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No Ku'uipo

• No Ku`uipo is Ahumanu's second CD release, a smart and joyful collection of island music.
  
  
• Seven new compositions are a highlight, presented alongside lesser known classics selected for personal connections and memories.
  
  
• The sassy flavor to the collection may reflect Ahumanu's growing
  on-air personality as hosts of the Ahumaniacs radio show (M-F 11-1, KLZY
  102.9FM).
  
  
• Although Liz and Joni between them play most instruments, they called on special musician friends to add a little garnish to the album: Josh Kahula on lead guitar, Jesse Smith on drums and percussion, Michelle Anchetta on cello, Ross Ka`a`a on steel guitar, and Kristine Snyder on harp.
  
  
• No Ku`uipo was launched over two evenings at Stella Blues Cafe in Kihei, including the restaurant's signature dinner show. Friday night was packed with family, including members of Liz' family from Samoa who contributed a very lively element to the show (especially when Vi`i O Lauli`i was performed and danced by Leina`ala!). Composer Ki`ope Raymond was in the audience and saw the hula to his beautiful title song from the cd, No Ku`uipo Nei Aloha.
  

Song Samples

Bessie


Joni


Liz

1. No Ku`uipo Nei Aloha  
   (Ki`ope Raymond)
   An intimate love song to the composer's wife, written in exquisite poetry by one of Maui's Hawaiian language professors. The poem was set to music by Joni and features a lush Ahumanu vocal arrangement.
   
   
2. Swingtime in Honolulu
   (Duke Ellington)
   An energetic reprise of a song learned for a local school's May Day program.
   
   
3. Pohoiki 
   (Joni Noela DeMello)
   A visit to the island of Hawai`i and adventures and hospitality at Puna's famed surf spot, Pohoiki, made Joni want to capture the memory forever in song. We can feel the magic of driving down to the coast on a bright morning and finding wonderful surf waiting.
   
   
4. Hemolele, Hemolele, Hemolele
   (Liz Konohia Morales)
   Written for her church's Hawaiian praise and worship team to sing on Sundays: Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
   
   
5. Makalapua
   (Oliver Kelly, Johnny Lum Ho)
   Until recently, this tribute to a beautiful woman was rarely heard. Liz learned this version from Oliver Kelly, who taught it at her family reunion in the '80's.
   
   
6. Na Wahi Pana  
   (Joni Noela DeMello)
   Joni shares her morning routine in this spirited song about the various places she goes to check out the surf on central Maui's north shore.
   
   
7. Ha`o`u  
   (Liz Konohia Morales)
   Visitors to Hana, Maui, may notice a Ha`o`u street sign marking a small section of the fabled region. To Liz, it is her ancestral home, full of memories of her grandmother (famed lauhala weaver Elizabeth Konohia) and the site of her parents' early courting days. She pays tribute to this special place in a charming waltz-time song with a feel of a bygone era.
   
   
8. All Right Now
   (Joni Noela DeMello, Liz Konohia Morales)
   Illustrating the inventiveness of these talented song-writers, they wrote this mele while waiting (for hours) to be called for their two minutes of "fame" on the "Amazing" reality show -- all right!
   
   
9. I Whisper Gently to You
   (Ka`upena Wong)
   A lucious, dreamy love song Liz learned from Noelani Mahoe's album. Noelani's daughter `Ohua interprets it in hula for Ahumanu's Sunday brunch show at the Grand Wailea Resort.
   
   
10. Vi`i o Lauli`i 
    (Traditional Samoan)
    Tahitian banjo gives this song its signature sound in a tribute to the village in American Samoa where Liz's mother grew up.
    
    
11. Hamoa
    (John Pi`ilani Watkins)
    For Liz, this song represents more memories of playing music on beautiful nights around the kitchen table in the family home in Ha`o`u, Hana.
    
    
12. All of My Life  
    (Liz Konohia Morales)
    Joni gave only a few days' notice of her wedding, and having no gift, Liz gave the best gift of all: a song celebrating the couple and performed for the first time at the wedding.