Country and Contemporary Hawaiian Group “A‘ea‘e” Release Four Singles

   Keola Donaghy composed “Aia I Kīlauea (‘Ā Mai)” after a visit to the Halema‘uma‘u Crater several years ago, to which Makuakāne added the music. It speaks of a much-desired lehua flower found near the crater and which attracted many manu (birds). 

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 Jeff Dayton contributed his composition, “When The Ocean Sleeps” to the EP. It was inspired by his love of the sea, both in Hawai‘i and abroad. You can clearly hear the influence that kīkā kī hō‘alu has had on his guitar playing throughout, and his impassioned vocal performance while comparing the ocean to a much desired female companion.

 

 

 

“Tennessee Whiskey” was composed by Dean Dillon, first recorded by David Allan Coe, more famously by George Jones, and most recently reinterpreted by Chris Stapleton. After securing Dillon’s blessing to create a Hawaiian language version, Donaghy went back to live performances by Dillon himself to create this version in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i.

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 “Ku‘u Ipo Ma Ke Kai Loa” is a Hawaiian interpretation of Gaylord Holomālia’s composition, “Lover of Mine,” most famously recorded by Kalapana and Israel “Brudda Iz” Kamakawiwo‘ole. Makia’s daughter, Māpuana Makia, joins him in this moving duet. Māpuana is perhaps best known as “Dr. Noelani Nakayama” on the Disney+ series, “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.”