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Post #572963 by Kaiwaza on Sat, Jan 22, 2011 2:39 PM

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K

A couple of interesting finds from a recent "Friends Of The Library" sale over Marting Luther King Jr. weekend.

Jack De Mello was a composer/orch. conductor who is well-known in Hawaii for taking Hawaiian music and recording highly orchestrated, kind of symphonic arrangements. He recorded several boxed sets featuring various periods of Hawaiian music, used orchestra/chorus recorded in England, with a few well known Hawaiian singers, mainly Emma Veary & Nina Kealiiwahamana. His recording always elicit a split reaction here...some people loved them, some people thought they lost all their "Hawaiianess" and become more like an Elmer Berstein soundtrack.
For some reason, in 1979, he travelled to Guam, studied the music, and recorded a 2 LP set of "Charmorro" songs set in the same symphonic arrangements he comimtted the Hawaiian songs to. However, this one must have been a major flop or was only sold on Guam, because until a year or so ago, I had no idea it even existed. Anyway, it comes with nice color booklet with lyrics (the LP is instrumental) and some pics. Best thing..I got it for $1.00.


Then, just a couple of "ethnic" Viking releases from Melanesia (Bamboo Bands) and The Solomon Islands.

I'd LOVE to have this aloha shirt...with Guadalcanal and other Melanesian islands on it...:)

It was a rather amazing "music centered" sale. There were (and I'm not lying) 1,000s upon 1,000s on LPs..at least 10,000-15,000. TONS of what is common Hawaiian here, but probably not where YOU are..:) They 2nd day everything was $1.00. The final day they were $10 for a huge cardboard box (the big kind that hold about 80-90 LPs)...I bought all my Hawaiian stuff on $1.00 day, and went back on $10 a box day for a box full of old Latin, Percussion, & interesting Lounge/Easy stuff...it was AMAZING to say the least.