Album Notes

Rhythm & Roots Records is excited to announce its latest release

The CD is a compilation of 15

Artists who have dedicated a good part of their lives learning,

performing, preserving and perpetuating the Hawaiian indigenous art

form of “Ki-ho’alu” or Slack Key Guitar. These artists include Dennis

Kamakahi, Makana, David Kahiapo, Dwight Kanae, Florent Atem, Paul

Togioka, Michael Kaawa, Glen Smith, Kevin & Ikaika Brown (of

Maui), Albert Kaai, Bobby Moderow, Ledward Kaapana, Danny
Carvalho, North Shore’s Jack Johnson, and the producer of the project

Milton Lau. 12 of the tracks are original compositions while 3 tracks

(Maori Brown Eyes, Sanoe, Nani Wale Lihue/Ke Honi) are classic songs

from past written by others. The CD offers fans of Ki-ho’alu a variety

of songs in the genre from sweet nahenahe ballads to foot stomping and

Rhythmic compositions such as “Maunalua Jam”. For those wanting a

bit of Celtic Makana offers “Na Po’o Ka La” while Michael Kaawa

offers some Spanish flair with “Sepania Slack”. David Kahiapo’s

“Pukalani” is a jazz oriented piece while Ledward Kaapana, Paul

Togioka and Albert Kaai’s selections are more traditional in style.

“Song for Allie”, “Song for Erin” and “Lokelani’s Lullabye are personal

pieces. “Song for Allie” was a composition written by Danny Carvalho

for his pet cat that went to “Cat Heaven” after a long earthly life while

“Song for Erin” was written by Milton Lau for his 14 year old daughter

Erin to celebrate her birthday and admission to Kamehameha Schools

for the 9th grade while “Lokelani’s Lullabye” was a piece composed by

Dwight Kanae for his young daughter Lokelani who lives in Kaneohe.

Finally, friend and slack key fan Jack Johnson offers his composition

entitled “Better Together” that was re-recorded in the studio by

recording engineer and co-producer of the project Chris Lau. “Better

Together” sums up the project quite nicely as the project reflects the

general feeling of all of the participants who contributed to the project

“Together” to make a “Better” product. We hope everyone will enjoy

this project which was truly a labor of love from everyone involved in

the project. “Hawaiian Slack Key Kings” is the third release this year

from Rhythm & Roots Records. Previous releases include Ledward

Kaapana’s “Grandmaster” Slack Key Guitar and Paul Togioka’s “Here,

There, And Everywhere”, Slack Key Guitar. Other recording

projects are scheduled to be released before the end of 2006.

From all of us here at Rhythm & Roots Records……..

Me Ke Aloha Pumehana.

Milton & Chris Lau
Producers