Kalapana - "The Best Of: Vol. 1"

Hello readers, if there are any of you left out there, sorry for the long absence.  It was unexpected and unintentional.  But now I am back for you dear readers.

This is the first "Hawaiian" music CD I ever bought. I put Hawaiian in quotes because technically this is not traditionally Hawaiian music. All the lyrics are in English and the music style is closer to 1970s American pop/rock. Kalapana is closer in style to The Eagles or Loggins & Messina than other Hawaiian musicians like Gabby Pahinui. The band is from Hawaii though and gained their fame and following in the Hawaiian islands before branching out to Japan and the rest of the pacific.

Kalapana were arguably the most successful group in Hawaiian music in the 1970s, possibly second only to Cecilio & Kapono.

This 1992 thirteen track compilation contains many of the biggest hits from Kalapana's mid 70s heyday. This disc relies heavily on their debut album with seven of that albums songs appearing here. Three tracks from their second release and two tracks from their third album round out the compilation. The two tracks from the third album are something of a rarity because the band's third release is not available on CD in the USA, it is only on CD in Japan and thus can be found only as a very expensive import.

"Best of Vol 1" focuses largely on the band's acoustic folk/pop/rock and not featuring their more Jazz based rockers. Nonetheless the album contains many of their best songs and is a great introduction to the band. Either pick this album up or if you would like a more complete overview check out their first two albums (Kalapana 1 and 2). Like I said earlier this is the only USA available CD to have the songs "Inarajan," and "Alisa Lovely."

This is the first Hawaiian music CD I ever bought and I have been a Kalapana fan ever since.