Na Hula Punahele

A nice album of hula, new and old, from contemporary hula master Tony Conjugacion. The hulas presented are relatively easier-paced choices, stemming from a desire to make the album available for hula troupes. The result of this is a lack of extra solos or interludes (both of which make choreography more difficult) and the addition of repeated verses wherever possible. Despite its intended use essentially as an instructional set, the music here is excellent. Tony C can strum the ukulele with the best of them, and his falsetto comes through clearly throughout the album. Songs chosen include an original composition from Vicki Rodrigues, the classic "Sophisticated Hula" from Sol Bright, a nice piece from Ata Damasco, and a couple of original compositions from Conjugacion himself. The mix of group songs and individual songs, fast uke pieces and slower, introspective strumming pieces adds a touch of versatility to the proceedings, and the performance and recording quality remain high to the end. There's plenty of more exciting hula out there to be heard, but this is an essential recording of the basics.