Hawaiian sounds take the spotlight

ISLAND SOUNDS
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Sunday, December 1, 2002

"Wahine Slack 'n' Steel" by Owana Salazar; Moonbow Records

Genre: Traditional and contemporary Hawaiian, with vocals and ki ho'alu (slack-key).
Distinguishing notes: Owana Salazar long has been a singer too often taken for granted. Here, her blissful vocal style is delicately meshed with ki ho'alu, proving she is a certified jewel of a talent. Best of all, she takes risk, combining traditional island sounds with modern stuff — exemplified by her stunning medley of the classic Sam Li'a composition, "Hi'ilawe," combined with, get this, Jimi Hendrix's "Waterfall." The medley cascades through the generations — a soulful slack-key guitar adding a seal of unmistakable originality. The fare runs the gamut, from oldies ("Hula Blues," an instrumental, and "Makee 'Ailana," a vocal) to newer models of Hawaiiana (like her original composition, "Kapalua," and Dennis Kamakahi's "Kou Aloha Mau A Mau").
The outlook: Outstanding repertoire in Hawaiian and in English, skillfully performed, wisely annotated with meaningful liner notes and, yes, lyrics — a real contender for anyone's collection. Scan the credits and you'll discover an all-star backup crew including such favorites as Ocean Kaowili, John Koko, Bailey Matsuda, Randy Lorenzo, Herb Ohta Jr. and more — folks who undoubtedly recognize the depth and breadth of her talent.
Our take: This is the one that will put Salazar on the map, once and for all.