Born in Hilo, Hawaii, in 1978, Kuana Torres Kahele has been a fixture of the Island music scene since the late 90s. Though he had done several albums with Na Palapalai, it was the 2011 release of "Kaunaloa", his first solo album, that truly made Kahele a star. The album would net him five Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year, in 2012. Later in 2012, he released his first Christmas album, "Hilo For The Holidays".
"Hilo For The Holidays" is certainly sweet enough. But, if I had one complaint, personally, its that the album mostly covers and hews closely to traditional Christmas music. Kahele is a talented singer, songwriter, producer and arranger and his non-holiday output is more along the lines of what I think of when I think of Island music--distinctly Hawaiian. "Hilo For The Holidays" gives us a couple of originals--the title track and the beautiful "I Guess It's Christmas"--but the latter is more AC ballad than Hawaiian Christmas song. Then we get covers of "Silver Bells", "Home For The Holidays", "The First Noel" and "Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song)". While there is something undeniably irresistible about those angelic voices Hawaii is famous for, I much more enjoyed Kahele's rendition of the traditional hymn "Ekolu Mea Nui" (a popular Island favorite"). That's the kind of Hawaiian Christmas music I'm looking for.
But Kuana Torres Kahele is getting ready to drop his second Christmas album, appropriately titled "Back To Hilo For The Holidays", and, if the previews he's offered up on Facebook are any indication, I (for one) am going to find this one far more satisfying in scratching that Hawaiian music itch. Check out "Menehune Santa" here, "Wa Kalikimaka" here, and "Santa On The Go" here.