Kihoalu.org - Building Your Slack Key Collection

Building Your Collection of Hawaiian Slack Key Albums

There are lots of great slack key albums out there, and more coming out all the time. This is not meant to be a "greatest of all time" list, but a list of albums that would be a good starting point for someone wanting to learn about slack key. Once you have heard these albums, each artist's page has a more in depth bio with links to their other albums.

Gabby Pahinui, Pure Gabby, Hula Records.

The story goes that this was commissioned as a private recording by Dave Guard of the Kingston trio, this album - recorded in trio format in a church - is the closest you will get to a Gabby Solo album. Of particular interest to players is the fact that he plays each of the open strings from low to high before each song so you can hear his tuning. Classics like Gabby's signature tune "Hi'ilawe," and the simply titled "Ki Ho'alu." If you had to call someone a "godfather" of the style... Buy "Pure Gabby"

Sonny Chillingworth, Sonny Solo, Dancing Cat.

This might be my favorite slack key album of all time. Tough to name one for sure, but a GREAT place to start your listening journey. It's just him and his guitar. His playing is an almost perfect mix of technique and emotion and the vocals are awesome. Sonny sounds like an old cowboy and delivers some incredible performances. A classic.
Buy "Sonny Solo"

Ozzie Kotani, Kani Ki Ho'alu, Dancing Cat 1995 .

Ozzie is one of the best players out there now. He learned from Sonny Chillingworth, and in Sonny's tradition has already passed his knowledge on to lots of great players, not the least of which is his protege Danny Carvahlo. Here are classic Ozzie songs like Kani Ki Ho'alu and Kani Kipaipai. Ozzie is one of the few players to embrace both nylon and steel strings.
Buy "Kani Ki Ho'alu"

Ledward Kaapana & Bob Brozman, Kiki Kila Meets Ki Ho'alu, Dancing Cat 1997.

Steel guitar is a separate and perhaps more influential style of guitar invented in Hawaii. The two styles can make great duets, and this is an excellent album to start with. Though Led and Bob have another album out, and Bob's album with Cyril Pahinui is equally a classic, I chose this album because of the large number of standards it contains. Watch out though: these versions are jazzed up more than you normally see them.
Buy "Kika Kila Meets Ki Ho'Alu"

Ray Kane, The Legendary Ray Kane, Hana Ola Records.

This one is a little harder to find at most record stores, but well worth the order. It's a collection of all of Ray's classic early recordings, and is a great way to hear the sound of 50 years ago. Ray's playing is probably the closest modern example of what could be called the "real old style." His arrangements are a great place to start with many songs because they are often the simplest, most stripped down versions.
Buy "The Legendary Ray Kane"

Led Kaapana - Led Live - Solo, Dancing Cat 1994.

This is great place to start with Led. The album is loaded with standards - Salomila, Radio Hula (the version tabbed in the Hanson book), Opihi Moemoe, and more. The version of "I Kona," one of Led's signature tunes, is alone worth the price of admission. What's lost is the visual aspect of Led's performance (i.e. on Mauna Loa Slack Key), which you can pick up on one of his DVD's or one of several live performances available on the web - see the Kihoalu.org bio on Led for more info.

Buy "Led Live"

Cyril Pahinui - Night Moon / Po Mahina, Dancing Cat Records.

Cyril has a lot of great albums - Four Hands Sweet & Hot with Bob Brozman is a must have, as is 6 & 12 String Slack Key Guitar. I chose this album because it is a good all around representation, and has a cool cover. His version of Sanoe (also transcribed in the Hanson book) is superb, and there are several other cool songs on there as well.

Buy "Night Moon / Po Mahina"

Leonard Kwan - The Legendary Leonard Kwan, Hana Ola Records.

Leonard Kwan is is one of the greats, and a big influence on many of today's prominent players not the least of which is Ledward Kaapana. This is all Leonard's classic material including several versions of Opihi Moemoe, one of the greatest slack key songs ever. It's great to hear the original version of this song as you will invariably hear many covers of it. This is old school stuff, and the sound quality varies (though much better than CD's made off old 78's); there's even some funky - and at times annoying - tremolo effects. The Dancing Cat CD obviously has better sound, but grab this up for the original Opihi Moemoe.
Buy "The Legendary Leonard Kwan"

Keola Beamer - Soliloqy, Dancing Cat Records 2002.

Keola is without a doubt one of the great masters of the artform, and Soliloqy is a great way to hear Keola in a stripped down environment. Most songs are solo instrumentals or have sparse accompaniment. Keola is a master of the "old style," but he's also updated it quite well and can tap into smooth and new age territory. Make no mistake, though, this is first and foremost a slack key CD with excellent songs, some of which appear in Keola's popular instuction book. It's also a mellow CD, as relaxing as the picture on its cover, and a good way to put some Keola in your collection.
Buy "Soliloqy" by Keola Beamer

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	*Gabby Pahinui, Pure Gabby, Hula Records.* The story goes that this was commissioned as a private recording by Dave Guard of the Kingston trio, this album - recorded in trio format in a church - is the closest you will get to a Gabby Solo album. Of particular interest to players is the fact that he plays each of the open strings from low to high before each song so you can hear his tuning. Classics like Gabby's signature tune "Hi'ilawe," and the simply titled "Ki Ho'alu." If you had to call someone a "godfather" of the style... Buy "Pure Gabby"

	*Sonny Chillingworth, Sonny Solo, Dancing Cat.* This might be my favorite slack key album of all time. Tough to name one for sure, but a GREAT place to start your listening journey. It's just him and his guitar. His playing is an almost perfect mix of technique and emotion and the vocals are awesome. Sonny sounds like an old cowboy and delivers some incredible performances. A classic. Buy "Sonny Solo"

	*Ozzie Kotani, Kani Ki Ho'alu, Dancing Cat 1995 .* Ozzie is one of the best players out there now. He learned from Sonny Chillingworth, and in Sonny's tradition has already passed his knowledge on to lots of great players, not the least of which is his protege Danny Carvahlo. Here are classic Ozzie songs like Kani Ki Ho'alu and Kani Kipaipai. Ozzie is one of the few players to embrace both nylon and steel strings. Buy "Kani Ki Ho'alu"

	*Ledward Kaapana & Bob Brozman, Kiki Kila Meets Ki Ho'alu, Dancing Cat 1997.* Steel guitar is a separate and perhaps more influential style of guitar invented in Hawaii. The two styles can make great duets, and this is an excellent album to start with. Though Led and Bob have another album out, and Bob's album with Cyril Pahinui is equally a classic, I chose this album because of the large number of standards it contains. Watch out though: these versions are jazzed up more than you normally see them. Buy "Kika Kila Meets Ki Ho'Alu"

	*Ray Kane, The Legendary Ray Kane, Hana Ola Records.* This one is a little harder to find at most record stores, but well worth the order. It's a collection of all of Ray's classic early recordings, and is a great way to hear the sound of 50 years ago. Ray's playing is probably the closest modern example of what could be called the "real old style." His arrangements are a great place to start with many songs because they are often the simplest, most stripped down versions. Buy "The Legendary Ray Kane"

	*Led Kaapana - Led Live - Solo, Dancing Cat 1994.* This is great place to start with Led. The album is loaded with standards - Salomila, Radio Hula (the version tabbed in the Hanson book), Opihi Moemoe, and more. The version of "I Kona," one of Led's signature tunes, is alone worth the price of admission. What's lost is the visual aspect of Led's performance (i.e. on Mauna Loa Slack Key), which you can pick up on one of his DVD's or one of several live performances available on the web - see the Kihoalu.org bio on Led for more info. Buy "Led Live"

	*Cyril Pahinui - Night Moon / Po Mahina, Dancing Cat Records.* Cyril has a lot of great albums - Four Hands Sweet & Hot with Bob Brozman is a must have, as is 6 & 12 String Slack Key Guitar. I chose this album because it is a good all around representation, and has a cool cover. His version of Sanoe (also transcribed in the Hanson book) is superb, and there are several other cool songs on there as well. Buy "Night Moon / Po Mahina"

	*Leonard Kwan - The Legendary Leonard Kwan, Hana Ola Records.* Leonard Kwan is is one of the greats, and a big influence on many of today's prominent players not the least of which is Ledward Kaapana. This is all Leonard's classic material including several versions of Opihi Moemoe, one of the greatest slack key songs ever. It's great to hear the original version of this song as you will invariably hear many covers of it. This is old school stuff, and the sound quality varies (though much better than CD's made off old 78's); there's even some funky - and at times annoying - tremolo effects. The Dancing Cat CD obviously has better sound, but grab this up for the original Opihi Moemoe. Buy "The Legendary Leonard Kwan"

	*Keola Beamer - Soliloqy, Dancing Cat Records 2002.* Keola is without a doubt one of the great masters of the artform, and Soliloqy is a great way to hear Keola in a stripped down environment. Most songs are solo instrumentals or have sparse accompaniment. Keola is a master of the "old style," but he's also updated it quite well and can tap into smooth and new age territory. Make no mistake, though, this is first and foremost a slack key CD with excellent songs, some of which appear in Keola's popular instuction book. It's also a mellow CD, as relaxing as the picture on its cover, and a good way to put some Keola in your collection. Buy "Soliloqy" by Keola Beamer

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