CD Reviews: Becky and Lyle, and Kawaikapuokalani Hewett
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Becky and Lyle
Bossa Style
(PDX Uke)
Old-school ukulele legend Lyle Ritz and jazz vocalist Rebecca Kilgore head to Brazil for this relaxed bossa nova collection. Kilgore’s interpretation of standards such as “Love Me or Leave Me” are fun (even if they don’t top definitive versions by Nina Simone or Ruth Etting), but the album is at its best when Ritz and his uke take center stage. “Triste,” for example, is a blissful stroll that demands a repeat listen.
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Kawaikapuokalani Hewett
Hoola i ka Poli
(Daniel Ho Creations)
We gave Hewett’s previous album four stars last September, and Hoola i ka Poli follows closely in its footsteps. Like Honehone i ka Poli, it’s a collaboration with his daughter, Ula Hewett, and Daniel Ho, who plays all the instruments. Hewett also continues in an autobiographical direction—his long career as a respected kumu hula and singer/songwriter have given him a solid foundation upon which to build, and each song plays like a chapter from a memoir.
