Aloha Aloha

Those of you who know me, know that I teach English and Brookline High.  But those of you who know me really, really well know that I'm a music fanatic.  My head is filled with vapid pop lyrics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s; my tastes are pretty eclectic--from Fiona Apple to Frank Zappa; and I'm always in search of the coolest, greatest, weirdest sounds out there.

Inspired by my son, who'd never seen an LP before, I lifted the lid of an old turntable again and have gone in search of wacky new sides, sounds lost to the dustbin of the thrift shop piles, tunes that cry out for re-discovery.

There are eight million songs out there in the naked city; this is one of them.


I begin with a find that's perfect for the steaming hot summer of these past few weeks:

Aloha: Great Instrumental Favorites of Hawaii by Sam Koki and the Paradise Islanders (with the Waikiki Strings)

According to the liner notes on this album, "The familiar Hawaiian greeting of 'Aloha' is particularly appropriate to this album because it means either 'Hello' or 'Goodbye,' suggesting a continuing friendship and the promise of countless return visits."

Well, perhaps.  For the faint at heart, one visit to this album just might be enough.  But, honestly, after a few spins, Koki's slack guitar playing, punctuated by lively (well, audible, anyway) ukulele, starts to stick in your head.  Sort of like gum sticks in your hair, perhaps...but you get the point.

Not much is known (meaning: I couldn't find much) on band leader Sam Koki.  Apparently, in the 1930s, he left Hawaii and moved to the US where he and his band played NY City nightclubs, part of a South Pacific music craze (a crazy that perhaps ended a few years later with the bombing of Pearl Harbor).   While Koki and his Islanders played many hit clubs, Aloha was the only album they produced.  And though the title of the album refers to "favorites of Hawaii," none of the songs listed on this album--including "The Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai," "Pagan Love Song," When Hilo Hattie Does the Hilo Hop," and "The One Rose That's Left in My Heart,"--appear on most lists of famous or well known Hawaiian tunes.  Perhaps one should ask, "Who's favorites"? (here's the full list of tracks). For those who are SURE that mai tai's are true Hawaiian, this one's for you.

Nonetheless, Koki's work should not be forgotten.  Here's a brief sample, "Diamond Head," a tune that's not on Aloha, but one that shows off Koki's novel use of stereo recording, moving back and forth between his own slack guitar (on one side of the studio) and perhaps a Marimba (?)(on the other).

While this album might not be Koki at his best, don't write him off: in 1936, Koki appeared with Louis Armstrong's band in a setting that is far more than cheesy or simply charming.  It's not vintage Armstrong, but it's certainly worth listening to.  (Click here to listen--it's worth it!)

Over the years, Koki's band had a number of names.  Sometimes it was "THE Paradise Islanders" and sometimes (when Koki was feeling more possessive) it was "HIS Paradise Islanders."  Other times it was "The Polynesians" (the name he often used when playing with Armstrong) and sometimes "The Paradise Island Trio," as in this recording from 1937.  (And here, the bandleader Andy Iona, takes over the group himself, subordinating poor Sam to a supporting role in a well-known Armstrong hit.)

So, while Sam Koki and his/the Paradise Islanders may not ever climb out of its perch in the back bins of Boomerang Thrift Store (where there are two more copies, waiting to be claimed!), this music does provide a charming background groove (a lilting one) for summer, and, with Satchmo's help, it's a sound well worth recalling.