John Keawe (Photography by Bill Adams/Special to Hawaii247.com)

Photography by Bill Adams
Special to Hawaii247.com

Nominees for the Hawaiian Academy of Recording Arts’ 2009 Na Hoku Hano Hano Awards are here!

This year’s awards include best slack key album, which brings the total number of categories to 26.

Big Island nominees include John Keawe and Kohala. Keawe’s “Hawaii Island.. Is My Home” is up the inaugural best slack key album; Kohala is on the list for two awards – best Christmas album and best instrumental album of the year.

The Brothers Cazimero and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole are tops with five nominations each, including vying for the best album and best Hawaiian album crowns.

Members of the Hawaiian Academy of Recording Arts vote in 20 categories, while a panel of Hawaiian music and language specialists will select the winners in the Haku mele and Hawaiian language performance categories, and the public will vote for “Favorite Entertainer of the Year.”

The ceremony for the 32nd annual Na Hoku awards is Tuesday, June 9 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Tickets to the event are on sale for $125 and $200, and may be purchased by phone at 593-9424 or online at www.nahokuhanohano.org.

 

The 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominees:

MOST PROMISING ARTIST

Anita Hall – Send Love

Hapa Folk – Good Fun

Kupoa – Pili O Ke Ao

Manoa Voices – A University Hawaiian Combo

Dave Tucciarone – Time

ANTHOLOGY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

50th Greatest Songs of Hawaii – Various

Best of Aloha Festivals Falsetto Contest Winners – Various

Kamalei: Kealii Reichel Collection-Two – Kealii Reichel

Keys of Love – Kapena

Unforgettable – Israel Kamakawiwoole and the Makaha Sons

CHRISTMAS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Aloha Kalikimaka: A Hawaiian Christmas – Maui Jam

Christmas Aloha – Various

E Ola Ke Alii: The Nā Kama Christmas Collection Vol. 1 – Nā Kama

Kimo’s Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas – Jim “Kimo” West

Kohala Christmas – Kohala

Winds and Colors of Christmas – Ilima Rivera

COMPILATION ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Master Series Vol. II – Various

Hawaiian Style 5 – Various

Live at Iolani School Fair Vol. 1 – Various

Love, Love, Love – Various

Pink CD – Various

MUSIC VIDEO DVD OF THE YEAR

Guava Jelly – Camille Velasco

Kamehameha Schools 2008 Song Contest – Kamehameha Schools

Like Ocean, Like Lace – Cheryl Bartlett

CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Acoustic Beauty – Tahiti Rey

Another Rainbow – Jeff Rasmussen

Aumakua – Amy Hanaialii

Everyday – Ten Feet

Full Circle – Titus Kinimaka

Dave Tucciarone – Time

HAWAIIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Ahea Ano – Holunape

Destiny – Brothers Cazimero

Kaumakaiwa – Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole

Pili O Ke Ao – Kupoa

Yesterday and Today – Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii

HIP HOP / R&B ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Alive and Well – King Kekai

Connie – Connie Kruz

Hawaii and Beyond – Ryan Hiraoka

Planet Earth – Nigel Kauanui

Reborn – A Touch of Gold

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Contemporary Ukulele Instrumentals – Kalei Gamioa

From the Heart – Noly Paa

Haleakala – Jeff Peterson & Riley Lee

 Live – Kohala

Spotlight – Ohta-san

ISLAND MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Aina – Peter Apo

Dear Mama – Darren Benitez

Force of Nature – Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa

The White Bathtub – Ken Makuakane

…With Aloha – PALI

JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Aloha Monday – Aaron Kaleo

Hawaiian Jazz – Stephen Jones & Bryan Kessler

Live at the Dragon Upstairs – Ginai & Pierre

Tropic Rhapsody – Teresa Bright

The Very Thought of You – Shea Argel

REGGAE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

The Bond that Binds – Kawao

Free Again – Kontiki

It’s About Time – Dani Girl

Nothing to Hide – Rebel Souljahs

We’re Coming – Pohaku

RELIGIOUS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

All for One – Del Beazley

Heaven In Your Heart – Debra Lynn

My Generation – SRM Worship

Psalms for Healing – Wesley Taira

Send Love – Anita Hall

Tiffa – Tiffa Garza

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Admit One – Pimpbot

Imua – Imua Garza

Light You Up – Kristofer David Gray

Many Classics, Kalapana Plays Their Best -Kalapana

A Sense of Urgency – Upstanding Youth

SLACK KEY ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Hanalei Tradition – Doug & Sandy McMaster

Hawaii Island.. Is My Home – John Keawe

Kaowahi – Ben P. Kaili Jr.

Paradise on the Ocean – Doug Fitch

Somewhere – Danny Carvalho

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Diana Aki – Kalihi

Teresa Bright – Tropic Rhapsody

Amy Hanaialii – Aumakua

Natalie Ai Kamauu – ‘Ī

Kuuipo Kumukahi – Let’s Hula

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Brothers Cazimero – Destiny

Holunape – Ahea Ano

Led Kapaana & Mike Kaawa – Force of Nature

Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii – Yesterday & Today

PALI – …with Aloha

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Howard K. Ai – Kaleihulumano

Del Beazley – All for One

Darren Benitez – Dear Mama

Bill Kaiwa – Na Halia

Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole – Kaumakaiwa

Aaron Sala – Napoona Mahina: the Illusion of Reality

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Ahea Ano – Holunape

Aumakua – Amy Hanaialii

Destiny – Brothers Cazimero

Kaumakaiwa – Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole

…With Aloha – PALI

SONG OF THE YEAR

Dear Mama – Darren Benitez

Island Days – Pali T.W. Kaaihue

Ka Imi Loa – Snowbird Bento & Roland Cazimero

Maka Ua – Myrna and Eddie Kamae

Waiaka – Olana & Howard K. Ai

FAVORITE ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Howard K. Ai – Kaleihulumano

Darren Benitez – Dear Mama

Teresa Bright – Tropic Rhapsody

Brothers Cazimero – Destiny

Amy Hanaialii – Aumakua

Holunape – Ahea Ano

Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa – Force of Nature

Natalie Ai Kamauu – ‘Ī

Kuuipo Kumukahi – Let’s Hula

PALI – …with Aloha

Technical and Adjudicated Awards

GRAPHICS

Aina – Peter Apo

From the Heart – Noly Paa

Unforgettable – Israel Kamakawiwoole and the Makaha Sons

E Hula Mai Kakou – Na Leo

Napoona Mahina: the Illusion of Reality – Aaron Sala

LINER NOTES

1. Olana Ai for Kaleihulumamo, Howard K. Ai (Ginger Doggie)

2. Robert Cazimero and Roland Cazimero for Destiny, The Brothers Cazimero (Mountain Apple)

3. Gerald Kahula Hirata for Aloha Anianiau, Leilani Rivera Bond (Leilani)

4. Kahauanu Lake for E Hula Mai Kakou, Na Leo (OneHawaii)

5. Puakea Nobelmeier, Fred Krauss, and Keali’i Reichel for Kamalei: Kealii Reichel Collection – Two, Kealii Reichel (Punahele)

ENGINEERING

Fred Li and Eric Kop – Bop Tribal (Bop Tribal)

Kit Ebersbach – Tropic Rhapsody (Teresa Bright)

Shawn Livingston Moseley – Altar Native (Millicent Cummings)

Shawn Livingston Moseley – White Bathtub (Kenneth Makuakane)

Milan Bertosa, DJ Pratt, and Gaylord Holomalia – Many Classics, Kalapana Plays Their Best

HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PERFORMANCE

Leilani Rivera Bond for Aloha Anianiau

Holunape for Ahea Ano

Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole for Kaumakaiwa

Kupaoa for Pili O Ke Ao

Aaron J. Sala for Napoona Mahina – The Illusion of Reality

HAKU MELE

Kainani Kahaunaele for Pulupe I Ka Ili from Napoona Mahina – The Illusion of Reality by Aaron J. Sala

Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole for Lani Kau Keha from Kaumakaiwa by Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole

Lehua Kalima Heine for Lei Awapuhi from E Hula Mai Kakou by Na Leo

Joseph Brian Badis and Kellen Paik for Kauluwehikalunaokaala, from Pili O Ke Ao by Kupaoa.

Kainani Kahaunaele for E Huli Hoi Mai from E Hula Mai Kakou by Na Leo