Maunalua – HO’OKANAKA

This month Bobby Moderow Jr., Bruce Spencer and Kahi Kaonohi the boys of Maunalua are celebrating the release of their third album, Ho’okanaka and they are blowing out the candles on their 11th anniversary cake! It’s eleven years of strong Hawaiian style music for Maunalua. “Ho’okanaka means this isn’t a time to fall down, it’s a time to stand and be strong. And the translation is to stand and be steadfast for Hawaiian culture,” says Moderow. “We have to stand strong through the mele.”

Released this month, Ho’okanaka embodies Maunalua’s strong signature style of taking classical Hawaiian music and making it their own. This new album blends a prelude written by Moderow and an original track, Endless Miles, which is a song about finding that elusive Hawaii everyone is searching for.

Ho’okanaka has all the energy that was on Maunalua’s first album and combines it with the refinement of their second. Ho’okanaka also features a compilation of the most frequently requested songs that Maunalua has been playing for the past 11 years. Ho’okanaka is available from Mele Music in Hawaii.

Maunalua – KULEANA

Maunalua embraces their role to preserve and perpetuate this tradition with their second release entitled, Kuleana. During the past two years, Maunalua has been gathering songs that represent their strong belief in family, friendship, trust and culture. Co-produced with Dave Tucciarone, Kuleana, captures the spirit of Maunalua. This release features a beautiful song entitled “Pa Konane”, written and composed by Nanihau’upu and Bobby Moderow Jr. Legendary singer Leinaala Haili lends her musical vocals for “Pua Tuberose”. Kuleana further offers traditional favorites like “Nani Kaua’i/Aloha Ka Manini” and “Hawaiian Soul”, to slack key instrumentals, “E Liliu E (C Slack)” and “Hanohano Hanalei/Nani Hanalei”. Kuleana is an exciting follow-up to their first album, Maunalua, a Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner in 2001 for Best Hawaiian Album of the Year.

Maunalua has been playing together for over eight years and have been fortunate and honored to perform at many events throughout the Hawaiian Islands, U.S. mainland, Japan and Pacific Basin to preserve and to perpetuate the Hawaiian tradition. It is Maunalua’s kuleana to build upon our kupuna’s foundation and share their style of Hawaiian Music.