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:: Night Life/E Lei Ka Lei Lei (The Beach Party Song)::

:: A Taste Of Honey ::

The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, which means Tiki drinkin’ seaso...oh shit. I guess we got ourselves a little Hawaiian theme going here this week. It'll be interesting if this forces Mike's hand and he puts up something tropical, too. OK, that will only be interesting to us. Back on track, Tony, back on track.

Don Ho. You know Ho. Big lounge star of the 60's, pop icon of the 70's, and the Tiny Bubbles dude every decade since. He still performs, and he's still the first person the average person would think of if they were asked to name a Hawaiian singer (sorry, Hoku.)

This was Don's first album, recorded live at Duke (The Big Kahuna) Kahanamoku's club in Waikiki in 1965. His backing band, a group of ex-Air Force islanders calling themselves The Aliis, are featured prominently. I was expecting a much blander flavor of cheese, but some of these numbers really cook. You'll find no Tiny Bubbles here, that phenomenon didn't strike until the following year. Here's the show opener (and closer), Night Life, the feel-good island sway of E Lei Ka Lei Lei, and a very interesting song that I think serves as a showcase for the Aliis, A Taste Of Honey.


Tony

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