"I've said it before, and I see no reason to change my opinion - John Keawe, despite being a Hoku award winner, is one of the most underrated musicians in the state. This new CD from the North Kohala slack key artist is his best yet.

[The CD] shows the seemingly effortless facility with which Keawe creates beautifully melodic tunes. His playing is punctuated by perhaps the sweetest harmonics of any current kiho'alu (slack key) recording artist. You can hear that at the beginning of his original song "Hilina'i." Eight of the 13 songs are originals. The only vocal tracks are Ku'u Lei Awapuhi ("My White Ginger Lei"), a song known mostly nowadays by the version from Olomana's 1976 "Like a Seabird in the Wind" album, and "Hi'ilawe," the signature song of the late slack-key legend Gabby Pahinui.

Although his guitar playing deservedly gets him the most praise, Keawe is a fine singer with a winsome tenor voice. Other covers include a technically flawless (and still soulfoul) version of Kau'i Zuttermeister's "Na Pua Lei Ilima" and the late Kui Lee's signature song "I'll Remember You." "- John Burnett, Journal Feb 2004

  •  Aunty's Rose Garden
  •  Ohiki ~ Sand Crab
  •  Hi' ilawe