, and heartfelt — this track captures island romance with sincerity and charm.
🌸 “Hula’s Song” A gentle tribute to the cultural heartbeat of Hawaiʻi. The rhythm sways naturally, evoking the movement and grace of hula and the ʻike passed from kumu to haumāna.
🎸 Reflection & Perspective – Kawika Kahiapo
Next comes the expressive artistry of Kawika Kahiapo, blending singer-songwriter storytelling with slack key sensitivity.
🎶 “The Way It Is” Honest and grounded, this song carries lyrical introspection supported by Kawika’s fluid guitar phrasing.
🎶 “Another Time” A nostalgic reflection that feels both personal and universal. There’s space in this arrangement — room to think, to remember, and to feel.
🗺️ A Mid-Century Escape – Exotica Interlude
Then we take a playful turn into tropical imagination and retro island fantasy.
🌴 The Waitiki 7 – “Adventures in Paradise” Vibraphones shimmer, percussion dances lightly, and the soundscape becomes cinematic. It’s a stylized escape — colorful and transportive.
🌴 Les Waikikings – “Minoi Minoi” Hapa-haole charm with a twist. Lighthearted, rhythmic, and unmistakably vintage — a nod to how Hawaiʻi was imagined in mid-century pop culture.
🌊 Returning Home – Hoʻokena
We close with the rich harmonies of Hoʻokena, grounding the show once again in place and tradition.
🌺 “Aloha Hōnaunau” A heartfelt tribute to the sacred and historic district of Hōnaunau on Hawaiʻi Island. The harmonies are full and reverent, honoring the mana of place.
🌺 “Hilo Nani e” An affectionate celebration of Hilo — lush, rainy, beloved. A joyful and satisfying conclusion to a beautifully balanced episode.
🎧 Why This Show Matters
Show #698 explores:
• Illumination through faith and cultural identity • The warmth of contemporary Hawaiian songwriting • Reflection through slack key artistry • The playful imagination of exotica • And a grounding return to ʻāina and harmony
It’s modern yet rooted. Reflective yet joyful. A musical journey across time and place — all anchored in aloha.
🎧 Listen now and let the music illuminate your week.
Mahalo for supporting Hawaiian music and for keeping these stories alive. 🌺✨🤙

🌺 Hawaiian Concert Guide
Show #697 – Contemporary Voices, Classic Spirit & a Touch of Exotica
In this episode of the Hawaiian Concert Guide, we take a graceful journey through modern Hawaiian songwriting, timeless mele, masterful slack key guitar, and even a playful detour into vintage exotica. Show #697 highlights the deep respect today’s artists have for tradition—while confidently adding their own voices to the ongoing Hawaiian musical story.
🎶 Kamalei Kawaa – Mānaiakalani
We open the show with Kamalei Kawaa’s soulful and reverent work from his album Mānaiakalani. The title track sets the tone with poetic Hawaiian language and a sense of spiritual grounding that immediately draws the listener in.
“Mānaiakalani” A reflective and uplifting mele that speaks to divine sustenance and guidance, carried by Kamalei’s smooth, confident vocals.

“Lei Pakalana” (feat. Kamaehu Kawa‘a) A beautiful collaboration celebrating the fragrant pakalana lei. The song weaves romance, place, and memory together, enhanced by the warm blend of voices and traditional musical sensibility.

🌿 Kahiau Lam Ho – Hoʻomālamalama
From one of Hawaiʻi’s most respected young voices, Kahiau Lam Ho delivers songs rooted in faith, ʻike kupuna (ancestral knowledge), and lyrical elegance.
“Ka Lehua I Milia” A gentle, poetic mele centered on the beloved lehua flower—symbolic of love, resilience, and connection to the land.

“E Mililani O Iehova” A powerful expression of spiritual devotion, blending Hawaiian language hymnody with Kahiau’s signature clarity and emotional depth.

🎸 Kawika Kahiapo – Kuʻu Manaʻo
Slack key guitar artistry takes center stage with Kawika Kahiapo, whose playing is both technically brilliant and emotionally expressive.
“Life in These Islands” A thoughtful instrumental that paints a musical portrait of island life—its rhythms, calm, and complexity—through Kawika’s masterful guitar work.

“Aloha Kaua” Translating to “love of war” or “conflicted love,” this piece balances tension and beauty, reflecting Kawika’s ability to tell layered stories without words.

🗺️ The Waitiki 7 – Adventures in Paradise
We then take a playful and unexpected turn into exotica with The Waitiki 7, a band known for reviving and reimagining mid-century tiki lounge sounds.
“Octopus Menagerie” Whimsical, cinematic, and fun—this track feels like a soundtrack to a surreal underwater adventure.

“Mood Indigo” A lush and moody reinterpretation that blends jazz roots with exotica flair, adding a sophisticated twist to the show’s flow.

🌊 Hoʻokena – Hoʻokena 5
We close the show by returning to the heart of Hawaiian music with Hoʻokena, whose harmonies and musicianship remain timeless.
“Aloha Mai e Pele” A respectful and evocative tribute to Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and creation, delivered with sincerity and cultural reverence.

“Ka Wahine Lewa i ke Kai” A lively and well-loved mele celebrating the grace and strength of a woman moving through the sea—an uplifting way to conclude the episode.

🎧 Final Thoughts
Show #697 is a wonderful snapshot of Hawaiian music today—deeply rooted, spiritually aware, musically adventurous, and joyfully expressive. From heartfelt mele and virtuosic slack key to a splash of exotica fun, this episode honors the past while celebrating the present.
Mahalo for listening, and as always, keep Hawaiian music playing wherever you are 🌈🎶