Although arguably the most
popular singer in Hawaii until his untimely death in 1997, Israel
Kamakawiwo'ole was for the most part completely unknown outside
his home islands. He possessed a beautiful tenor voice of great range,
sweetness and sensitivity; a voice which seemed almost out of place emanating
from a man
of his physical stature and
appearance. (At times, Kamakawiwo'ole weighed more than 750 pounds, a factor
that contributed to his death at age 38.) Vocally, "Iz" bore some
resemblance -- in vocal timbre and approach, though not in his sound
-- to Aaron Neville... but
to this listener's ears, Kamakawiwo'ole was more natural
and interesting a singer
than the latter. After forming what would would become Hawaii's most
popular traditional group, Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, with his brother in
the mid-1970s, "Brudda Iz" began a successful solo career in 1990. While
the singer's solo work was in a more contemporary style, his glorious and
haunting vocals still brought an unmistakable traditional flavor to these
later recordings. Right up until his death in 1997, Kamakawiwo'ole's CDs
were winning awards and selling very well in his native Hawaii. "I
really really love playing music so how you gonna ack?", wrote the singer,
"my work is music and it's fun. I love what i do plus i get paid too cuz
whew!" Israel Kamakawiwo'ole remains unknown
to music
audiences on the mainland;
but whether you're into Hawaiian music or not, you
owe it to yourself to find
one of Iz's CDs and experience the work of a fine artist. |
