Dennis Kamakahi and David Kamakahi - 'Ulili E from the album OHANA (Family)

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'Ülili E (vocal)
Dennis: 6 string in C Mauna Loa Tuning (C--G--E--G--A--E)
David Kamakahi: 'ukulele in Standard Tuning (G--C--E--A) playing in C

This traditional Hawaiian standard describes a tattler bird running along the shore of a calm, deserted beach. The father--son performance honors the classic Gabby Pahinui and Eddie Kamae duets in The Sons of Hawaii, whose version can be heard on their classic album GABBY PAHINUI WITH THE SONS OF HAWAII (Hula 503). "Their version...oh man! That was responsible for getting me into wanting to play Hawiian music full time," says Dennis. "It is so radical: the solos, fills, timing, the ending. One of my biggest thrills has been playing it with Eddie. We do that ending and we look at each other and just crack up. And now getting to play it with my son makes it even more special. In the studio I told David 'You be Eddie, I'll be Gabby.'"

Dennis plays this song in his favorite tuning, C Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa describes a Slack Key tuning in which the two thinnest strings are tuned a fifth interval apart. This allows the musician to play runs on the first and second string that, in several other tunings, are often played on the first and thicker third strings, producing the characteristic sweet sound of Mauna Loa Tunings.

About the record:
Dennis Kamakahi's second album for Dancing Cat displays his great talents as a composer and Slack Key guitarist. Also featuring Hawaiian classics, peerless interpretations of the songs of Queen Lili'uokalani, and pure duets with his son, David, on 'ukulele, 'OHANA is evocative of a bygone era and reveals the beautiful romanticism of Dennis's music.