Hawaiian Concert Guide

🌺🎙️ HAWAIIAN CONCERT GUIDE — SHOW 710 🎙️🌺
🍌 “HORMONAL BANANAS” 🍌
This week’s Hawaiian Concert Guide takes a musical journey through Hawaiʻi as home, memory, place, identity, imagination — and occasionally something wonderfully unexpected.
Show 710 moves from some of today’s most compelling Hawaiian recording artists into classic exotica and vintage Hollywood Hawaiʻi, with plenty of musical and cultural connections along the way.
🎶 PLAYLIST
1. Kimié Miner — “Kuʻu Hawaiʻi” — 3:55
Album: Kuʻu Hawaiʻi
We open with Kimié Miner and the title track from her five-song Kuʻu Hawaiʻi EP.
Kimié has built a career that moves naturally between contemporary Hawaiian music, acoustic singer-songwriter material, reggae, island pop and modern production. She is also the founder of Haku Collective and has become an important advocate for Hawaiʻi-based artists and music.
Her earlier work earned major Nā Hōkū Hanohano recognition, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Bamboo.”
The title Kuʻu Hawaiʻi can be understood as “My Hawaiʻi” or, with the emotional weight carried by kuʻu, something closer to “My beloved Hawaiʻi.”
That makes this a particularly appropriate way to open Show 710 because much of tonight’s program explores how different musicians experience, remember and interpret Hawaiʻi.
🌺
2. Kimié Miner feat. Kalaʻe — “Sippin’ Somethin’” — 3:56
Album: Kuʻu Hawaiʻi
We stay with Kimié’s EP but shift into a lighter collaboration featuring Kalaʻe Camarillo.
The track sits comfortably between island music, acoustic pop and country. That country influence is not as unusual in Hawaiian music as someone unfamiliar with the islands might think.
Hawaiʻi has a long musical relationship with American country traditions through paniolo culture, steel guitar, acoustic instrumentation and vocal harmony.
Kalaʻe himself comes from a musical family and is a third-generation music teacher. Earlier in his career, he performed with his brother Kamaka as the Camarillo Brothers before establishing his solo career.
This track also gives us the perfect bridge into more of Kalaʻe’s music later in the show.
🌴
3. Baba Tavares — “Keʻei” — 1:40
Album: Hanohano Hōnaunau
Next we travel to Hawaiʻi Island with Baba Tavares.
Baba Tavares is Joshua Tavares, and Hanohano Hōnaunau is an unusually place-centered project.
The songs originated in connection with his play Glitter in the Paʻakai, produced through the Hawaiian Theatre program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in February 2024.
Tavares describes the EP as a huakaʻi — a journey through Kona Hema and through the places that raised and nourished his family.
That context matters.
“Keʻei” is not simply a song borrowing the name of a picturesque Hawaiian location. The place itself is connected to genealogy, home, ʻohana and lived experience.
At only 1:40, the song almost functions like a musical vignette — one brief stop on that journey through Kona Hema.
Pronunciation note:
Keʻei — approximately keh-EH-ee, with the ʻokina creating a distinct break between the sounds.
🌊
4. Baba Tavares — “Hanohano Hōnaunau” — 2:04
Album: Hanohano Hōnaunau
The journey continues with the title track.
Hanohano carries meanings associated with honor, dignity, distinction and glory, making the title an expression of respect and admiration for Hōnaunau.
Hōnaunau is one of the most culturally significant areas on Hawaiʻi Island.
Nearby Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau preserves an ancient Hawaiian royal center and place of refuge associated with the traditional kapu system.
Baba Tavares also had an exceptional year at the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, receiving:
🏆 Most Promising Artist
🏆 Hawaiian EP of the Year — Hanohano Hōnaunau
So if Baba Tavares is a new name to you, Hawaiʻi’s recording community has already provided two very good reasons to remember it.
One important way to hear these songs is not simply as descriptions of beautiful places.
Tavares describes them as songs tied to home and ʻohana.
In Hawaiian music, geography frequently functions as far more than scenery.
Place can carry family history, ancestry, memory and identity.
🌺
5. Kalaʻe Camarillo — “Born Again” — 3:44
Album: Drifting On Island Time
Kalaʻe Camarillo returns, this time with music from his own album Drifting On Island Time, released in August 2025.
Kalaʻe’s career has steadily gained recognition.
His earlier album Feel at Home won Contemporary Acoustic Album of the Year, while later work including “Sands of Old Lahaina” brought additional recognition.
And at the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards:
🏆 Drifting On Island Time won Contemporary Album of the Year.
“Born Again” gives us a chance to hear something beyond simply the album’s obvious headline tracks.
Kalaʻe’s music often has a very conversational quality.
Rather than sounding overly produced or formal, his songs often feel like someone sitting nearby, instrument in hand, telling you a story.
🌴
6. Kalaʻe Camarillo — “Down In Makena” — 3:31
Album: Drifting On Island Time
We stay with Kalaʻe and travel musically to Mākena on Maui’s south shore.
“Down In Makena” gives us another example of something that appears repeatedly throughout Hawaiian music:
The location is not simply where the story happens.
Very often, the place is part of the story itself.
That idea connects the work of Kalaʻe Camarillo with Baba Tavares, Kimié Miner and generations of Hawaiian composers before them.
Place names in Hawaiian music can contain stories about family, love, historical events, landscapes, people and personal memories that are invisible to someone simply looking at a map.
🌺
7. Ei Nei — “Hawaiʻi Forever” — 2:56
Album: Ei Nei, Look At Us
Bonus Track
Next we hear the beautiful three-part harmony of Ei Nei.
Ei Nei consists of:
🎤 Dane Fujiwara
🎤 Grant Kono
🎤 ʻEkolu Chang
The trio formed in 2016 and has built its sound around close vocal harmony, mele Hawaiʻi, original music and contemporary interpretations of Hawaiian songs.
Their album Ei Nei, Look At Us mixes original compositions with reimagined classics.
“Hawaiʻi Forever” is particularly significant because Ei Nei submitted the song for Nā Hōkū consideration in both:
• Single of the Year
• Song of the Year
The group also had a very strong showing at the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards:
🏆 Ei Nei, Look At Us won Island Music Album of the Year.
By this point in Show 710, we’ve already heard four distinctly different approaches to contemporary Hawaiian music:
Kimié Miner
Baba Tavares
Kalaʻe Camarillo
Ei Nei
Together, they provide an interesting snapshot of what recorded Hawaiian music looks and sounds like in 2025–2026.
🇯🇵🌺
8. Ei Nei — “Yappa Sukiyanen” — 3:52
Album: Ei Nei, Look At Us
Bonus Track
This may be the most unexpected song in Show 710.
“Yappa Sukiyanen” — やっぱ好きやねん — is closely associated with Osaka singer and television personality Takajin Yashiki.
The original single was released on:
📅 September 21, 1986
That means September 2026 marks the song’s 40th anniversary.
The title uses Kansai/Osaka-style speech and roughly expresses:
❤️ “After all, I still love you.”
or
❤️ “I really do love you after all.”
Ei Nei performing the song creates a fascinating musical connection between Hawaiʻi and Japan.
That relationship has deep historical roots through immigration, family connections, tourism, food, language and generations of cultural exchange.
So although the track initially seems like an unexpected diversion, it actually fits the broader story of Hawaiʻi extraordinarily well.
And because the original was released almost exactly forty years before Show 710, the timing could hardly be better.
🎋🌴
9. Martin Denny — “Japanese Farewell Song” — 2:24
Album: Exotica II
Our Japanese connection provides the perfect transition into one of the most influential musicians associated with the mid-century exotica movement:
Martin Denny.
Exotica Volume II was released in 1958 following the extraordinary success of Denny’s earlier Exotica album.
The musicians associated with the project included:
🎹 Martin Denny — piano, celeste and arrangements
🥁 Arthur Lyman — vibes, marimba, xylophone and percussion
🦜 Augie Colón — percussion and the famous bird-call effects
🎸 Bernard Miller — bass
🎷 Jack Shoop — flute and saxophone
🥁 Roy Harte — drums and percussion
“Japanese Farewell Song,” also known as “Sayonara,” appears as track three.
Martin Denny’s music occupies an interesting place in Hawaiian musical history.
Exotica wasn't traditional Hawaiian music.
Instead, it represented a mid-century American fantasy of the Pacific — blending Hawaiian, Japanese, Asian, Latin and imagined tropical elements into a stylized lounge sound.
That distinction makes exotica particularly interesting today.
It tells us something not only about music, but about how mainland America imagined Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific during the 1950s.
🌴🎶
10. Martin Denny — “Singing Bamboos” — 2:10
Album: Exotica II
We continue directly into track four of Exotica Volume II.
“Singing Bamboos” demonstrates one of the qualities that made Martin Denny’s recordings so distinctive:
texture.
Instead of focusing entirely on melody, the arrangement creates atmosphere through:
• percussion
• mallet instruments
• unusual timbres
• spatial effects
• bird calls
• carefully constructed tropical ambience
That sound became closely associated with the tiki and lounge culture boom of the 1950s and early 1960s.
You can almost imagine the record spinning inside a dark Polynesian-themed cocktail lounge with bamboo walls, carved tiki figures and glowing lamps.
And that brings us directly into another major American interpretation of Hawaiʻi from almost exactly the same period.
🎬🌺
11. Elvis Presley — “Ku-U-I-Po” — 2:22
Album: Blue Hawaii
Few Hollywood productions shaped mainland America’s romantic image of Hawaiʻi more strongly than Blue Hawaii.
“Ku-U-I-Po” was recorded on:
📅 March 21, 1961
at Radio Recorders in Hollywood for the film.
The soundtrack was released later that year on:
📅 October 20, 1961
The song was written by:
Hugo Peretti
Luigi Creatore
George David Weiss
The recording session featured an extraordinary group of musicians including:
🎸 Hank Garland
🎸 Scotty Moore
🎹 Floyd Cramer
🎷 Boots Randolph
🎸 Alvino Rey — steel guitar
🪕 Fred Tavares — ʻukulele
🪕 Bernie Lewis — ʻukulele
Vocals were supported by The Jordanaires and The Surfers.
The title uses an older spelling of the Hawaiian phrase:
kuʻu ipo
meaning approximately:
❤️ “my sweetheart”
❤️ “my beloved”
One particularly interesting musician in those sessions is Fred Tavares.
Tavares came from the legendary Hawaiian Tavares musical family and later became closely associated with Fender, contributing significantly to the development of electric and steel guitars.
“Ku-U-I-Po” is one of the gentler and more affectionate pieces from the Blue Hawaii soundtrack.
And then Elvis takes us from sweetheart…
…to supper.
🍽️🌺
12. Elvis Presley — “Ito Eats” — 1:23
Album: Blue Hawaii
“Ito Eats” was recorded one day later:
📅 March 22, 1961
The song was written by the prolific songwriting partnership of:
Sid Tepper
Roy C. Bennett
Much of the same remarkable session team appears on this recording.
But this track represents a very different side of Hollywood Hawaiʻi.
“Ito Eats” is unmistakably a 1961 novelty song.
Its humor revolves around a Hawaiian character who constantly eats, including fish and poi.
Some of its characterization reflects stereotypes that were common in mainland entertainment during that period.
That distinction is worth recognizing.
We opened Show 710 with Hawaiian artists describing and expressing Hawaiʻi from within their own communities.
We end with Hollywood presenting its version of Hawaiʻi more than sixty years ago.
Those are two very different perspectives.
And hearing them side-by-side gives us an interesting way to think about how the musical image of Hawaiʻi has evolved.
🌺🌺🌺
🎙️ SHOW 710 — “HORMONAL BANANAS”
The musical theme running beneath this somewhat suspicious title is:
HAWAIʻI — PLACE, MEMORY & IMAGINATION
Tonight we hear Hawaiʻi as:
🌴 Home
🌊 Geography
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 ʻOhana
🧬 Genealogy
❤️ Love
🇯🇵 Cultural connection
🎶 Musical experimentation
🌺 Nostalgia
🎬 Hollywood fantasy
The contemporary portion of the show also includes an unusually strong concentration of artists recognized at the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards:
🏆 Baba Tavares — Most Promising Artist
🏆 Hanohano Hōnaunau — Hawaiian EP of the Year
🏆 Kalaʻe Camarillo — Drifting On Island Time — Contemporary Album of the Year
🏆 Ei Nei — Ei Nei, Look At Us — Island Music Album of the Year
And tucked right in the middle is another musical coincidence:
🇯🇵 “Yappa Sukiyanen” celebrated its 40th anniversary this month, having originally been released September 21, 1986.
So Show 710 travels from contemporary Hawaiʻi…
…through Kona Hema…
…to Mākena…
…through Hawaiian-Japanese musical connections…
…into the tiki lounges of the 1950s…
…and finally onto the Hollywood set of Blue Hawaii in 1961.
All in about 34 minutes of music.
Only on Hawaiian Concert Guide.
🌺🎙️🍌
Hawaiian Concert Guide — Show 710
“Hormonal Bananas”
Place, Memory & Imagination
#HawaiianConcertGuide #Show710 #HormonalBananas #HawaiianMusic #HawaiiMusic #KimieMiner #KalaeCamarillo #BabaTavares #EiNei #MartinDenny #ElvisPresley #BlueHawaii #NaHokuHanohano #MeleHawaii #HawaiianCulture #Exotica #Ukulele #Aloha

This week's playlist continues the progression from modern Hawaiian music through cultural tradition, classic exotica, and Hollywood's enduring Hawaiian legacy. The selections also feature several of the biggest winners and nominees from the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, making this an excellent showcase of today's Hawaiian music scene alongside historic recordings.
1. Oli Pule
Artist: Baba Tavares Album: Hanohano Hōnaunau (2025) Length: 1:07
About the Artist
Joshua "Baba" Tavares is one of Hawaiʻi's brightest emerging Hawaiian-language composers. His debut EP Hanohano Hōnaunau earned:
2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Hawaiian EP of the Year
Baba Tavares named Most Promising Artist of the Year.
Song Background
"Oli Pule" is not intended as entertainment.
It is an oli—a traditional Hawaiian chant—and specifically a prayer chant that opens the entire EP.
According to Baba Tavares, the chant:
is rooted in scripture
encourages listeners to be wiwoʻole (courageous)
reminds us to lead with aloha
asks for naʻauao (wisdom)
The chant establishes the spiritual foundation before beginning the musical journey through South Kona.
Musical Notes
Unlike western songs:
no verse/chorus format
rhythmic spoken chant
emphasizes pronunciation and mana (spiritual power)
accompanied only lightly
It immediately transports listeners into Hawaiian cultural practice.
Suggested On-Air Introduction
"We're opening today's program in the traditional Hawaiian way—with prayer. Baba Tavares begins his award-winning EP not with a song, but with an oli, asking for courage, wisdom, and aloha before the musical journey begins."
2. Nāpoʻopoʻo
Artist: Baba Tavares Length: 2:02
Background
Nāpoʻopoʻo is a historic village on the western coast of Hawaiʻi Island in South Kona.
The area is famous for:
Kealakekua Bay
Captain James Cook Monument
ancient Hawaiian settlements
fishing traditions
lava coastline
The EP travels geographically through Baba's homeland, and "Nāpoʻopoʻo" is the first destination after the opening prayer.
Musical Style
Traditional Hawaiian
Features:
gentle acoustic accompaniment
Hawaiian language lyrics
relaxed storytelling
strong sense of place
The song feels like walking quietly along Kona's shoreline in the early morning.
Interesting Fact
The ipu percussion on this track is performed by Baba's mother, Kuʻuipo Tavares, making the recording a true family collaboration.
3. Kula Country Morning
Artist: Kalaʻe Camarillo Album: Drifting On Island Time Length: 3:55
About the Artist
Kalaʻe Camarillo
born and raised in Kīhei, Maui
third-generation musician
music educator
multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner
Kanikapila Kumu at Kamehameha Schools
His newest album won:
2026 Contemporary Album of the Year.
About Kula
Kula sits high on the slopes of Haleakalā.
Known for:
cool mornings
farms
ranches
protea flowers
coffee
panoramic views
The song paints an audio picture of waking up in Upcountry Maui.
Musical Feel
Country influence mixed with:
Hawaiian acoustic guitar
contemporary island pop
relaxed vocal harmonies
Rather than beach music, this celebrates Maui's agricultural heart.
4. When I Miss You
Artist: Kalaʻe Camarillo Length: 3:33
Theme
A heartfelt contemporary island love song.
Unlike many traditional Hawaiian standards, this reflects today's local songwriting:
family
distance
relationships
longing
The production blends Nashville-style country influences with Hawaiian warmth.
Musical Characteristics
acoustic guitars
polished harmonies
modern country rhythm
island production
It demonstrates how Hawaiian music continues to evolve while retaining its emotional sincerity.
5. Hawaiʻi Forever (Bonus Track)
Artist: Ei Nei Album: Ei Nei, Look At Us Length: 2:56
Awards
"Hawaiʻi Forever" received the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Single of the Year award, while the album Ei Nei, Look At Us won Album of the Year and Island Music Album of the Year. The group Ei Nei also earned Group of the Year and Favorite Entertainer of the Year honors.
Song Theme
This is an uplifting anthem celebrating:
Hawaiian identity
cultural pride
unity
love for the islands
Although labeled as a bonus track, it became one of the year's biggest Hawaiian songs.
Host Talking Point
This may become one of the defining Hawaiian songs of the decade.
6. Yappa Sukiyanen (Bonus Track)
Background
The title is Japanese.
"Yappa Sukiyanen"
roughly means:
"I really do love you."
or
"After all...I love you."
The inclusion reflects Hawaiʻi's deep Japanese cultural heritage.
Many local families trace ancestry to Japanese immigrants who arrived during the plantation era.
The song serves as a musical bridge between Hawaiian and Japanese cultures.
7. Soshu Night Serenade
Artist: Martin Denny Album: Exotica II Length: 2:11
About Martin Denny
Martin Denny virtually created the Exotica genre.
His music mixed:
jazz
Asian influences
Polynesian percussion
bird calls
vibraphone
lounge music
He became synonymous with the romantic image of tropical paradise during the 1950s.
About the Song
"Soshu" references Japan's historic Sōshū Province.
The piece evokes:
moonlit evenings
Japanese gardens
gentle romance
Its delicate orchestration contrasts nicely with the more tropical selections.
8. Island of Dreams
Artist: Martin Denny Length: 2:56
Theme
Classic Exotica.
Rather than depicting an actual Hawaiian place, the song creates an imagined tropical paradise.
Typical instrumentation includes:
vibraphone
bamboo percussion
exotic bird sounds
lush orchestration
The recording captures mid-century America's fascination with the Pacific.
9. Can't Help Falling in Love
Artist: Elvis Presley Album: Blue Hawaii (1961) Length: 3:01
Historical Importance
Perhaps Elvis' most beloved ballad.
Originally written for:
Blue Hawaii (1961)
The melody is adapted from the French love song:
"Plaisir d'Amour."
Today it remains:
one of the most performed wedding songs
one of Elvis' signature recordings
among the most recognizable love songs ever recorded
Hawaiian Connection
Although not originally Hawaiian in composition, the song became permanently associated with Hawaiʻi through the movie.
Millions around the world first imagined Hawaiʻi through this soundtrack.
10. Rock-A-Hula Baby
Artist: Elvis Presley Length: 2:00
About the Song
One of the most energetic numbers from Blue Hawaii.
It combines:
early rock-and-roll
hula references
Hollywood fun
The song reflects how the early 1960s merged American pop culture with idealized images of Hawaiʻi.
Fun Fact
The Blue Hawaii soundtrack spent 20 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and became one of Elvis Presley's best-selling albums, helping shape global perceptions of Hawaiʻi for an entire generation.

Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show 708
Island Time: From Contemporary Hawaiʻi to Timeless Traditions and Classic Sounds
Featured Artists: Kalaʻe Camarillo • Ei Nei • Kaleo Phillips • Martin Denny • Elvis Presley
This week on the Hawaiian Concert Guide, we take a musical journey through five distinct eras of Hawaiʻi's musical landscape. From today's contemporary island songwriting to the rich traditions of Hawaiian language music, heartfelt songs of ʻohana, the golden age of Exotica, and the unforgettable Hollywood sound of Blue Hawaii, Show 708 celebrates the many voices that have shaped—and continue to shape—the soundtrack of the Islands.
Rather than simply presenting ten great songs, this episode tells a story. It begins with modern Hawaiʻi, explores the cultural foundations of the islands, pauses to celebrate family, then looks back at how Hawaiʻi and the Pacific were imagined through mid-century American popular culture before closing with two of the most iconic songs from Elvis Presley's legendary Blue Hawaii soundtrack.
Whether you're a lifelong fan of Hawaiian music or discovering these artists for the first time, we hope this episode reminds you why Hawaiʻi's music continues to inspire listeners around the world.
Playlist
1. Drifting On Island Time
Artist: Kalaʻe Camarillo (featuring Kalaʻe)
Album: Drifting On Island Time (2025)
We open Show 708 with one of the newest songs in Hawaiian contemporary music. The title track from Kalaʻe Camarillo's latest album immediately sets the tone—not as a tourist slogan, but as a reminder to slow down, appreciate the present moment, and embrace the lifestyle that makes Hawaiʻi unique. The relaxed groove, modern production, and catchy melody perfectly introduce today's generation of Hawaiian musicians.
Kalaʻe Camarillo, a third-generation music educator and award-winning singer-songwriter from Maui, has become one of Hawaiʻi's leading contemporary artists. His latest album features ten original songs blending island pop, acoustic influences, and heartfelt storytelling. (Maui News)
Length: 3:28
2. Gonna Have A Good Time
Artist: Kalaʻe Camarillo
Album: Drifting On Island Time (2025)
Our second selection keeps the energy flowing with an uplifting celebration of everyday life. Beneath its feel-good chorus lies a simple but meaningful message: after the work is done and the responsibilities are met, life's greatest joy comes from spending time with the people you love.
The song showcases Kalaʻe's gift for writing contemporary music that feels authentically local without relying on stereotypes. It captures the optimism and gratitude that define so much of today's island music.
Length: 2:58
3. Ka Wā Makahiki
Artist: Ei Nei
Album: Ei Nei, Look At Us
Ei Nei brings us into the heart of traditional Hawaiian culture with "Ka Wā Makahiki."
The Makahiki season marked an annual period of peace, harvest, celebration, and renewal dedicated to the Hawaiian god Lono. More than simply a festival, Makahiki represented an entire way of understanding the rhythm of nature and the passing of time.
Beautiful vocal harmonies and traditional Hawaiian lyrics remind us that Hawaiian music is deeply connected to history, language, and the land itself.
Length: 3:50
4. Star Of Gladness
Artist: Ei Nei
Album: Ei Nei, Look At Us
The title "Star of Gladness" refers to Hōkūleʻa—the "Star of Gladness"—whose name today is inseparably connected with the legendary Hawaiian voyaging canoe and the renaissance of traditional Polynesian navigation.
For ancient Polynesian navigators, stars were not simply beautiful lights in the night sky—they were maps, guides, and trusted companions across thousands of miles of open ocean.
Ei Nei's rich harmonies honor this remarkable heritage while celebrating Hawaiʻi's cultural renaissance.
Length: 4:28
5. My Island Life
Artist: Kaleo Phillips
Album: E Mama
"My Island Life" shifts the focus from Hawaiian history to personal identity.
Rather than describing Hawaiʻi as a vacation destination, Kaleo Phillips sings about what it truly means to grow up and live in the islands. Family, community, friendships, and everyday experiences become part of the meaning of "island life."
It's an honest portrait of belonging that resonates with anyone who calls Hawaiʻi home.
Length: 4:15
6. God Bless My Daddy (Acoustic)
Artist: Kaleo Phillips
Album: E Mama
The emotional centerpiece of Show 708.
This beautiful acoustic performance is a heartfelt tribute to fathers and the lasting influence parents have on our lives. Its stripped-down arrangement allows the lyrics to shine, making the song feel intimate and deeply personal.
Coming immediately after "My Island Life," the song reminds us that the people who shape us are every bit as important as the places where we live.
Sometimes the strongest songs aren't the loudest—they're the most sincere.
Length: 3:19
7. American in Bali
Artist: Martin Denny
Album: Hypnotique (1959)
Martin Denny helped create the Exotica genre during the late 1950s.
Although not traditional Hawaiian music, his recordings became inseparable from the romantic image of Hawaiʻi and the South Pacific during the tiki era. "American in Bali" blends jazz, lounge music, tropical percussion, and Asian musical colors into a uniquely American musical fantasy of the Pacific.
Recorded during the height of the Exotica movement, this selection represents an important chapter in the history of island-inspired music.
Length: 2:29
8. Japanese Sandman
Artist: Martin Denny
Album: Hypnotique (1959)
Continuing our journey through Exotica, Martin Denny reimagines the classic popular song "Japanese Sandman" with his signature atmospheric arrangements.
Bird calls, vibraphones, bamboo percussion, and Asian-inspired instrumentation create a mysterious soundscape that captivated audiences during the late 1950s.
While these recordings reflect American interpretations of Asian and Pacific cultures, they also became an influential part of Hawaiʻi's entertainment history and helped introduce many listeners to tropical-inspired music.
Length: 1:35
9. Aloha ʻOe
Artist: Elvis Presley
Album: Blue Hawaii (1961)
One of the most beloved songs ever associated with Hawaiʻi.
Originally written by Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawaiʻi's last reigning monarch, "Aloha ʻOe" has become one of the world's most recognized Hawaiian songs. Elvis' respectful performance introduced generations of moviegoers to this timeless Hawaiian farewell.
The song's title means much more than simply "goodbye." It expresses love, affection, compassion, and the hope of meeting again.
Its inclusion in Blue Hawaii helped make Hawaiian music part of American popular culture.
Length: 1:53
10. No More
Artist: Elvis Presley
Album: Blue Hawaii (1961)
We conclude this episode with another memorable selection from Blue Hawaii.
Although many listeners assume it is a traditional Hawaiian song, "No More" is actually adapted from the famous Spanish melody "La Paloma." Its appearance in Blue Hawaii beautifully illustrates how Hawaiian popular culture has long embraced musical influences from around the world.
The warm orchestration, romantic vocals, and tropical atmosphere provide a fitting conclusion to our musical journey across five eras of island music.
Length: 2:23
Featured Albums
Drifting On Island Time — Kalaʻe Camarillo (2025)

Ei Nei, Look At Us — Ei Nei

E Mama — Kaleo Phillips

Hypnotique — Martin Denny (1959)

Blue Hawaii (Expanded Edition) — Elvis Presley (1961) (Apple Music - Web Player)

This Week's Musical Journey
Show 708 follows a deliberate progression through Hawaiʻi's musical heritage:
Contemporary Hawaiʻi — Modern island songwriting with Kalaʻe Camarillo

Traditional Hawaiʻi — Hawaiian language, history, and cultural heritage with Ei Nei

ʻOhana & Island Living — Personal stories from Kaleo Phillips

The Exotica Era — Martin Denny's influential tropical soundscapes

Hollywood Hawaiʻi — Elvis Presley and the enduring legacy of Blue Hawaii

Together, these ten songs span more than six decades of music while demonstrating the remarkable diversity of Hawaiʻi's musical traditions.
Mahalo for listening to the Hawaiian Concert Guide. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with friends who love Hawaiian music. Until next time—Aloha a hui hou!

🎙️ Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show #707
From Hawaiian Cowboys to Hollywood: The Many Faces of Hawaiʻi
What makes Hawaiian music uniquely powerful? It's not just beautiful melodies—it's the story of a people, their land, their faith, and the way the world has imagined paradise. This week's playlist takes listeners on a musical journey spanning more than a century of Hawaiian history and culture.
🤠 The Real Hawaiʻi Begins with the Paniolo
We open with Ei Nei's Hanohano Wale Nō Nā Cowboy (Cowboy Hula), celebrating Hawaiʻi's proud paniolo (cowboy) heritage. Many people don't realize that Hawaiian cowboys have roots stretching back to the early 1800s, when Mexican vaqueros came to teach Hawaiians how to manage the wild cattle introduced by Captain George Vancouver. The paniolo culture of Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island became one of the oldest ranching traditions in the United States—long before the American West became famous.
Ei Nei reminds us that Hawaiʻi is more than palm trees and beaches. It is a land of hardworking ranchers, rich traditions, and generations of family heritage.
🚒 Celebrating Everyday Island Life
Ka‘a Ahi Kahului brings a playful look at everyday life on Maui. Songs like this are uniquely Hawaiian because they celebrate ordinary local experiences rather than romanticized island imagery. They remind us that authentic Hawaiian music often finds joy in community, humor, and shared memories.
🌙 Modern Hawaiian Voices
Eric Lee continues the journey with Waimea Moonlight and E ʻOhana Hou. His music beautifully bridges traditional Hawaiian values with contemporary production, keeping the spirit of aloha alive for new generations. The transition from the ranch lands of Waimea to songs about ʻohana creates an emotional thread that ties place and people together.
🌺 A New Generation of Hawaiian Music
Kaleo Phillips represents today's Hawaiian musicians who honor the past while embracing the future. His music blends Hawaiian language, island harmonies, and spiritual influences that remain central to many local communities.
His pairing of Koto Iwi with Just a Closer Walk with Thee illustrates something distinctly Hawaiian—the way Christianity and Hawaiian musical traditions have become intertwined over nearly two centuries. Rather than replacing Hawaiian culture, many congregations embraced Hawaiian language, vocal harmony, and local musical styles, creating a worship tradition unlike anywhere else in the world.
🌴 When America Dreamed of Paradise
The playlist then takes an intentional turn into Martin Denny's world of Exotica.
This is an important distinction: Exotica is not Hawaiian music.
Instead, it was America's mid-century fantasy of the tropics. Martin Denny combined vibraphones, jungle sounds, Asian percussion, Polynesian influences, and lush orchestration to create an imagined paradise that captivated audiences in the 1950s and 60s. His music helped inspire the Tiki movement, themed restaurants, Disney attractions, and an entire generation's perception of the South Pacific.
Understanding Exotica helps us appreciate both its artistry and the difference between authentic Hawaiian culture and Hollywood's tropical imagination.
🎬 Then Came Elvis
No artist introduced more people to Hawaiʻi than Elvis Presley.
Blue Hawaii became one of the most influential films ever made about the islands. While it presented an idealized version of paradise rather than everyday Hawaiian life, it sparked worldwide interest in visiting Hawaiʻi and introduced millions to Hawaiian-inspired music.
The transition from Martin Denny to Elvis is deliberate: one created the soundtrack of America's tropical dream, while the other brought that dream to audiences around the globe.
🌈 The Bigger Story
This week's playlist isn't simply a collection of songs—it's a musical timeline.
It moves from authentic Hawaiian traditions...
to modern island voices...
to spiritual expression...
to America's fascination with paradise...
and finally to Hollywood's enduring influence.
Every song helps tell part of Hawaiʻi's story.
🎧 Featured Artists
• Ei Nei
• Eric Lee
• Kaleo Phillips
• Martin Denny
• Elvis Presley
Whether you're a lifelong fan of Hawaiian music or just beginning to explore its rich heritage, Show #707 offers a deeper appreciation for the people, history, and culture behind the music we love.
🌺 E mālama i ka mele. E mālama i ka moʻomeheu.
"Preserve the music. Preserve the culture."
#HawaiianConcertGuide #HawaiianMusic #Paniolo #Waimea #SlackKey #HawaiianCulture #Mele #Aloha #MartinDenny #Exotica #BlueHawaii #ElvisPresley #IslandMusic #HawaiiHistory #Podcast #HawaiianLanguage

🌺🎙️ NOW STREAMING — Hawaiian Concert Guide Show #706 🎙️🌺
Every song has a story, and every melody carries a piece of Hawaiʻi's rich history and aloha spirit. Join Piko and Terry as they explore ten wonderful recordings that span more than a century of Hawaiian music—from classic mele and beautiful love songs to contemporary island favorites, family tributes, and even the fascinating world of Exotica.
🎧 Featured Music & Stories
🌺 Ei Nei – Ei Nei, Look At Us
❤️ Pāpālina Lahilahi
"Soft Delicate Cheeks"
A timeless Hawaiian love song dating back to the Hawaiian Kingdom era. Discover how Hawaiian composers used poetic imagery and hidden meanings (kaona) instead of saying "I love you" directly. Learn why this classic has become a favorite for hula dancers and has been recorded by generations of Hawaiian artists.
💧 E Kuʻu Morning Dew
"My Beloved Morning Dew"
Morning dew symbolizes beauty that is precious yet fleeting. We'll explore how Hawaiian composers use nature—mist, rain, flowers, and dew—to express romance, longing, and cherished memories.
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🌺 Eric Lee – The Islands Are Calling
🌸 Nā Pua Lei Aloha
"The Beloved Lei Flowers"
One of Hawaiʻi's most treasured farewell songs, often heard at graduations, celebrations, and moments of parting. Discover how the fading flowers of a lei became a lasting symbol that aloha continues long after saying "A Hui Hou."
🏝️ Halekulani Okinawa
A beautiful tribute connecting Hawaiʻi and Okinawa through the spirit of aloha. Learn why Hawaiian music and hula have become so deeply loved throughout Japan, and how the famous Halekulani name represents hospitality "befitting heaven."
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🌺 Kaleo Phillips – E Mama
🌼 Pakalana
The beloved Pakalana flower is famous for its incredible fragrance that actually becomes stronger after sunset. Discover why this treasured lei flower has become a symbol of enduring love, cherished memories, and Hawaiian romance.
👨‍👧 God Bless My Daddy
A heartfelt modern song celebrating fathers, family, faith, and ʻohana. We'll discuss how contemporary Hawaiian songwriting continues to honor parents and family traditions while carrying forward timeless Hawaiian values.
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🌺 Martin Denny – Hypnotique
🎷 St. Louis Blues
Originally written by W.C. Handy in 1914, this American blues classic receives Martin Denny's signature Exotica treatment. Vibraphones, tropical percussion, bird calls, and lush arrangements helped launch America's tiki and island lounge movement of the 1950s.
🌙 We Kiss in a Shadow
Originally from Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, this beautiful Broadway love song is transformed into a dreamy tropical soundscape. We'll explore how Exotica introduced millions of listeners to romanticized Pacific-inspired music.
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🌺 Hoʻokena – Nā Kai ʻEwalu
🤝 Mi Nei
Meaning "Come Here," this gentle invitation celebrates friendship, fellowship, music, and aloha. Experience the rich vocal harmonies that made Hoʻokena one of Hawaiʻi's most respected contemporary Hawaiian groups.
🌈 Kauaʻi Beauty
Our grand finale—a breathtaking musical tribute to Hawaiʻi's Garden Isle. From the majestic Nā Pali Coast and Hanalei Bay to Waimea Canyon, waterfalls, rainbows, and lush green valleys, this song captures why Kauaʻi remains one of the most beloved islands in the world.
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🎙️ On this episode, we'll also discuss:
🌺 The hidden meanings (kaona) woven throughout traditional Hawaiian songs.
🌺 Why flowers, rain, mist, and mountains are central symbols in Hawaiian poetry.
🌺 The worldwide influence of Hawaiian music—from Hawaiʻi to Okinawa and beyond.
🌺 How modern artists continue to preserve Hawaiian language and culture while writing new music for today's generation.
🌺 The surprising history of Martin Denny and the Exotica movement that introduced island-inspired sounds to audiences around the globe.
Whether you're a lifelong fan of Hawaiian music or just beginning your island journey, Show #706 offers an unforgettable blend of beautiful melodies, fascinating history, cultural insights, and the true spirit of aloha.
🎧 Tune in, relax, and let Hawaiʻi come alive through its music and stories.
🌴 Hawaiian Concert Guide – Show #706
"Sharing the Music • The Stories • The Aloha Spirit"
#HawaiianConcertGuide #HawaiianMusic #Aloha #Hoʻokena #EricLee #EiNei #KaleoPhillips #MartinDenny #Exotica #NaPuaLeiAloha #Pakalana #Kauai #IslandMusic #Hula #Ukulele #SlackKey #Podcast #MusicHistory #MadeInHawaii #AlohaSpirit