Album Notes

"Magic Island Sounds" is an exotica-style wedding album featuring the music of WAITIKI. Featuring Hawaiian/hapa-haole songs once made famous by Alfred Apaka, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Martin Denny, and others, the music on this album will delight those from the Pacific and beyond. All music on this album is arranged by WAITIKI's co-founder and bandleader Randy Wong; the album also presents newly-recorded performances of two of Wong's original compositions: "Sweet Pikake Serenade", a ballad inspired by Arthur Lyman and dedicated to Mr. Lyman and Mun Charn Wong (Wong's grandfather), and "L'ours Chinois", a miniature concerto for violin written for, and featuring Helen Liu.

Conceived by Wong and Helen Liu (violinist in WAITIKI) as a musical tribute to the great love songs of old Hawaii, "Magic Island Sounds" is released in honor of Randy Wong & Helen Liu's decision to get married—and is thusly subtitled, "The Wedding Album". Album personnel include many of WAITIKI's closest friends, including Zaccai Curtis and Lopaka Colon who are members of the band's newest project, The WAITIKI 7. Jazz vocalist Charles Morgan makes his WAITIKI debut singing "The Magic Islands," and Mike Connors plays drums.