Na Hoku Hanohano Awards a.k.a. the Hawaiian Grammys...
...are THIS WEDNESDAY at the convention center people. The best of the best of the islands. Here are the nominees for the categories that I'm going for:
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* BREAKING TRADITION by Tony Gamble
* DIVIDE by Johnny Helm
* GREEN LIGHT GO by Green Light Go
* LIVE LOVE, LOVE LIFE by Darrell Aquino
* THE WILD HAWAIIAN by Henry Kapono
R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* 5:54 by Afatia
* GAME 7 by Bishop
* LOVE POTION CYANIDE by Creed Chameleon
* MANDI SEEKINGS by Mandi Seekings
* THE `O by Krystiles
* S.PACIFIK MUSIK by Mana Poly All-Stars
REGGAE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* GROWING UP by Kawika Regidor
* MYSTICAL FISH by Brother Noland
* ONE DROP by One Drop
* REVIVAL by Katchafire
* WAITING ON A DREAM by Kaipo
The REST:
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a female artist; award to resident musician
* Leilani Rivera Bond for A KAUA`I CHRISTMAS
* Paula Fuga for LILIKOI
* Amy Hanaiali`i for GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Mahela for MY HEART
* Traci Toguchi for FEEL THE BREEZE
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a male artist; award to resident musician
* Nathan Aweau for HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL 2 - HULA
* Brother Noland for MYSTICAL FISH
* Henry Kapono for THE WILD HAWAIIAN
* Pekelo for HANA BY THE SEA
* Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA
DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Best performance by a vocal duo or group; award to resident musician(s)
* Barefoot Natives for BAREFOOT NATIVES
* Brothers Cazimero for CAZ CHRISTMAS
* Kaukahi for LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* Pali for PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE
MOST PROMISING ARTIST(S)
Most promising first-recorded effort as featured artist or group; award to resident musician(s)
* Ahumanu for THE GATHERING
* Danny Carvalho for SLACK KEY JOURNEY: ON MY WAY
* Paula Fuga for LILIKOI
* Manoa DNA for FOLLOW ME
* Bruce Shimabukuro for INCOGNITO
ANTHOLOGY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best album of previously released material; award to local producer(s)
* EDDIE KAMAE & FRIENDS -- Eddie & Myrna Kamae, producers
* THE 50 GREATEST HAWAI`I ALBUMS EVER - VOL 2 -- Honolulu Magazine, producer
* JUSTIN UNPLUGGED -- Bob St. John, producer
* KAPENA COLLECTION VOL III -- Leolani De Lima, producer
* THROUGH THE YEARS -- Cliff Carpenter & Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid, producers
COMPILATION ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of newly released material by a minimum of 3 distinct artists; award to resident producer(s)
* ALOHA FESTIVALS FALSETTO CONTEST WINNERS - VOL 7, William "Baba" Alimoot, Dr. Trey & Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid III, producers
* HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY KINGS, Milton & Chris Lau, producers
* HOKULE`A: THE LEGACY, Kenneth Makukane, Alden Levi, Randie Kamuela Fong, Hiro Mihara and Lehua Heine, producersProducers
* IT'S A SLACK KEY WORLD, Hapa, producer
* LEGENDS OF HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITAR: LIVE FROM MAUI, Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers
HAWAIIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of Hawaiian music
* GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* HANA BY THE SEA by Pekelo
* THE HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL. II - HULA by Nathan Aweau
* KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
CONTEMPORARY HAWAIIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of the music of Hawai`i, in the contemporary style
* BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives
* GRANDMASTER SLACK KEY GUITAR by Ledward Kaapana
* LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* MY HEART by Mahela
* WHERE I LIVE THERE ARE RAINBOWS by Na Leo
CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best performance of music in a contemporary style
* CHANGING by Keahiwai
* FOLLOW ME by Manoa DNA
* LILIKOI by Paula Fuga
* PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE by Pali
* RETURN TO ROMANCE by Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai`i
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* BRITTNI by Brittni Paiva
* GENTLY WEEPS by Jake Shimabukuro
* HAWAIIAN STEEL VOL. 4: THE ARTISTRY OF GREG SARDINHA by Greg Sardinha
* KA HIKINA O KA HAU by Keola Beamer
* THE SLACK KEY GUITAR ARTISTRY OF JEFF PETERSON by Jeff Peterson
CHRISTMAS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* CHRISTMAS ONCE MORE IN HAWAI`I NEI by Gail Mack
* CAZ CHRISTMAS by Brothers Cazimero
* CHRISTMAS WITH THE ROYAL HAWAIIAN BAND & FRIENDS by The Royal Hawaiian Band
* A KAUA`I CHRISTMAS by Leilani Rivera Bond
* MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* MERRY CHRISTMAS by Keahiwai
RELIGIOUS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
* A CALL TO THE NATIONS by Na Kahu
* GOT ALOHA? by 7 Simple Pieces
* KEONEMELE O KAUMAKAPILI by Kaumakapili Church Choir
* MISAKA by Misaki
* WATERS OF LOVE - GOSPEL LIVE by Michael Ruff
MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
* BEST OF NA MELE IV, Various Artists
* KCCN FM 100 BIRTHDAY BASH SWEET 16, Various Artists
* MAKAHA SONS LIVE AT THE HAWAI`I THEATRE, Makaha Sons
* HAPA MAUI. Hapa
* OVERDRIVE LIVE 3, Various Artists
SONG OF THE YEAR
Best achievement in creating a first-time recorded song; award to resident composer
* "Angels Bear Gifts" by Robert Cazimero from CAZ CHRISTMAS by Brothers Cazimero
* "Home Away From Home" by Willie Kahaiali`i from BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives
* "Ka Pua Hae Hawai`i" by Kuana Torres from KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* "Life in These Islands" by Kawika Kahiapo from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Napua" by Michael Ruff from GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
HAKU MELE
Best achievement in creating a first-time recorded Hawaiian language composition; award to resident composer
* "`Aina Wehi O Ma`ili" by Eric Lee from KAMAKOLU by Na Kama
* "He Nani Moloka`i" by Kenneth Makuakane from MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
* "He Wai Wai Nui" by Kawaikapuokalani Hewett & Kawika Kahiapo from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Ke`ei" by Kehau Tamure from KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* "Ku`u Pua Lovely" by Hailama Farden from KAMAKOLU) by Na Kama
* "Ke Au Maluhia" by Puakea Nogelmeier from MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* "Lei Ho`okahi" by Julian K. Ako from LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
* "Nani Wale Manoa" by Eric Lee from KAMAKOLU by Na Kama
* "Ni`ihau" by Pekelo Cosma from HANA BY THE SEA by Pekelo
HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PERFORMANCE
Best achievement in Hawaiian language performance; award to resident musician(s)
* Amy Hanaiali`i for GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Ho`omalie for ONLY YOU
* Na Kama for KAMAKOLU
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* `O Wai La for WEHIWEHI HAWAI`I
* Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best release of the year - award to local resident artist and producer
* BAREFOOT NATIVES by Barefoot Natives -- Willie Kahaiali`i, Eric Gilliom & Brian Kohne, producers
* BRITTNI by Brittni Paiva -- Brittni Paiva & Wendell Ching, producers
* EDDIE KAMAE & FRIENDS by Eddie Kamae -- Eddie & Myrna Kamae, producers
* GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i -- Michael Ruff & Hanaiali`i Records, producers
* KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai -- Shawn Pimental, producer
ENGINEERING
Best achievement in engineering; award to resident engineer
* Ron Pendragon & Michael Ruff for GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* Kenneth Makuakane, Tasha Tavares-Makuakane & Keola Donaghy for MAKUAKANE by Kenneth Makuakane
* Michael Ruff for MOONBOWS FOR CHRISTMAS by Various Artists
* D.J. Pratt for IT'S A SLACK KEY WORLD by Various Artists
* Dave Russell for WILD HAWAIIAN by Henry Kapono
LINER NOTES
Best achievement in album annotation
* Cindy Lance & Lynn Makalani Oakley for ALOHA FESTIVALS FALSETTO CONTEST WINNERS VOL. 7 by Various Artists
* Kahaunani Schornstein for KEONEMELE O KAUMAKAPILI by Kaumakapili Church Choir
* Puakea Nogelmeier, Fred Krauss & Keali`i Reichel for MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* Ellen Pelissero for MY HEART by Mahela
* Clif Carpenter for THROUGH THE YEARS by Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club
GRAPHICS
Best achievement in album cover design; award to resident artist(s)
* Wailani Hipolito for THE GATHERING by Ahumanu
* Jon de Mello & Keith Usher for GENERATION HAWAI`I by Amy Hanaiali`i
* Stacy Leong Design for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I by Na Palapalai
* Wailani Hipolito & Scott Johnson for MALUHIA by Keali`i Reichel
* Chris Lau for LIFE IN THESE ISLANDS by Kaukahi
FAVORITE ENTERTAINER
By popular state-wide vote; award to resident musician
* Nathan Aweau -- HAWAI`I CLASSIC SERIES VOL 2 - HULA
* Barefoot Natives -- BAREFOOT NATIVES
* Brother Noland -- MYSTICAL FISH
* Brothers Cazimero -- CAZ CHRISTMAS
* Amy Hanaiali`i Gilliom -- GENERATION HAWAI`I
* Ledward Kaapana -- GRANDMASTER SLACK KEY
* Na Palapalai for KA PUA HAE HAWAI`I
* Pali -- PALI PRESENTS A TRIBUTE
* Keali`i Reichel -- MALUHIA
* Jake Shimabukuro -- GENTLY WEEPS
