Review: Hokulea by AOMUSIC

Reviewed by Jonathan Widran

Driven by the expansive passions of musical and pan-cultural visionaries Richard Gannaway (stringed instruments, vocals), Miriam Stockley (vocals) and Jay Oliver (keyboards, synths, samples), AOMUSIC is all at once a truly global music phenomenon and a call to spiritual renewal by way of infectious melodies, transfixing rhythmic textures and hypnotic vocals and children’s choirs singing in their native languages from around the world. The group brings a colorful history into the rich, sweeping tapestries of their latest recording Hokulea (a Polynesian term translating to “Star of Gladness”), with their broad impact extending to an invitation to compose theme music for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, work with the Give Kids the World charity and being featured in the 2011 promotional trailer for Project Peace on Earth.

AOMUSIC gets the drums booming and guitars jangling at the outset of “Kuimba” - a track that beautifully traverses the landscapes of new age and world fusion - before Stockley’s lovely soaring voice crosses a bridge to a hypnotic choir singing an anthem in Swahili about singing and dancing till the sun rises. The dreamy, mystical title track blends deep ambiences with male and female lead vocals switching off to convey the essence of unity and home. The spiritual vibe is enhanced with a distant flute and the soothing harmonies of children. The gentle hypnosis continues via flowing, then soaring ethereal voices and light percussion textures on the Swahili language track “Sisi Ni Moja,” while “Ha Le” ambles along as an acoustic guitar driven folk song before the tribal rhythms amp up and voices swing and sway in a mix of Polynesian, Zulu, Xhosa, West African, Japanese and Hebrew (perhaps the most inspiring vocal mash-up ever!).

After the gracefully symphonic folk/new age influenced, mostly instrumental “Edge Walkers,” the group stirs up a fiery jam led by a fanciful Irish jig, dense percussion, ambient synth washes, flutes and trippy angelic harmonies. Although the title of the vibrant, soaring “Yaka Matai” almost sounds like an Eastern title, it actually derives from an exultation in the South African language of Xhosa. When the choir declares “God Is Here,” over the fiery groove, there is surely no doubt something divine is in the mix. Asia bound, the next track is the simply arranged Indonesian language tune “Itu Lagu,” which feature the charming flow of the children’s choir as the low key acoustic guitar line builds and eventually bursts into a high energy dance.

Hokulea wraps with yet another fanciful linguistic excursion, this time the Hindi language, in which a lush and innocent young female voice invokes the Divine Source in prayer; as God enters, the choir chimes in with a hopeful, solemn plea for the peace to stay and love to manifest. To the uninitiated, AOMUSIC presents world music in dynamic ways that truly reflect our common bonds as human beings. Longtime fans will enjoy the fresh, unexpected nature of what evolves, like a musical form of the Olympics, into a spirit of global cooperation and celebration of life.

– Jonathan Widran, Music Connection

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Top Christmas Albums of 2012: Something for Everyone

Here at BEING, we enjoy sharing the best of everything with you. Beginning this weekend, the spirit of Christmas will add beautiful sights, scents and sounds to our world.  As music lovers, the latter is especially important, so here are our top picks for new Christmas music in various genres from Pop to Rock, and from Classical to Country, with a little something thrown in for the kids. Remember, everyone loves the gift of music! 

Christmas in the Sand by Colbie Caillat

Colbie Caillat's first Christmas album was bound to happen sooner or later. This multi-Grammy Award winner from Malibu, California has spent many a Christmas in sand and surf. The idea for this album, conceived on a beach in Hawaii, led to funny songs about Santa surfing, the elves frolicking in the water and Colbie dancing on the beach. It's Christmas in a funny, wacky way that's sure to be a hit with teens, young adults and everyone who's young at heart.

Home for Christmas by Danny Wright

This album with  Danny Wright on the piano is the perfect Christmas gift for a sophisticated lady who's turned on by the music of David Lanz, Beethoven, Gershwin or Sondheim. Named by Billboard as one of the Top 10 New Age Artists, Danny Wright plays Christmas favorites from “Silent Night” to “Winter Wonderland” in his own elegant, inimitable way.

This Is Christmas by Katherin Jenkins

Only Christmas songs from a classical-crossover artist like Katherine Jenkins can overwhelm you with sound and spirit. The two-time Classical BRIT Awardee puts together an album that is a captivating mix of traditional holiday favorites and contemporary carols from around the world, including one featuring Placido Domingo.

On This Winter's Night by Lady Antebellum

Christmas always brings back thoughts of home. These songs by GRAMMY® Award winner Lady Antebellum will make every grownup wish he or she were home for Christmas. This chart-busting country pop trio puts together 12 traditional Christmas songs with the unique vocal blend that has won them almost every country music award there is.

Merry Christmas, Baby by Rod Stewart

Only one of the top 100 Greatest Singers of All Time can make your Christmas rock the way Rod Stewart does. The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductee has released the first Christmas album of his career including duets with Michael Buble and Ella Fitzgerald.

Christmas Joy SA-CD by Fiona Joy Hawkins

Piano sensation, singer and composer Fiona Joy Hawkins brings the Celtic and New Age rhythms to Christmas songs. She puts together the sounds of the Australian didgeridoo, Paraguayan harp, and other instruments to give Christmas music an entirely new slant.  Also available in Super Audio (SA-CD), it will delight audiophiles everywhere!

Bossa Nova Christmas

Taking their famous jazz sound, the Lounge Lizards have given Christmas a Bossa Nova style, adding a warm tropical rhythm to old favorites like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”, “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman”.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Kids of all ages will love this reissue with different mixes and takes that will make their favorite characters live again in music and song. Don't be surprised if it brings back memories of watching A Charlie Brown Christmas with your family many Christmases ago.

And speaking of shopping, the ironic and iconic image above is of a 40-ft. high Christmas tree made of shopping carts, taken in Venice Beach last year.  Merry Christmas everyone!