REVIEW BY CHRISTO RUPPENTHAL
Grass Skirt Records GSK 6001
Originally published in Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association (HSGA) Quarterly Volume 37, Issue 143
The new record by Les Cook’s Grass Skirt records “Sam Alama and his Hawaiians” is a welcomed addition to my music shelf! A few of Sam Alama’s recordings have been previously re-issued on Hawaiian LP and CD collections. But until now the vast majority of these recordings were only available to avid collectors of original Victor and Brunswick shellac phonograph records. As with all other Grass Skirt releases this re-issue of scarce and in some instances extremely rare early Hawaiian 78s has been meticulously restored and packaged in an informative, appealing, and interesting way.
I’ll be honest. This collection is from what is essentially my favorite era of Hawaiian music from the Golden Age. There’s a sweet spot for me after the invention of the National Tricone and preceding the invention of the electric guitar (1926 - 1934) which really resonates with me both as a listener and a player. The fusion of traditional Hawaiian melodies and instrumentation with vaudeville and early jazz has really come into its own by this time. And the electric process technology used to make the original recordings had improved substantially from the earlier acoustic process of recording use during the sessions by the first generation of players to arrive on the mainland in the 1910s.
This record also benefits from top notch repertoire. Some of my favorite Hapa Haole songs from the era including “Sassy”, “Hula Girl”, “I Went To Hilo” and “Honolulu Tomboy” are performed splendidly. Other Hawaiian favorites including “Ama Ama”, “Maunaloa”, “Haleakala”, and “Lei E” are also very enjoyable! “Laie Blues” which was only released on an extremely rare Japanese 78 record sticks out among other in a surprising way. Currently only one copy of this Japanese 78 record is know to exist!
Biographies of Sam and his band members as well as various pictures, press clippings, and 78 RPM record label scans are present in the packaging. This feature makes the CD both enjoyable and informative. So you can both hear the splendid steel guitar work of Charles Namahoe and read about him in the liner notes.
Bonus tracks from recordings by Antone Gabriel his bands the Aloha Players are a welcomed addition to the release. It is speculated that he is also the steel guitarist on recordings by King’s Hawaiians and Honolulu Players presented here. These sides from Columbia’s trip to the Hawaiian Islands for recording sessions in 1928 have always been some of my favorites. If you love early Hawaiian music like I do you will certainly enjoy this CD!
To order: Email Les Cook at grassskirtrecords@gmail.com USA buyers will be able to use PayPal or send a check. Les will provide details. USA orders will be shipping from within the states. For other countries the payment option is PayPal except in Europe and the UK where other choices will be given.