The Best of 1996 - 2006

A collection of bright "Jawaiian" pop (so-called because it's Hawaiian pop with a distinct Jamaican influence), Jon Yamasato's Best of: 1996-2006 brings together songs from his time in the group Pure Heart, his duo work with songwriter Justin Young, and tracks from his solo album, One, as a sort of summation of his last decade in the music business (actually, his last nine years, since nothing here was recorded before 1997). It's all pretty pleasant stuff, if at times a little bland, and the bright cheeriness that Yamasato constantly projects gives off the feel of a great sunny day spent free as a bird, an approach that is charming even if it isn't particularly musically innovative or even the slightest bit demanding. There are several smooth covers here, often done with subtle Jamaican rhythms, including versions of Smokey Robinson's "Tracks of My Tears," Ritchie Valens' "C'mon Let's Go," Roland Alphonso's "Rocking Steady," and a fun take on Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby," but the best track is easily Yamasato's rendition of Young's "Gonna Meet the Clouds," which somehow seems more homegrown and Hawaiian, leaving one wishing that he had included more material like it.